Information About the Guild That Represents Camera Professionals

The International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600 of IATSE, represents directors of photography, camera operators and assistants, visual effects supervisors, still photographers and other camera professionals, in all about 6000 members. The national president is Steven Poster.

In order to become a member of the Guild and work on productions that are under IATSE contract, you need to meet requirements of the Guild in terms of experience. There are a number of ways to do this, but one is to qualify for the Hollywood-based Industry Experience Roster by having at least 100 days of paid work in a camera category on non-union productions within a three year period. Another is to work at least 30 days on union shoots during a three year period.

Some of the benefits of being a Guild member include working on the most prestigious projects, working for pay that rewards skill, outstanding medical coverage and retirement benefits, travel expenses for location shoots, safety and health protections, and having access to training programs that update your skills. Some of these training programs are also open to students who are not Guild members.

The forerunners of the Local 600 were founded to counter practices in the film industry of the 1920s where cinematographers were paid low wages and thrust into the background in terms of recognition for their work. They worked long hours, and often cots were placed on movie sets so crews could sleep there to be sure they made the next morning’s call. The cinematographers organized under the umbrella of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which then represented skilled technicians working in live entertainment and film. There were three local camera organizations, one in New York City (Local 644) founded in 1926, followed by Local 659 in Los Angeles in 1928 and Local 666 in Chicago in 1929.

In 1996, the three were merged into Local 600, but the three offices have been retained. The jurisdiction has also expanded through IATSE and now covers television, animation, special effects, and various new media.

There is another organization for cinematographers that is separate from the Guild, but its membership overlaps with some of the Guild members. It is called the American Society of Cinematographers and it is an honorary educational, cultural, and profession organization. Membership is by invitation, and only Directors of Photography with distinguished credits are invited to join. Before being considered for membership, a D. P. must have at least three members of the Society recommend him/her for membership. Members chosen for the American Society of Cinematographers can place the initials “ASC” after their names in movie credits. These initials have come to symbolize excellence in the motion picture industry. The Society holds the annual Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography ceremony that gives awards to work in both theatrical features and television shows. It has published American Cinematographer magazine since 1920 and it also publishes a number of books including the American Cinematographer Manual, a major technical source used by D. P.s.

More information about these organizations is available from the interview with Steven Poster included as part of the DVD Bonus Features. In addition the International Cinematographers Guild website is www.cameraguild.com and the American Society of Cinematography site is www.theasc.com.