ASC Honors Linwood Dunn Student Heritage Award Winners

[Sue Smith]

LOS ANGELES - The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has chosen three winners for the 2014 ASC Linwood Dunn Student Heritage Awards. The honors were announced last night during a ceremony at the organization's clubhouse here. Designed to showcase the artistic abilities of the next generation of filmmakers, the recipients were noted for their cinematographic abilities.

The winning students and their projects are:

Graduate Award:
WINNER: Guy Pooles from the American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory for "Dirty Laundry"

Undergraduate Award:
WINNER: Harper Alexander from University of North Carolina School of the Arts for "Starlight"

Documentary Award:
WINNERS: Matthew Blake of Chapman University for "Forest Keepers"

"Congratulations to all our student award nominees and winners," said ASC President Richard Crudo in his remarks at the awards ceremony. "This is a great moment in your lives and one you will always remember fondly. I urge you to make the most of it and to continue working hard toward your goal of becoming a cinematographer."

Each year, the ASC Heritage Award is rededicated in memory of an individual who advanced the art and craft of cinematography. This year's Heritage Award is dedicated to the memory Linwood Dunn, ASC. Twice elected ASC president, Dunn was also a governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in two different branches, and was instrumental in the formation of the Academy's Visual Effects branch. His many accolades include an Oscar® for visual effects in 1949 for the original "Mighty Joe Young," the Academy's prestigious Gordon E. Sawyer Award, and the ASC Presidents Award. Always keenly interested in technology, Dunn was an inventor at heart and a true filmmaking pioneer; his innovations include the first zoom lens and the first optical printer. At age 93, he was involved in the development of digital projection. The Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood was named for his contributions to the motion picture industry.

To qualify, instructors at film schools recommended two students for each category from their school, who then submitted their film for judging. A Blue Ribbon panel of ASC members judged the entries.

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