ASC Selects 2019 Student Heritage Awards Nominees

Camerawork in narrative and documentary projects showcasing exemplary visual artistry will vie for awards in three categories — named in honor of Society members Richard H. Kline and Haskell Wexler.

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has chosen 12 nominees in three categories of the 2019 Student Heritage Awards (announcement here). Recognizing exceptional work by cinematography students, the organization designed the ASC Student Heritage Awards to encourage and support a new generation of visual artists. 

Winners will be announced on October 12 during presentation dinner and ceremony held at the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.

In addition to highlighting exceptional new artists, the ASC Student Heritage Awards also celebrate the memory of an exceptional cinematographer and are named each year in honor of esteemed ASC members. This year’s Undergraduate and Graduate Award is named in honor of Oscar-nominee Richard H. Kline, ASC (Camelot, King Kong). The Documentary category is enduringly dedicated to Oscar-winner Haskell Wexler, ASC (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Bound for Glory), who photographed and directed numerous non-fiction projects.  

The 2019 nominees represent seven universities nationwide. And the contenders are: 

Richard H. Kline Student Heritage Award – Graduate Category:
• Lucas Dziedzic from the American Film Institute for Animals
• Frances Kroon from the American Film Institute for Balloon
• Xiaowen Li from the University of Southern California for Crush
• Adam Schneider from Chapman University for Skin Hunger
• Mengtao Sun from Chapman University for The Perfumer 

Richard H. Kline Student Heritage Award – Undergraduate Category:
• Agustina Biasutto from Pratt Institute for Philotimo
• Nathan Cohen from Florida State University for Existent
• Kai Dickson from Savannah College of Art and Design for The Fray
• Oscar Ignacio Jimenez from Brigham Young University for Gather

Haskell Wexler, ASC Student Documentary Award:
• Jazleana Jones from Florida State University for King, Charles
• Kathryn Boyd-Batstone from the University of Southern California for God Bless the Cook
• Bruce Chiu from the University of Southern California for Life on A String

Many ASC Student Heritage Award winners have gone on to have successful careers in filmmaking, and several have been invited to be ASC members themselves, including Nelson Cragg, Masanobu Takayanagi and Lisa Wiegand. 

You’ll find a complete report on the 2018 ASC Student Heritage Awards here.