President’s Desk — January 2024

Shortly after arriving in Toruń, Poland, for Camerimage, I was met with the sad news that one of our most respected ASC members, John Bailey, had passed. The festival’s opening ceremony was thoughtfully prepared by honorary Society member Marek Żydowicz, who presented a film clip of John accepting his Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award four years ago. Marek’s choice of this speech was poignant, in that John detailed the Polish perseverance to maintain and protect all of their art forms amid centuries of seemingly impossible political turmoil. Through John’s eloquent example, we all learned the importance of caring and deep humanitarian values. The Polish people were honoring John — but John was honoring them.

John was one of the icons we all admired as we moved through our careers. He was unique among cinematographers, educating us by making accessible the vast language of film, and by showing us how a story told with individuality could make a great impact on an audience. He taught us, in his insightful manner, how filmmakers from around the world could refine their artistic approach and immersive perception to compel an audience to feel something complex, beautiful, political, evocative, innovative, contemplative or impassioned in a whole new way.

I remember being intimidated by John when I first met him, in 2002, while we were both working with the Academy in the Cinematographer’s Branch. Once I got to know him, I recognized that there was not a moment when he wasn’t speaking his truth, which I found endearing. In recent years, he became more involved again with the ASC, serving on the Board of Governors. When I was elected president, John was right there across the table, speaking his truth as he always had. The type of connection he created seemed to show me a path toward embracing his ideals for the betterment of us all. He was a man of integrity, and his unquestionable passion for stories made me appreciate being a cinematographer.

I think any cinematographer who had an opportunity to speak with John — or, better still, got to know him in even a small way — became a more introspective artist, a more open-minded interpreter of story, and a more nuanced author of images. Any of us who develops those qualities will have the tools to contribute to our art form in a truly significant way.

You'll find an extended interview with Bailey, conducted just before he was honored at Camerimage, here.

Best regards,
Shelly Johnson
ASC President