The 2012 Kodak Educational Award will be presented to Professor William McDonald of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer’s (SMPTE) Honors and Awards Ceremony during the SMPTE 2012 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in Hollywood. McDonald, a cinematographer and filmmaker himself, is being recognized for his dedication to educate the next generation of filmmakers in the art and craft of cinematography throughout his professional career. The presentation takes place on October 25 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.
“I take pride in the art and craft of what I do and teach,” says McDonald. “It is tremendously important to the field of cinematography that new filmmakers are fully aware of the artists who came before them, and the attention they gave to the craft of cinematography when shooting with film. New filmmakers must be taught, and must adhere completely, to all the principles of cinematography regardless of the tools being used. To do so ultimately strengthens the very foundation of what we do as filmmakers.”
As Chair of the of Film, Television and Digital Media Department at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, McDonald has advocated for the best production and post-production resources for the college’s film students. He tirelessly negotiates services and alliances with companies and organizations in the industry to assist the next generation of storytellers as they learn how to create and succeed in the entertainment business. Additionally, McDonald has fostered the UCLA Cinematographer in Residence Program, also sponsored by Kodak, where an award-winning professional cinematographer teaches a spring course and hosts movie screenings followed by discussions.
“McDonald’s accomplishments are truly admirable and his efforts deserve to be recognized,” says Kim Snyder, president of Kodak’s Entertainment Imaging Division. “The next generation of filmmakers are benefitting greatly from his ongoing dedication to both the aesthetic and technical principles of cinematography.”
Past recipients of the Kodak Educational Award include Linda Brown, an associate professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, and Stephen Lighthill, ASC, Senior Filmmaker-in-Residence: Cinematography at AFI.
SMPTE 2012 is the premier annual event for motion-imaging professionals in the media, entertainment, communications, and technology industries. As an accredited industry standards-setting body, The Society is also the industry’s leading nonprofit association providing technology education and information to the motion imaging industry.
Kodak introduced its worldwide film school program in 1991. Through the years, the program has grown to include a wide range of initiatives to help both students and educators enrich the development of their skills in the art and craft of filmmaking.
For more information, visit www.kodak.com/go/education.
About Kodak’s Entertainment Imaging
Kodak’s Entertainment Imaging Division is the world-class leader in providing film, digital and hybrid motion imaging products, services, and technology for the professional motion picture and exhibition industries.
