EVENT REVIEW / BSC AWARDS / BY ZOE MUTTER
BSC AWARDS 2021 WINNERS BSC Awards Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature (sponsored by MBSE) Winner: Erik Messerschmidt ASC for Mank Nominees: Sean Bobbitt BSC for Judas and the Black Messiah; Joshua James Richards for Nomadland; Alwin Küchler BSC for The Mauritanian; Dariusz Wolski ASC for News of the World
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The BSC Special Achievement Award was presented to the Mark Milsome Foundation. Following the tragic death of British cameraman Mark Milsome ACO, who was killed whilst filming a car stunt in Ghana on the set of Black Earth Rising 2017, the Mark Milsome Foundation was set up, inspired by the achievements and character of the talented camera operator. The Foundation has since made great strides in creating change through a variety of initiatives including the launch a survey to help assess the current state of health and safety in the film and TV industry. Presenting the award, Chris Plevin ACO Associate BSC shared some words from Mark’s father, Doug Milsome BSC ASC, who said the Foundation had “been an incredible source of support”. “Seeing more than 4,000 crew wearing black T-shirts to honour Mark on the anniversary of his death was overwhelming and an incredible comfort,” said Doug Mislome. “Also, watching training programmes for young people develop, carrying on Mark’s ethic of supporting others means his own beliefs and charitable nature will live on…Mark was too bright a star to burn out and thanks to the foundation, his spirit, kindness and good nature will shine on for a long time to come.’” Foundation Chairman, Kirk Jones, accepted the award on behalf of the Mark Milsome Foundation, thanking everyone in the industry, in particular lighting and camera departments, for “their incredible support since day one”. “Shortly after Mark’s death, Andra
Erik Messerschmidt ASC won the BSC Awards Best Cinemat a Theatrical Feature awa ography in rd for Mank
Milsome [Mark’s wife] asked if it would be possible to set up a foundation and many people have given months of their time since then to make it happen. Not just to keep Mark’s name alive for the sake of it, because Mark wouldn’t have wanted that, but to keep his ambition alive, his ambition to help young people, to support them, to allow young people to enter the film industry if they are talented, determined, ambitious and passionate. Not necessarily because they have contacts or because they’re wealthy or because they have great qualification, educational qualifications, but because they deserve to be there,” he said. “Due to the nature of Mark’s death, it was only a matter of time before the foundation turned our attention to health and safety on set…One of the things which has been noted and may well have prevented Mark’s death in Ghana in 2017 is a historical problem, which is completely understandable: people feeling nervous and anxious about speaking out on set if they feel concerned about health and safety. I understand how difficult it is if people are in a junior position or if they are racing to make the day…but it’s a really simple change that I hope will be adopted throughout the industry. If anyone feels uncomfortable in that moment on set, please find the courage to speak up even if it means delaying things for a few
BSC Best Cinematography in a TV Drama (sponsored by Sony) Winner: Suzie Lavelle BSC ISC for Normal People (season 1, eps 1) Nominees: Adriano Goldman ASC BSC ABC for The Crown (season 4 eps 3 Fairytale); Rob Hardy BSC for DEVS (season 1, eps 7); Shabier Kirchner for Small Axe (season 1, eps 1 Mangrove); Steven Meizler for The Queen’s Gambit (season 1, eps 7 End Game)
Operators Award for Feature Film (sponsored by Panavision) Winner: Maceo Bishop for Uncut Gems Nominees: Colin Anderson/Graham Hall for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; Christopher Ball for The Lighthouse; Brian S Osmund for Mank; Peter Robertson for The Gentlemen
Operators Award for TV Drama (sponsored by Ronford-Baker and RED) Winner: Benjamin Treplin for Das Boot (series 2, episode 8) Nominees: Chris Bain for The Crown (series 4, episode 6); James Layton/Matt Poynter for His Dark Materials (series 1, episode 7); Dan Nightingale for Dracula (series 1, episode 3); Benjamin Semanoff for Ozark (series 3, episode 3)
BSC ARRI John Alcott Memorial Award (sponsored by ARRI) Winner: Nina Kellgren BSC
BSC Special Achievement Award (sponsored by CVP)
Maceo Bishop accepting the Operators Award for Feature Film for Uncut Gems
Winner: The Mark Milsome Foundation
Bert Easey Technical Award (sponsored by Fujinon) Winner: Dedo Weigert
BSC Short Film Cinematography Award (Sponsored by ARRI): Student winner – Tamas Apor Meder for Summer Shade Benjamin Treplin accepting the Operators Award for TV Drama for his work on Das Boot
26 | British Cinematographer | May 2021
BSC Club winner: Dan Atherton for The Passenger