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Kerner Optical's logo in their studio's lobby. -
- Kerner Optical's logo in their studio's lobby.
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The court-ordered sale of Kerner Optical’s assets sold for a total of $940,528 on WestAuction.com in late October. Many anticipated the sale of the San Rafael-based special effects studio that was known for its work as a model shop for George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) until they broke off in 2006.
For some, this auction was an opportunity to obtain a piece of film-making history. Brandon Alinger, COO of Propstore.com, was drawn to the auction hoping to preserve the historical pieces at Kerner Optical, specifically the Vista Cruiser camera which was used to film movies such as ET: The Extra Terrestrial.
Alinger explained Prop Store’s interest in this bankruptcy auction:
“We were kindly given a tour of Kerner Optical a few years ago, and were very saddened to learn of its closing. In looking through the auction catalog over the past few weeks we saw a number of pieces that were clearly of great historical significance, and were very pleased to win the Vista Cruiser camera. This item will become part of our permanent collection and will be on display at our facility outside of Los Angeles.”
For others, the in-person preview before the auction began was a chance to revisit the place where many fond memories were made. A former ILM employee and now independent filmmaker, Catherine Craig, attended the preview on October 24th at 90 Windward Way. Craig, who worked in the animation and matte department and later, computer graphics, reflected on the nostalgic experience the auction preview at the studio held for many, “As one person put it, ‘people were smiling through their tears.’”
“Initial projections estimated the assets to be valued at $700,000,” stated West Auctions’ auctioneer, Daniel West. Word of mouth and social media contributed to thousands of page views, as Kerner Optical was well known throughout the film industry.
About West Auctions
West Auctions is an online auction company specializing in bankruptcy and commercial asset auctions based in Woodland, California. Founded by Dennis West nearly 40 years ago, it remains a family-owned and operated business.