American Cinematographer - September 2007 - (Page 10)

Global Village The CSC Celebrates 50 Years by Don Angus than 300 of whom are associates or affiliates. Morita picked up his credential in the late 1960s, and his son, Rhett, is also a full member. “Everything the CSC stands for is well worth supporting,” he says. “Prior to the CSC, cameramen were distant. There wasn’t a sense of camaraderie, a sense of being part of a group. The CSC has fostered that and provided a venue for cinematographers to gather and discuss similar problems and share information.” CSC President Joan Hutton echoes the sentiment. “The Society is the one binding element among cinematographers in Canada,” she says. “It brings camerapeople together. Whenever you have a problem, you can always find someone who will give you advice or answer a question, and when you’re first coming up, that’s fantastic. [Assistants, operators and cinematographers] can meet as equals and chat about what they’ve worked on, what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.” She credits Barry Stone, CSC, now based in Northern California, for putting it best: “The CSC is always there to answer your questions, feed you new information and pat you on the back from time to time.” Stone was referring to the Society’s regular meetings, workshops, seminars and symposia, its magazine, and the CSC Awards. A golden anniversary is a milestone to be proud of, but Hutton notes that the focus of the celebration is as much about preparing for tomorrow as it is about celebrating yesterday. “Fifty years … [is] an achievement that gives us a good reason to anticipate the future while respecting the past,” she said at the CSC Awards gala in March. Hutton has been the CSC presi- 10 September 2007 Photos courtesy of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. The late Fritz Spiess, CSC, one of the Society’s founders, is shown on top of a camera car circa 1957. Spiess specialized in commercial cinematography, and the CSC Award for that medium is named for him. eorge Morita, CSC was a 20-year-old camera assistant when the Canadian Society of Cinematographers was founded in September 1957. He attended the meeting where the contentious bylaws that gave the CSC its structure were approved; in fact, he was the recording secretary, having been conscripted by the director of photography for whom he worked. Morita, now 70 and “mostly” retired from a career as one of Canada’s top commercials cinematographers, recalls that some of the CSC’s founders felt strongly that the new society “should be more elitist, that perhaps it should be reserved for full directors of photography.” He adds with a laugh, “As the debate went on, I realized I was G recording events that might lead to my demise as a member! I thought I might have to leave the room and record the minutes from the hallway.” As it turned out, the cameramen decided to include operators and assistants in associate and (later) affiliate categories of membership. That policy, says Morita, “is carried on to this day.” Inclusion has worked well for the CSC. Beyond the principle of democracy lies unvarnished reality: of the 34 charter members, who hailed from Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, only 13 were directors of photography who were immediately granted the CSC credential. This year, as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary, membership across Canada has risen to nearly 500, more

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - September 2007

Contents Editor’s Note Global Village DVD Playback Production Slate Bourne Again Cultural Immersion Baroque Visions Once Upon a Time in Bucharest Short Takes Post Focus Filmmakers’ Forum New Products & Services Points East International Marketplace Classified Ads Ad Index ASC Membership Roster Clubhouse News Wrap Shot

American Cinematographer - September 2007

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