Camera Technician Lifetime Achievement Award

Tommy Klines

Tommy first fell in love with film and photography in high school, where he was a yearbook photographer and shot football game films. While at Great Neck South, his sister, Annie Schulhof, who “patiently” put up with Tommy’s darkroom in their shared bathroom, introduced him to Commercial Director, Michael Gottlieb, who hired Tommy as PA on Cover Girl and Revlon commercials.

During his time receiving his BFA at NYU School of the Arts, Film and Television, Tommy interned for Milton Greene Studios, known for his photos of Marilyn Monroe. He also joined union Nabet. After working on a documentary, interviewing Francis Ford Coppola and Gordon Willis, he was inspired and realized his next step was a move to LA.

Tommy’s first job in LA was as prep tech at F&B Ceco, while waiting to be placed on the Hollywood work experience roster. Dick Barlow, head of The Burbank Studios Camera Department helped him join The International Cinematographers Guild. One of Tommy’s early mentors was Ralph Gerling, whom he worked for on Resurrection. He also worked for Vittorio Storaro, One From The Heart and Matt Leonetti, Poltergeist. Realizing that he would most likely move to first assistant on series television, Tommy took jobs as second assistant with opportunity to move up on the additional camera. He moved up permanently on Fame. Fellow operators taught Tommy how to zoom, focus, and thread a camera quickly. That show holds some of his fondest memories. He then worked on mini-series with William Spencer, Hollywood Wives, Joe Biroc, A Death In California, and numerous series and features throughout the 80’s and 90’s.

Tommy is also grateful to have worked with Andrzej Bartkowiak on Dante’s Peak, U.S. Marshals, Lethal Weapon 4, and Cradle 2 the Grave. Also John Toll on Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, and The Last Samurai and Michael Chapman on Primal Fear, Six Days Seven Nights, and The Story of Us. He met Karl Walter Lindenlaub, on Independence Day and continues to work with him. Tommy has wrapped over a dozen movies with Karl including Red Corner, The Princess Diaries, The Banger Sisters, and Cosmos.