RIP Colin Low: Film pioneer head of NFB animation

Colin Low began his career with the NFB in 1945  as a graphic artist and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming head of the animation unit. He later moved into documentary filmmaking and produced titles including City of Gold, Corral and Universe, which was among the sources Stanley Kubrick used when making 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Hisexperiments in large-format cinema contributed to the development of IMAX 3D film died Wednesday in Montreal. 

Born in Cardston, Alta., in 1926, Low would work on more than 200 productions at the National Film Board over a career that spanned more than 50 years. 

Kubrick used the narrator from Universe as the voice of the HAL 9000 computer.

Over the course of his career, he won more than 100 awards, including two Short Film Palme d'Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival and a BAFTA award.

His film In the Labyrinth, which he co-directed with IMAX creator Roman Kroitor, was part of a multi-screen presentation for the Labyrinth Pavillion at Expo 67.

Low developed techniques that would be used in the development of IMAX 3-D film and often worked in large-format cinema.

Laurie Gordon