MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct 17, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, has expanded its relationship with two-time Academy Award(R)-winning director Ron Howard for his recently released film from Universal Pictures, RUSH, which builds upon the imaginative ways that Canon products are used in Hollywood. RUSH hit theaters in Los Angeles and New York City on September 20, and it arrived across the country on September 27.
As a partner on RUSH, Canon's variety of cameras and lenses were utilized to film the epic action-drama. The Canon brand is also organically integrated throughout the film, which powerfully depicts Formula 1(TM) racing in the 1970s, when Canon was a sponsor of racetracks and the drivers. A number of Canon cameras were used in filming RUSH, including the Canon Cinema EOS C300 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR camera.
Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon) teamed once again with two-time Academy Award(R)-nominated writer Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen) on RUSH, a spectacular big-screen re-creation of the merciless and legendary 1970s Formula 1(TM) rivalry between gifted English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth of The Avengers, Thor) and his disciplined Austrian opponent, Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl of Inglourious Basterds, The Bourne Ultimatum).
Engaging consumers further, Canon will launch RUSH: The Photo Contest, a two-week photography challenge on Canon's Facebook page, now live. Playing off the speed of the film, the user-generated photo contest asks participants to complete ten various photo-based challenges within specific time parameters (e.g., "You have one hour to shoot for the theme: Dedication. Go. Long Live the Rush.") Each photo challenge winner will win a $250 online store credit to be used at the Canon Online Store, and Ron Howard will select one Grand Prize Winner to receive a Canon EOS 70D EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Camera Kit. Please see www.bit.ly/18iuwtA for the Official Rules. The contest will live on www.Facebook.com/CanonUSA.
"When working on RUSH, it was a natural fit to partner with Canon as they enable creativity among all artists with their advanced camera and lens technology," said Howard.
Canon's relationship with Howard began in 2011 with Project Imagin8ion, the first photograph contest in history to inspire a short film. The next iteration, Canon's Project Imaginat10n proves Howard's own words: "We're all creative," enlisting celebrity directors across different disciplines to direct short films based on consumer submitted photographs. Eva Longoria (Golden Globe Nominated and SAG Award winning actress), Jamie Foxx (Academy Award(R)-winning actor), Biz Stone (co-founder of Twitter), Georgina Chapman (designer and co-founder of Marchesa) and James Murphy (founder of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM) all directed short films inspired by ten consumer photographs earlier this year.
Behind the scenes of the Project Imaginat10n films can be seen at www.imagination.usa.canon.com
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $40 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc., ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2012+ and is one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2013. In 2013, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers' Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the tenth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past three years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA
ABOUT RON HOWARD
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later as the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years. He made film appearances in American Graffiti in 1973 and, while starring in Happy Days, he also made The Shootist in 1976, as well as making his directorial debut with the 1977 comedy film Grand Theft Auto. He left Happy Days in 1980 to focus on directing, and has since gone on to direct several films, including the Oscar(R)-winning Cocoon, Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Ron won the Academy Award(R) for "A Beautiful Mind as the director and also producer of the film. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
+Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 16 and older. Void outside U.S. and where prohibited. Contest ends 1:00 pm ET, October 30, 2013. For Official Rules and prize descriptions see www.bit.ly/18iuwtA.
SOURCE: Canon U.S.A., Inc.