December 9, 2025

Joe Dunton MBE BSC (1945-2025)

It is with sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague, Joe Dunton MBE BSC (1945-2025). The following is written by Phil Méheux BSC:

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Born in 1945 in Camden, London, Joe’s first job was as electronics engineer with PYE Television where his main task was to repair closed-circuit TV systems. Whilst repairing the CCTV at Samuelson Film Service headquarters, he was approached by the head of the sound department and a year later was employed to look after Samuelson’s two-way radios for the film Le Mans (1971 d. Lee H. Katzin, ph. René Guissart Jr., Robert B. Hauser). During this time, he also worked on a more sophisticated video assist for the Mitchell camera from a request by cinematographer Ossie Morris OBE BSC who was about to shoot the musical film OLIVER! (1968 d. Carol Reed) by adding a video recorder – one of the earliest European productions on which this had been done. This enabled Morris and Reed to view exactly what the camera was photographing and even review a previous ‘take’. This system is ubiquitous today.

Joe soon got a reputation as a problem solver. He designed the first 20:1 zoom for a 35mm camera in association with Samuelson’s head of optics, Bill Woodhouse. It was first used on the film 10 Rillington Place (1971 d. Richard Fleischer) by cinematographer Denys Coop BSC.

At the same time, he began a long association with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, starting with A Clockwork Orange (1971 ph. John Alcott BSC) which made use of the 20:1 zoom lens for the iconic opening shot. Joe continued to advise and assist Kubrick right up until his last film Eyes Wide Shut (1999 ph. Larry Smith BSC).

Joe formed his own company in 1976, under the aegis of Lee International. It became one of the first rental companies to rehouse old lenses, which had been overlooked but had created such marvellous images in the past. He then turned his attention to anamorphic lenses and having acquired a number of Cooke lenses, set about designing and making anamorphic front elements (helped by lens technicians John Buckley Associate BSC and John Venables Associate BSC). These were first successfully used on Poltergeist (1982 d. Tobe Hooper, ph. Matthew Leonetti ASC), Star Wars: Episode V1 - Return of the Jedi (1983 d. Richard Marquand, ph. Alan Hume BSC) and most notably on The Mission (1986 d. Roland Joffé, ph. Chris Menges ASC BSC) which won an Oscar for cinematography. The BSC awarded its 1992 Bert Easey Award for their lens design.

Joe’s other inventions include the heated eyepiece to prevent misting, the ladder pod (a camera platform supported by three ladders acting as legs), the Moy Vitesse head (which could tilt directly 90 degrees up or down) and many other innovations including improvements to the Louma Crane’s remote head. He also made an interchangeable magazine for the Arri SR 16mm camera which meant it could be converted from shooting film to digital just by replacing the magazine.

In 1980, while preparing to shoot Dance Craze (1981 d. Joe Massot) a documentary on Britain’s Ska/Two Tone bands which included Madness, The Selector and The Specials, Joe resurrected Super 35* which enabled a better quality ‘blow-up’ to 70mm. After that, John Alcott BSC used the system for Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984 d. Hugh Hudson) and it became an industry standard.

* Super 35 covered a larger negative area including the space normally reserved for the optical soundtrack to enable a higher quality enlargement onto 70 mm print stock with the sound added on magnet stripe.

After servicing the Dino De Laurentis film The Year of the Dragon (1985 d. Michael Cimino, ph. Alex Thomson BSC), Joe opened a camera facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. It was acquired by Panavision in 2007 and Joe became the company’s executive vice-president.

In 1993, together with current BSC president Harvey Harrison, Joe Dunton inaugurated the Society’s first Equipment Show, which featured the latest innovations from camera and lighting companies. Initially held at Shepperton Studios, it proved so popular that further exhibitions were held at Elstree Studios and Pinewood Studios. As it grew, Rob Saunders of SCS Exhibitions was eventually brought on board for expert guidance and in recent years the BSC Expo has been staged at Battersea Evolution which has proved a popular venue with both exhibitors and attendees.   Along with exhibits of all the latest camera and lighting innovations, a programme of seminars is now incorporated.   The Expo has become an important date in the BSC calendar and a huge social industry meet.

Joe Dunton’s leadership again came to the fore when, in June 1997, assisted by the British Film Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Federation of Electronics Industries, the British Society of Cinematographers flew the flag at Showbiz Expo in Hollywood. Over 30 exhibitors, fronted by leading British technicians representing various facets of the film industry, came together in the colourful British Pavilion. It was deemed an unqualified success after 21,000 people visited the show in its three days. The following year Otto Nemenz, founder of the Hollywood camera rental house, inaugurated CineGear which is held annually on the backlot of Paramount studios, Hollywood and has now become the favoured place for the Society to have a presence.

Joe became an associate member in 1978, a full member in 1987, a long running member of the BSC Board of Governors and founded the BSC technical committee.

Our thoughts go out to his wife, Pat and his children Lester, Richard and Erica.

Joe Dunton at the BAFTA Film Awards receiving the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award in 2010.

SELECTED AWARDS:

Member of the Order of the British Empire 1998

BSC Arri John Alcott Memorial Award 2006

CineGear Lifetime Achievement Award 2007

Society of Camera Operators Governors Award 2008

BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award 2010