Recognizing his decades of contributions to cinematography and camera technology used across film, television and live events, Chicago camera innovator Tom Fletcher received the Bud Stone Award Sunday night at the 40th annual ASC Awards presented by the American Society of Cinematographers.
The award was presented by fellow ASC member Michael Goi, the Chicago born cinematographer, director, producer and writer whose credits span both television and film.
Presented as one of the evening’s special honors, the Bud Stone Award celebrates individuals who have made lasting contributions to the craft of cinematography and to the filmmaking community that supports it. The award is named in honor of Burton “Bud” Stone, the longtime film industry executive and former president of Deluxe Laboratories who spent much of his career championing cinematographers and the tools that help them do their work.
For Fletcher, the recognition reflects a career devoted to solving technical challenges behind the camera and expanding what cinematographers and broadcasters can capture on screen.
Based in Chicago, Fletcher is widely known as the founder of Fletcher Camera & Lenses, where he and his team have developed specialized camera systems and accessories used on feature films, television series and large scale live events. His innovations in remote and stabilized camera systems helped transform sports broadcasting, introducing camera angles such as above the rim in basketball and behind the net in hockey that are now standard across the industry.
Many of those systems were early examples of robotic and remote controlled cameras, technology that has since become a staple of modern production. Fletcher’s work has earned multiple national Emmy Awards for technical achievement in sports broadcasting.
Even after decades of innovation, Fletcher continues to develop new ideas. Most recently launching Momento, a digital fan engagement platform that captures high resolution images of spectators during key moments at live sporting events, allowing fans to receive personalized keepsakes from the game.
The Bud Stone Award places Fletcher among a select group of industry figures whose work supports cinematographers at the highest level. While many ASC honors go to directors of photography, this award recognizes the engineers, designers and innovators whose technology expands what cinematographers can do.
Sunday night’s recognition celebrates a career spent building tools that help filmmakers and broadcasters capture moments that audiences around the world experience every day.
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