It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of Dick Pope BSC, who left us yesterday after an illness.
For many years, Dick worked closely with his trusted grip, Colin Strachan, forming partnership that was known across the industry. Their ability to work in harmony allowed for the technical and creative to blend seamlessly. The strength of this partnership is a reminder of the crucial role of teamwork in filmmaking, something Dick valued deeply.
Dick wasn’t just an exceptional cinematographer—he was a friend and a constant source of support and guidance for younger crew. His appreciation for the role of the grips, their training and qualifications, and his respect for every department on set made him not only a brilliant collaborator but also a cherished member of our community. His presence will be sorely missed.
Dick Pope’s legacy will continue to inspire, and his work will remain a guiding light for filmmakers for generations to come.
Our thoughts are with his family and Colin, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten.
I had the privilege of working with Dick twice. His passion on set and his work ethic were unparalleled. A natural leader, he could inspire the whole crew while always remaining professional and respectful. The way he worked out a scene was a sign of a true artist. No unnecessary flourishing, no over-complicated nonsense. All his shots were full of intention and dense with substance. He knew his team and made sure that everyone could shine in their own way and be proud to be part of the crew. I definitely had the best time in my career working on Colin and Dick jobs. I’ll always remember fondly his larger-than-life and straightforward personality, and his hilarious “What-the-fuck-was-that-lunch-today” rants.
A bit…
I’ve been contacted by people this week to say how much they enjoyed working on Dick’s jobs and the funny memories of the larger than life character having animated discussions on set. I lost a dear friend this week but since first crossing paths with him on a music video many moons ago I have a lifetime worth of memories of the laughs we enjoyed on set and when it’s like that even the hardest days at work don’t seem so hard and for much of the time it didn’t feel like going to work at all.
Sleep well old friend.
I was lucky enough to be given my B camera break by Colin on 'Angus thongs' with Dick operating B camera....he was so patient with me over the coming months as I found my feet. He used muttering to himself while looking through the eyepiece, which made me laugh as luckily it wasn't about me! Both him and Colin taught me so much and we went on to work together on quite a few other projects. He will be sorely missed RIP
Very shocked and saddened to hear the news about Dick. We spent three months together in Dublin, in 1993, on a film directed by Mike Newell called ‘An Awfully Big Adventure’. We had apartments quite close to one another in Baggot Street, and after rushes, would share a car home each evening, with the director, and Martin O’Malley (1st AD) at the wheel,
As we were the 1st to be shooting, something called a bleach bypass process on celluloid, and no one really knew the best way to process it. There was always a full throated exchange between the director and Dick, both sitting in the back and me and Martin silent in the front. It always ended amicably, but…