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Academy Award Best Motion Picture nominees Milk and Frost/Nixon shot with Cooke S4 lenses

Leicester, UK – 10 February 2009

Cooke Optics Ltd., a premier manufacturer of precision lenses for the motion picture industry, is delighted to announce that its S4 lenses were used to shoot Milk and Frost/Nixon, the critically acclaimed films portraying two key moments in 20th century political history. Milk has received eight Academy Award® nominations, while Frost/Nixon has been nominated for five Academy Awards. Both are nominated in the Best Motion Picture category.

Salvatore Totino was the Director of Photography on Frost/Nixon, and is a regular collaborator with the Director Ron Howard, having worked together on The Missing, Cinderella Man and The Da Vinci Code.

“Frost/Nixon is all about character, showing the stresses and tensions and interaction between the protagonists,” said Totino. “We did a lot of close-up work, mostly on medium lenses and some wide lenses, to focus on the details in the facial expressions. The ‘Cooke look’ really added to the story here, [capturing] the warmth of the skin tones.”

He continued: “This film is about being in the moment, making the audience feel like they’re there, and the Cooke lenses really helped me achieve that. I’m proud of the film, and very happy that it has received five Oscar® nominations.”

Les Zellan, Chairman and Owner, Cooke Optics, said, “Award season is always special for us, as we like to see the truly special work of our customers being rewarded. We are delighted that these two films have received so many nominations at the Oscars and the BAFTAs, and we also congratulate 30 Rock, the Golden Globe winner that was also shot on Cooke lenses.”

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