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The Passing of Graeme Ferguson - IMAX Pioneer
07.10.1929 - 08.05.2021 |
Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
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Written by: James Neihouse, Cinematographer, ASC |
Date:
20.05.2021 |
Graeme Ferguson filming in 65mm IMAX for the
1982 Imax documentary "Hail Columbia!". Picture: ROGER SCRUGGS/IMAX
On May 8th, 2021 the IMAX world lost its creator
and guiding light. Graeme Ferguson, the last surviving founder of IMAX
Corporation passed away, peacefully, at his beloved Norway Point home on the
Lake of Bays in Ontario, Canada.
How do you sum up a 45 year friendship in a few words?
I first met and worked with Graeme in 1976 on the first IMAX underwater film -
OCEAN. Graeme was directing the film for the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater (now
the Fleet Science Center) in San Diego, I was fresh out of film school and
totally enthralled with this new movie format. Getting to meet, let alone work
with one of the inventors was beyond my wildest dreams.
The same year we were working on "OCEAN" the Smithsonian’s National Air
and Space Museum opened with its IMAX screen being one of the big attractions.
Graeme was encouraged by the museum’s first director, Apollo 11 astronaut
Michael Collins, to fly the IMAX camera in space. Collins believed that IMAX was
the best way to share with the public the beauty of the Earth from space. He
said that the space shuttle would be the perfect way to get the big camera into
orbit, Graeme’s response “That’s a great idea, but what’s a space shuttle?”
After "OCEAN" I had the privilege, no, honor of working on most of
Graeme’s IMAX films. He brought me in to help shoot shuttle launches and ground
footage for "The Dream Is Alive", and it was through that project that I
met my wife, Leslie, who worked for NASA Public Affairs at the Kennedy Space
Center. She would guide us around during our shoots. All those early mornings in
the marshes around the launch pads led to true romance, and Graeme and his wife
Phyllis always took credit, and rightly so, for making that match!
"The Dream Is Alive" was the first commercially successful motion picture
to be filmed in space, and became an IMAX classic. TDIA was instrumental in the
success of the IMAX format as well as being a tribute to courage of the
astronauts following the Challenger accident. The film also inspired several
people to pursue becoming an astronaut, one of them, Susan Helms, would later be
featured in the IMAX "Space Station 3D" movie.
When it was time to return to flight after Challenger, what came to be known as
the IMAX Space Team, under Graeme’s leadership, was already gearing up for two
more films with NASA. He asked me to come help with crew training at the Johnson
Space Center and I officially became a part of the Space Team. I would go on to
make a total of 7 IMAX space films with Graeme.
Graeme had a rich and amazing life that was well lived.
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More in 70mm reading:
The
Birth of IMAX
The Passing of Bill Shaw
in70mm.com's IMAX Page
IMAX, IMAX Dome,
IMAX Solido, IMAX 3D, IMAX Magic Carpet, IMAX HD
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As a young assistant cameraman working on a film in India he was forced to shoot
a man-eating tiger that was charging at him. He told me this story as I was
prepping for a film about wild tigers in India. While filming in the Arctic he
and his crew had to throw all of the camera gear out of a failing aircraft in an
unsuccessful attempt to stay airborne. They eventually made an emergency landing
and endured the cold for several days before being rescued.
He flew on the NASA KC-135 “Vomit Comet” zero-G simulation aircraft during
testing of the IMAX camera for space flight.
I gave him a crash course in SCUBA diving so he could see what was being shot
underwater for "OCEAN". We watched “rushes” in the Casino Theater on
Catalina Island laying on the stage in front of the screen so we could get a
pseudo “IMAX” view.
In 1993 as Leslie and I were expecting our first child, Graeme quite seriously,
offered to film the birth in IMAX 3D. Leslie respectfully declined his generous
offer, we did however name our new baby boy Joseph Graeme, after my father and
Graeme Ferguson.
We weathered Hurricane Hugo in Charleston, South Carolina in 1989 after chasing
it up the coast from Jacksonville, Florida. We spent the next few days
documenting the destruction for "Blue Planet".
Graeme received a Silver Snoopy Award from the astronauts. This award is given
exclusively by astronauts to less than 1% of eligible support personnel in
recognition of outstanding contributions to mission safety and success. The
letter that accompanies the award is usually signed by only one astronaut,
Graeme’s was signed by more than 25. We spent many long hours of flight support
together “on console” at the various NASA space centers during the times we had
a camera on orbit. We were always the daylight/awake shift, that’s the time when
the astronauts in orbit were awake and working, so we had to be constantly aware
of what was being said on several communication “loops.” The last thing we
wanted to hear was “Houston for IMAX, we have a problem…” Fortunately we
didn’t hear that very often because of the meticulous thought and preparation
Graeme and the team did before flight.
He was a diligent note taker, and always carried a small, leather bound notebook
and mechanical pencil, in the pocket of his signature seersucker jacket. He
considered himself a luddite, and preferred the analogue world. His pocket
journals were crammed full of minuscule handwriting, notes on his films, on
IMAX, on everything. He called these little treasures, ironically, his Random
Access Memory, it fit. He taught me the importance of testing new ideas and
techniques, fixing it in “pre” not in “post”.
Passionate about storytelling, a perfectionist, an explorer, Graeme always
wanted to share his discoveries with the world in a manner never before seen. He
wanted the audience to experience his stories in a personal way, and the giant
IMAX screen was his canvas.
Graeme was a true visionary, a remarkable filmmaker, a “foodie” before there was
such a thing (we shared many wonderful meals and lots of great wine) and a
wonderful human being. He loved cruising Lake of Bays in his classic antique
wooden boats, he was constantly inquiring about what fun cars I had driven
recently, or what new camera technology might be useful for IMAX. He was always
available when you needed advice, and was very supportive of the giant screen
cinema world.
He believed in me, and helped me grow as a filmmaker. He made me feel that my
input was important and listened to my crazy ideas. He was always ready with
praise when deserved, but more importantly with constructive critique when
needed.
He was a supportive mentor, and a wonderful friend. I shall miss him immensely.
• Go to
The
Birth of IMAX
• Go to in70mm.com's IMAX Page
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