- Born in Bolivar, Missouri, American Society of Cinematographers associate member John Russell, ASC learned his skills in the United States Air Force as he maintained the many cameras they had to have on line each day. His cameras were used to map the USSR inch by inch from high flying spy aircraft. Upon his honorable discharge, John went to work for Alan Gordon Enterprises where he built many custom cameras and camera mounts. John also worked at F & B Ceco, Birns and Sawyer and Panavision. He started JAR Enterprises, dedicated to the advancement of motion picture technology, in 1975. John invented and manufactured many devices including the Eyepiece Video Tap for Arriflex and Panaflex cameras; the first Director's Finder with video assist; and the triple BNCR, PL and Panavision hard front for the Arriflex IIC, which allowed lens mounts to be easily changed in the field without shims. Russell also excelled in the area of Steadicam modifications and accessories. He altered Arri IIC,III, and 35BL cameras to make camera operator's lives much more efficient and comfortable.
John Russell modified an Arri IIC for fellow ASC associate Garret Brown, inventor of the Steadicam, to be driven by the inching knob with a Heden motor to shoot tests for the flying motorcycle sequences in Return of the Jedi. John also built the mechanical portions of the original Skycam for Garrett. He was employed by Steven Spielberg as the chief camera technician on Close Encounters of the Third Kind and 1941. John modified more than a hundred 35mm Eyemo crash cameras with various motors and lens mounts. He custom made crash housings for these cameras so sturdy 18 wheelers could land on them and the cameras would still produce useable footage. John Russell's genius, inventions and dedication changed the motion picture industry forever.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Dan Kneece, SOC
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