Specialist Restoration Expert Honoured

A leading restoration specialist has been given a major accolade.
Prime Focus film archive and restoration specialist David Atkinson's career has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award, made at the 2010 FOCAL International Awards.
It recognised David's dedicated 50 years in his craft - including working for the Prime Focus group for the past 19 years.
He was presented with his award by Lord (David) Puttnam, the chair of patrons and Paul Sargent, Deputy Keeper of the Film and Video Archive for the Imperial War Museum, in front of guests including Martin Scorsese.
Paul Sargent said of David's achievements: "He's been a strong supporter of FOCAL International from its beginnings and has contributed to its activities both as a member of the Executive sitting on various committees and as an industry professional offering specialist advice to its membership.
"His support, in various forms, has underpinned many of FOCAL International's activities over the years, ranging from donations through to sponsorship, facility and venue use."
Starting out as a trainee film technician and engineer in 1960 at E.v.T. Magnetics following an early interest in photography, David progressed to become general manager.
He was responsible for the design, development and building of new film striping equipment and processes as well as overseeing their retail photographic department.
He then moved on to Soundcraft in Soho where he became managing director and operated the UK franchises for the very successful American 'Vacuumate Corporation' range of treatments and the Canadian 'Redimension House' process, for de-shrinking archive materials.
This gave David a greater insight into the problems of treatment and preservation of archive and library materials.
By the 1980s, Soundcraft had been taken over by Studio Film Laboratories and David was heavily involved in the emerging world of facilities and their links with the treatment and preservation of archive materials. His interest and advice contributed significantly to numerous restoration projects and archive-based programmes.
In 1991 David joined VTR plc Group, which today is Prime Focus, to work for their subsidiary, The Machine Room (TMR) and assist in developing a 'high tech' installation for the needs of archives.
Drawing on previous experience in relation to film treatments, he was able to manage the planning and construction of The Machine Room's new fully up-to date Film Treatment Centre to complement the company’s expanding range of film and video services.
David has served on several committees including The British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society, The British Standards Institute and The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. For the past 15 years he served as a director on the Focal International Executive Council, representing the facilities side of the industry.
He also played a significant role with the part funding of the original MA degree course in Film Archiving at University of East Anglia.
Simon Briggs, Managing Director, UK of Prime Focus said: "I've had the honour and pleasure of having worked closely with David since my very first day in the old VTR Group back in 1997.
"His knowledge and his passion for film were evident from that day and his unwaning support and belief in the restoration and preservation of important film archives has ensured that he will always be held in the highest regard by his peers within the industry. His humility has meant that he's always been determined to pass on his knowledge to the next generation to make them better at their jobs and more understanding of the material they were working on. His contribution to the company over the years has been immeasurable."
(BMcC/GK)