The Masters
“In recognition of those who have made an outstanding contribution to the art of cinematography.”
2017 is not only the CSC’s 60th anniversary, it also marks 30 years of recognizing extraordinary excellence through the CSC’s Masters Award. This special honour is conferred upon cinematographers who have transcended from just practicing their craft into leaders of their craft by influencing the cinematic art form through their exceptional creativity, technical skills and ingenuity. Originally called the Kodak New Century Award, it was renamed the Masters Award in 2014 to reflect industry changes brought about by the digital age. In celebration of the CSC’s 60th anniversary, Canadian Cinematographer is presenting a 10-part series on the exceptional cinematographers who have received the Masters Award. This is part two. By Guido Kondruss
24 • Canadian Cinematographer - February 2017
Robert Bocking csc 1990
R
ight from the beginning, nature loomed large for Robert Bocking csc. Born in 1936 in Port Arthur, Ontario (which is now Thunder Bay), and into a family who were trappers and hunters, Bocking was immersed in the Canadian wilderness from an early age. His interest in images was stimulated by his Grade 7 teacher who introduced Bocking to the world of photography. As a teenager, Bocking had an interest in motion picture making, but with no film schools in Canada at the time, he enrolled in the Photographic Arts program at Toronto’s Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, where he learned the nuances of lighting, and specialized in commercial photography. After graduating in 1958, Bocking found himself back in Port Arthur, working at a photofinishing plant. With his first paycheques, Bocking bought his very first motion picture camera, a Bolex RX-5, and began learning cinematography on his own. It was when the legendary wildlife cinematographer and sound recordist Dan Gibson csc hired Bocking to film nature scenes in surrounding provincial parks that he found himself back in the woods, in a new profession. While Bocking also shot commercials and industrial films during his career, it was his nature cinematography that brought him many accolades and to the attention of the National Geographic Society where he produced and shot 10 awardwinning films on natural history. These films were shown to tens of thousands of students in classrooms throughout the United States and Canada. Whether shooting from a helicopter flying at a heart-stopping 45-degree angle to capture the splendour and awe of Virginia Falls on the South Nahanni River, or waiting patiently in a forest blind to film that perfect wildlife moment, Bocking’s cinematography simply didn’t record nature, it educated viewers. Bocking has also been honoured with the CSC’s Bill Hilson Award for “outstanding service contributing to the development of the motion picture industry.” Bocking is retired from active filmmaking, living in Toronto.
