Remembering Robin Browne 1941-2024

Words from Jamie Harcourt ACO Assoc BSC:

“As chronicled in Phil Meheux and James Friend’s wonderful BSC book “Preserving the Vision”, Robin had a fantastic career as a camera assistant, sometimes working with the likes of aerial cameraman Johnny Jordan on projects including The Battle of Britain and Catch 22 (during which tragically Johnny Jordan lost his life). He moved on up into operating and was soon working as a DP often leading specialist units in aerial and visual effects. (A Bridge too Far, Gandhi, The Sphinx, and numerous Bond movies). He was perfectly suited for these kinds of jobs as his personality and demeanour elicited incredible loyalty and professionalism from his crews.

His calm polite and intelligent manner, immaculate planning, development of new equipment and techniques (Astrovision pressurised camera system with Bob Netmann) and camera / projection stepping motor control units with Ron Bicker, plus engineering of Vistavision cameras and projection equipment with Roy Moores at Merton Park, were all due to his visionary thinking and tenacity. I was fortunate enough to be one of his assistants for the VFX units on Time Bandits Watcher in the Woods, The Keep, for a year on Moonraker and 18 months on Krull. Needless to say he taught me a lot! He also photographed many 2nd and splinter unit on films such as Passage to India, Jewel of the Nile, Air America and Evil under the Sun plus he helped plan and shoot many complex VFX commercials before the CGI days. 

In 1991 Robin chose to move to Detroit to be near Judy’s ageing parents and thus his career took a slightly different course . He worked on a number of American projects and did a considerable amount of work on car commercials with a Detroit company, but as tax incentives etc in Michigan were withdrawn work became more sporadic he spent a lot of time and energy developing scripts and projects relating to research about the ciphers hidden in the texts of William Shakespeare and co. Right up to the last months of his life he was still developing these projects, and hopefuly  one day they will reach the screen. 

Robin leaves his wonderful wife Judy and children Debbie, a very talented photographer and mother of four, and Justin who is a successful Steadicam operator in L.A. And not forgetting Debbie’s husband, Troy. We send our deepest condolences to them all. May he rest in peace.  With much love”

The thoughts of all at the BSC and British Cinematographer go out to Judy and his children, friends and family at this time.