David A. Grafton to Receive Gordon E. Sawyer Award
January 2nd, 2008 by Andre Soares
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted the Gordon E. Sawyer Award to David A. Grafton. According to the Academy’s press release, Grafton is "a pioneering designer of lenses for optical effects printers, which at the time of their development were adopted by nearly every visual effects facility in the motion picture industry."
For more than three decades, the English-born Grafton designed electro-optical systems for IBM, NCR, EG&G, and Xerox. In the 1970s, he also worked with special effects companies such as Industrial Light & Magic and Boss Film Studios, thus contributing to the production of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, and numerous other motion pictures.
Grafton has already received two Scientific and Engineering Academy Awards: in 1980, for the optical design of a telecentric anamorphic lens for motion picture optical effects printers, and in 1986, as part of the team responsible for the design and development of the Zoom Aerial 65mm Optical Printer.
Established in 1981, the Sawyer Award is "presented to an individual in the motion picture industry whose technological contributions have brought credit to the industry." David A. Grafton will be its 21st recipient.
The award — despite the different name, it’s an Oscar statuette — will be presented at the Scientific and Technical Awards Dinner on Saturday, February 9, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Portions of the ceremony will be included in the Oscarcast on February 24.
Photo: © AMPAS
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