Looking to create new opportunities for female talent in terms of gaining entry into the industry, as well as career advancement for those already with their proverbial foot in the door, the American Society of Cinematographers hosted “A Day of Inspiration for Women” at the ASC Clubouse in Hollywood this past Saturday (10/22).
In his opening remarks, Kees van Oostrum, president of the ASC, described the event as a first for the ASC, brought to fruition by its New Vision Committee chaired by Cynthia Pusheck, ASC, and John Simmons, ASC. While an invitation to join the prestigious ASC is based on merit, van Oostrum noted that there’s much work to be done to nurture and recognize deserving women cinematographers. He noted that currently the ASC has 15 women members, representing four percent of the organization’s rank and file.
Drawing a capacity turnout predominantly consisting of women–ranging from students to assistants, operators, DPs, and artisans from other walks of the business–the event, said van Oostrum, “couldn’t have been imagined” by ASC’s forefathers.
In addressing the gathering, Pusheck said the “Day of Inspiration” was the first Clubhouse event where camerawomen outnumbered cameramen. She noted that progress is being made, citing the fact that of the 15 female ASC members, seven have earned their way into the organization over the past five or six years. She expressed optimism that the number of women ASC members could double again in a few more years.
Both van Oostrum and Pusheck acknowledged cinematographer Brianne Murphy, ASC, a pioneering force who passed away in 2003. Murphy was invited to join the ASC in 1980, becoming its first female member. Seven years earlier, she was the first woman to become a member of the International Cinematographers Guild’s Hollywood local. A video interview of Murphy was screened for “Day of Inspiration” attendees.
This was followed by the screening of a video message from Sandi Sissel, ASC, who wasn’t available to attend the event but wanted to share her backstory. She recalled the support of Haskell Wexler, ASC, the late, legendary cinematographer, who got her several TV commercial lensing gigs to help her earn enough days to get into the union. She went on to become an ASC member.
Highlighting the morning was a Finding Your Career Path panel discussion which featured six female cinematographers–Pusheck, Joan Churchill, ASC, Judy Irola, ASC, Tami Reiker, ASC, Nancy Schreiber, ASC, and Amy Vincent, ASC–who represent 40 percent of the ASC’s current female members. They were joined in the discussion by up-and-coming cinematographer Kira Kelly, and moderator Jon Witmer, managing editor, American Cinematographer.
Initially driven by a passion for still photography, Reiker then started shooting student films at NYU film school, and Columbia grad school. As a camera assistant looking to become a DP, she took out a $50,000 loan to buy a movie camera to help build her reel. She broke in with music videos, documentaries and then her first feature. Reiker noted that when she started out, the cost of a camera, film and film processing was considerable, requiring a financial commitment and leap of faith in order to have the chance to realize one’s photographic aspirations.
Schreiber said that happily the financial cost of entry has since come down. You can shoot on anything today, she affirmed, citing the feature Tangerine, which was lensed on a iPhone, as a prime example.
Irola said that mentoring is a godsend, citing the help she had early on from others. In fact Sissel and fellow panelist Schreiber helped her get into the local IA cinematographers guild.
Vincent added that when it comes to mentoring and teaching others, “We all have a responsibility to pay it forward and sideways.”
Kelly, herself an up-and-coming talent, also finds helping others to be gratifying. She has connected with a second assistant camerawoman who has “a wonderful eye.” Kelly is offering her feedback and advice.
Documentaries, pre-pro, big-picture perspective
While she has a diverse body of work which includes several lauded narrative features, Irola said her passion is documentaries, fueled in part by the charge of “getting out of your own life and learning about someone else’s.”
Churchill too described herself as hooked on documentaries, keenly interested in people and enjoying having an excuse to travel all over the world. She started out as an editor but then stopped to pursue her career goal of cinematography. She recalled having to endure a couple of lean years but eventually started to build momentum as a cameraperson.
The panel session also accommodated audience questions, including a query about each cinematographer’s pre-pro process. Reiker said she often finds a video printer helpful from which she fills an office with strips of images that she and the director have identified from various projects. The selects can be car shots they both like aesthetically, over-the-shoulder shots and so on. These collectively help to develop a language she and the director have in common which can contribute to the look and feel of the shoot on which they are about to embark.
Pusheck chimed in that with Pinterest and the like, she can put images in front of a director which can help define what they both love visually and in turn shape to an extent what they would like to bring to their collaboration.
Providing a big-picture perspective for the ASC “Day of Inspiration,” Pusheck observed that the event is not just about adding female cinematographers to the industry mix. The inspiration can also be applied to female assistants looking to become operators or operators just looking to get higher caliber assignments. All forms of career advancement for women are what the ASC and the Vision Committee hope to promote.
In that same vein, Schreiber noted that the International Cinematographers Guild’s latest Emerging Cinematographer Awards (ECA) competition was encouraging in that women were among those recognized. The ECAs are open to any member of the Guild who is not already classified as a DP. Members are asked to submit films they have photographed with a running time of 30 minutes or less. The ECA program offers its members the opportunity to be recognized and the chance to further their careers. This year, which marked the 20th anniversary of the ECA, included aspiring female DPs Karina Silva and Alexa Ihrt. Silva earned the ECA honor on the strength of lensing director Aisha Schliessler’s short Doble 9 while Ihrt was recognized for the Yangzom Brauen-directed short Born In Battle.
