The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) has announced the recipients of Camera Operator of the Year in Film and Television during the 2024 SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The recipients of Camera Operator of the Year in Film are the team of Juanjo Sรกnchez, SOC, with Manuel Branรกa, Operator de Cรกmara “B,” for Society of the Snow; and the recipients of Camera Operator of the Year in Television are Neal Bryant, SOC with Carey Toner, Camera Operator for The Last of Us, S1E3 “Long, Long Time.” The award recipients were celebrated by industry peers and colleagues at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood on Saturday (2/24).
Sรกnchez and Branรกa topped a talented group of nominees in the film category, including Mick Froehlich, SOC, (Leave the World Behind); Geoffrey Haley, SOC (Chevalier); Ari Issler with “B” camera/Steadicam operator, Nick Mรผller, SOC (Boston Strangler); and Andrew “AJ” Johnson, SOC (Carmen).
Brant and Toner topped a TV field consisting of nominees: Dominic Bartolone, SOC with “B” camera operator, Jessica Cannon, “C” camera operator, Justin Cameron, SOC, and rollerblade camera operator, John Lyke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, S2E6 “Beat L.A.”); Don Devine, SOC with “B” camera/Steadicam operator Neal Bryant, SOC (Barry S4E2 “Bestest Place on Earth”); Mitch Dubin, SOC with Francois Archambault, SOC, “B” camera operator (Fargo S5E1 “The Tragedy of the Commons”); and Gary Malouf with Chris Dame, “B” camera operator (The Bear S2E10 “The Bear”).
The sold out SOC Awards show celebrated the organization’s remarkable 45 years of dedication to advancing the art and craft of camera operation. Hundreds of guests, nominees, and decorated industry leaders attended the awards. In recognition of the industry’s challenges during the past year, the SOC made deliberate modifications to the traditional ceremony, encompassing theater seating at a new location and a fresh, innovative awards format.
In addition to celebrating the achievements of the exceptional filmmakers and crews, the SOC Awards proudly welcomed Dr. C. Thomas Lee from the Vision Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to center screen to salute the success of the SOC’s continued support, including filming the charity’s fundraising videos.
During the cocktail hour and following the awards show, guests were treated to the art exhibition, Delivering THE Image: Operators and Crew Answering the Challenge. Made possible in part through the generous support of Fujifilm, the exhibit offered an exclusive opportunity for attendees to view and acquire one-of-a-kind works by renowned photographers, and past SOC Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees: Phillip V. Caruso, Peter Iovino, Bruce McBroom, and JoJo Whilden.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTEยฎ,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
โSMPTEโs membership has spoken,โ said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann DโAmato. โThese officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!โ
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More