NYU adjunct professor Bingham Ray, 57, passed away last week after suffering two strokes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Ray was hired last year by his friend and colleague Joe Pichirallo, undergraduate chair of the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at the Tisch School of the Arts. Before accepting the position of executive director at the San Francisco Film Society, Ray taught two film production courses from Sept. to Oct. 2011.
"Bingham was larger than life. He had a distinct persona that his students liked and connected with," Pichirallo said. "He was committed to teaching and before he left we talked about making him a permanent member of the faculty."
He added, "Bingham may not have been a household name but he was a legend in the independent film industry."
After co-founding the independent film distribution company October Films that later became Focus Features, Ray became president of United Artists, a film studio based in Los Angeles, Calif. There, he oversaw the distribution and release of films like "Bowling for Columbine" directed by Michael Moore and "Hotel Rwanda" directed by Terry George.
Pichirallo recalled numerous conversations with Ray, in which Ray spoke of his love for teaching and inspiring young students.
"He always planned to find some sort of teaching job once he settled in San Francisco," Pichirallo said. "But he never got the chance."
Gallatin sophomore Daniel Carlin, who took one of Ray's film classes last fall, said he was deeply saddened by Ray's passing.
"Bingham's passion toward film was contagious," he said. "While his lectures were delivered with fervor and a sense of intimidation, his door was always open. He was a wonderful teacher and mentor whom I am lucky to have met."
In an email sent to the Tisch faculty last Saturday, Pichirallo wrote he learned much about film business from Ray.
"[I] always admired how he was fearless in championing challenging films from signature directors such as Mike Leigh, Lars von Trier, David Lynch and Michael Moore," he wrote. "He had a passion for life, a wicked sense of humor and, most of all, truly loved films. His passing at age 57 is a big loss."
