FUJIFILM Optical Devices to Co-Sponsor Blue Ocean Film Festival

FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division will co-sponsor the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Event, taking place from Sept. 24-30 at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA. The film festival—which brings together the world’s top filmmakers, scientists, environmentalists—is a cornerstone of the organization’s mission to provide entertainment, education, and foster greater appreciation for oceans and marine ecosystems.

During the festival, BLUE Ocean will honor Director James Cameron with an award for “Lifetime Achievement in Ocean Filmmaking.”  The award will be presented at the Legacy Awards Dinner on September 27—an exclusive “Marquee Event” for BLUE Ocean benefactors and sponsors.

A highly acclaimed writer, director and producer of blockbuster films and documentaries, James Cameron was chosen for BLUE’s Lifetime Achievement Award because his passion for diving and deep-sea exploration led him to produce a treasure trove of memorable ocean-oriented films.  Many of these films, including: “Ghosts of the Abyss” (2003), “Expedition: Bismarck” (2002), and the epic “Titanic” (1997), feature dramas on the high seas or fearless expeditions of the ocean floor in specially crafted submersibles.

For many of his movies and 3D epics, like “Avatar,” “Ghosts of the Abyss,” and “Aliens of the Deep,” Cameron has relied on a variety of FUJINON lenses.  In many cases, Cameron chose lenses from the FUJINON HA Series of high-performance, 2/3-inch HDTV portable lenses.  The FUJINON HA16x6.3BERM/BERD lens, used on “Avatar,” gives filmmakers a 16x zoom and focal length ranging from 6.3-101mm.

“For over a decade, Fujifilm worked closely with us to customize select FUJINON lenses to meet the exacting requirements of digital stereographic production,” said Vince Pace, ASC,  co-inventor of the FUSION 3D technology along with Cameron and Patrick Campbell, used by Cameron on many of his groundbreaking 3D movies.  Cameron and Pace are co-chairmen of CAMERON | PACE Group (CPG) where Patrick Campbell serves as Chief Technology Officer.

“When we began developing the FUSION 3D camera system,” Pace continued, “Fujifilm contributed their experts, engineering resources, and factory support to build precision lenses that captured incredible, outstanding 3D imagery for the big screen.” Custom FUJINON lenses were paired with Sony cameras such as the HDC-F950 and HDC-1500on Cameron’s 3D movies.

Fujifilm’s sponsorship of the BLUE Ocean Film Festival is consistent with its Green Policy, which promotes efficient management of chemical substances during lens manufacturing to reduce environmental risks.   Besides FUJINON, other BLUE Ocean Film Festival sponsors include Google Earth, Disney Nature, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Codeblue Foundation, which funds marine conservation efforts, and OceanGate, which organizes marine expeditions.

“Fujifilm would like to congratulate Director James Cameron on being chosen for BLUE Ocean’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Thom Calabro, director, Marketing and Product Development, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Optical Devices Division.  “We’re gratified by the trust and confidence he places in FUJINON lenses to capture the beauty of the oceans and other breathtaking imagery.  We look forward to a continued close working relationship with James and Vince, and to supporting their innovative use of our optical lens technology on their future cinematic expeditions.”