Academy To Honor Bill Taylor With Bonner Medal

Visual effects supervisor and director of photography Bill Taylor has been voted the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The award - a medallion - will be presented at the Scientific and Technical Awards presentation on Saturday, February 9, at The Beverly Hills Hotel.

Taylor is the co-founder of Illusion Arts, where he worked on the visual effects of more than 200 films. His visual effects supervisor credits include "Lawless," "Public Enemies," "Milk" and "Bruce Almighty." He has co-authored, with Petro Vlahos, chapters on bluescreen and greenscreen compositing in both the American Cinematographer Manual and The VES Handbook of Visual Effects.

In 1981 Taylor earned a Technical Achievement Award for the concept and specifications for a Two-Format, Rotating Head, Aerial Image Optical Printer.

Taylor first joined the Academy in 1972. He served on the Academy's Board of Governors representing the Visual Effects Branch for five terms and was a founding co-chair, with Ray Feeney, of the Science and Technology Council.

Named in honor of the late director of special projects at Warner Hollywood Studios, the John A. Bonner Medal is awarded for "outstanding service and dedication in upholding the high standards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences."

Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be included in the Oscar telecast.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Photo Courtesy of The Academy Awards' Official Website