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Vision Center Thanks
Documentary Footage Makes Impact
Earlier this year the SOC received a letter of thanks from Dr. Thomas Lee of the Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Please take a moment to read it and be proud of your membership in an organization that supports such a worthy cause. It is the participation of the members, the donation of time and effort, that allows the good work of the SOC to continue.
 
"Little did we realize how compelling
the footage would be."
March 14, 2010
Dear SOC,
I wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the film work the SOC has done for the
Vision Center this past year. When the SOC first approached us regarding filming for a
documentary, we were very honored. Little did we realize how compelling the footage
would be, and we soon realized that the stories your videos told could have an audience
that went well beyond a film festival or documentary. At the time of your taping, we
were also in the process of lobbying our hospital leadership to provide greater support to
The Vision Center. This presentation was to be given to the CEO and COO of the hospital
and would detail our accomplishments. As we put together this presentation, we realized
that it was missing the emotional component of how our work impacts the children and
families who walk through our door. We immediately thought of the touching
testimonials of the Cobb and Webber families that your crew captured. We included
them in our presentation, and I can't overemphasize how much of an impact that had on
the leadership. It was so profound that we were later asked to present at the Board of
Trustees meeting two months later. After we left that presentation, a board member
emailed us saying that half of the board went to go to the bathroom to get Kleenex. We
have been told that the board is still talking about the videos even though the meeting
was two months ago.
Because of the response we have had to that presentation, we were invited by the COO to
review a supplemental budget for The Vision Center, which would provide support of
over a $500,000.00 a year to our research and educational program. Two weeks ago the
COO agreed to go forward and try to find ways to support the program. This would not
have happened without the support of the SOC and the compelling family testimonials
you were able to artfully capture. Your motto of "We See It First" has helped us realize
our goals in a way that no check or donation could ever match. The professional and
artistic work you have provided has been priceless, and we are deeply grateful for all the
effort your group has dedicated to our cause. We could not ask for a more devoted
partner and advocate.
Sincerely,
Thomas C. Lee, M.D.
Director, Retina Institute
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Associate Professor, Ophthalmology
Keck School of Medicine
University of Southern California
 "Your motto of 'We See It First' has helped us realize our goals in a way
that no check or donation could ever match."
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Committee Lineup
Volunteers needed
The Society of Camera Operators is a volunteer organization which depends heavily on the participation of it's members. Various committees are chaired by members of the Board of Governors who volunteer their time and effort to support SOC activities ranging from the sale of official SOC hats and t-shirts to organizing the SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards. All of the committee chairs need your help. Please volunteer to join one or more of the committees. It's a great way to learn more about our organization, network with other members, and become a part of the worthwhile activities of your Society.
Below is a list of SOC committees. Please look it over, then contact the chair to get more information and find out what you can do to help out. If you are interested in a committee that does not have a chair listed, please contact any officer of the Board.
Corporate Liaison, David Mahlmann, SOC SOC Awards Committee. Chair, David Mahlmann, SOC Screenings and Events Committee. Chair, Mark August, SOC Screenings Subcommittee. Co Chair David Tolsky, SOC Membership Committee. Chair, Vacant Publications Committee. Chair, Jack Messitt, SOCPublicity Committee. Chair, Vacant Communications Committee. Chair, Warren Yeager, SOC Charity Committee. Chair, Bonnie Blake, SOC Merchandise and Promotions Committee. Chair, Aiken Weiss SOC Education Committee. Chair, Steven Fracol, SOC Tech Standards Committee. Chair, Erwin Landau, SOC Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Chair, Dan Gold, SOC |
Camera Movement Workshop
National University and SOC
Doug Knapp, SOC (right) supervises students at the Camera Movement Workshop.  |
On July 6th at the request of Dean Karla Berry and instructor Christopher Rossiter,
the Society of Camera Operators teamed with the National University (www.nu.edu) School of Media and Communications
this month to conduct a camera movement workshop at Panavision Inc. Woodland
Hills, CA.
Students received hands
on operating instructions from SOC members including Dan Kneece, David
Allen-Grove, Doug Knapp, David Mahlmann and Local 80 dolly grip Mitch
Gulbin local 600 crane tech Henry Flores. Special thanks go out to camera
assistants Jennifer Ann Henry , Michael Skor and all the volunteers who
helped. Thanks also to Panavision and JL Fisher for
generously providing the gear and Panavision for providing the Venue for this
workshop.
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Life After Retirement
Owen Marsh, SOC Enjoys The Good LifeIn response to our newly reinstated newsletter, the SOC recently heard from one of it's founding members, Owen Marsh, SOC. Congratulations on the newsletter, it was first rate!!
It's been 20 years now since I killed my last camera switch. I knew it was time to retire when we were shooting a show down at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. I took a walk through the movie equipment museum they had on the mezzanine and realized that I had worked with most every thing they had on exhibit. God, I felt old. But happy to say, there is life after leaving "show business"My wife, Evelyn, and I are now celebrating our 60th anniversary and enjoying a far different life here in Florence, on the Oregon coast, than we ever imagined down in Woodland Hills. We're in the middle of a forest with a creek running through the back yard. We enjoy travel (although air lines have become a pain) We work out at the gym three days a week and spend a lot of our time in our gardens. I've become a bonsai enthusiast and have about 300 trees now. As my wife claims " It has gone from being a hobby to insanity".I also spend a lot of time doing clay work, which the tourists pay absurd prices for. It's great to be retired and out of one of the most difficult industries to be successful in. But let no one say that there is another business that is more interesting and rewarding, artistically and otherwise.My best to all, Owen Owen and Evelyn with their new great grandson  | Our backyard in Oregon  | |
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