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Member LoginFilm greats launch 50th year for ACS
On the evening of Thursday 19 July 2007, at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, a fitting venue to celebrate home-grown achievement, Calvin Gardiner ACS, son of legendary cameraman Jack Gardiner ACS, launched the 50th anniversary year of the Australian Cinematographers Society.
“The founders would be unbelievably proud of the esteem and respect the ACS has in our industry,” notes Gardiner, adding “they may even be surprised by the fact we boast five academy award winners amongst our members.”
When Andrew Lesnie ACS raised his cinematography Oscar aloft for Lord of the Rings in 2001, he followed Dean Semler ACS ASC and John Seale ACS ASC (The English Patient,1996), and preceded Russell Boyd ACS ASC (Master and Commander, 2003) and Dion Beebe ACS ASC (Memoirs of a Geisha, 2005) in accepting this coveted industry honour.
Amongst the 300 plus crowd welcoming the 50th year, in the Transport Room of the Powerhouse Museum, were the elite of Australian cinematography and their supporters. Within the total ACS membership of around 1200 professionals, are the cinematographers responsible for shooting more than 90% of Australia’s feature films, documentaries, television commercials, news and current affairs.
Training grounds like the ABC, commercial television, Movietone, Film Australia, and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), feature prominently in the CV’s of ACS members. Andrew Lesnie is a graduate of the AFTRS class of ’78, and has also picked up BAFTA (the British ‘oscar’) and ACS awards for his cinematography on the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Pioneering cameraman John Leake, a founding member of the ACS, received particular praise for his 50 years of tireless work for the society, ably assisted over the years by his wife Marion. Leake’s collection of photographs and technology is of great benefit to the ACS and the National Film and Sound Archive, and includes stills and video of the construction of the Sydney Opera House.
Helping members transition from Film to High Definition video production, is an aspect of overall industry education the ACS actively contributes to.
The upcoming year of celebrations will now go nationwide, and encapsulate the annual ACS state and national award events, as well as a series of technology seminars. The 50th culminates in a conference and technology exhibition at the Manly Pacific in May 2008.
Photos from the night are available from Studio 3 Photography http://www.studio3photography.com.au or (02) 9389 9700
With thanks to our Launch Sponsors - Miller, Panavision, Fuji/Fujinon & ARRI Australia