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Vale Chris Herzfeld and Chris Webb
24 May 2023
Right: Assistant Director Chris Webb on set of Storm Boy, photo by Matt Nettheim.
The SAFC was deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of two practitioners with deep connections to the South Australian screen industry: photographer and cameraman Chris Herzfeld, and Assistant Director Chris Webb.
Award-winning photographer, cameraman and lighting director Chris Herzfeld worked on a wide range of films and TV programs for many local, interstate and international production companies over his decades-long career, with credits including feature films Sons & Mothers and Rogue and Channel 7 series The Book Place.
A talented cinematographer, Chris started his company Camlight in 2003 specialising in cinematography, stills and lighting, and was also involved in helping emerging cinematographers with education and guidance through teaching and workshops. He was also a member of the South Australian branch of the Australian Cinematographers’ Society, who have written a touching obituary for him here.
Assistant Director Chris Webb began his career as a cleaner at the ABC in Sydney, where he worked his way up to become stagehand, set dresser, props manager, floor manager and then AD. After taking an opportunity to work on Peter Weir’s 1982 feature film The Year of Living Dangerously he went freelance, going on to a storied career with South Australian credits including Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, The Shiralee, The Boys are Back, Oranges and Sunshine, Red Dog, Deadline Gallipoli, Hotel Mumbai, Storm Boy and Mortal Kombat among many others. He discussed his career in an interview with the MEAA in 2016 which you can read here.
Russell Crowe posted a tribute to Webb on Twitter, recalling working with him on 2014 South Australian filmed feature The Water Diviner.
“He was famously dry witted. Completely reliable. A sage collaborator. A man of warmth, observation and insight. I loved him very much. Every day on a set with Chris was a day of achievement,” Crowe wrote.
In 1989 I met a man called Chris Webb. He was the 1st assistant director on the two movies I shot that year. The beginning of my film career. Only a year or two older at the time, he was mature and wise and funny beyond his years.
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) May 13, 2023
At the end of the shoot for The Crossing…
On behalf of everyone at the SAFC, we send our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of both Chris Herzfeld and Chris Webb.