Associate Member Jay Holben Curates ASC Instagram
The co-chair of the ASC Lens committee starts his discussion with observations on optics tests.
ASC associate member Jay Holben (seen above conducting a lens test) will be curating the Society’s Instagram account through the end of August. Eric Steelberg, ASC, who introduced the monthly curation, coordinates the page and invites a new ASC member or associate to take over the account each month to discuss their inspirations and experiences.
As noted in his first post, Holben is a long-time contributor to the Society’s flagship international magazine American Cinematographer, the co-chair of the ASC’s Motion Imaging Technology Council Lens Committee and a director and producer.
Holben started his career as a theater director in Phoenix, Arizona, and — after relocating to Los Angeles — got his first industry job as an electrician. He rose in the ranks as a gaffer on popular music videos from artists including Korn, Brandy and Ice Cube, and eventually became a director of photography for nearly a decade on features, television shows, commercials and music videos.
In the years following his career as a cinematographer, Holben directed a short, Paranoid, adapted from the Stephen King poem Paranoid: A Chant, which was applauded for its stylistic experience and received high praise from King. His 50-second horror project Hunger was spotlighted on a Halloween special for American Movie Classics and was noted as a favorite by the show’s host, director John Carpenter.
In addition to his work behind the camera, Holben is also a prolific writer. He has published two books, A Shot in the Dark: A Creative DIY Guide to Digital Video Lighting on (Almost) No Budget and Behind the Lens: Dispatches from the Cinematographic Trenches.
At American Cinematographer, Holben spearheads the magazine’s “Shot Craft” section, and he has also written for Digital Video, TV Technology, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Recently, the ASC Instagram page has been moderated by members Matthew Libatique, Christopher Probst, Dana Gonzales, David Klein, Dan Mindel, Reed Morano, and Rachel Morrison.
You can follow Holben’s Instagram account here.
