The International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) has named the honorees for its 16th annual Emerging Cinematographer Awards to be handed out at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles on September 30. There will be a New York screening of the honored shorts followed by a reception at the School of Visual Arts on October 21.
The honorees were selected from a record number of more than 100 submissions, an increase of 30 percent. Only Guild members who have not yet reached the official status of Director of Photography are eligible. Films must have a maximum running time of 30 minutes, though this year none were longer than 20 minutes.
“There was such a high overall standard in the submissions that it was an extremely difficult task to choose just ten,” observed ECA Chairman Jim Matlosz.
The honorees are camera operator John Barr (The Carrier), 1st AC Daron Keet (Ripple Effect), camera operator Brian O’Carroll (Angel), camera operator Michael Pescasio (Don’t Let Your Love Annihilate), camera operator James Takata (Only Child), camera operator Pete Villani (Carjack), camera operator Robert C. Webb (The Girl in the Dark Room) and 1st AC Stewart Whelan (The Money Pet).
In addition, two honorable mentions were named: 1st AC Michael Lloyd (Dawn) and 1st AC Basil Smith (Cowards and Monsters).
All but one are based in California. Brian O’Carroll, who is a New Yorker, also received an honorable mention last year for 8 For Infinity.
“This event grows every year to one of the most important benefits we can give to our young members,” Guild president Steven Poster said. “Everybody knows how difficult it is to start a career in this business these days. This can give a young artist a career boost they can’t get in any other way.
“Our industry sponsors are indispensable to this process. They know that today’s honorees will be tomorrow’s customers.”
Three film festivals will be screening the Emerging Cinematographer shorts this year. The Holly Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island International Film Festival, both in August, will screen the 2011 honoree films. The Ojai Film Festival, which takes place in October, will screen the 2012 honorees and honorable mention films.
Among the sponsors of the 2012 Emerging Cinematographer Awards are Tiffen, Canon, Kodak, Sony, ARRI, Panavision, Carl Zeiss, Deluxe, K5600, Technicolor, Band Pro, AbelCine, Birns & Sawyer, Chimera, Cinematography Electronics, Clairmont Camera, Illumination Dynamics, JL Fisher, KinoFlo, Rosco, Sekonic — The Mac Group, The Rag Place, Fletcher Camera, Mole — Richardson Co., Sim Digital, The Mac Group, The Camera House and Matthews Studio Equipment.
Director Cassandra Brooksbank Joins Monument Content For Spots and Branded Content
Monument Content has signed director Cassandra “Cassie” Brooksbank for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She brings to her directing and storytelling the experience and skills of a writer, conceptual artist, editor and visual effects artist.
Her body of work as a director includes Pepsi’s “Selfie” featuring Lionel Messi amid a flurry of fans, Barclays madcap women’s Soccer League spot where she collaborated closely with the agency to develop the creative, ultimately winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Sports Industry Awards, and a grass-roots campaign for Fellow Coffee. The latter just didn’t brew buzz; it helped raise $1.2 million on Kickstarter.
Prior to joining Monument Content, Brooksbank had been repped in the U.S. for commercials by production house Hey Wonderful.
On the long-form front, she is repped by CAA for film and television. And on the horizon is her debut feature, My Masterpiece, produced by Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions and backed by Amazon.
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