During the first 11 years since its inception in 1990, the Jay B. Eisenstat Award—named for the late legendary founding father of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP)—has been bestowed upon 11 recipients. For three of those years, there were multiple honorees, such as in ’90 when Eisenstat Awards went to AICP luminaries Dick Hall, Jordan Kalfus and Barney Melsky.
For six of those years, the honor wasn’t even given out. And during those initial 11 years, the Eisenstat Award was earned only once by a company, Eastman Kodak, which received the honor in ’96. However, that storied history took a new twist last week when Eisenstat Awards went to eight companies and two union locals during the opening ceremonies of the AICP Show last week (6/3), at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Normally an increase in quantity makes an honor seem less valuable. After all, 11 honorees in 11 years—then, suddenly, 10 more are added to their illustrious ranks in 2002. But in this case, the numbers—and what they represent—make the Eisenstat Award all the more prestigious and poignant in recognizing outstanding contributions and service to the industry. And the good done by this newest crop of recipients extends well beyond the industry, to our society at large.
This year’s 10 honorees—all based in New York—were chosen for their immediate caring response to the 9/11 tragedy. As chronicled in SHOOT, different segments of the industry came to the fore to help in whatever way they could. Just hours after the terrorist attacks, two union locals and eight companies mobilized to bring people and resources—most importantly, lighting equipment—to the site that later came to be known as Ground Zero. Realizing that night would soon fall, making rescue efforts all the more difficult at the collapsed Twin Towers, industry workers and companies got lighting gear to Ground Zero, helping emergency relief teams work through night after night—first in the hope of saving lives, and later in helping to recover human remains that would at the very least provide victims’ survivors and loved ones with some sense of closure.
Grips and electrical technicians from IATSE Local 52, New York, took charge of lighting the search and cleanup efforts, as well as supply areas, while other members worked with the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Teamsters New York Local 817 transported people and equipment to and from Ground Zero constantly. Rental houses throughout New York sent enormous amounts of equipment to the site, including lights, stands, cables, generators, masks and tents. As reported by SHOOT (9/28, p. 1), Bob Bailin, president of New York-based equipment rental house Feature Systems, related: "Local 52 contacted us and said that they had the guys if we had the equipment. No one hesitated. It was just, ‘What can we do? How can we do it? And when can we be there?’ This was across the board from companies and individuals."
The 10 Eisenstat Award recipients are Local 52, Local 817, Feature Systems Inc., Angel Aerial Corporation, Camera Service Center, Luna Lighting, Silvertrucks Lighting, K/A/S Lighting, Cinema World Studios and Panavision New York
Presenting the Eisenstat honors were national AICP chairman Alfred Califano of New York-headquartered WildLife Management, and New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.
The honorees received a standing ovation from the AICP Show audience. "The rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero, and the work at the support and staging areas, could not have continued twenty-four hours a day without their generous contributions," related AICP president/CEO Matt Miller. "We’re so proud that our own members are among those who raised their hands first to volunteer to help out."
