Showing work–and sharing insights into how to get more work–marked this past weekend (9/26-27) as the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) recognized eight honorees for its 19th annual Emerging Cinematographer Awards (ECA), a competition designed to nurture talent within the Guild by giving aspiring cinematographers the crucial exposure they need to help realize their professional ambitions.
The high-profile part of the program was this past Sunday’s awards ceremony during which the short films of the eight ECA honorees were screened for a large industry turnout at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. The day prior the eight honorees came together in a session at ICG headquarters in Hollywood to meet with three talent agents to get their perspectives and counsel on how to tap into opportunities and build careers as DPs. The agents were The Gersh Agency’s Erin Searcy and Marie Perry, and Craig Mizrahi of Innovative Artists.
ICG president Steven Poster, ASC, noted that the agents help the ECA honorees to understand how to promote and sell themselves, counseling them on what they can do to open up doors and get desired jobs.
This marks the seventh straight year that the ICG has held an agents roundtable for the ECA winners, providing them with valuable advice.
ECA honorees
This year’s lineup of eight honorees–all ICG members (camera operators, 1st and 2nd assistants)–who are starting to make their mark as cinematographers–consisted of:
Daniel Cotroneo, a camera operator, who earned ECA distinction on the strength of The Other Side, a short directed by Akiko Izumitani.
Devin Doyle, a 1st assistant, who won for the comical Fish Friend directed by Jordan Blum. This marked the second straight year that Doyle garnered ECA honoree status.
John Garrett, 2nd assistant, who joined the ECA winners’ circle for the short Delia directed by Thomas Scott Stanton. The short delves into the shattering of a family.
Jason Hafer, an operator whose ECA win was based on the sci-fi horror/thriller Incident On Highway 73 directed by Brian Thompson.
David Kruta, an operator who was recognized for Lullaby, a short on urban disillusionment directed by Stuart Valberg. This is the second consecutive year that Kruta won an ECA honor.
Michael Nie, 2nd assistant, whose ECA honor was for Dust directed by Mike Grier. He too is a previous ECA winner, his first honor coming in 2011.
Tobin Oldach, 2nd assistant, whose winning short was Thirst directed by Rachel McDonald.
And T.J. Williams Jr., an operator, who won for Color TV, No Vacancy directed by Dan Brown. He also is a prior ECA honoree, the first coming in 2013.
Bicoastal run
The ICG will soon mark five consecutive years that there will be a New York screening of the ECA-honored shorts followed by a reception.
The NY premiere event is slated for October 25 at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
Bruce Doering
During the Sunday ECA ceremony, ICG’s Poster unveiled the newly created Bruce C. Doering Distinguished Service Award, named after the longtime ICG national executive director who is slated to retire at the end of the year. Doering was named the first recipient of the award in recognition for his “outstanding contribution advocating policies and legislation favorable to labor workers.”
Later that night during the proceedings, Doering was presented a second honor, a proclamation from the City of Los Angeles for his outstanding service.
