Three Ukrainians receive awards from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (03/05/06)

Three Ukrainians receive awards from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

by Andrij J. Semotiuk

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Newly appointed Ukranian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Oleh Shamshur, arrived in Los Angeles on Friday, February 17, to attend the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Scientific and Technical Awards ceremonies at which three Ukrainians from Kyiv were honored.

Ambassador Shamshur, Consul General Mykola Tochytskyi and Vice-Consul Taras Kuzmych were greeted by their host, Peter Borisow, president of the Hollywood Trident Foundation, who took them to Sony Pictures Studios, where they had lunch with Michael Kohut, president of Post Production Facilities, and were given a tour of Sony's state-of-the-art studios and sound stages. Ambassador Shamshur, Consul General Tochytskyi and Peter Borisow also met with senior executives of Sony Pictures Entertainment, who expressed strong interest in the Ukrainian market.

Ambassador Shamshur advised Sony executives that Ukraine is its own separate market for which government regulations now mandate Ukrainian-language dubbing of films for distribution in theaters and on television. He also stressed the necessity for direct dialogue between Hollywood studios and the Ukrainian film and television industries, as well as government agencies.

Dr. Shamshur expressed support for Hollywood-Ukrainian co-productions both in English and in Ukrainian. Sony executives complimented the ambassador on Ukraine's new anti-piracy law and encouraged collaboration on further efforts.

This was the first such high-level meeting between representatives of Ukraine and a Hollywood studio and marks the beginning of a new era for the Ukrainian film industry.

That evening the ambassador, the consul general and the vice-consul attended a dinner reception at the home of Charmian and Peter Borisow. Guests included Anatoly Kokush, president of Kyiv-based Filmotechnic and recipient of two awards from the academy; Yelena Strokach, president of Filmotechnic International; studio executive Iya Labunka; director Wes Craven; screenwriter Paul Wolansky; and three-time Academy Award winning documentary film director Mark Harris.

On Saturday afternoon, February 18, Ambassador Shamshur placed flowers at the Ukrainian Genocide Memorial on the Civic Center Mall in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and met with genocide survivor Eugenia Dallas and members of the Los Angeles community who are active in educating the public about the Holodomor.

Later that evening the ambassador and his guests attended the Scientific and Technical Awards Ceremony held in the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Three Ukrainians, Mr. Kokush, Yuriy Popovsky and Oleksiy Zolotarov, received Scientific and Engineering Awards for the concept and development of the Gyro-stabilized Camera Crane and Flight Head.

On presenting the award, the evening's host, actor Rachel McAdams, suggested that the device, frequently mislabeled as "the Russian Arm," should really be called "the Ukrainian Crane," a comment that drew applause from the audience.

Mr. Kokush began developing gyro-stabilized camera cranes and flight heads as a young engineer in Kyiv in the 1970s. Filmotechnic's leading-edge technology, now used on virtually all major Hollywood productions, is considered the Rolls Royce of the business.

Mr. Kokush also received a second Scientific and Engineering Award for the concept and development of the Cascade Series of Motion Picture Cranes. The lightweight structure of the Cascade and the Traveling Cascade Cranes allows filmmakers to reach heights of up to 70 feet, making otherwise impossible shots possible.

With these new developments, Mr. Kokush has kept Filmotechnic a step ahead and a head above the inevitable copycats. Despite rich and tempting offers to move his business elsewhere, Mr. Kokush refuses to leave Ukraine and his beloved Kyiv.

Mr. Kokush's "Ukrainian Cranes" were the first to bridge the Atlantic to bring the modern Ukrainian film industry to Hollywood. Now Ambassador Shamshur has extended Ukraine's hand to Hollywood and opened the door for Hollywood and the Ukrainian film and television industries to join forces to serve and develop the Ukrainian market, with both Ukrainian-and English-language films and programs.

Ambassador Shamshur's visit celebrated Ukraine's Scientific and Technical Awards and focused the spotlight on future Ukrainian achievements in the world film industry. Summing up the experience, the ambassador said, "I look forward to the day when I return to Hollywood to applaud Ukrainian winners at the Oscars."

The Hollywood Trident Foundation, which hosted the Ukrainian ambassador's visit to Los Angeles, was formed to foster more films about the contribution of Ukrainians to modern civilization worldwide and also to bring together entertainment and media industry professionals in support of the following further objectives: to support fellow members in their career pursuits in the entertainment and media industry in Hollywood and internationally; to facilitate contact among professionals working in the entertainment industry who are interested in Ukrainian affairs; and to conduct seminars, workshops and other entertainment projects for members.

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According to the Ukrinform news service, Filmotechnic's devices have been used to shoot hundreds of films, including "Titanic," "War of the Worlds," "Batman Begins," "The Italian Job," "Harry Potter" and "The DaVinci Code," as well as over 1,000 concerts by such performing artists as Julio Iglesias, Sting, The Scorpions and Deep Purple.

Ukrinform also reported that, during his visit to California, Ambassador Shamshur also had a brief informal meeting with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and met with Mayor Abi Lend of West Hollywood, Vice-Mayor Steven Webb of Beverly Hills. In addition, he attended divine liturgy at the local Ukrainian Catholic Church and met with community representatives.

On February 23, the Embassy of Ukraine hosted Messrs. Kokush and Zolotarov at a reception in Washington.

Andriy J. Semotiuk is executive director of the Hollywood Trident Foundation.

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