OUT OF A TRAGEDY...

As sad as the story is, this 25th Anniversary celebration of the release of "Comin' At Ya", would be incomplete without the story of the tragedy that provided Bill with the opportunity of developing the 3D lens system that would ultimately be used to shoot the film.

On May 16, 1977, Michael Findley, a man who had an idea for a new stereoscopic lens system was waiting to board a helicopter on the roof of the Pan Am (now MetLife) building in New York City. While passengers were loading aboard the helicopter, the landing gear collapsed causing the helicopter to tip on its side. Findley, along with three others who were waiting to board the craft, was killed by the rotating blades. One of the blades tore loose and struck a window breaking in two. One-half of the blade then sailed two blocks striking and killing a pedestrian.

Bill had collaborated with Findley on some ideas. After his death the financiers of his work invited Bill to come in and pick up where he left off. During the next 2-3 years, Bill worked to perfect Findley's idea. Bill counted on the expertise of several other individuals to put together a viable lens system. In order to keep control of the idea, Bill worked with our cousin, Janusz Wolny, to machine many of the parts of the lens. Bill's hard work on the endeavor resulted in the OPTIMAX III method which, of course, was used in the filming of "Comin' At Ya".