President’s Blog – December 2013
Greetings ACS friends & colleagues,
We’re now on the home run to Christmas, and the year has either been a feast or a famine. Either way, now it’s time to spend some quality time with family and friends and prepare for 2014.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended all the Awards presentations as a guest of the Branches during November, finishing in Melbourne at the Victorian/ Tasmanian Awards for Cinematography.
The Society is in good hands indeed, as all the Awards presentations were fantastic and featured the outstanding work of our ACS members across 19 categories.
What continues to impress me is the dedication and tireless work by all the Branch Awards committees, who literally give up at least a month of their time to bring these Awards presentations, including judging sessions, printing and engraving of Awards plaques, seating, menu selection and general coordination. My thanks and congratulations to all the Branch committees for your contribution to the ongoing success of our ACS Awards system.
ACS Accreditation and Life Memberships were also presented, which is a very personal honour for me, as in my position as National President I am afforded the opportunity to see and hear first hand the reaction of these fine people when I present them with either their letters or Life Membership. It can be a very moving presentation I assure you.
Our Awards presentations also enable me to recognise the incredibly generous contribution to the success of our Society that is made by our National and Branch sponsors. We owe them a great debt of gratitude and I ask you to support them as they support us.
To all the recipients of Awards, there are not enough superlatives to express how we all feel about your levels of creativity and dedication. Across all genres, new standards are being set, and one looks forward with great anticipation to the National Awards in Brisbane on May 24 next year, when the Golden Tripods and of course the prestigious Milli Award, for our Australian Cinematographer of the Year will be presented. Please put the date in your diary, phone, iPad, calendar, smartphone, etched into fresh concrete whatever it may be!
Attend the ACS National Awards, May 24 – Brisbane!!
My thanks to all those who over the past 12 months have contributed to the ACS HQ Patrons – Wall of Can Do, which has helped raise additional funds to support the day to day running of tgte HQ, and to afford us the opportunity to commence work on replacing the ceiling and other cosmetic improvements, for the benefit of all. Most recently the Victorian Branch, Ernie Clark ACS, Peter James ACS ASC, Pieter De Vries ACS and Geoff Wharton ACS have all given generously.
So until next year, my warmest wishes for a happy and safe Christmas. Thanks for your collective generosity of spirit, and I raise my glass to you all and to the future of our ACS.
Until next time.
Ron Johanson OAM ACS
