The GSCA 2008 Achievement Awards were presented at the International Conference and Trade Show in Jersey City on September 10, 2008. IMAX Corporation also presented two awards that evening. Congratulations to the following recipients: 

GSCA Awards

Best Giant Screen Film
Best Film for Learning
Big Idea Award
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure
Produced and distributed by National Geographic.
Pictured here receiving the award from GSCA Chair Toby Mensforth (4th from the right) is the National Geographic team: Jini Durr, Lisa Truitt, Mark Katz, Antonietta Monteleone, Derek Threinen, Jennifer Lee, Corliss McPherson and Sean Phillips. The Big Idea Award was presented for National Geographic's coordinated day-and-date release of the film to 260 screens worldwide, the largest ever day-and-date release of a traditional giant screen film. Other films nominated for Best Giant Screen Film were Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs and Wild Ocean 3D. Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs and Wild Ocean 3D were also nominees in the Best Film for Learning category. 

 
Best Film Produced Non-Exclusively for the Giant Screen
U2 3D
Produced by 3ality Digital Entertainment and U2 Ltd., distributed by National Geographic.
Pictured here is National Geographic's Lisa Truitt with GSCA Vice Chair Doug King. Other films nominated in this category were Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The IMAX Experience and Shine a Light.

 
Best Original Score
Wild Ocean 3D
Produced by Yes/No Productions and Giant Screen Films. Distributed by Giant Screen Films. Score by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas.
Pictured here are Luke Cresswell, GSCA Chair Toby Mensforth and Steve McNicholas. Other films nominated for Best Original Score were Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D and Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.

Best Sound Design
Wild Ocean 3D
Produced by Yes/No Productions and Giant Screen Films. Distributed by Giant Screen Films.
Pictured here with GSCA Chair Toby Mensforth are sound designers Brian Eimer, Mike Roberts, and J.R. Fountain. Other films nominated for Best Sound Design were Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D and Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.

Best Cinematography
Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D
Produced and distributed by MacGillivray Freeman Films. Cinematography by Greg MacGillivray, Doug Lavender, Brad Ohlund, Ron Goodman, and Jack Tankard.
Pictured here with GSCA Chair Toby Mensforth is Greg MacGillivray. Other films nominated for Best Cinematography were Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure and Wild Ocean 3D.

Special Achievement in Film
Alan Markowitz, Visceral Image Productions (left), and Tim Sassoon (right), Sassoon Film Design, for the creation of the opening title sequence in Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D.

Best Film Launch by a Theater
Museum of Science, Boston, for its launch of The Alps
Pictured here with GSCA Chair Toby Mensforth are Sandra Fasules and Sofiya Cabalquinto. Visit Award-Winning Marketing Campaigns to see the entry they submitted (you will be asked for your GSCA user name and password to access the document). 

Best Marketing by a Distributor
MacGillivray Freeman Films for Its Launch of Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D
Accepting the award from Toby Mensforth are Lori Rick, Beth Bouck, Mary Jane Dodge, Patty Collins, Kathy Almon, Nikki Brigham, Liz Ferrin, Audra DeSombre, Chip Bartlett and Alan Markowitz. Visit Award-Winning Marketing Campaigns to see the entry they submitted (you will be asked for your GSCA user name and password to access the document). 

Best Theater Launch
Myrtle Beach IMAX Theatre, South Carolina
Accepting the award from Toby Mensforth are Gina Trimarco and Murray Mold. Visit Award-Winning Marketing Campaigns to see the entry they submitted (you will be asked for your GSCA user name and password to access the document).

Big Shoe Award
Tina Ratterman and Andy Wood, Giant Screen Films
Tina and Andy accepted the award from GSCA President Gretchen Jaspering. The Big Shoe Award winner is chosen by GSCA staff to recognize members, who are not board members, who exemplify the qualities of a volunteer during the previous year.

IMAX Corporation Awards

Best IMAX Booth Award
National Geographic IMAX Theatre at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Accepting the award from Toby Mensforth is Theater Director Paul Wild.

Hall of Fame Award
Into the Deep
Director Howard Hall accepts the award from Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment.

Photos by James Hyder. © 2008 by Cinergetics, LLC