ASC president Stephen Lighthill coordinates AFI’s cinematography intensive for women

Sixteen directors of photography to participate in 2022 program supported by Panavision and The Walt Disney Studios.

AFI Conservatory cinematography discipline head Stephen Lighthill ASC has spearheaded the 2022 Cinematography Intensive for Women (CIW), a tuition-free, four-day workshop designed for aspiring cinematographers committed to their journey toward professional careers, who have some on-set experience working in the field and are looking for additional training to help them advance.

Hands-on master classes in the fundamentals of cinematography constitute the core of the program, along with exposure to professional tools and techniques, appreciating and analyzing specific work crafted by professional women cinematographers, plus discussions about the current environment of the film industry and what it means to navigate such environments as women, nonbinary and historically underrepresented cinematographers. The goal of the program is to provide participants with a toolkit to secure on-set experience in the field and first-hand industry insights demonstrating the path to professional career success.

“With the Cinematography Intensive for Women, our goal is to provide pathways to equity within the field and inspire participants to pursue professional opportunities,” said Lighthill. “AFI looks forward to hosting this transformative workshop for cinematographers to further develop their creative passion for visual storytelling as well as inclusive leadership in the filmmaking environment.”

The CIW is presented by Panavision, with additional support from The Walt Disney Studios.

You’ll learn much more about each of the 16 cinematographers participating in this year’s CIW session and can sign up for the AFI’s newsletter here.

The AFI Conservatory Cinematography program has propelled women cinematographers to great success, including trailblazer Rachel Morrison, ASC (Mudbound, Black Panther), the first woman ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, as well as two-time Grammy Award winner Melina Matsoukas (Beyoncé’s “Formation,” Insecure, as director), Paula Huidobro (Academy Award Best Picture winner CODA), Ava Berkofsky, ASC (2022 Emmy nominee for Insecure), Carolina Costa (Hala, Wander Darkly), Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC (2022 Emmy nominee for Loki, the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC (A Quiet Place, Legion) and Mimi Leder (The Morning Show, as director), among others.