As the buzz of awards season dies down, Christopher Ross BSC takes time to reflect on three months of celebration of our craft.
Academy
/əˈkadəmi/
Noun
1. A place of study or training in a special field.
“a police academy”
2. A society or institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field.
“the Royal Academy of Arts”
What a ride! The last three months have been a busy time in the world of cinema, and the deadline for this edition of British Cinematographer magazine arrives just as the whirlwind that is awards season comes to a close. The filmmaking community has been united in its celebration of our crafts, be that in front or behind the camera, showing great strength in numbers when championing excellence.
But first… BSC Expo 2023. Free-falling into the exhibition hall of the Evolution in Battersea Park, bringing with it the 12 more months of innovation and technological advancement. Exhibitors brought the very best of the industry’s technologies for hands-on demonstrations and networking events.
Just shy of 8,000 attendees flowed through the hall; drawn from stand to stand, conversation to conversation. A chance to catch up with past collaborators and an opportunity to forge new relationships and widen networks. In pursuit of image-making excellence, the individuals and companies that inhabit the stands fuel the evolution of the moving image. Each driven by the same curiosity that compels cinematographers to push the boundaries of technical capability in pursuit of their art. The seminars, panels and stands of the BSC Expo are the perfect converging point for the symbiotic relationship between filmmaker and technical innovator to thrive.
Since the pandemic lockdowns have eased, the filmmaking community has been busier than ever. The diversity of new technologies and workflows expands exponentially, and the quest for new products and techniques continues unabated.
Presentations of new equipment allowed crucial hands-on practice. Panel discussions debated the benefits of virtual production and HDR post-production workflow. Seminars brought lessons of hard-won insight to career starters. The combination seeking to demystify the image-making process and inspire a new generation of cinematographers to pick up tools and go to work.
The opportunity, and appetite, for this kind of interaction is exactly why the BSC Expo is an enduring feature of the calendar. It’s always great to be back inside the exhibition hall, raising a glass or two to the innovators!
Enveloping the Expo, in a half-nelson of celebration, was the annual round of screenings and awards events. Shortly after our last edition dropped, the Society gathered in celebration of our craft, and its finest practitioners, for the 67th BSC Awards. Ever since Ossie Morris BSC collected the first award in 1953 the BSC has been rewarding excellence in the cinematographic arts. The industry may have evolved since then, but the sentiment of cinematographers championing others remains strong.
Our Guest of Honour this year was the brilliantly anarchic film director, and former Monty Python, Terry Gilliam; entertaining us with stories from his escapades with Lifetime Achievement Award winner Roger Pratt BSC. The collaborative bond between the filmmakers was evident in Terry’s heartfelt speech, and the standing ovation that greeted the announcement of Roger’s name illustrated just how deeply his cinematography resonated.
From a lifetime of service to the recognition of great people doing great work on the latest productions. The Operators Awards were of the very highest standard; Daniel Bishop ACO Assoc. BSC was victorious for his precise execution whilst framing the powerful anti-war eulogy All Quiet on the Western Front and Vince McGahon ACO Assoc. BSC brought a stark reality to the evolving spy drama Slow Horses. The finest work in service to fine stories.
The nominations for best cinematography represented the very best of what global filmmaking has to offer, from biopic to sci-fi, from banshees to superheroes. Ben Wheeler BSC’s white-hot photography triumphed in the television category for The Tourist, the scorching heat of the Australian outback setting the tone for a non-stop thrill ride. The feature film award was hotly contested with incredible work from the five nominees but the acutely visceral gaze that James Friend ASC BSC brought to All Quiet on the Western Front was the deserving winner. Plunging its audience into a deeply personal journey to the dark heart of the First World War was a bold choice and James’ imagery complemented the performances with a resonant intensity.
The BSC Best Cinematography in a Feature Film Award began an avalanche of accolades for James and the film itself. In just a few short weeks, James has become a BAFTA and Oscar winner for his conscientious character-study of the wasted lives of German youth. All Quiet received a total of seven BAFTA Awards and four Oscars across a multitude of disciplines.
So may we raise a metaphorical glass to James for winning the “Triple”. It really is the ultimate recognition of his artistry, for one’s work to be unilaterally highlighted for praise by your peers. What an astonishing accolade and so thoroughly deserved. In doing so, James has achieved not only well-earned praise for himself, but great kudos to the Society and important recognition for our beautiful craft on the world stage. James’ accomplishment runs deep and wide.
Bravo, maestro!
