American Cinematographer - August 2019 - 34

A Storied History

Issues of American Cinematographer from 1929, 1933, 1969, 1982 and 2017.

Rosen came to the conclusion
that there should be a national organization rather than two independent
and loosely affiliated chapters, and
that such an organization should
have exacting membership requirements. He believed that in order for
this new organization to have stature,
membership ought to be by invitation
only to those cinematographers who
had clearly demonstrated their
professional capability and good
character.
Today, there are two primary
classifications of ASC members:
active and associate. The former are
directors of photography who have
built a body of work and a reputation
for excellence; only active members
may add the initials "ASC" after their
name in professional use, as in a
production's
credits. Associate
members are non-cinematographers

who are key representatives of
equipment manufacturers and other
vital production and post support
companies who work very closely
with directors of photography.
Additionally, there is an honorarymember designation reserved for
individuals who have made indelible
contributions to the industry, the
Society, or to motion-picture photography (such as Edison, George
Eastman, and the Apollo 11 astronauts who first filmed the Earth from
the surface of the moon).
There remains a common
misperception that ASC membership
is only open to U.S. citizens, but this
has never been the case. Today, the
Society includes members from
dozens of countries around the
world.

On the evening of Saturday, Dec. 21,
1918, Rosen and the reorganization
committee met at the home of William
C. Foster. A new constitution was
drawn up, and a board of governors
was formed from the 10 committee
members and five other Cinema
Camera Club members who were
invited to attend the meeting. The 15
cinematographers who signed the
application for a charter under the
laws of the state of California were
Rosen, Foster, Rosher, Granville,
Joseph H. August, Lawrence D.
Clawson, Arthur Edeson, Eugene
Gaudio, Walter L. Griffin, Joseph
Devereaux Jennings, Roy H. Klaffki,
Victor Milner, Robert S. Newhard,
Homer A. Scott and L. Guy Wilky.
(For more on the Society's founders,
see page 22.)
The constitution of the new
organization, which was named

In November 1920, the ASC began publishing The American Cinematographer - a four-page newsletter with a cover
price of just 10 cents, published twice monthly and overseen by editor Captain Jack Poland (formerly editor of Static Flashes)
and associate editor Mary B. Howe. The Hollywood trade weekly Camera! noted at the time that The American
Cinematographer "promises to be a very interesting little sheet since it intends to run articles on the newest and most artistic developments in motion-picture photography."
AC was much more than an in-house publicity piece. Instead, it was a sincere effort on the part of the Society to render
a service to its members as well as outside readers interested in cinematography - which included producers, directors and
other film professionals who recognized the vital role of the camera department. It began publishing in-depth technical
reports on cameras, lighting, optics and new laboratory techniques, as well as exhibition practices.
In October 1921, the newsletter evolved into a 16-page magazine format, and in March 1922, it became a monthly
publication. American Cinematographer magazine has been published every month since.
The Society expanded its publishing initiatives with the Cinematographic Annual in 1930 and 1931, followed by nine
editions of The American Cinematographer Hand Book and Reference Guide from 1935-'56. Then, in 1960, the ASC introduced the American Cinematographer Manual, a vital technical resource that is commonly known as "the filmmaker's
bible." The book is now in its 10th edition, which was published in 2016; an 11th edition is currently being assembled.
34

August 2019

ASC 100th Anniversary

American Cinematographer - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - August 2019