Recognizing, encouraging and nurturing young talent has been an ongoing topic in this column over the years—whether it be in relation to SHOOT’s annual New Directors Showcase, our "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery or advocacy of arts education, technical training and mentorship programs.
Continuing in this vein, consider Nelson Cragg and Bill Fernandez. They are hardly household names—but that’s the point. As the industry’s high-profile awards season gets underway, Cragg and Fernandez might otherwise go unnoticed even though they will be award honorees. On Feb. 7, each will receive the Conrad L. Hall Heri-tage Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). The award is presented annually to one or more promising film school students or recent graduates.
"Our goal is to inspire talented young filmmakers to pursue careers as cinematographers by providing recognition, as well as tangible support," related Laszlo Kovacs, ASC, chairman of the ASC Education Committee. "We hope this recognition encourages them to believe in themselves at a crucial time in their lives when they are entering a competitive career field."
Cragg and Fernandez earned master’s degrees in film studies from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Flo-rida State University, Tallahassee, respectively.
Additionally, the ASC jury singled out four student filmmakers for letters of accommodation: Alfonso Aguilar, a graduate of the Los Angeles Film School; Brian Plow, who is en-rolled in the graduate program at Ohio University’s School of Film, Athens; and graduates Ji Yong Kim and Jitsu Toyoda of the American Film Institute, Los Angeles.
Each year, the Heritage Award is dedicated to the memory of a different cinematographer who has made enduring contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking. Hall is a legendary cinematographer. He earned 10 Os-car nominations for cinematography, winning three times—for Butch Cassidy and the Sun-dance Kid in 1969, American Beauty in ’00 and Road to Perdition in ’03. The latter was awarded post-humously; Hall died on Jan. 4, ’03 in Los An-geles at the age of 76.
While Hall is best known for his feature film work, he also made his mark in the advertising community. He partnered with noted cinematographer Haskell Wexler in the now defunct spot production house Wexler Hall, where both directed assorted commercials.
Having the Heritage Award named after Hall this year is incredibly fitting. "Conrad Hall made a seminal impact on the art of filmmaking," said Kovacs. "He was a courageous filmmaker with an extraordinary passion for the art form, and a great role mo-del for every young person with unrealized dreams. It takes more than talent and skill to succeed in this industry. It also requires ex-traordinary determination and a single-minded sense of purpose."
Heritage Award recipient Fernandez related, "During my senior year at UNH [University of New Hampshire, Durham, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business], I was given the opportunity to shoot a commercial as part of an advertising course. This assignment was my first endeavor into motion picture camera work and lighting—and I loved it. Winning the ASC Heritage Award is the greatest honor I’ve ever received. … This award has motivated me to continue to refine my craft."
Cragg said he was honored to receive the Heritage Award and is "glad that the ASC takes the time to help young cinematographers begin their careers. I look forward to a life of simply looking at moments in time and finding ways to capture them."
