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    Rachel Morrison named recipient of AFI’s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1668 Views
    Rachel Morrison, ASC
    LOS ANGELES --

    The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that trailblazing cinematographer Rachel Morrison, ASC (AFI Class of 2006) will receive the 2018 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal. This honor recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of AFI Conservatory alumni who embody the qualities of filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality storytelling in film and television. The presentation of the Schaffner Medal will take place at the AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute to George Clooney in Hollywood on June 7.

    Morrison made history this year as the first woman ever nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Cinematography, for her work on Mudbound (2017). Morrison also broke ground as the first woman to shoot in the Marvel cinematic universe with the record-breaking blockbuster Black Panther (2018). Morrison’s body of work boasts nearly 50 credits in less than two decades–including acclaimed films Fruitvale Station (2013); Cake (2014); Dope (2015); What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015); and Confirmation (2016). She is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and the recipient of a Primetime Emmy® Award nomination, an ASC Award nomination and a New York Film Critics Circle Award.

    Tags:AFIAmerican Film InstituteMudboundRachel Morrison



    Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died

    Saturday, December 21, 2024
    Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)

    Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.

    Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.

    "We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.

    Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.

    His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.

    Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.

    "Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More

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