Hundreds Attend First ICG Emerging Cinematographer Awards at DGA

Cameron Duncan, Chris Johnson, Tim Bellen,
Hilda Mercado, Jovo Zovko, Michael Alba, Darren Genet

(Top L-R) Stephen Lighthill, Rob Kositcheck, Clyde Bryan, Bill Roe, Rodrigo Prieto, Tim Bellen;
(Middle L-R) George Spiro Dibie, Bruce Doering, Hilda Mercado, Steven Poster, David Miller, Darren Genet; (Bottom L-R) Paul Babin, Chris Johnson, Michael Alba, Jovo Zovko, Cameron Duncan

Eight Cinematographers Screen Films

The first ICG Emerging Cinematographer Awards drew an audience of hundreds on Sept. 23 at the Directors Guild of America, where the films of eight honorees were screened.

The Emerging Cinematographer Awards, newly rebranded from the ICG Film Showcase, takes the event in a new direction, said Rob Kositchek, who has chaired the awards since its beginning 11 years ago.

“There’s something new today, a new purpose and a whole new energy,” he said. “The fact that the guild holds this event shows enlightenment and courage. It’s about members looking back and helping someone forward. We share. That’s the heart of who we are.”

Local 600 President Steven Poster, ASC said the support of peers and mentors were an important part of what the guild stood for.

“We owe it to our cinematographers to help our members along the way. We’re the only guild that doesn’t give a lifetime achievement award,” Poster said. We’re more about honoring the people who are starting out and helping them move forward. That’s unique.”

The films of the eight cinematographers were chosen from a selection of 70 shorts. For the first time the submitted films were judged in all Local 600 regions.

This year's honorees are: Brian O'Carroll (for the film Cherry Bloom), Christopher Johnson (Common Practice), Darren Genet (The Death Strip), Tim Bellen (Ed Meets His Maker), Michael Alba (History For Kids), Hilda Mercado (La Primavera), Jozo Zovko (The Morning Fog) and Cameron Duncan (Year of the Dog).

Giving out the awards were George Spiro Dibie, ASC, Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, Russell Carpenter, Robbie Greenberg, ASC, Clyde Bryan, Bill Roe ASC, Stephen Lighthill, ASC, Rodney Taylor, David Miller and Paul Babin.

“To see all our heroes in the audience is inspiring,” said honoree Darren Genet.

Genet, whose film The Death Strip was shot in Germany, said, “The film is so specific in terms of place and history. Just being there is probably the biggest influence in the film.” Although he doesn’t speak German, he said it was “inspiring to see us all speak a common language.”

“This is an amazing award for people like me to get at this point. It’s straight out of the blue,” said Brian O’Carroll. One of the biggest challenges he said he faced in making Cherry Bloom was finishing the film with half the original funding. He and the crew shot twelve days of snow in New York’s Chinatown, Little Korea and Queens