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
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
01/12/2025
IRVINE, Calif. Wooden Camera has introduced its new Accessory Collection for the Canon EOS C50. The new lineup includes a low-profile, gimbal-ready cage, expand...
01/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for its Dec. 18 Open Commission Meeting that will include a vote on a report an...
01/12/2025
In most years, a graph of annual local TV ad spending is about as predictable as an electrocardiogram of a reasonably healthy patient in a doctor's office. ...
01/12/2025
Many industries have seen big-ticket hardware turn into software. Switchers, though, demand a combination of real-time performance and sheer bandwidth that has ...
01/12/2025
GENEVA Shanghai will host the next quadrennial Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-27) and World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), Oct. 11-Nov. 12, 2027. This...
01/12/2025
NEW YORK Just in time for Giving Tuesday tomorrow (Dec. 2), the Broadcasters Foundation of America is seeking out donations to help television and radio industr...
01/12/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Net Insight CEO Crister Fritzson has informed the company's board that he will retire from the video transport and media cloud technology ...
01/12/2025
Arvato Systems' Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Receives BSI C5 Certification (T...
01/12/2025
Summary This short video gives you an summary of the changes in under two minutes.
--...
01/12/2025
As the festive season approaches, RT Supporting the Arts is proud to showcase a...
01/12/2025
Researchers worldwide rely on open-source technologies as the foundation of their work. To equip the community with the latest advancements in digital and physi...
01/12/2025
Festive specials of Christmas in Kilmainham presented by Marty Whelan, High Road Low Road, Callan Kicks the Year and Keys to My Life
Ring in the New Year with ...
01/12/2025
Architect and television presenter Hugh Wallace, best known to RT audiences as a long-serving judge on Home of the Year, has died at the age of 68.
In a state...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
By Alyssa Heater
