Awards & Winners

Garrett Brown

Date of Birth 06-April-1942
Place of Birth Long Branch
(Monmouth County, New Jersey)
Nationality United States of America
Profession Cinematographer, Inventor
Garrett Brown is an American cinematographer, best known as the inventor of the Steadicam. Brown's invention allows cameramen to film while walking without the normal shaking and jostles of a handheld camera. The Steadicam was first used in the Hal Ashby film Bound for Glory, receiving an Academy Award, and since used on such films as Rocky, filming Rocky's running and training sequences, and Return of the Jedi, where Brown walked through a Redwood forest with the Steadicam shooting film at 1 frame per second to achieve the illusion of high speed motion during the speeder-bike chase. The sequence in Rocky that took the audience up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum for the triumphant moment at the top was first filmed during tests for the original Steadicam system. When shown the footage, director John Avildsen thought it would fit well into the training sequence. In the subsequent decades, tens of thousands of visitors to Philadelphia have taken the time to visit that locale and run up the steps, alone or in groups, to enjoy that unique view and share in the energy and triumphant feeling evoked in that sequence.

Awards by Garrett Brown

Check all the awards nominated and won by Garrett Brown.

2005


Academy Scientific and Technical Award (Scientific and Engineering award)
(For the original concept of the Skycam flying camera system -- the first use of 3-D volumetric cable technology for motion picture cinematography. In creating the first remote-controlled, cable-supported flying camera system, Garrett Brown's pioneering efforts have influenced all subsequent development in this area of technology.)

2002


American Society of Cinematographers President's Award
Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for the Development of Remote-Controlled Cable-Suspended Moving Camera-Platform Technology
Honored for : CF InFlight Systems

Nominations 2002 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
American Society of Cinematographers President's Award

1998


Academy Award for Best Technical Achievement
(For the creation of the Skyman flying platform for Steadicam operators. This cable-driven, manned camera platform allows the operator to spin 360 degrees for unimpeded pans while controlling the downhill speed via brakes. As a device for achieving otherwise impossible shots, Skyman has had a definite influence on later cable-suspended camera systems.)

1977


Academy Scientific and Technical Award (Award of Merit)
Honored for : Steadicam
((The Cinema Products Corp. Engineering Staff under the supervision of John Jurgens) For the invention and development of Steadicam. The award was presented outside the technical awards ceremony as part of the main ceremony on 3 April.)