WILLIAM A. FRAKER, ASC
Lake Arrowhead Film Festival Award
For Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography

William A. Fraker, ASC, BSC has compiled nearly 45 feature film credits. Bill has earned five Academy Award nominations for cinematography, including Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Heaven Can Wait (1979), 1941 (1980), War Games (1983) and Murphy’s Romance (1986), and another nomination for visual effects for 1941. He received the 2000 Lifetime Achievement Award from his peers at the American Society of Cinematographers.

After completing his military service during World War II, the G.I. Bill of Rights enabled him to enroll in the cinema department at the University of Southern California . After graduation, Fraker did some still photography work and also shot 16mm films, inserts for commercials, and grab shots for features.

It took Bill 13 years to qualify for membership in the International Cinematographers Guild, and even then he was required to restart his career at the bottom of the crew as a camera loader. Bill finally emerged as an influential cinematographer in 1965, when he was on the cutting edge of a new wave of commercial-makers that ultimately redefined the way features were shot. He earned his first feature credit for cinematography in 1967 for Games. His body of work also includes Bullitt, Rosemary’s Baby, Paint Your Wagon, Rules of Engagement and Town and Country.

Bill will receive his award during the Gala Awards Dinner on Friday evening. On Saturday, the LAFF will present a very special 40th Anniversary screening of Rosemary’s Baby with commentary provided throughout the film by Mr. Fraker.