Remi OBE

While everyone focuses on New Year Honours' gongs for the likes of high profile luvvies such as Helena Bonham Carter and Ronnie Corbett, it's all too easy to ignore perhaps the even more deserved award to backroom boy Remi Adefarasin (below).

Remi who? At 63, he's one of this country's greatest cinematographers, a giant in his profession which makes people like Ms Bonham Carter look good on screen.

The former BBC trainee graduated through every kind of TV - from films (Truly Madly Deeply, Wide Eyed and Legless) and comedy (Chef!,The Fast Show) - to popular British cinema, including Elizabeth and its sequel, About a Boy, Johnny English and Sliding Doors.

The Londoner has also popped back into the small screen from time to time with the epic miniseries Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

His latest project, due out later this year, is The Cold Light of Day, a tale of kidnap, co-starring Henry Cavill (the new Superman), Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.