Ten aspiring cinematographers–consisting of eight honorees and two honorable mentions–were feted and their winning shorts screened this past Sunday (9/29) at the International Cinematographers Guild‘s (ICG) 17th annual Emerging Cinematographer Awards (ECA). The awards ceremony was held at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater in Los Angeles.
In his remarks opening the ceremony, Steven Poster, ASC, president of the ICA, IATSE Local 600, described the event as “a celebration of cinematographers,” adding that ICG is the only organization in the motion picture industry honoring the newest talent rather than older established guys like himself. He said simply to the DGA Theater audience that they were “watching the future.”
Jim Matlosz, who has been chairman of the Guild’s ECA committee since 2008, quipped that the ICG competition is “the best awards show money can’t buy.”
Making a special guest speaker appearance was Dick Van Dyke who received a standing ovation. He reminisced about collaborating with cinematographer Christopher Challis (who passed away last year at the age of 93) on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Van Dyke also shared his perspective at the breakneck speed at which technology has advanced in the last 20 or so years. He recalled not all that long ago having to endure the withering on-camera heat generated by huge 120-degree carbon lights. By sharp contrast, a recent project had Van Dyke well illuminated by a small, cool light. Van Dyke cited young talent, including up-and-coming cinematographers, as being the lifeblood of the industry.
The purpose of the ECA is to nurture talent within the Guild and to give promising cinematographers the crucial exposure they need to succeed in the motion picture industry.
The ECA is open to any member of the Guild who is not already classified as DP. Members are asked to submit films they have photographed with a running time of 30 minutes or less.
The winning films are selected by a panel of ICG members from across the country. This year there were nearly 100 shorts entered into competition.
Winning Lineup
The lineup of eight ECA honorees consisted of cinematographers:
• Michael Berlucchi who earned inclusion for shooting 140 Drams which was directed by Oksana Mirzoyan. The short captures a boy’s first trip to the market on his own, an experience which opens his eyes to the difficult reality facing his family and his country, Armenia.
• VanNessa Manlunas for King of Norway directed by Sylvia Sether. King of Norway tells the story of Liz who has given up trying to share memories with a father who can’t. But after finding out that he is dying, Liz learns that love is never forgotten.
• Camrin Petramale for Memoirs of a Parapsychologist directed by Andrew Papke. The short shows us the fine line between a real or imagined perception.
• Guy Ladd Skinner for Your Father’s Daughter directed by Carlos Bernard. Set in 1950s’ Spain, the film reveals in a fun and delightful way the drama a father faces when his daughter goes against his wishes.
• T.J. Williams for The Return directed by Jeremy Mackie. The short centers on an old-time maintenance worker who tries to scare a new young hire into quitting so he can bring back his old working colleague.
• Eduardo Fierro for Eleven:Twelve directed by Juan Barros. The film centers on a man in limbo, right after death when it’s to be determined if he will be in heaven or hell.
• Michael Alden Lloyd for The Secret Number directed by Colin Levy. In the short, a psychiatrist is compelled by his patient, an obsessive mathematician, to consider the existence of a secret integer between the numbers 3 and 4.
• And Kyle Kl๏ฟฝtz for Vessel directed by Clark Baker. The short depicts an alien spacecraft that takes over a red-eye plane flight and the people aboard it.
Honorable mentions And the two ECA honorable mentions this year were:
• Robert Givens for The Ride directed by Dallas Jenkins. This film tells the story of a taxi driver who cannot turn a blind eye to his last patron on Xmas eve.
• And Andrew Shulkind for South Down Orchard directed by Brian Leavell. In this short, a criminal will escape from prison or die trying as he seeks to save the beauty who stole his heart.
Valuable counsel; NY event
The day prior to the ECA ceremony, honorees and honorable mention winners got the opportunity to meet with DP agents for career advice and counsel. On hand were Jason Pagni of William Morris Endeavor, Marie Perry of The Skouras Agency, and Erin Searcy of The Gersh Agency.
“It’s a chance to learn how to get the job, how to sell yourself,” said Poster.
This marks the fifth straight year that the ICG has held an agents roundtable for the ECA winners, providing them with practical advice and insights into the marketplace.
Meanwhile ICG will soon mark three consecutive years that there will be a New York screening of the ECA-honored shorts followed by a reception. Event is slated for Oct. 20 at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
