Louis Clyde Stoumen (July 15, 1917 – September 20, 1991), known as Lou Stoumen, was an American photographer, film director and producer. He won two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

; the first in 1957 for Best Documentary Short Subject ('' The True Story of the Civil War''), and the second in 1963 for Best Documentary Feature ('' Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler''). Stoumen was born in

Springtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Springtown is an unincorporated community in Springfield Township in extreme northern Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The community is located at the junction of Routes 212 and 412 and is drained by the Cooks Creek east into the Delaw ...

, and died in Sebastopol, California. After graduating from

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU) is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Epi ...

in 1939, he worked as a freelance journalist and photographer in New York. Many of the photographs of

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

he made were published in the 1985 book ''Times Square: 45 Years of Photographs''. Stoumen taught at

UCLA Film School The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT), is one of the 12 schools within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) located in Los Angeles, California. Its creation was groundbreaking in that it was the first time a leadi ...

. He spoke of his innovation in ''The True Story of the Civil War''. He invented a track for the camera to move back and forth over historic photos and paintings. It also tracked up and down (in and out). The technique is often referred to today as the "

Ken Burns effect The Ken Burns effect is a type of panning and zooming effect used in film and video production from still imagery. The name derives from extensive use of the technique by American documentarian Ken Burns. This technique had also been used to prod ...

". Stoumen received

Colin Higgins Colin Higgins (28 July 1941 – 5 August 1988) was an Australian-American screenwriter, actor, director, and producer. He was best known for writing the screenplay for the 1971 film ''Harold and Maude'', and for directing the films '' Foul Play' ...

master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

, a screenplay called '' Harold and Maude''. Stoumen spoke of his enjoyment of the writing, but doubted it would ever be produced. He wasn't unhappy when proven wrong by the film's success. Stouman married Lini De Vries in 1943; the couple divorced in 1949. The Academy Film Archive preserved ''The True Story of the Civil War'' and ''T Is for Tumbleweed'' by Stoumen.

Selected filmography

* '' The Naked Eye'' (1956) * '' The True Story of the Civil War'' (1956) * '' Operation Dames'' (1959) * '' Black Fox: The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler'' (1962)

References

External links

*
Lou Stoumen
profile and photographs, Luminous-Lint
Works

J. Paul Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and fea ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stoumen, Louis Clyde 1917 births 1991 deaths Lehigh University alumni 20th-century American photographers American film directors American film producers Directors of Best Documentary Feature Academy Award winners