John Bailey Receives Kodak Mentorship Award

[Sue Smith]

John Bailey, ASC received the Kodak Mentorship Award this past weekend in recognition of his dedication to educate the next generation of filmmakers in the art and craft of cinematography throughout his professional career and personal endeavors. The honor was presented to Bailey during the International Cinematographers Guild’s (ICG) honorees luncheon on September 23, celebrating the Emerging Cinematographer Awards winners.

 

Bailey earned his first narrative credit in 1978 and has subsequently compiled more than 70 cinematography credits for such memorable films as American Gigolo, Ordinary People, The Big Chill, Silverado, The Accidental Tourist, Groundhog Day, In The Line of Fire, As Good As It Gets, Incident at Loch Ness, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, The Greatest, and Country Strong. In 2001, he received the Society of Camera Operators’ (SOC) Presidents Award, and shared the award for best artistic contribution at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival for his work on Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.

 

In addition to his ongoing, illustrious career, Bailey is an ardent mentor to the next generation of filmmakers. He frequently participates in cinematography workshops, panels, seminars and screenings. He has been a Kodak Cinematographer in Residence at UCLA, and has judged the Kodak Film School cinematography competition multiple times.

 

He recently returned from a trip to East Africa with the Academy International Outreach program, and comments, “Our group gave workshops and seminars in regions that have a very embryonic film culture. The challenge and opportunity to talk to young people who have compelling personal and deeply emotional stories to tell, but who have the barest of technical equipment, was especially stimulating and rewarding. Being able to offer practical, even make-do improvised tools, as well as fresh insights to young filmmakers who desperately need them, is so rewarding; This kind of ad hoc environment also throws us back to our own less privileged early days and challenges us to think afresh. Keeping fresh and searching out new ways of working is as important for us established filmmakers as it is for newly emerging ones."

 

Currently, he is an active member of the ASC Board, and authors a blog on the organization’s website on topics of interest and concern to him, ranging from art, photography and cinematography to aesthetics and creative inspiration.

 

Kodak has been a sponsor of the ICG ECAs since the inaugural event began in 1996. Former ICG President and Emmy®-nominated DP George Spiro Dibie, ASC was the first recipient of the Kodak Mentorship Award.

 

For more information on Kodak motion picture products and services, visit www.kodak.com/go/motion.