Presents 'Lifetime Achievement Award' to JOE DUNTON MBE BSC
The 2007 Cine Gear Expo Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring
a lifetime of service to cinematographers and the art and craft
of filmmaking, was presented to Joe Dunton MBE BSC at the Expo
party on Friday 22nd June. Joe was very proud to be recognised
and prophesied that Cine Gear would become the world platform
for new equipment in these rapidly changing times.
Joe Dunton receiving the Award from Julianne Grosso and Karl
Kresser
Joe began his career in the motion picture industry more than
40 years ago as a Video Engineer with Pye London Ltd. Whilst
out repairing a security camera at Samuelson Film Services,
he was offered a position in the sound department on the feature
film Le Mans, which following a delay, later starred Steve
McQueen.
He then converted a Mitchell Camera for Ossie Morris for use
on OLIVER which helped lay the foundation for video assist
as we know it today. Joe worked for six months on 'OLIVER'
on Video Assist and with 400 dancers and seven choreographers
it really made an impact.
This experience fed his fascination with Anamorphic and Video
Assist and in 1976 he started his own company, Joe Dunton Cameras
(JDC) which now has operations in the United Kingdom and North
Carolina.
During his years in the industry, Joe has received many awards,
the highlight of which was receiving the M.B.E. (Member of
the Order of the British Empire) in the 1998 Queen's New Year's
Honours List for his services to the camera and film industry.
Recipient of both the GBCT David Lenham Award and the BSC ARRI
'John Alcott' Memorial Award, Joe was presented in 1992 with
the BSC Bert Easey Technical Award for the development of the
J. D & C Anamorphic lens system.
A long serving Governor of the British Society of Cinematographers
and current Vice President, he was solely responsible for initiating
the BSC Equipment Show, which began in 1993 on a small stage
at Shepperton. It has now expanded and become an annual event
currently held on the George Lucas Stage at Elstree.
His passion for the British Film Industry encouraged him in
1997, assisted by the British Film Council and the DTI, to
convey a wealth of British talent and service companies to
attend the Showbiz show in Los Angeles, within an eye catching
'Joe Dunton designed' pavilion.
Another passion was to ensure that today's generation of film
makers benefit from the vast experience of their predecessors.
To this end he has persistently liaised with trade associations,
training organisations and government departments and has headed
the Cine Guilds of Great Britain for many years. This has culminated
in the acquisition of funding to launch The CineMasters Academy,
which will supply experienced film personnel to UK training
organisations thereby ensuring that high standards are maintained
and that the history and development of this great industry
is never lost.
His passion for anamorphic is legendary. His association on
hi profile production with Matthew Leonetti on Stephen Spielberg's
'Poltergeist' and Alan Hume BSC on Richard Marquand's 'Star
Wars: Return of the Jedi' and with Oscar winning cinematographer
Chris Menges BSC on 'The Mission' helped showcase his ardour
for this format.
Following his long alliance with Stanley Kubrick, which started
with 'Clockwork Orange' (1971) Joe has, since Stanley's death
in 1999, been instrumental in illustrating Stanley's appreciation
of the importance of the fine lenses which enhanced his motion
pictures.
Despite this, Joe is forever keen to embrace new technology
and was the founder of the BSC Technical Committee. Forever
inventive and ever eager to experiment to achieve the directors
and cinematographers vision, the late great Freddie Francis
BSC thought that Joe, like an Oracle, should be 'locked in
a room available for consultation at all times'.
02 July 2007
British Society of Cinematographers
Office: PO Box 2587, Gerrards Cross, SL9 7WZ, UK
Club: North Lodge, Pinewood Studios,
Pinewood Rd, Iver Heath,
Bucks SLO ONH
Ph: +44 (0)1753 888052
Fax: +44 (0)1753 891486
Email: BSCine@btconnect.com
web: www.Bscine.com
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