American Society of Cinematographers

{{Short description|Cinematography organization}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2018}} {{Infobox organization | name = American Society of Cinematographers | full_name = | logo = ASC-logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = | abbreviation = ASC | predecessor = | merged_into = | successor = | formation = {{start date and age|1919|01|08}} | merger = | type = Professional Organization | tax_id = | purpose = Advancing the art and science of cinematography and bringing cinematographers together to exchange ideas, discuss techniques and promote the motion picture as an art form. | professional_title = | headquarters = [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], [[California]] | fields = | membership = 440<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://theasc.com/about |website=The American Society of Cinematographers |access-date=3 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref> | num_members_year = | language = English | key_people = [[Mandy Walker]] - President | main_organ = Board | parent_organization = | awards = | website = {{url|theasc.com}} }}

The '''American Society of Cinematographers''' ('''ASC'''), founded in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] in 1919, is a [[Cultural institution|cultural]], [[educational institution|educational]], and [[Professional association|professional organization]] that is neither a [[Trade union|labor union]] nor a [[guild]].<ref name="about">{{Cite web|url=https://theasc.com/asc/about|title=About - The American Society of Cinematographers|website=theasc.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref> The society was organized to advance the science and art of [[cinematography]] and gather a wide range of [[cinematographer]]s to discuss techniques and ideas and to advocate for [[Film|motion picture]]s as a type of art form.<ref name="about"/> Currently, the president of the ASC is [[Mandy Walker]].<ref name="members">{{Cite web|url=https://theasc.com/asc/members|title=Members - The American Society of Cinematographers|website=theasc.com|access-date=2020-10-26}}</ref>

Members use the [[post-nominal letters]] "ASC". On the 1920 film titled ''[[Sand!]]'', cinematographer [[Joseph August|Joseph H. August]], who was an original member of the ASC, became the first individual to have the "ASC" appear after his name on the [[Motion picture credits|onscreen credit]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Sand (1920)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011651/trivia|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref>

Only cinematographers and special effect supervisors can become ASC members.<ref name="about" /> Basic requirements include being a director of photography for a minimum five out of the last eight years, having a high professional reputation and being recommended by three active or retired ASC members.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nofilmschool.com/2015/08/how-become-member-asc-american-society-cinematographers|title=How to Become a Member of the American Society of Cinematographers|date=2015-08-06|work=No Film School|first=Joe|last=Marine|access-date=2018-09-19}}</ref>

== History == {{Expand section|date=March 2018}} In the beginning of cinema, directors and photographers in the United States had a similar problem: they had "big, ugly white streaks" that resulted from static electricity discharged from the cameras. Two separate groups in the United States worked together to find a solution to this problem.<ref name="about"/> The two groups were the Cinema Camera Club and the Static Club of America.<ref name="about" />

A precursor to the ASC, the Cinema Camera Club in New York City was founded in 1913 by [[Arthur Miller (cinematographer)|Arthur Miller]], [[Phil Rosen]], and [[Frank Kugler (cinematographer)|Frank Kugler]].<ref name="about" /> Arthur and his brother, [[William Miller (cinematographer)|William Miller]], both filmmakers in New York City, worked together and established a union for cinematography workers called the [[Motion Picture Industry Union]]. Miller left to work in [[Hollywood, California]], one year after the Motion Picture Industry Union was formed.

In 1918, Phil Rosen asked the president of the Cinema Camera Club of California, Charles Rosher, whether he could help reorganize the association by creating a national organization with "membership by invitation and a strong educational component". This reorganisation and the setup of the bylaws occurred on December 21, 1918. The ASC was officially authorized by the State of California on January 8, 1919.<ref name="about"/>

In 2014, the ASC admitted its first member with no background in [[live action]] [[feature film]], [[Pixar]]'s [[Sharon Calahan]], who had worked entirely in [[computer animation]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Pixar's Sharon Calahan on Animation, Live Action Convergence | date=2014-01-31 | first=Carolyn | last=Giardina | magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/pixars-sharon-calahan-animation-live-676219 | access-date=2018-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cinematographydb.com/2014/08/first-cg-director-of-photography-joins-the-asc-qa-with-sharon-calahan-asc/ | title=First CG Director of Photography joins the ASC Q/A with Sharon Calahan, ASC | first=Matt | last=Workman | date=2014-08-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913221518/http://www.cinematographydb.com/2014/08/first-cg-director-of-photography-joins-the-asc-qa-with-sharon-calahan-asc/ | archive-date=2017-09-13 | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.animationmagazine.net/vfx/the-evolving-role-of-the-cg-director-of-photography/ | title= The Evolving Role of the CG Director of Photography | first=Ellen | last=Wolff | date=December 21, 2014 | magazine=[[Animation Magazine]] | access-date=2018-09-16}}</ref> The society started the ASC Master Class education program in the same year (2014). This program allows members of the ASC and other professionals to teach students from all walks of life on various subjects including composition, lighting, angles, creating mood among other techniques of visual storytelling.<ref name="about" />

In 2017, John Bailey, an ASC member, was elected as the president of the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]], making him the first cinematographer to take up such a position.<ref name="about" />

== Publications ==  In the 1920s, the ASC began printing a four-page newsletter titled '''''The American Cinematographer''''' in 1920. According to the ASC, "''The American Cinematographer'' covers the technology and artistry of visual storytelling, offering print and digital editions."<ref name="about" /> Within this publication, a wide range of cinematographer and technical information was produced through a variety of means such as interviews, articles, blogs and podcasts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ascmag.com/current-issue |title=The American Society of Cinematographers |website=The American Cinematographer |access-date=2018-09-19 }}</ref>

Other than the magazine, the ASC also publishes the ''[[American Cinematographer Manual]]''. The first edition was published in 1935 by Jackson J. Rose as ''The American Cinematographer Hand Book and Reference Guide''. The Hand Book evolved from the ''Cinematographic Annual'' only published twice, in 1930 and 1931. Rose's handbook went through nine editions by the middle of the 1950s, and it was from this book that the modern ''American Cinematographer Manual'' originated. The first edition of the new manual was published in 1960 and is now in its 11th edition, published in 2022.<ref name="about" />

== Founding members == {{Div col|colwidth=30em}} *[[Phil Rosen]] *[[Homer Scott]] *[[William C. Foster]] *[[L. D. Clawson]] *[[Eugene Gaudio]] *[[Tony Gaudio]] *[[Walter L. Griffin]] *[[Roy H. Klaffki]] *[[Charles Rosher]] *[[Victor Milner]] *[[Joseph August|Joe August]] *[[Arthur Edeson]] *[[Fred LeRoy Granville]] *J. D. Jennings *[[Robert S. Newhard]] *L. Guy Willy {{Div col end}}

== Award categories == === Cinema === * [[American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases|Theatrical Feature Film]] * [[American Society of Cinematographers Spotlight Award|Spotlight Award]] * Non-Fiction Filmmaking{{ref|a|[a]}}

=== Television === * [[American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series|Episode of a One-Hour Regular Series]] * Episode of a Half-Hour Series * [[American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Motion Picture, Limited Series, or Pilot Made for Television|Limited or Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television]] * [[American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series|Episode of a One-Hour Commercial Television Series]]{{ref|a|[a]}}

=== Other media === * Documentary Award * Music Video Award

=== Non-competitive awards === * Award of Distinction * Board of the Governors Award * Honorary Membership * International Award * Lifetime Achievement Award * President's Award * Television Career Achievement Award

==== Notes ==== * {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a retired category

==See also== *[[List of presidents of American Society of Cinematographers]] *[[British Society of Cinematographers]] *[[Canadian Society of Cinematographers]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://theasc.com/}} * [http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=66268 American Society of Cinematographers collection] (Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

[[Category:American Society of Cinematographers| ]] [[Category:1919 establishments in California]] [[Category:Cinematography organizations]] [[Category:Entertainment industry societies]] [[Category:Film organizations in the United States]] [[Category:Film-related professional associations]] [[Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1919]]