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International Cinematographers Guild Celebrates 75 Years Ron Howard, Tom Short, George Spiro Dibie to be honored at Nov. 8 ceremony Local 600 will commemorate its 75th anniversary during the opening of its new national headquarters in Los Angeles on Nov. 8. ICG will mark the occasion with a festive street gala where Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard, IATSE International President Thomas C. Short and ICG National President George Spiro Dibie, ASC. “ This is an appropriate occasion for us to recognize and thank these remarkable individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking,” says Stephen Lighthill, ASC, chairman of the event. “The opening of our new headquarters in Hollywood marks our continuing commitment to the future of this great industry in our community and in the United States, and to our members who are often unsung heroes in this uniquely collaborative art of filmmaking.” Lighthill says Howard is being feted in recognition of his lifetime commitment to excellence. He called Howard “a complete filmmaker” who has excelled as an actor, writer, producer and director of motion pictures and television. Howard and long-time producing partner Brian Grazer founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 to create independently produced feature films. Howard earned an Academy Award for directing the 2002 Best Picture A Beautiful Mind. His eclectic body of work as an award-winning director includes such classic films as Splash, Parenthood, Backdraft, Far and Away, Apollo 13, Ransom, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Missing. Howard executive produced the critically acclaimed television series Felicity, Sports Night, 24, Arrested Development and Wonderland. Howard entered the industry at a young age, notably in roles on the popular series The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days and in the feature film American Graffiti. Short began his career in 1968 as a member of the stagehands Local 27 in Cleveland. In December of 1994, Short was elected international president of IATSE, which currently represents some 110,000 artists and artisans employed in all sectors of the motion picture, television and theater industries in the United States and Canada. “Tom Short has been a tireless and amazingly effective advocate for the rights of our members,” says Bruce Doering, national executive director of ICG. “He understands and appreciates what they bring to this art form, and in just a few years has transformed the IATSE into an international economic and political force.” Dibie is being honored for both his achievements as a cinematographer who has earned six Emmy® awards and a total of 11 nominations, as well as for his leadership and dedication to the Guild and its members. He will mark his 20th anniversary at the helm of ICG in 2004. Dibie came to the United States as a student pursuing a dream of becoming a filmmaker. Virtually all of the Guilds were essentially closed to outsiders. He persisted and subsequently compiled a notable body of work, including such memorable episodic television series as Barney Miller, Buffalo Bill, Night Court, Growing Pains, Just the 10 of Us and Mr. Belvedere. Dibie also photographed the pilots and established the “looks” for such television series as Murphy Brown, My Sister Sam, Driving Miss Daisy and Head of the Class. During his tenure, the Guild has considerably expanded its membership, partially by pioneering diversity outreach programs for women and ethnic minorities that have become a model for the rest of the industry. Dibie also launched countless mentoring and training programs designed to keep members on the cutting edge of evolving technologies. He also led a successful effort to forge a merger of three regional camera guilds into one national organization that speaks with a single voice representing cinematographers and camera crews in every part of the United States. During the celebration, ICG will unveil a wall of fame featuring 10 of the “most influential” cinematographers chosen by members, along with an array of classic pictures selected by still photographers who are members of the organization. “This event provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our past, celebrate our heritage, and look forward to and plan for the future,” says Lighthill. “The Guild was founded during the dawn of a new art form with separate chapters in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. Motion pictures were black and white, cameras were handcranked, ‘talkies’ were just coming into vogue, television wasn’t even a gleam in David Sarnoff’s eyes, and the early cinematographers and their camera crews were inventing a language for expressing emotions and ideas with moving images. We have come a long way in 75 years, but our journey continues with challenges and opportunities ahead.” The new ICG national headquarters is located at 7755 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. The original building was constructed in 1959, and for many years it was the home of KZLA Radio. In addition to housing the national and western regional Guild staffs, the refurbished building will provide facilities for conferences and training. For additional information about the 75th anniversary celebration, visit the International Cinematographers Guild website at www.cameraguild.com.

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