Visual effects supervisor and director of photography Bill Taylor will be awarded the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Board of Governors has announced. The medallion will be presented at the Scientific and Technical Awards presentation on Saturday, February 9 at The Beverly Hills Hotel.
Taylor is the co-founder of Illusion Arts, where he worked on the visual effects of more than 200 films—his vfx supervisor credits include Lawless, Public Enemies, Milk and Bruce Almighty. He has co-authored, with Petro Vlahos, chapters on blue-screen and green-screen compositing in both the American Cinematographer Manual and The VES Handbook of Visual Effects. Taylor was earned a Technical Achievement Award in 1981 for the concept and specifications for a Two-Format, Rotating Head, Aerial Image Optical Printer. The industry veteran first joined the Academy in 1972, where he served on the Academy’s Board of Governors representing the Visual Effects Branch for five terms and was a founding co-chair, with Ray Feeney, of the Science and Technology Council.
Named in honor of the late director of special projects at Warner Hollywood Studios, the John A. Bonner Medal is awarded for “outstanding service and dedication in upholding the high standards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.” Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be included in the Oscar telecast, airing live on ABC Sunday, February 24 from the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.
