William "Bill" Fraker To Be Presented Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award

LODZ, POLAND-William A. Fraker, ASC, BSC will receive theprestigious Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award at the 11th AnnualInternational Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, which isscheduled November 29 to December 6 in Lodz, Poland.

"Bill Fraker is one of the great artists of contemporary times,"says Marek Zydowicz, founder and director of the festival, which hasbecome a global forum for the art of cinematography. "He has madesignificant and enduring contributions to advancing this important artform. The originality of his work and his dedication to the art are aninspiration for filmmakers with unrealized dreams in every part of theworld."

Fraker was in the first wave of a new generation of cinematographerswho brought a different way of thinking to Hollywood during the 1960sand '70s. He earned Oscar nominations in the Best Cinematographycategory for Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1978), Heaven CanWait (1979), 1941 (1980), War Games (1984) andMurphy's Romance (1986) and a sixth one for visual effectscamerawork on 1941. His other memorable cinematography credits includeBullitt, Rosemary's Baby, Paint Your Wagon, Day of theDolphin, Tombstone and most recently Waking Up in Reno.Fraker also directed Monte Walsh, The Legend of the Lone Rangerand A Reflection of Fear.

The Camerimage Festival debuted in Torun, Poland, in 1992. Zydowiczsays the festival was founded with the intention of creating ameaningful cultural exchange between the Polish populace and filmmakersfrom around the world. In 2000, the festival moved to Lodz, where thenational film school is located. The Camerimage Festival features aworldwide cinematography competition, in addition to providing a globalforum where filmmakers and students meet to discuss issues and exchangeideas.

Fraker is joining an international list of stars who have receivedCamerimage Lifetime Achievement Awards, including Sven Nykvist, ASC,Vittorio Storaro, ASC, AIC, Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, Giuseppe Rotunno,AIC, ASC, Haskell Wexler, ASC, Conrad Hall, ASC, Laszlo Kovacs, ASC,Billy Williams, BSC, Owen Roizman, ASC, and Freddie Francis, BSC.Fraker previously received a lifetime achievement award from hiscolleagues in the American Society of Cinematographers in 2000.

"Bill Fraker deserves this recognition from his peers around theworld," says ASC President Richard Crudo. "He has created anextraordinary and incomparable body of work which will endure. He hasearned the admiration and respect of his peers."

Fraker traces his family roots to Mexico, where his grandmother wasa teacher. She left Mazatlan in the wake of a bloody revolution in1910, riding on a mule, which also carried his mother and aunt to LosAngeles. His grandmother worked as a portrait photographer for MonroeStudios in downtown Los Angeles. His father, William Fraker, Jr.,subsequently became a still photographer for Columbia Pictures. He ranthe studio's photo gallery, taking pictures of countless movie starsfrom 1927-1934, when he died at a very young age following a bout withpneumonia.

Fraker was 18 years old when he joined the military service afterthe United States entered World War II. The GI Bill of Rights enabledhim to enroll in the cinema studies department at the University ofSouthern California (USC) after the war. Fraker recalls that hisgrandmother encouraged him become a cinematographer, but a collegedegree in filmmaking didn't open doors in Hollywood after graduatingfrom USC.

Fraker worked at various jobs after graduation. He was a stillphotographer for awhile. Fraker also shot 16 mm educational andindustrial films, inserts for commercials and "grab shots" forfeatures. It took him 13 years to qualify to work on studio films as amember of the International Cinematographers Guild. Fraker worked as acamera operator with his USC classmate Conrad Hall, ASC for five years,including Morituri and The Professionals. He began to make his mark asa cinematographer while shooting cutting-edge commercials during themid-1960s. It enabled him to experiment with different techniques,including using long lenses and soft light to create new looks.

Fraker earned his first feature film credit in 1967 forGames. After that, his career accelerated into high gear.

What kept him motivated during the difficult years when he wasrelegated to working on the fringes of the industry after graduatingfrom USC? Fraker, who now teaches at his alma mater, is frequentlyasked that question by his students.

In reply, he cites 19th century English poet Robert Browning whowrote, "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what is heavenfor?"

Fraker amplifies, "You have got to go for it. You have to reachbeyond your grasp every time you shoot... If you sit on your laurels,you will only have one laurel."

For more information visit the Camerimage website at www.camerimage.pl or the ASCwebsite at www.theasc.com. >> >