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A custom-made 65mm VFX matte camera used for the productions of Blade Runner and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This matte camera was first made as a bi-pack camera by George Randle for Pacific Title, Hollywood's premier title and optical house that was founded in 1919. It was later acquired by Douglas Trumbull and put into service as the matte department's camera on Close Encounters. In 1983, Academy Award®-winning VFX supervisor Richard Edlund formed BOSS Film Corp and acquired Trumbull's EEG facility and equipment. This camera ultimately formed the backbone of BOSS' matte department.

This lot comes from the collection of Edlund and includes a Letter of Authenticity from him. It consists of one matte camera with a stack of three magazines. Filming matte paintings requires cameras to have two stacks of magazines, known as "bi-packing," which allows the camera to film a matte painting with another piece of film next to the negative. Thus both are recorded on a single piece of film in a single pass and show a greatly enhanced image quality of the resulting composite. Famed matte artist Matthew Yuricich used this camera to photograph all of the matte paintings on Blade Runner and Close Encounters. It was later upgraded by adding another set of magazines, making it a tri-pack as it currently appears. It was used on virtually every project that BOSS Film worked on that required matte paintings, including Ghostbusters, 2010: The Year We Made Contact, Batman Returns, Species, Cliffhanger, and more.

Constructed of metal with glass lenses and plastic components, this camera features several taped labels hand-marked "460," "350," "CM/BC," "SE PS [sic]," "5248-363," and "Focus." Known for its steadiness, this camera was mounted to a fixed pedestal that would face the matte stand. It is complete with inner movement, tri-pack magazines, and lens with cover. This lot exhibits adhesive residue, lifted tape, a buildup of grime, and fragile components. Dimensions: 26.25" x 14" x 42.5" (66.75 cm x 35.5 cm x 108 cm)

Contains electronics and mechanical components; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Special shipping required; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: $25,000 - 50,000

View all lots from BLADE RUNNER (1982)