Colin Low (filmmaker)

Colin Archibald Low (July 24, 1926 – February 24, 2016) was a Canadian animation and documentary filmmaker with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

Colin Low born in Cardston, Alberta, Low attended the Banff School of Fine Arts and the Calgary Institute of Technology, now known as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. His NFB career in Montreal spanned over six decades, on more than 200 productions, most often as director, producer, or executive producer.

He died on February 24, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec.

Early work

Low's 1952 animated short, ''The Romance of Transportation in Canada'', won a Short Film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, a special BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Cartoons.

His 1954 documentary '' Corral'' received was named best documentary at the Venice Film Festival. He followed that with a second documentary shot in southern Alberta, the 1960 film '' Circle of the Sun'', which marked the first time the Kainai Nation's sacred Sun Dance was filmed.

Influence on Ken Burns

Low received his second Palme d'Or for best short film at the Cannes Film Festival, along with another BAFTA award and Oscar nomination for his 1957 documentary, '' City of Gold'', on the Klondike Gold Rush, co-directed with Wolf Koenig. ''City of Gold'' made use of slow pans and zooms across archival photos and has been cited by Ken Burns as a key inspiration for the so-called Ken Burns effect.

Influence on Stanley Kubrick

In 1960, Low and Roman Kroitor co-directed '' Universe'', capturing the attention of Stanley Kubrick, who was preparing to make '' 2001: A Space Odyssey''. Low was invited to work on ''2001: A Space Odyssey'' but had to decline due to his work on '' In the Labyrinth'', a multi-screen production for Expo 67—though some of Low's ideas were incorporated into Kubrick's film.

Challenge for Change

Low worked with the people of Fogo Island, Newfoundland to shoot 27 films for the Challenge for Change program, using media as a tool to bring about social change and combat poverty.

IMAX

Low was involved in a series of firsts in the wide-screen genre. The experimental multi-screen production '' In the Labyrinth'' helped lead to the creation of the IMAX format. Low co-directed the first IMAX 3D production '' Transitions'' for Expo 86 in Vancouver, as well as co-directing ''Momentum'', the first film in 48 frames per second IMAX HD for Expo 92 in Seville, Spain.

Awards

In 1972, he received the Grierson Award at the Canadian Film Awards for "an outstanding contribution to Canadian cinema."

In 1996, Low was made a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to cinema in Canada and around the world. In 1997, he was given the Prix Albert-Tessier, given to individuals for an outstanding career in Québec cinema. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

In 2002, the Large Format Cinema Association presented Low and the NFB with its Abel Gance Award for outstanding work in large format filmmaking.

The DOXA Documentary Film Festival's annual Colin Low Award, presented to honour the best Canadian documentary film in the festival program, was named in Low's honour.

References

External links

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Colin Low
at National Film Board of Canada
Colin Low
films at NFB
Colin Low
''Recollections from a Distinguished Career''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Low, Colin
1926 births
2016 deaths
Artists from Alberta
Canadian documentary film directors
Canadian animators
Film directors from Alberta
Members of the Order of Canada
People from Cardston
Canadian experimental filmmakers
Canadian cinema pioneers
Members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
BAFTA winners (people)
Canadian film producers
National Film Board of Canada people
Canadian documentary film producers
Canadian animated film producers
Works by Colin Low (filmmaker)
Prix Albert-Tessier winners