Phillips Honored with Lifetime Achievement at Cine Gear 2009

Forty-year industry veteran Ed Phillips, President/CEO of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc. received the Cine Gear Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's V.I.P. event.

For Immediate Release:

Hollywood, CA. June 2009

Forty-year industry veteran Ed Phillips, President/CEO of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc. received the Cine Gear Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's V.I.P. event. "Ed Phillips's name came up early, with a long list of candidates for this year's nominee for the Cine Gear Expo Lifetime Achievement Award," says Karl Kresser, President of Cine Gear. "During many and long discussions about the different candidates, Ed's name kept coming to the top.

"A 40-year veteran that started on the set of Star Trek, who launched his first company, Waynco, when he was 20-years old, to build lightweight Arc lights. After he joined Matthews in 1971, and, a few years later, he and an associate purchased the company. Since then he's earned two Academy Awards: a Technical Achievement Award in 1982 as part of the team that designed and manufactured the Tulip Crane, which could fold up for challenging spaces; and a Scientific and Engineering Award in 1985 as part of the team that developed the Cam-Remote. He also earned an Emmy for the development of the Cam-Remote, which was the first remote control pan/tilt camera head.

"To survive in this industry for such a long time and to be successful shows you the adaptability and also the love of 'the business' that Ed has. We are very happy to have Ed Phillips as this year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient."

Over 400 people including such luminaries as cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond ASC attended the event that featured the announcement of the film competition winners, special even presentations and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. The audience certainly agreed with Cinegear's decision to honor Ed Phillips. "I've known Ed Phillips for over 30 years," says cinematographer George Spiro Dibie, past president of Local 600 and a board member of the American Society of Cinematographers. "We all congratulate Ed on his Lifetime Achievement Award. His commitment to our industry, support and services are exemplary. He cares so passionately about the working crafts members. He is always available to help and assist the pros and the emerging filmmakers. It is a very well deserved award."

"When someone is given a 'Lifetime Achievement' award, one tends to wonder if 'it's over'," said Ed Phillips, lightly. "I don't see it that way. Over the past 40-some years I've enjoyed a very special relationship with this industry. I've listened to production needs, and have done everything I could to give our artists the best tools available. Being honored with this award says we've been doing something right. And, I'm not slowing down!

"This has been a very exciting year for us at Matthews. We've got some great new products, like the RED Dolly and our unique Intel-A-Jib. We've already introduced them to various new users at events this year, and can't wait to take these exciting new tools to Amsterdam for IBC later this year.

"This is not the end - but just the beginning of a new era for me - and for Matthews."

Photos from V.I.P. presentation:
photo one: Ed Phillips - President/CEO and owner of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc.
photo two: Ross Matthews of The Insider.com and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Cine Gear Expo's V.I.P. reception emcee), Julianne Grosso - Director/Producer - Cine Gear Expo, Ed Phillips - President/CEO and owner Matthews Studio Equipment, and Karl Kresser - President - Cine Gear Expo.

For further information please contact:
Robert Kulesh, Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc.
Burbank, CA 91504 USA
818-843-6715
rkulesh@msegrip.com