American Cinematographer - March 2012 - 82

Clubhouse News
Gantz Joins Society New active member Robert Gantz, ASC credits a film class he took during his freshman year at the University of Michigan with sparking his love for cinema. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in film and television from the university while shooting commercials for local businesses in his spare time. Gantz was then accepted into the American Film Institute’s cinematography program, and after graduating he found steady work as a gaffer. He transitioned into cinematography by way of music videos and soon began shooting commercials. He shot hundreds of videos and spots for directors such as Gore Verbinski, Michael Bay and Matthew Rolston, and then got his feature break on Renny Harlin’s Mindhunters. Gantz has shot three features for director Jean-François Richet: Assault on Precinct 13, Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (AC Sept. ’09). His other credits include the feature Lake City and episodes of the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Forgotten, Dark Blue and Chase. Most recently, he shot the pilot and first season of the series Hart of Dixie. Kirkland, Bäumler, Märtin Named Associates New associate member Mark Kirkland is a three-time Emmy-winning director, an independent filmmaker and a vintage-movie-camera collector with a passion for cinematography. He began making Super 8 films and working for his father, ASC associate Douglas Kirkland, when he was in his early teens, and he earned a bachelor’s degree from the film school at CalArts. He began his professional career as a storyboard/layout artist and crew supervisor at Hanna-Barbera Productions; he has worked as a producer/director in the advertising arena; and he currently holds the record for directing the most episodes
American Cinematographer

Seale, Lachman Honored at Camerimage The 2011 Plus Camerimage International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography included special honors for John Seale, ASC, ACS and Ed Lachman, ASC. Seale was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Lachman and director Todd Haynes shared the Cinematographer-Director Duo Award. The festival program included screenings of several of Seale’s feature films, as well as screenings of Lachman and Haynes’ collaborations, Far from Heaven (for which Lachman won the Camerimage Silver Frog), I’m Not There (a Bronze Frog winner) and the TV miniseries Mildred Pierce. ●

Top to bottom: Robert Gantz, ASC; associate member Mark Kirkland; Ed Lachman, ASC on the set of Mildred Pierce.

March 2012

Photo of Clubhouse by Isidore Mankofsky, ASC; lighting by Donald M. Morgan, ASC. Kirkland photo by Douglas Kirkland. Lachman photo by Andrew D. Schwartz, SMPSP

of The Simpsons. Kirkland is also assisting Steve Gainer, ASC with the curation of the Society’s camera collection. Wolfgang Bäumler and Peter Märtin, managing directors of Vantage Film, have joined the Society as associate members. Lifelong friends, Bäumler and Märtin fell in love with filmmaking when they were both 7 years old. While Märtin focused on his Super 8 camera, Bäumler began learning how to frame shots, and before long he was developing film in the family bathtub. They were both fascinated with lens optics and the mechanics of cameras, and Bäumler pursued those interests as a camera assistant and cinematographer, while Märtin went on to direct. They regularly collaborated on commercials and short films, and in 1993 they founded Vantage Film to address filmmakers’ technological needs. The company is renowned for numerous technical innovations, including Hawk anamorphic lenses and the Vantage PSU-3 Digital Video Assist system. In addition to its headquarters in Weiden, Germany, Vantage has offices in Paris, Prague and Berlin.

American Cinematographer - March 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 2012