Hall, Primes, Jur, and Barrett Take Top ASC Honors

Conrad L. Hall, ASC took top honors for "Road to Perdition" in thefeature film category at the 17th Annual American Society ofCinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement Awards ceremony onFebruary 16 at the Century Plaza Hotel. It marked an emotional highpoint in the evening. Hall died on January 4. The award was accepted onhis behalf by his son Conrad W. Hall.

This was the fourth time that Hall has taken top honors in theannual ASC competition. He previously won for "Tequila Sunrise" (1989),"Searching for Bobby Fischer" (1994) and "American Beauty" (2000). Theaward was presented to Hall's son, who is also a cinematographer, byactress Lucy Liu.

The other feature film nominees were Michael Ballhaus, ASC ("Gangsof New York"), Pawel Edelman ("The Pianist"), Ed Lachman, ASC ("FarFrom Heaven"), and Rodrigo Prieto, ASC ("Frida"). Liu observed, "Thereis no simple way to define cinematography. ... Each of the fivenominated films tonight is a singular, artistic achievement."

No other cinematographer has won more than three times in anycategory of the annual competition. ASC President Richard Crudoremarked, "Conrad Hall taking top honors four times in 17 years is aremarkable achievement. Conrad was one of a kind. He was a great artistwho blazed new trails that inspired many other filmmakers in every partof the world. I am happy to announce that a star on the Hollywood Walkof Fame will be dedicated to Conrad Hall on May 1."

Andy Garica, who worked with Hall on Jennifer 8, opened the awardsshow with a homage to the cinematographer and the art form.

Outstanding Achievement Awards for 2002 were also presented toRobert Primes, ASC, who won the episodic television competition for the"Wing and a Prayer" episode of "MDs"; Michael Barrett, who won thebroadcast television competition for movies/miniseries/pilot for "CrossJurisdiction," the pilot of "C.S.I. Miami"; Jeffrey Jur, ASC won themovie/miniseries/pilot competition for cable television for "LastCall." Jill Hennessy, Joe Mantegna and Elizabeth Perkins presentedthese awards, respectively.

Bill Butler, ASC ("Jaws," "Grease," "The Conversation," "RockyII-IV") received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation wasmade by Bill Paxton, who directed and starred in "Frailty," a 2002thriller photographed by Butler.

"I know this is as good as it gets," said Butler. "I am very proudof this honor. This award is given by the most talentedcinematographers in the world-the members of the ASC. These talentedpeople are my peers, and that makes it the best honor I could ever hopeto receive."

Roger Ebert received a special achievement award. It was the firsttime ASC has recognized a film critic or journalist.

The organization's International Achievement Award was presented toWitold Sobocinski, PSC, whose principal body of work was compiled inPoland and other Eastern European countries. Presentations were made bycinematographers Haskell Wexler, ASC and Janusz Kaminski, ASC,respectively.

Ralph Woolsey, ASC, a veteran cinematographer who worked mainly inthe television realm ("Maverick," "Cheyenne," "Sunset Strip"), receivedthe Presidents Award from Robert Wagner, who collaborated with him on"It Takes a Thief," a classic TV series that earned Woolsey anEmmy®.

The organization also gave a nod to the future with the presentationof the John Seitz Heritage Award to film students Masanobu Takayanagifrom the American Film Institute and Zack Resnicoff from New YorkUniversity, by ASC Education Chairman Laszlo Kovacs, ASC.

The ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards were inaugurated in 1986 torecognize and inspire artistic and innovative cinematography innarrative filmmaking. The organization was founded in 1919 to advancethe art of filmmaking and to provide where cinematographers could shareideas and experiences. For additional information visit thewww.theasc.com.