By Alyssa Heater
Shelly Johnson was elected president of the esteemed American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in May of this year and has already made strides to embrace new technologies that benefit the cinematography community, build on the successful Master Classes and additional educational programs, and return to in-person events at the Clubhouse and beyond.
Johnson has had a successful and extensive career as a cinematographer in a diverse range of films (Jurassic Park III, Captain America: The First Avenger, and the recent AppleTV+ drama Greyhound), miniseries (1997's The Shining), and television series (The Others). A member of the ASC since 2000, Johnson's busy shooting schedules often prevented him from participating in as many of their programs as he would have liked. In recent years, he opted to dedicate more time to his involvement in the organization by taking part in their Master Class program, which ultimately led to his joining their governance. He served one year as vice president to previous ASC president, Steven Lighthill, ASC, then decided to run for president when Lighthill ended his term in 2023.
In his first year of presidency, Johnson is prioritizing education for both the organization's members and the community. Continuing the programs that Lighthill was focused on during his last term, Johnson intends to continue to build the Master Classes, not only for non-member attendees but also Master Classes for masters, which are designed to help members stay current with changing technology. Coming out of the pandemic, the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood has now re-opened with a full-time, on-site staff to bring these events and functions to the filmmaking community.
Currently, five ASC Master Classes are planned for the year, each following a specialized topic, including shooting for commercials, documentaries, and film, as well as general lighting and cinematography. Live classes typically take place in Los Angeles, but Johnson intends to also host Master Classes on the East Coast, internationally, and online to serve a broader global audience.
Explains Johnson, I'd love for the ASC to serve as a reminder of why we all became cinematographers in the first place. To be a place where we can reinitiate our creative energy and prepare ourselves for the opportunities to come.
Another program Johnson is prioritizing is the ASC Vision Mentorship program, which pairs mentees with ASC mentors to learn invaluable knowledge about the craft of cinematography, as well as allow mentees to fine-tune their individual skills, and focus on their career goals. The program runs from September 2023 through August 2024 with applications currently under review.
From its inception in 1919, the ASC has positioned itself as being at the forefront of exploring and embracing new technology to further empower storytelling and create meaningful screen moments. The ASC is taking a leadership role in defining how modern technologies, such as virtual technology and artificial intelligence (AI), can be utilized in artistic ways. In the case of AI, Johnson acknowledges that there are questions and confusion around the polarizing topic. The ASC is exploring AI as a creative tool, and how cinematographers and directors can use it to pre-visualize and extend that vision to the final look. The director of photography will always be vital as the keeper of the visual narrative, and AI is a tool similar in the ways digital cameras, or a light is utilized. The ASC is working to understand and create interesting new ways to use this new technology.
When asked how he sees the ASC evolving over the year and into the future, Johnson explains, Currently, we are welcoming a more diverse group of members than ever before as a reflection of the landscape that composes the modern film industry. At the same time, it is important that we acknowledge that the society is built on a foundation that has been strengthened by over a hundred years of collaboration with industry professionals and fellow cinematographers. The fact The ASC remains a respected and relevant group is the result of consistent work by the brilliant artistic minds that make up our legacy. He concludes, Something that I have always loved about the ASC is that everything is done with a positive spirit. I am very much interested in continuing that energy as we move forward.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
21/04/2026
Cloud-based production isnt going anywhere, and BitFire is doubling down by prov...
21/04/2026
The topic of artificial intelligence has a stranglehold on the sports-video-prod...
21/04/2026
5G is still a hot topic in live event production, and this workflow continues to...
21/04/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show, Ed McGivern, GM and President of Appear US, discusses the ...
21/04/2026
Studio Network Solutions (SNS) has announced an on-premise AI suite designed for...
21/04/2026
Suite Studios has integrated its file-streaming technology into the newly announced Frame.io Drive, a desktop application from Adobe company Frame.io. The colla...
21/04/2026
Net Insight has integrated InSync Technology's FrameFormer into the Nimbra E...
21/04/2026
Fox Sports has selected Appear as a technology partner to support the next phase...
21/04/2026
Diversified has appointed Tyler Affolter as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to lead the company's commercial organisation. The appointment follows the firm'...
21/04/2026
Layercake has formalised the integration of Bitmovin's video streaming infra...
21/04/2026
The International Judo Federation (IJF) has extended its distribution partnershi...
21/04/2026
Glookast has launched the Cinnafilm Tachyon plugin for its Media Producer and Me...
21/04/2026
Eutelsat has entered into an agreement with Cadena Tres, a division of Grupo Ima...
21/04/2026
Dolby Laboratories and TV Azteca have partnered to introduce Dolby Atmos immersive audio to free-to-air television broadcasts. The implementation utilises the A...
21/04/2026
FOX Entertainment partnered with Verizon to overcome significant production hurd...
21/04/2026
Osprey Video has announced its technology showcase for the NAB Show 2026, highli...
21/04/2026
Riedel Communications (Booth C4908) introduced a range of new solutions at NAB S...
21/04/2026
The NAB Show is in full swing, and the SVG and SVG Europe editorial teams are chasing down the hottest stories from all over the Las Vegas Convention Center. He...
21/04/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the URSA Cine Immersive 100G, an immersive cinem...
21/04/2026
Clark Wire & Cable is continuing its evolution from cable supplier to full-scale solutions partner for broadcast and live production. At the 2026 NAB Show, we s...
21/04/2026
Rashad Frett attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Ricky at Eccles Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, UT. (Photo by George Pimentel/Shut...
21/04/2026
Five years ago, Spotify arrived in Pakistan, opening a new chapter in the country's music scene. Since then, local listeners have explored across genres, ge...
21/04/2026
Since its launch in 2020, RADAR has been our program for spotlighting emerging artists around the world. This year marks the sixth edition of RADAR Spain, our o...
21/04/2026
Offers compact wireless solution for pedalboards
Taiwanese audio brand Cloudvocal have announced the availability of a new pedalboard-friendly wireless syst...
21/04/2026
Latest hybrid sampling/synthesis instrument arrives
Arturia's Augmented series offerings rely on a mixture of sampling and synthesis, allowing users to ...
21/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host Power Electronics Online Conference From Design to Vali...
21/04/2026
MAS and Lockheed Martin partner to establish an F-35 depot in Canada, enabling in-country sustainment and creating high-skilled aerospace jobs....
21/04/2026
Advertising strategies shift as competition grows for a large, active and qualit...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/04/2026
Layercake Deepens Bitmovin Integration to Power End-to-End Media Orchestration w...
21/04/2026
Cobalt Digital Announces Launch of blueCORE at NAB Show 2026: Compact Powerhouse...
21/04/2026
On-Premise AI Suite from Studio Network Solutions Debuts at NAB Show 2026
Melanie Ciotti April 21, 2026
0 Comments
Unlimited processing, no cloud depe...
21/04/2026
London, 21 April 2026 IBC today announced the appointment of Tim Banham as its first Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), a newly created role that reflects the or...
21/04/2026
Motion Design Tools - April 2026
Roland Kahlenberg April 21, 2026
0 Comments
Within 2 days, Maxon and Canva announced pro-level motion design apps - A...
21/04/2026
Chaos and Zero Density to Showcase Real-Time Ray Tracing for Virtual Studios and...
21/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
By Alyssa Heater
