A Lifetime of Achievement

Palisadian Don Burgess Honored With American Society of Cinematographers Award

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

If you ask Palisadian Don Burgess about the greatest achievement of his life, he would say his kids­—his wife, Bonnie, told the Palisadian-Post.

But the Marquez Knolls resident, a cinematographer known for blockbuster films such as “Cast Away,” “Forrest Gump” and “Aquaman,” is also celebrating the recent honor of a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented earlier this month by The American Society of Cinematographers.

Burgess was honored during the 38th ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards, which took place on Sunday, March 3, at Beverly Hilton. He was presented the award by Robert Zemeckis, who called Burgess his “good friend, staunch collaborator and creative soulmate,” Bonnie said. The two have worked together for 30 years, on such films as “Pinocchio,” “What Lies Beneath” and the upcoming “Here.”

“Over the past 40 years, Don Burgess has been steadily inspiring us with his contribution to many of cinema’s most memorable films,” ASC President Shelly Johnson said in a statement. “Don is an amazingly talented artist whose body of work speaks powerfully to the strength of visual storytelling. He brings his vision and skill along with a deep commitment to collaboration, which is a guiding principle of our art form.”

Burgess is a lifelong Palisadian, where, growing up, his interest in movies was sparked after he enrolled in a photography class. He attended ArtCenter College of Design to study film. He mixed his visual and athletic skills to find his niche in the industry, skiing backward or scuba diving with a camera for TV sports, Olympic coverage and documentaries.

Today, Burgess and his family—which includes three children and eight grandchildren—all reside in Marquez Knolls within a half-mile of each other. Burgess and Bonnie met at the age of 10 when her father was his Pop Warner football coach, and began dating in their 20s. They both attended local schools, including Paul Revere and Palisades High.

“‘Forrest Gump’ opened doors, but along the way I learned that the career isn’t just about the movies I want to shoot, but about the family I’m raising and a career,” Burgess told ACS. “I truly believe that you can only be crazy enough to go down that road if you’ve got the support.”

His family—including Bonnie, their daughter Lindsy and husband Mike Junger, son Michael and wife Nicole, and daughter Brittany with husband Riley Crapper—attended the ASC Awards to witness him receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Throughout his illustrious career, Burgess has had the chance to work with many fellow Palisadians, including Tom Hanks (“Cast Away,” “The Polar Express” and “Forrest Gump”) and Jamie Lee Curtis (“Christmas with the Kranks”).

Burgess has been a member of ASC since 1995—which was described as a nonprofit, established in 1919, dedicated to advancing the art of filmmaking by educating aspiring filmmakers and beyond about the “art and craft” of cinematography.

“The ASC is an organization that I’ve always believed in and always been proud to be part of, and this award—to have the respect and recognition from my fellow cinematographers—means a lot to me,” he told ASC of being honored. “The cinematographers ahead of me were always very kind and accepting of me in this organization, making me feel like I belonged.”