STANLEY W. SAYER, BSC

 

 

1939-45. Short Docs for RAF.

1948. Supervising Cameraman-The Glory of Sport - Technicolor Feature on UK Olympic

Documentaries include Around  The World, Distant Thames-aka-Royal River (In 3D using two Technicolor Three-Strip Cameras), Garden of England.

1960.The Challenge/2nd Unit-My Geisha. 1962.Co-My Kingdom for a Woman.1968.AE RIAL-Mosquito Squadron. 1969.S p.Ph.Fx.-Arthur! Arthur! 1970 - French Loe. Around The World in 80 Days/2nd Unit­ Hell Boats.

From 1977 Travelling Matte consultant.  Credits include: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dune, Return to Oz, Willow, Baron Munchausen, Slipstream, Witches Sabbath, Brazil, Legend, Spies Like Us, Hyper Sapier, Eric The Viking, Sullivan Street, Under the Cheery Moon, Never Ending Story II, No Causefor Alarm, A Kiss Before Dying, Year of the Comet, Tango.

Tribute from Les Ostinelli BSC

In early 1937, Stan and I joined Technicolor, just prior to the Coronation of George VI, the ceremony of which was filmed in 3 strip Technicolor by four cameras. Stan, at the time had one of the special S.S. Sports Cars with the long bonnet and used to give me lifts to Osterley Station.

During the war years, he was a member of the RAF Film Unit and I met up with him several times in Cairo, always between assignments, polishing up his Newman-Sinclair camera. (As a member of the Army Film and Photo Unit I didn't need to do this to my all black Devry Camera!) We also met up later at Forte Airfield in Central Italy, where he was based, along with Harry Gillam and Eric Coop.

After the war, Stan returned to Technicolor and to MGM Studios, but we met fairly often, as his daughter Jennifer was in the same form as my son, and Stan and I were on the Parents Association Committee.

During the 1949 Olympic Games held in Britain, Stan was Supervising Cameraman for Technicolor, which used the Bi-Pack Technochrome Process to supplement the limited number of 3 strip cameras available. I returned to Technicolor as Technical Director in 1974 and Stan was, until his retirement, one of my team of Production Executives.

During this time Stan continued to specialise in process photography, and Blue Screen Supervisor was his forte; his claim to fame being on the first Star Wars and many follow on epics. His love of underwater photography and scuba diving, even up to last year, were part of his life. Stan was mechanically gifted and devised many innovative pieces of equipment, including his garden and layout of which he was very proud. His wife, Joy died some ten years ago and he leaves son David and daughter Jennifer and six grandchildren.

Farewell Stan and make sure those 3 strip cameras and the Lazy Eights are well looked after in the studio up there!

Les Ostinelli, BSC