Past ACS Federal Presidents

Those listed below have led the Society from it’s humble beginning to the present day and we will be forever grateful for their commitment and tireless efforts in the service of the Society and the industry.

In 2009, the National Executive decided the Society should change it’s name from Federal to National. This had no effect on our status, but this simple change established a progressive image and broader appeal in these rapidly changing technological times.

Syd Wood ACS 1958 ~ 1963 Founding NSW & Federal President

Syd Wood (Woodsie) ~ Certainly one of the best-known names in the history of Australian Cinematography, he began life in the film industry with Movietone News during the 1930’s-40s.

Syd started as a junior in the editing department and worked his way up to Chief Editor, turning to cinematography during WWII.

Unquestionably Syd is the most revered newsreel cinematographer in the history of cinema newsreels.

Leading film director Phil Noyce, inspired by he lives of Syd and Ross Wood and the background of Cinesound and Movietone News in the days of cinema newsreels; directed the highly successful feature film “Newsfront” based on the competition between these companies and their cameramen.

Syd enlisted in the Australian Army in April 1942, taking up duties with the Military History section as a cameraman. In June 1944 he was promoted to Lieutenant. From August to November 1945 he travelled with the section’s field team, filming military activities int he South-West Pacific Area (PNG).

Syd spent his whole career (1931-75) in newsreels.

Syd was an exemplary news cameraman, a legend in his own lifetime and was the founding President of the ACS. He was a much respected President who led the society through its early years in a manner that certainly assured its success. He regularly attended the Anzac Day march in Sydney and when he’d meet up with an old mate his favourite saying was “Got a zac for an old digger?”.

Syd seldom used an exposure meter when filming in daylight, when Ron Windon joined Movietone, and would pull out his Spectra exposure meter to check the light, Syd would remark “What are you doing with that bullshit crap”, then put his forefinger in his mouth, hold up his wet finger towards the sky and announce, “Windon – The exposure’s f11″.

Syd (the legend) died at his home on January 20, 1983: and is sadly missed by all that knew him. Windon say’s he misses working with and having an enjoyable ale with Syd, particularly on Friday nights in the Bar at the nearby Grose Farm Hotel, when the Movietone crew would gather, and where another legend, Bill Trerise would often pay a visit, always making it an interesting occasion.

Ron Horner ACS 1963 ~ 1969 NSW & Federal President

In the early 1940’s Ron Horner was an Optical cameraman at Cinesound’s Ebley St, Bondi Junction studios doing optical effects on their productions. In the mid 1940’s he moved to the camera department as a full time news cameraman under Chief Cameraman, Bert Nicholas. Ron soon proved to be a highly successful newsreel cameraman working alongside Bede Whiteman, an ex Movietone cameraman, a young Keith Loone, and young assistant, Lloyd Shiels. When Bert Nicholas left Cinesound in 1950 to join Herschells Films in Melbourne, Ron was then promoted to Chief Cameraman.

In 1951 Greater Union sold Cinesound’s Bondi Junction studio to Canada Dry, an American soft drink company. Cinesound then relocated their offices and studio to Darling st, Rozelle.

Australian feature films were very much in the doldrums, so, many cinematographers had to rely on shooting newsreels and documentaries. Horner remained with Cinesound as Chief Cameraman until 1955 then departed and handed over the reigns to Bede Whiteman.

Following the start of television in September 1956, Ron joined Visatone Studios at North Sydney, but only stayed with the for a short time before moving over to the newly established Artransa Studios at French’s Forest. But, he was unsettled there, so decided to freeland for a few years before making a brief return to Cinesound in the late 1960’s.

In 1958 Ron played a major role in the establishment of the Australian Cinematographers Society.

In late 1963 Syd Wood decided to step down after five years as ACS President and Ron Horner was elected as President. Ron remained as President until 1969, then stepped down in favour of Jack Gardiner ACS.

Ron Horner was a devoted member of the ACS and served on the executive committee for many years afterwards.

Ron was granted Accreditation Certificate No. 20 in 1963 and in 2006 Ron was posthumously inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame.

Jack Gardiner ACS 1969 ~ 1970; 1971 ~ 1972; 1976 ~ 1977 NSW & Federal President

Jack, born in 1921 became interested in photography in his early teens, getting his first camera in 1935 on his 14th birthday. Thus the seeds for his future in the motion picture industry were sown.

In 1937 when Jack heard that Cinesound Studios at Bondi Juction were looking for a junior to fill a position in their film-processing laboratory, he applied, and succeeded in getting the job. From 1937 through to 1948 Jack learned a great deal about all aspects of film production, spending time, not only in the laboratory, but also in the camera and editing departments.

In late 1948 Jack left Cinesound and teamed up with well known editor Alex Ezard on the feature film Another Dawn followed in 1949 by Into the Straight, then in 1955 Jack was appointed as co-editor with Alex Ezard and Pam Bosworth on the Charles Chauval classic Jedda.

Jack then joined Kinelab, followed by Kingcroft Productions where he photographed and directed numerous documentaries including the acclaimed Deep in the Heart in 1956 and Pearl of Barossa for which he won the 1965 ACS Kodak Trophy for Best Cinematography.

In the early 1970’s Jack took over total ownership of the 16mm colour print lab Colour Transcriptions, and finally changed the name to CFL. Jack’s son Calvin joined the company and operated it in conjunction with his father through to Jack’s retirement in 1986.

Jack was a founding, dedicated long serving committee member of the ACS. He played an exception role in the development of the society and served as NSW & Federal President on a number of occasions.

Jack was ACS accredited in 1963 and posthumously inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame in 1997.

Jack was an industry icon, a remarkable gentleman, always prepared to share his knowledge as a mentor to many you people.

He died peacefully in June 1996.

Ron Windon ACS 1970 - 1972 NSW & Federal President

Ron was always keenly interested in photography, particularly after being presented with a Kodak 620 folding camera on his 15th birthday by well known cinematographers of the 1940-60 era; Ron Horner, Bede Whiteman and Keith Loone.

One day, while visiting his father Fred who was a Chief Electrician at CineSound’s Bondi Juntion studio. Ron got chatting with Stuart (Blackie) Ralston, head of the optical department. He mentioned that he was leaving CineSound to be projectionist at the lovely Art Deco- Kings Theatre, Bondi Beach and offered Ron the job as his assistant. Ron readily snapped up the position and joined Stuart a week later at the Kings. But Ron also had dreams of becoming a cinematographer.

On one occasions The Third Man was scheduled for a one week screening at the Kings. Ron was awestruck by the superb cinematography and lighting of expatriate Australian cinematographer Robert Krasker BSC ASC, which led to his dream of getting behind a motion picture camera.

Some years later Ron was offered the position of Stage Lighting Director for a forthcoming Celebrity Nightclub tour of the Odeon cinema chain. The Nightclub was to tour these suburban cinemas, doing vaudeville shows featuring beautiful showgirls, comedians, magicians etc. After the tour finished he freelanced in the Elizabethan theatres, lighting for Opera, Ballet and Vaudeville shows.

Witht he advent of television in 1956 Ron joined Cinesound in the lighting department as a Gaffer under his dad Fred.

In early 1960 Ron’s dream of being a cinematographer came to fulfillment when he heard that Bob Feeny ACS was departing Movietone to join the ABC.

Ron promtly applied for the position, and was constantly on the phone to Syd Wood, the Chief Cameraman. Syd was reluctant saying “Windon, you’re a bloody Gaffer, we need an experienced news cameraman’. However Ron’s perseverance finally paid off when Syd relented and gave Ron the job.

Two years later Ron whas hired out to Jackson Wain Advertising agency to shoot a CinemaScope cigarette commercial. The shoot went well and won Ron his first Award for cinematography. the AFI/Kodak Silver Award. However, much to Ron’s surprise the award did not go to him, it was presented to the advertising agency – Jackson Wain. Ron was not happy and protested, but to no avail. In those days it was AFI policy that awards of this nature would only be presented to the production company, the client or the Ad Agency, not to an individual. Ron then won a Kodak Award for his cinematography of the 1965 Admirals Cup yacht racing series in the UK, Ron left Movietone in 1968 following an offer from Eric Porter Productions, a large production company with six directors on staff.

In 1970 at the request of Eric Porter, Ron began directing but soon missed being behind the camera, so made it clear to Porter that if he was to continue directing it had to be as a DoP/Director.

In 1974 Ron established his own production company, successfully producing countless television commercials both nationally and internationally, often shooting for Ad Agencies in Paris, Düsseldorf, Tokyo, Manilla & KL as well as Melbourne and Sydney.

Ron has won many Awards in the US, UK and Australia for his cinematography and directing.

Ron joining the ACS in 1960, was accredited in 1967 and served for a number of years on the ACS committees. Ron resigned as the ACS President in early 1972 due to illness. During his term as President, Ron and his inventive fellow committee members originated the format of today’s ACS Awards system. Ron with the assistance of model maker Helmut Fischer designed the Golden Tripod that was first presented in 1971.

Ron retired from active cinematography and directing in 1999, but has constantly maintained a strong interest in the ACS. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005 and made a Life Member of the society in 2010.

Ron took over as ACS Hall of Fame Chairman and Historian in 2009 recipient.

In 2014 at the age of 81, he decided to lessen his load and resigned the Hall of Fame position in early 2014, to concentrate solely on the position of ACS Historian.

Ron Windon was the first recipient of the “Ron Windon ACS Contribution Award” which he received at the 43 Annual ACS National Awards held in Brisbane in May 2014.

Bert Nicholas ACS 1972 - 1974 Federal President

Herbert Lawes Nicholas was born on June 9, 1910 in St Kilda, Melbourne. He worked all his life in the film industry, beginning his career with Efftee Films in Melbourne during the silent film era.

In 1934 Bert moved to Sydney to take up a position as a newsreel cameraman with Cinesound Review at Bondi Junction. Eventually being appointed to the position of Chief Camerman.

in 1940 Cinesound loaned him to Charles Chauvel alongside Tasman Higgins and Frank Hurley as supporting cameraman to George Heath, the Director of Photography on Chauval’s 1940 epic Forty Thousand Horseman. In 1949 Bert was again loaned to Chaubel, this time as co-cinematographer with Carl Kayser for the cinema classic Son’s of Matthew. Reviewers said the film’s awe-insiring footage earned Son’s of Matthew a place in Australian Cinematic history.

For a short period during WWII Bert was conscripted as a war correspondent and involved with the production of government films with the Department of Information, returning to Cinesound at the end of the war.

In 1950 Bert moved back to Melbourne to join the well known produciton company Herschell’s Films.

In early 1956 television broadcasting begain in Australia, and Bert received an invitation to return to Sydney and join ABC-TV as Chief of the Cine-Camera department, he accepted and remained ther till his retirement in 1975.

He died peacefully, on Christmas Eve 1991, in his favorite chair after having his usual galss of scotch.

Bert was an early member and avid supporter of the CS and served as Federal President 1972 – 1974.

He was accredited in 1963 and posthumously inducted into the ACS HAll of Fame in 1998.

Paul Onorato ACS 1974 - 1976 Federal President

Paul was born in 1946 in Sydney and died on September 26th 2013.

Paul rose to be a top cinematographer who was credited as DoP on 27 Australian and US productions.

Paul’s love of photography began as an early age when his father Antonio Salvatore Onorato, who was a commercial artist and photographer, and gave him his first “box brownie”.

He started at the tender age of 15 in the world of film making and worked with a variety of production companies winning a number of AFI awards in the 1970’s for his work.

His work on a TV series Chopper Squad had him engaged in the highly risky work of helicopter photography and it was this work which enabled him to enter the world of the “bright lights of Hollywood.” safety, with such risky work was an understandable concern for Paul and he worked tirelessly to improve safety for crew and camera equipment. Paul developed a system for aerial shooting that would greatly improve the safety and performance of the camera and operator.

White TV was the mainstay of Paul’s work in the USA, he also worked on Movies of the Week and a number of mini series as well.

Paul became a highly sought after DoP and new or 1st time directors enjoyed working with him. Lighting was a critical element of his work.

Paul branched out teaching Cinematography classes at a local college. He loved teaching even while working on the set.

Photography was without a doubt his lasting passion. Paul wanted to retire to a seaside town and open his own shop of prints and art. He wished to turn his vast photo library into coffee table books, calendars and prints. But his health issues didn’t allow this to happen.

Paul was an accomplished Cinematographer and his films are his greatest legacy.

Bruce Hillyard ACS 1977 - 1981 Federal President

Born 11 December 1931 in Gisborne, New Zealand, Bruce live there until he was nineteen, then moving on to Wellington University and doing a BA degree.

Bruce had no idea what he really wanted to do in life but wound up getting a weekend job during the university holidays, painting houses. One evening I was cleaning up after painting at a house and the owner came out.

“Oh God, he said, I thought everybody had gone home, you won’t have eaten, come on in and have something to eat. I run the biggest catering business in Wellington, we always have food”!

So in I went. He’d acquired a beaut Leica camera and been taking photographs. I thought these photographs were shit hot and told him so.

He said: “Wednesday night, are you doing anything”?
I said: “No”.

He picked me up in his yellow and green Jag and went for tea at his place.

He said: “I have a one third share in a photographic business; if you feel like it we could try you out as a stills cameraman”.

I said: “Oh yeah, that sounds pretty good to me”.

…and that’s how I got started.

I then applied to the New Zealand National Film Unit to get a trainee director’s job. I was interviewed and told, “Your out of luck.”

Three years later in 1953 I’m sitting in the same chair in the same office. They had advertised positions for two cameraman and I was speaking to the same boss, and he said. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before”?
“No, no” I said.

Anyway I wound up getting the job. It was fantastic

Bruce was ACS Vice President of the NSW Branch 1973-1977 and served as Federal President 1978-1981.

Bruce was once asked what advise he would give to a young up and coming cinematographer.

He answered: “Advice for a young cinematographer!: It’s too late for me to give you any advice once you’re bitten by the mosquito the disease is inside you”.

John Leake OAM ACS 1981 - 1988 Federal President

Born 24th June 1929; John left North Sydney Boys High School at the age of fourteen and a half for his fist job as a delivery boy at Carson Film Supplies. During an errand, and inspired by contact with a newsreel crew filming the AWA Tower, John immediately saw himself as a newsreel cameraman, his boss at Carson’s Mick Connors kindly arranged a meeting and interview for him with Harry Grattan Guinness at Movietone News. HE was successful and given the job of office boy, and so started his film career.

John soon proved his worth and was promoted to truck assistant (Unofficially as camera assistant) under Chief Cameraman Eric Bierre.

In 1946 when barely 17 years old John got his first experience at actual shooting, he was handed and Eyemo 35mm camera by Chief Cameraman, Eric Bierre and told to get handheld shots of the marching Students during the Sydney University Commemoration Day march through the city, plus crowd shots for cut-aways. During the march John was plastered with Flour bombs by the marching students.

By 1955 John was now considered an excellent cameraman, so was poached by the Department of Information film unit.

In 1956 with the coming of television to Australia John left the DOI and joined Supreme Studios in Paddington as their main DoP, filling the position vacated by Ross Wood.

Four years later in 1960 he made the decision to go freelance.

John remained freelance until 1968 when he and Harvey Spencer, well known TVC ad documentary director, got together and formed MPA, Motion Picture Associated. The company was an immediate success and soon gathered a stable for good clients. However the partnership was short lived and dissolved in 1970 with Harvey departing MPA and leaving John to take sole control of the company in partnership with his wife Marion. Under John’s leadership MPA continued to be very successful right up to the time John closed the company and retired in 1990.

John served as the ACS Federal and NSW President from 1982-1987, but continued on as ACS Historian and Hall of Fame Chairman until his death on August 21, 2009. John also served for many years as President of “The Tusitala Club” The alias for the Retired Press and Newsreel Photographers Club.

John was given ACS Accreditation in 1963, made a life member of the society in 1988 and inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame in 1977.

John was presented with the Order of Australia Medal on January 26, 2010 for his service to the Arts and his dedication to the furtherance of cinematography in Australia and his work for the Australian Cinematographers Society

John Leake was not merely a cinematographer, he was also a mentor and father figure to many. He was a true gentleman who will long be remembered.

Edwin Scragg ACS 1988 - 1991 Federal President

Edwin, born in South London in 1940, showed signs of being a rebel while at school, deciding to leave at sixteen and study Fine Art, against his father’s wishes.

While studying photography, Edwin found a houseboat on a canal and lived in that until one day a short mooring rope and high tide sank the boat.

In 1963 Edwin paid ten pounds to come to Australia where he joined Film Australia for two years.

Bruce Hillyard ACS recalls a time that he and Edwin were on a shoot in the middle of Australian and 5BX fitness was all the go, Edwin would be on the motel floor doing the exercises while Bruce read the instructions to him, enjoying a cigarette.

In 1966 he joined ATN 7 as an editor on the current affairs program, seven days with peter Westaway but later that year returned to England and did freelance editing for the BBC.

In late 1967 Edwin got the travel bug and ran a fully booked bus tour from London to Calcutta. He sold the bus in Kathmandu and flew on to Perth where he established Film Centre with David Moore. They produced films of all kinds during the mineral boom.

In 1969 Edwin received an AFI silver and Kodak award for The Capricorn Contract, as well as a US Industrial Film Festival awarded for Mr Newman. Edwin received his ACS accreditation No. 91 in September 1969.

In 1970 he sold out of Film Centre and moved to Sydney and established Scope Films, producing films for a wide range of corporate and government clients.

In 1972, for Aluminium – An Element of Change he was awarded the AFI silver award and several others, including some from the Tehran and Venice film festivals.

During this period Edwin married Jane and the partnership was on the move again, this time to Adelaide where Scope Films continued with the same activities and Edwin continued to pick up more awards, including three golden tripods from the ACS.

Scope Films moved to Brisbane in 1984.

In 1988 after resurrecting the ACS Queensland branch, Edwin was elected federal president 1988-1991.

Everyone who met Edwin has a story to tell about him; from his caring for his fellow beings to his eccentric ability to make wine from any fruit (then give it away as a prize), from his inquisitiveness for how many things worked to his ‘just thought I’d pop in to see you and see how you are going’ on the way home from LA to Brisbane.

Edwin died on Saturday 1st March 1997 in the garden of his home, Scragg End, doing the impossible as usual. In this case he was pruning a high branch and was electrocuted. It was instantaneous.

As a friend said, He died like he lived…fast!’

Milton Ingerson OAM ACS 1991 - 2003 Federal President

Born in Hindmarsh, South Australia. His early ambition was to bcome an engineering draftsman, studying at Thebarton Boys’ Technical School, where he excelled at drafting and technical drawing. A compnay seeking junior staff would then approach “Thebby Tech” to see if they had any students with the talents necessary to fill a job they had available.

This is how Milton stated his first job at twenty one shillings a week in late 1943.

Photography had been one of ilton’s hobbies and now that he was earning money it allowed him to buy some equipment and set up a dark room in the family bathroom to some displeasure of this mum, dad and big brother. Milton promised the bathroom would be kept clean and tidy and that their displesure would be soon overcome by lots of lovely family groups and portraints hanging on the walls.

Milton expanded his photography hobby into a small, on the side business, doing weddings for friends and relations. This was the start of his photographic career. As it grew it allowed him to resign from the drawing office of Kelvinator Australia and set up a career as on of Adelaide’s leading wedding photographers.

In 1955 Milton set up a small studio at No. 9 North Terrace, Adelaide. Business was reasonably brisk in those days as marriage was popular amongst the early twenties set. More turnover was needed and so he went searching for a better paying and more stimulating use of his camera eye and found advertising,

Advertising might claim it found him – no matter, it was a great combination and it clicked!

Buisness boomed. He moved to a suite in Franklin Street, Adelaide and transformed it into a studio complex… complete with spacious dark rooms. The business then became a partnership with Bill Arnold, a top gun commercial photographer.

In 1959 TV came to Adelaide and things changed. Bill concentrated on the stills department and Milton went into learning about film and making commercials with a 16mm Bolex. Business expanded and he was joined by a shy retiring apprentice Max Pepper whose musical abilities and natural skill as a sound engineer added extra brilliance to the team. They bought new Arriflex 16mm and 35mm cameras and offered a first class, fully integrated, commercial production service. Because Milton Ingerson Productions set a high standard of independent film productions his company became the benchmark for creativity, quality and professionalism.

In 1972 the company moved to new premises in Dunn Street, North Adelaide, offering him the challenge of designing his own film studio which became Adelaide’s best facility, 50 x 30 stage, recording studio, editing suites, theatrette, production offices, dressing rooms and the kitchen sink.

Milton now had enough cameras and gear to provide an equipment hire service. It was at this studio in Dunn Street that so many promising filmmakers got their early training and a healthy dose of Milton’s elixir of excellence.

Milton enjoyed producing and was responsible for the production of many internationally acclaimed gold award winning documentaries.

In 1980 Milton was one of the main shakers in a move to re-establish a South Australian Branch of the Australian Cinematographers Society and in 1982 was elected the second President of the new state branch. Later that year he also became and Accredited Member No. 127. He then worked continuously as an active, Vice President of the SA Committee. All this was warmly recognized in 1987 when he was awarded the first life membership of the ACS South Australian Branch. Milton held the position of Federal President from 1991 – 2003.

A major acknowledgement of Milton’s 40 year contribution to the Australian Film Industry was in the 2002 Australia Day Honours when he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal.

Ted Rayment ACS 2003 - 2008 Federal President

Ted started his career as a Film Trainee with ABC TV Sydney in 1962.

During his time with the ABC he ws involved in all aspects of film and television production from news and current affairs to drama, although his main area of interest and subsequest involvement was in the making of documentaries.

Ted was both cinematographer and director on the 1977/78 Antartic Expedition aboard the 57 foot yacht Solo and cinematographer on the Journey into the Himalayas TV series, which earned him a reputation for taking on the more intrepid assignments.

Ted has travelled to some of the most inhospitable and remote locations on earth, including Mt. Everest and the Antartic.

He has been to many locations on the globe including:

the hottest Simpson Desert, the coldest Antarctica, the highest Mt. Everest and lowest the Dead Sea.

Antarctica also doubles as the driest location on earth. If Tully, in North Queensland, qualifies as the wettest rain 360 days per year then he has been there too!

Ted left the ABC and after a short stint freelancing joined the SBS in 1988, going on to visit many of the world’s trouble spots including the Middle East, Africa and Cambodia before once again going freelance in 1996. He has also acted as an industry advisor and student tutor, mentor and selector for the Australian Film Television and Radio School on a number of occasions and as a member of the AFI Awards Advisory Committee.

Ted is a knowledgable mentor to many young cinematographers and served continuously on ACS committees for over twenty years. Ted was the NSW Branch President for 1998 through 2003 and the Society’s Federal President from 2003 till 2008. A true ACS stalwart, Ted still devotes a great deal of time and energy to the ACS, he has been instrumental in furthering the aims of the society and its growing respect within the Australian film industry.

Ted was accredited by the ACS in February 1986, holding accreditation No. 153. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in May 2002 and was granted Life Membership of the ACS in May 2006 in recognition of his distinguished service to the Society. As of 2014, Ted is Chairman of the AC Magazine and has played a vital role in the success of this outstanding publication.

Ron Johanson OAM ACS National President 2008 - 2022

Ron commenced work in the film industry at Crawford Productions in Melbourne in 1965 as a message boy. He then progressed to being camera assistant of the popular TV series Homicide and Hunter working mostly with DoP Dudley Robinson.

He then went freelance, and gained great experience assisting the leading Melbourne cinematographers of the day ~ Robbin Copping ACS, Len Heitman, and Harold Kock at Senior Films. Ron says that Robin Copping had a great influence on his career, for he was impressed with Robin’s beautiful black & white cinematography.

Ron then joined Fred Schepsi’s Film House as an assistant cameraman, working with the highly creative cinematographer Volk Mol ACS. Eventually Ron returned to Senior Films, and promoted to DoP on 37 episodes of the TV drama series Ryan. He was then out hired as 2nd unit DoP on The Hands of Cormac Joyce, under DoP John McLean ACs, then operated on Shannon’s Mob and Lukes Kingdom working with John Williams ACS and George Lowe ACS.

Ron then received a call from the Queensland production company Martin Williams Films, offering him the role of Director/DoP, so he set off with his family for sunny Queensland. He had never directed before but felt it was an opportunity too good to miss. Martin Williams Films was the leading Queensland production house and its founder Mike Williams had a reputation for fostering new talent.

Ron had shot and directed many commercials and documentaries and in 1980 was DoP of the feature film Final Cut renamed Death Games produced by Mike Williams.

The first AD on Death Games was Scott Hicks who then gave him the honour of being DoP for his 1982 feature Freedom. Ron then shot 2nd unit on The Mango Tree in 1977 and The Odd Angry Shot in 1979. Eventually Ron formed his own very successful production company ‘The Roly Poly Picture Company’ in Brisbane.

Ron has enjoyed mush success in the Australian film industry and was inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame in 2003 for his years of service to the ACS Queensland Branch and Federal Executive.

In 2007 Ron was made a life member of the Society. Ron served as ACS Queensland State President from 2002 to 2008 and elected to being National President in September 2008.

Ron was deservedly invested with the OAM, Order of Australia Medal in 2014 for his service to the film industry and his extensive mentorship activities.

Ron’s continuing dedication, his vision and avid determination to see the Society as a leading body in the world of cinematography, not only in Australia, but on the World stage, is indeed inspiring.