american society of cinematographers

The American Society of Cinematographers was founded in Hollywood in 1919 with the aim of advancing the art and science of cinematography, and bringing together cinematographers to exchange ideas, discuss techniques, and promote film as an art form - a mission that continues to this day.

In the early stages of film development, many cinematographers across the United States faced the same problem: static discharge generated by hand cranked cameras resulted in large and unsightly white stripes appearing in the lens. They did not individually seek solutions, but instead gathered two idealistic groups on the east and west coasts to solve this problem and many other technical issues at the time.

They are respectively the Film Camera Club and the American Still Club. The former was founded by Edison Company photographers Philip E. Rosen, Frank Kugler, and Lewis W. Physioc in New York in 1913, while the latter is a Los Angeles based association initially led by Harry H. Harris, a cinematographer at Universal Pictures.

From the beginning, these two clubs maintained a loose connection, and eventually the organization on the West Coast was renamed the California Film Camera Club. But even though the film production center moved from New York to Los Angeles, organizations in the West are still struggling to maintain operations.

In 1918, Phil Rosen arrived in Los Angeles to receive a mission. When he sought to join the California Cinematography Club, the club president Charles Rosher asked if he was willing to help restructure the association. Rosen hopes to create a nationwide organization that recruits members through invitation and has a strong educational component.

On Saturday, December 21, 1918, the Reorganization Committee held a meeting at William C. Foster's home and formulated a new set of bylaws. A committee consisting of 10 members and 5 visitors has been designated as the new organization's board of directors. The next night, at Fred LeRoy Granville's home, the first officials of the American Society of Cinematographers were elected: Philip E. Rosen was elected president; Charles Rosher serves as Vice President; Homer A. Scott serves as the second vice president; William C. Foster serves as the financial director; Victor Milner served as the secretary. The association was subsequently chartered by the state of California on January 8, 1919.

The purpose of ASC is to promote the development of cinematography through artistic and technological advancements, strengthen closer relationships between cinematographers, exchange ideas, discuss technology, and promote film as an art form.

The first 15 ASC members were Joe August LD Clawson、Arthur Edeson、William C. Foster、Eugene Gaudio、Fred Le Roy Granville、Walter L. Griffin、JD Jennings、Roy H. Klaffki、Victor Milner、Robert S. Newhard、Philip E. Rosen、Charles G. Rosher、Homer A. Scott And L. Guy Wilky. (Please see here for the complete resume.)