NZCS & chairman Simon Riera award NZ cinematographers; Stuart Dryburgh, John Toon, James Bartle, John Mahaffie & Leon Narbey

Five of New Zealand’s cinematographers have earned praise from their peers in the inaugural round of accreditation awards from the New Zealand Cinematographers’ Society (NZCS).

NZCS chairman, Simon Riera (pictured) said that the new awards represent a maturing of the New Zealand screen production industry and recognises that the country’s best cinematographers can stand alongside their counterparts around the world.

Three of the recipients now hold dual accreditation. Stuart Dryburgh previously won accreditation from the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) while recipients John Toon and James Bartle hold accreditation from the highly regarded Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). Dryburgh, Toon and Bartle now have the right to place the additional letters NZCS after their names as film credits roll.

The new NZCS accreditation is based on professional recognition models of the American,  Australian and British societies, but Riera says it has been adapted for New Zealand where cinematographers often work on a variety of production types.

Says Riera: “As we developed the system up our main concern was to keep the standard high despite the relatively small size of the New Zealand industry.

“As a result the criteria are tough and the process is rigorous.  To gain accreditation you need to produce a body of outstanding work, and it is based on the skills that you bring to projects, rather than the format or genre you have worked in.

“You need to demonstrate not just technical competence, but imagination, an eye for interpretation, innovation, sensitivity and authenticity.”

Riera says the purpose of the accreditation path is to encourage original and outstanding work and to offer a career aspiration to NZCS members, but also to  promote professional recognition from other people in the local industry and elsewhere.

Says Riera: “For example overseas directors and producers can take for granted NZCS accredited members work to the highest levels.”

Two other cinematographers, John Mahaffie and Leon Narbey (pictured above) were also recognised in the first round of accreditations.

Narbey is known for shooting Whale Rider and more recently The Orator. Narbey’s career stretches back to his first experiments with cameras in the late 1960s.

Narbey says being a good cinematographer is not just about pretty pictures.

Says Narbey: “Good images reinforce the heart and intent of the story. Circumstances are not always ideal but the images need coherence and force, and that comes down to a triangle of collaboration between the director, the editor and yourself as cinematographer. So I feel it is a great honour to be recognised in this way.”

Riera says the initial round of accreditations was limited to five cinematographers who will form the accreditation committee that will meet once a year to consider new accreditations.