Stephen Lighthill Re-elected President of American Society of Cinematographers
“As an organization, we are focused on education, continued improvements of safety practices, and further expanding our diversity and outreach efforts.”
The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Board of Governors of has elected the organizations 2022-2023 officers and Stephen Lighthill has been re-elected president for a third consecutive one-year term. He will serve alongside Vice Presidents Amy Vincent, John Simmons and Shelly Johnson; Treasurer Steven Poster; Secretary Gregg Heschong; and Sergeant-at-Arms Christopher Chomyn.
The members of the ASC Board, elected by the organization’s active membership, also include Curtis Clark, Richard Crudo, Steven Fierberg, Michael Goi, Ed Lachman, Patti Lee, Charlie Lieberman, Lowell Peterson, Lawrence Sher, John Toll, and Robert Yeoman. Alternate Board members are John Bailey, Eric Steelberg, Jim Denault, Patrick Cady and Dana Gonzales.
“As an organization, we are focused on education, continued improvements of safety practices, and further expanding our diversity and outreach efforts,” notes Lighthill. “The last year has presented many adversities for our community, and we are proud of how our members met these challenges while continuing to take storytelling to new places.”
Lighthill is the Discipline Chair for Cinematography at the American Film Institute Conservatory where he has been a leader in advancing gender diversity at both the faculty and graduate levels. Additionally, he has served as an officer on the National Executive Board of the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG).
He began his career shooting for San Francisco Bay area news programs and national news shows, such as 60 Minutes before moving into documentary cinematography. His work can be seen in many films including Gimme Shelter and Berkeley in the Sixties, which was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Audience Award at Sundance. His narrative credits include such television dramas as Vietnam War Story, Earth 2, and Nash Bridges, among many others. In 2018, Lighthill was bestowed the ASC Presidents Award. He is also the recipient of the Society of Operating Cameramen’s (SOC) President’s Award in 2000.
The ASC mission is inspiring the next generation of cinematographers and advancing the art of filmmaking through industry events and organizational initiatives. The Society has over 20 committees leading the ASC’s various activities, such as: the Future Practices Committee, which worked tirelessly to assist and advise ASC members and the industry on safety on set; the award-winning Motion Imaging Technology Council (MITC) that promotes ongoing education in the role of technology on the imaging chain, including a focus on virtual production and the new tools available to cinematographers for this creative style of filmmaking; and the Vision Committee, which is actively helping to advance underrepresented cinematographers, their crews and other filmmakers. The Vision Committee’s Mentorship Program also pairs ASC members with nearly 100 young cinematographers annually.
Other ASC programs include Master Classes taught by members; Clubhouse Conversations with members and filmmakers about highly regarded work; and the activities of the Education & Outreach Committee with film schools.
ASC was founded in 1919. There are more than 430 members today who have national roots in some 20 countries. More than 260 associate members hail from ancillary segments of the industry.
