The Film Florida Legends Award
What truly makes a legend? A legend is one that paves new roads and creates a significant impact others can follow. Someone that makes a difference! This honor is bestowed to recognize an individual's contributions to the industry. An example others can aspire to be like. Film Florida has recognized certain exceptional people who careers have attained these outstanding examples.
The first recipient in 2006 was Ricou Browning, Sr., a man practically born underwater with a career spanning five decades starting with films such as Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and its two sequels to helming the TV series Flipper during the 50's. Browning was a pioneer in the Flordia film industry thus deserving to receive Film Florida's first Legend award.
In 2007, Egon Stephen, Sr. and Jordan Klein, Sr. were honored. Although posthumously, Egon's career spanned almost five decades as a cinematographer, specializing in aerial and underwater films, his work on countless feature films and the founder of CineVideoTech which became largest equipment rental house in the Southeast. Academy Award winner Jordan Klein has been directing topside and specializing in underwater and aerial cinematography for more than 40 years. An International Cinematographers Guild cameraman, he pioneered the development and application of underwater camera housings for motion pictures revolutionizing the industry.
2008 honorees include Danny Harvey, Digger Wilson and Eddie Harvey the brains behind Last Stage Out Of Town, one of the state's leading companies in building Florida's entertainment business. Other recipients are Director / Producer / Educator Ralph R. Clemente who brought national prominence to Valencia Community College with his cirriculum doing more than 35 films and countless documentaries with Robert Wise, Tyne Daly and many others. Producer Brad Fuller and Director / DP Mike Fuller are both veterans in the Florida film industry and the power behind Florida Film and Tape which was one of the pioneers in Orlando's successs film industry who also specializes in marine phototgrphy service, not just Florida but the industry on a national level.
2009 honored it's first women Producer Michelle Marx, as well as Errol Falcon, William Grefe and posthumously Mike McGowan, Sr. Michelle came to Florida in the 50's and began working behind the camera eventually becoming one of the first women in the country to be a DGA member working on hundreds of films including Caddyshack, Miami Vice, Bad Boys and many others. She has been a advoate for the industry through the board of AICP/Florida, the national DGA board and the Governor's Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Board. Errol Falcon has been a DGA member for more than 30 years. He has produced and/or directed more than 100 TV shows for Latino audiences, countless commericals and music videos and has worked with everyone including Larry King, Gloria Estefan, Simon and Garfunkle and B.B. King. Writer/Director/Producer William Grefe is a pioneer with a cult following among directors including Quintin Tarantino. He has worked with the likes of Mickey Rooney, Rita Hayworth and many others. He is responsible for bringing James Bond to south Florida for the speedboat chase in Live and Let Die. And poshumously, cinematograher Mike McGowan, Sr. Known to be prolific in his field he worked on innumerable TV shows including The Sopranos and Rosewood as well as films such as Body Heat, Pretty Baby, The Last of the Mohicans and Bob Fosse's Lenny.
These are true legends.
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