American Cinematographer

American Cinematographer is a monthly magazine published by the American Society of Cinematographers.^[1][2][3]

American Cinematographer focuses on the art and craft of cinematography, going behind the scenes on domestic and international productions of all shapes and sizes. The magazine features in-depth interviews with cinematographers, directors and some of their key collaborators at every stage of production. The magazine also features historical articles, technical how-to pieces, and information on the latest tools and technologies that impact the cinematographer's craft.

History

The American Society of Cinematographers was founded in 1919, and it began publishing American Cinematographer on Nov. 1, 1920, as a twice-monthly four-page newsletter about the ASC and its members. In 1922, the publication went monthly. In 1929, editor Hal Hall started to change the publication; he reformatted it to standard magazine size, increased the page count, and included more articles on amateur filmmaking. For a while during the 1930s, the magazine was devoted to professional cinematography and amateur moviemaking in equal measure. In 1937, the ASC purchased a Spanish bungalow at 1782 North Orange Drive in Hollywood, California, just around the corner from the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre. This has been the headquarters of the ASC and American Cinematographer ever since.

Modern era

American Cinematographer is currently staffed by three editors, one art director and about a dozen freelance writers. Contributors include ASC members and other filmmakers. The magazine has so far won 10 Maggie Awards and 4 Folio: Eddie Awards for overall editorial excellence, as well as several awards for individual articles.

In 2006, the magazine introduced a digital edition. Its website (www.theasc.com) currently includes DVD reviews, book reviews and a blog by John Bailey, ASC, in addition to occasional blogs by contributing writers.

The magazine has a popular Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AmericanCinematographer) and is also on Twitter @AmericanCine.

Chronology of executive editors

• "Captain Jack" Poland (1920–1921)
• Mary B Howe (1921)
• Silas Edgar Snyder (1921–March 1922, September 1927–April 1929)
• Foster Gross (August 1922–August 1927)
• Hal Hall (May 1929–September 1932, September 1943–December 1945)
• Charles J. VerHalen (October 1932–February 1937)
• George Blaisdell (March 1937–December 1940)
• William Stull, ASC (January 1941–August 1943)
• Walter R. Greene (January 1946–June 1948)
• Arthur Gavin (July 1948–January 1965)
• Herb Lightman (February 1965, February 1966–June 1982)
• Will Lane (March 1965)
• Don C. Hoeffler (April 1965–January 1966)
• Richard Patterson (July 1982–April 1985)
• George Turner (May 1986–January 1992)
• David Heuring (February 1992–June 1995)
• Stephen Pizzello (July 1995–Present)

Sources

• Birchard, Robert S. "Shaping Cinematography's 'Magazine of Record'". American Cinematographer Magazine, August 2004, Vol. 85, No 8. pp. 66–75.
• Katz, Ephraim. The Film Encyclopedia, Second edition. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1994. p. 54. ISBN 0-06-273089-4.
• Konigsberg, Ira. The Complete Film Dictionary. New York: Signet, 1987. p. 11. ISBN 0-452-00980-4.
• Mitchell, George. "The ASC Is an Honor Society, Not a Trade Union, of Cinematographers". Films in Review, August–September 1967. pp. 385–397.
• Slide, Anthony. The American Film Industry: A Historical Dictionary. New York: Limelight Editions, 1990. p. 17. ISBN 0-87910-139-3.
• Williams, Whitney. "Society of Cinematographers Marks 50 Years of Achievement". Daily Variety, January 17, 1969. pp. 10, 16.

References

External links

• The American Society of Cinematographers Official Website
• American Cinematographer Magazine Official Website