The International Moving Image Society
A historical timeline
Hollywood, USA
Ten founder members formed “The Society of Motion Picture Engineers” (SMPE).
London, UK
A group of 30 film technicians who were members of the American SMPE, formed the London Branch.
The London Branch, now numbering 120, discussed breaking away from SMPE and forming a British technical society for the motion picture industry.
The British Kinematograph Society (BKS) was formed.
The London Polytechnic, in Regent Street (now University of Westminster) established a two-year-long course in conjunction with BKS.
It is the aim of this present course to attain these ends by making for better understanding of the other man’s job as well as a greater efficiency in one’s own.
The Society published its first edition of its quarterly ‘The BKS Journal’. This was published continuously from 1937 to the 1990s.
The Society acquires its own offices in Shaftsbury Avenue with its first organising secretary, R. H. Cricks, whose family had been early pioneers in the industry.
The Society publishes a series of papers and establishes a collection of books on industry topics, which are still at the Pinewood Studios office.
The Society changes name to The British Kinematograph Sound & Television Society (BKSTS).
The Society organises its first major conference, trade and industry fair ‘Film69’ at The Royal Lancaster Hotel.
Filmmakers from 14 countries attended, while The National Film Theatre ran a supporting programme of films on cine technique and a series of factory and studio visits also took place.
HRH the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was the patron of The Society from 1973-1981.
Sir Sydney Samuelson CBE supports the Society for very many years as Patron, sadly passing away in December 2022.
The Society organised its first prestigious international two day conference on Special & Visual Effects. Many of these were held at Pinewood Studios, they were held bi–annually until the early 2000s.
An incredibly busy and successful period for the Society, including production of the now-famous wall charts that still hang on the walls of countless production offices, facilities houses, cultural, academic and entertainments organisations.
Wendy Laybourn was elected as the first woman Council Member of the BKSTS and subsequently elected as Honorary Secretary.
1995 heralded the arrival of Jim Slater, the fifth paid professional editor of the Society’s Cinema Technology and Image Technology journals.
2000 to 2015 saw difficulties grow for the Society. Many superb activities events and collaborations still took place, often with key industry leaders contributing, including Sir Christopher Frayling, giving a
lecture on Sergio Leone. However, there was a significant decline in membership over these decades.
The late John Tompkins, a wildlife cinematographer donates a very significant financial bequest to the Society.
BKSTS rebrands to IMIS and Bryan Cook is employed as a full-time COO. For several years Bryan organises a series of informal presentations, get-together networking sessions, in the heart of London’s postproduction village, Soho, at the Zero One studio.
Honorary fellow Sir David Attenborough keynotes a lecture on the BBC Natural History Unit.
2025
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