GRAND TO U R

Cinematography World readers may recall me talking in an earlier edition about the ‘collegiate’ structure of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). The founders of the ACS recognised the strength of having semi-autonomous branches around the country, giving every branch the independence to respond to the local needs of their members, as they see fit. This collegiate design is built into the ACS constitution and is greatly valued by members.

ACS VICTORIA

Australian director of photography, Mandy Walker AM ACS ASC, became the first female to win the AACTA Award for Cinematography in late 2022, for her work on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Mandy joined via Zoom from Los Angeles to speak live with members of the Victorian branch of the society. The event was held in the theatre of the Victorian College Of The Arts, at the University Of Melbourne, to an enthusiastic crowd. It was also streamed ‘live’ online, and many more around the country also joined in.

The structure gives every branch a great sense of agency and connection, and also encourages members to engage with their immediate ACS community. In a country the size of Australia, this really matters. Some members are in very remote places indeed, and we all know how important and valuable it is to meet and mix with our peers. Sometimes members don’t realise that the ACS is actually a national society. That, of course, changes when they begin to enter the Awards, and come to understand that it is possible for them to compete against members around the country, not only in their own local branch.

ACS QUEENSLAND

In Brisbane, ACS Queensland together with sales/rental house Lemac, proudly presented our first Handheld Operating workshop. No fewer that 28 participants were led through a series of typical scenarios, from following a character walking, all the way through to filming a fight scene. Cinematographers Mark Wareham ACS (ACS Queensland president), Andrew Conder ACS SOC and camera operator Lucas Tomoana, led the workshop in the craft of handheld operating.

However, more about the Awards another time. I want to share some snapshots of events staged in some of the branches around the country over the recent months. They range from a Q&A in Melbourne with Mandy Walker AM ACS ASC, who zoomed-in a week before the Oscars, to a very popular hand-held shooting workshop in Brisbane, to a networking gathering of female and non-binary members and industry players, to a weekend lighting masterclass led by one of Australia’s top DPs, Peter James ACS ASC, and more.

ACS SOUTH AUSTRALIA

ACS SA W+ is a regular networking event for our female and non-binary guild members. It is held quarterly and provides a space for this group to find like-minded colleagues, share creative ideas and form new collaborations. Film school students are also invited and are introduced to our established working cinematographers and camera crew to get a better understanding of the industry. It’s fully supported by the ACS and led by experienced female and enby members of the film industry.

Having also, earlier this year, been nominated for BAFTA, Oscar and ASC Awards, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear from Mandy about her career and her work on Elvis, one day prior to the ASC Awards, and a week out from the Oscars. Those in attendance were treated to some great stories and explanations about how Mandy and her team achieved some of the more difficult scenes in the film. There were plenty of questions asked and it was a great chance for many young, up-and-coming cinematographers to ask questions. 24hrs later, Mandy won another first – the American Society Of Cinematographers Award, for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Feature Film for Elvis!

Students operated cinema cameras in three handheld scenarios involving camera assistants, grips and actors. Instructors demonstrated building and rigging the cameras, using different techniques and various rigs to assist the operator. The venue for the workshop was the Queensland Maritime Museum, a fascinating part of Brisbane’s history, which is home to the WW2 frigate, HMAS Diamantina, sitting in a dry dock.

Acs New South Wales

ACS NSW is home to the ACS headquarters in North Sydney. After many years of previous gatherings, hosted at various member owned facilities around Sydney, ACS NSW is now able to hold regular events at these premises. Recently, Ben Allan ACS CSI ran a Q&A session with director Clara Chong about their debut feature, Dark Noise. Shot in the early days of Covid, under all the constraints that the pandemic caused, the film is a gripping ecological thriller set in the Australian bush. Dark Noise is in current distribution.

ACS VICTORIA – ShotClass events

ACS Victoria silver sponsor, ShotClass, is run by ACS member Warwick Field ACS, former Victoria branch president. Just like the audiences who watch the results, the film and TV industry comprises a wide diversity of people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, religion, age, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. ShotClass creates educational masterclasses and intensive sessions aimed solely at the subject of cinematography, and has a strong focus on providing events that are welcoming to everyone in and associated with the industry, including members of the ACS.

In mid-March, ShotClass ran a two-day masterclass with legendary cinematographer, Peter James ACS ASC. The masterclass was successful in its accessibility for a range of students representing a fair deal of diversity. This was most likely the case because the course was promoted as such, and participants felt that they would feel welcome and comfortable among the group. It goes without saying that the best courses we run are those with a good mix of students as it builds a strong relationship between the participants, regardless of their background.

This is a small selection of the range of events offered across the ACS membership and branches. The next newsletter may be about the ACS Awards, which include 22 categories of cinematography from student, art and experimental to feature dramas.

All the best from Down Under!

Cinematographer Erika Addis, president of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS), has been long regarded as a trailblazer for women. She has worked in the camera department for over 40 years, is a former ACS Queensland president, ACS national vice president, and was previously head of cinematography at Griffith Film School in Brisbane.