On Feb. 6, ‘the motion picture industry lost one of its best,’ says Ken Kurz of his father Gerd Kurz, who died of heart failure at the age of 61.

Kurz was the president and owner of equipment dealer PCI Precision Camera, founded in Toronto in 1979 and which expanded into Vancouver and Halifax.

He was a charismatic man known as a pioneer in the industry. Business aside, he was also a loving and devoted father.

‘Words cannot possibly express the tremendous void that now exists in my life, nor can they adequately describe the respect and admiration I have for what he accomplished,’ says the younger Kurz.

Born in Germany, Gerd Kurz and his wife came to Canada in 1969 and planned to stay for two years, but after the birth of their daughter, they decided to stay.

Over the last 24 years, Kurz and his staff built up an impressive depth of product knowledge that has made his company a dominant force in the film and video industry.

‘Although he spoke of retiring in the near future,’ says the younger Kurz, ‘I think we all know he never would have.’ He had a passion for his work that never slept, Kurz adds.

The Canadian Society of Cinematographers recognized his contributions to the industry when he received the Bill Hilson Award in 1990. This year he was to receive the Fuji Award for extraordinary contributions to the CSC, which his son will now be accepting in his honor.

PCI specializes in professional and broadcast video and audio equipment, nonlinear editing, new media, Sachtler service, video and lens service and custom manufacturing.

An industry memorial service was held for Kurz at Showline Harbourside Studios in Toronto on Feb. 19.

Karli Vezina