The SOC Awards and Angenieux’s New President

It’s been a good week for France in Hollywood. A week ago, February 19th, the Society of Camera Operators awarded Angenieux a 2012 Technical Achievement Award for the design of the Optimo series of hand-held zoom lenses: 15-40, 28-76 and 45-120mm.

Pierre Andurand, new President of Thales Angenieux, accepted the award on behalf of all the people who made these lenses and made them possible:

“On behalf of everyone at Thales Angenieux, I accept this award with much gratitude. I would like to thank all the Optimo fans and users who have made Angenieux lenses the most recognizable and sought after zoom lenses in studios and production sites all over the world. Angenieux’s goal has always been to provide you with the most innovative and  highest quality products.

“I understand that some people here consider that the movie The Artist from Michel Hazanavicius is a beautiful gift from France. I would like to tell you that this SOC award is also for us, in return, a fantastic gift from Hollywood, that I will be very proud to bring back to France.”

I’m sure that this award will bring Angenieux’s staff extreme pleasure, enthusiasm and motivation, to continue to do what we have been doing for years: Helping to transform your ideas and storyboards into imagery.”

The other technical award was presented to Grip Trix for the Electric Powered Camera Platform and accepted by creator and company owner, Herb Ault.

Earlier in the evening Stephen Campanelli, SOC presented the SOC Board of Governors Award to 4-time Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood in recognition of his contribution to filmmaking and his recognition of the role of the camera operator. Eastwood and Campanelli have worked together on every Eastwood film from “Bridges of Madison County” to “J. Edgar” – a collaboration lasting over 18 years.

Campanelli then went on to win Feature Film Camera Operator of the Year for “J. Edgar.” The other nominees in the feature film category were Will Arnot, SOC (“The Help”), Mitch Dubin, SOC (“Warhorse”), Peter Rosenfeld, SOC (“Cowboys and Aliens”), and P. Scott Sakamoto, SOC (“The Defendants”).

Andrew Mitchell, SOC won Television Camera Operator of the Year for his work on “Glee.” The SOC Lifetime Achievement Award for Camera Operating was given to Paul Babin, SOC. Babin has worked with Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Barry Levinson and James Cameron, on films including “The Abyss”, “Always”, “Fearless”, “True Lies”, “The Rainmaker” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”.

The College Camera Operator of the Year award went to Petr Cikhart (American Film Institute).

Zoran Veselic received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and excellent career as a Camera Assistant.

Andrew Cooper, SMPSP recieved the Lifetime Achievement Award for Still Photography. Sol Negrin, ASC took the SOC’s Distinguished Service Award presented to him by his son Michael Negrin, ASC.
George Richmond, SOC received the Historical Shot Award for his  camera operating on “Children of Men.” George was working in England. His father, distinguished cinematographer Tony Richmond, ASC accepted on George’s behalf. Tony once famously said, “Nepotism is fine as long as you keep it in the family.”

 

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