The British Society of Cinematographers has announced the sad passing of Nigel Walters BSC.
Walters worked as a cinematographer for over 30 years, shooting some of the most iconic television of the 1980s and 1990s, from Around the World In 80 Days, starring Michael Palin (for which he was BAFTA-nominated), to the groundbreaking Queer as Folk.
The DP was passionate about cinematography and the filmmaking community, donating his time both to the BSC as a governor and to IMAGO, where he served as president between 2008-2015.
During Walters’ presidency of IMAGO, he worked to bring societies together, increasing the IMAGO membership with 13 new societies joining from the ACS (Australia) to JSC (Japan) and ISC (Ireland).
In 2016, Walters was awarded the BSC John Alcott Award for his contribution to the BSC.
Many will remember him for being someone who was passionate about defending cinematographers’ rights and for his work promoting the craft on a worldwide level.
In the BSC’s obituary paying tribute to Walters, Phil Méheux BSC wrote: “During his 30 years as a film cameraman, Nigel worked on over 100 programmes, including filming episodes of Panorama in Vietnam, Israel and Northern Ireland, as well as documentaries for Horizon, Arena, 40 Minutes and many BBC drama films and series.
“Omnibus: The Treble, a biography of the young singer Aled Jones, won a 1985 International Emmy Award and Around the World in 80 Days (with Michael Palin) was nominated for a BAFTA TV Craft Award for Film Cameraman.
“He became freelance in 1992, filming the first 15 episodes of Kavanagh QC (1995), as well as films such as Screen Two: Streetlife (1995 d. Karl Francis) and the television series Alive and Kicking (1991 d. Robert Young).
“He also photographed the groundbreaking Queer as Folk (1999) and the feature film One of the Hollywood Ten (2000 d. Karl Francis), which opened the Seville European Film Festival and then promptly disappeared!
“Nigel became a member of the BSC in 1998 and, inspired by Alex Thomson BSC, served on the board of governors from 2005-2020. He has been the society’s vice-president under Sue Gibson, John de Borman, Barry Ackroyd and Mike Eley.
“Past president Tony Imi BSC encouraged him to become president of IMAGO (International Federation of Cinematographers). During his nine years, they became a global force, culminating in the American Society of Cinematographers finally joining in 2020.
“He was a member of IMAGO’s Working Conditions and authors rights committee and also helped orchestrate the creation of Screen Craft Rights in co-operation with BECTU, GBCT and the guild of British Film Editors.
“Nigel acted as an adviser for the Manaki Brothers Film Festival, where he established and ran the Balkan Conference for cinematographers, working to unite the profession internationally. He spoke German and Swedish and was an honorary member of the Greek, Australian and Irish Societies of Cinematographers and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, proposed by Sir Michael Palin.”
Walters’ daughter, Lara, is happy for anyone to contact her and funeral arrangements will be announced in due course: [email protected], 07799 283845.
Méheux’s full tribute is available on the BSC website.
Paul René Roestad FNF, former president and former general secretary of IMAGO, added: “The news of Nigel’s passing was received with great sorrow among his many friends worldwide.
“Not many people have the same extraordinary ability which Nigel had, to connect and to so warmheartedly make close and lasting friendships with so many people, whatever nationality, language or culture, all around the world.
“Close to his heart was to prepare the ground for cinematographers to work for each other, to aid and support each other, internationally.
Nigel Walters was for several significant years (2008 to 2015) the president of IMAGO, the international federation of cinematographers. Under his presidency, IMAGO expanded significantly – it developed from a European federation to being truly international, and IMAGO’s connecting network expanded greatly thanks to Nigel’s personal and diplomatic abilities.
“Today, IMAGO has members on all continents, and it was under Nigel’s presidency the words ‘The Spirit of IMAGO’ really came to life. IMAGO honoured Nigel in 2015 by awarding him the prestigious IMAGO Honorary Membership Award.
“But working voluntarily and internationally for cinematographers and colleagues was one thing. Wherever in the world we were, no matter how important the meetings we were in, we were all immediately updated when the Welsh national rugby team scored. Wales was always an integrated and important part of Nigel’s life. As was, of course, all of Great Britain, and Finland, the country of his wife.
“As a person – with his empathy, sense of humour, curiosity and so many other qualities – Nigel was truly exceptional.
“In our sorrow of having lost an important friend, our special thoughts goes to Nigel’s family, which meant so much to him, and to all his colleagues in the British Society of Cinematographers, where Nigel played a significant role for several years.
“Nigel Walters will always be remembered by all his friends in IMAGO, with sincere warmth and with sincere and deep gratitude!”
