AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES
2023 CINEMATOGRAPHY INTENSIVE FOR WOMEN
Program Presented by Panavision
Intensive Runs June 22–25 on AFI Campus
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, April 14, 2023 – Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced it is accepting applications for the 2023 Cinematography Intensive for Women presented by Panavision. The four-day program will be held on the AFI Campus in Los Angeles on June 22–25. Designed for aspiring 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. The application period closes Monday, April 24, 2023. Applicants will be notified of status in early June. The application and eligibility requirements can be found on AFI.com.
The Intensive is spearheaded by AFI Conservatory Cinematography Discipline Head Stephen Lighthill, ASC. The AFI Conservatory Cinematography program has propelled women and non-binary cinematographers to great success, including Academy Award® nominee Rachel Morrison (BLACK PANTHER, MUDBOUND), the first woman ever nominated for an Oscar® for Best Cinematography, as well as Emmy® nominee Ava Berkofsky, ASC (INSECURE), Carolina Costa (HIGH SCHOOL, HALA), Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC (BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER), Paula Huidobro (Academy Award® Best Picture winner CODA), Mimi Leder (THE MORNING SHOW, as director), two-time Grammy® Award winner Melina Matsoukas (Beyoncé’s “Formation,” INSECURE, as director) and Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC (THE WOMAN KING), among others.
“The AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women is designed to inspire participants to pursue professional opportunities and to also instill a passion for inclusive approaches to leadership,” said Lighthill. “With recent trends, it is important that we support women and nonbinary cinematographers, and we look forward to welcoming the aspiring cinematographers for this transformative program.”
The hands-on master classes in the fundamentals of cinematography will constitute the core of the program, along with 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 Cinematography Intensive for Women is presented by Panavision.
“We’re thrilled to continue supporting the Cinematography Intensive for Women,” said Panavision President and CEO Kim Snyder. “Panavision and AFI share a commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive industry. This program provides vital experience and inspiration and an invaluable support network for up-and-coming women and nonbinary cinematographers. We’re so excited to meet the participants and support their career journeys.”
CIW is one of the American Film Institute’s pioneering, tuition-free efforts to empower diverse filmmakers within the AFI Conservatory’s Department of Innovative Programs, which also includes the landmark AFI DWW+ program. Through a range of learning opportunities, Innovative Programs serves a diverse community of aspiring visual storytellers to cultivate cutting-edge technological, digital, and media-making skills, bridge access to professional networks and place participants on an upward career trajectory. Read more about Innovative Programs on conservatory.afi.com/innovativeprograms/.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked the #1 film school in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory opened its doors in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Today, the Conservatory offers a two-year MFA degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative production environment, AFI Fellows learn to master the art of storytelling, collectively creating up to 175 films a year. Fellows actively participate in the entire life cycle of a film, from development through production and exhibition.
Alumni of this elite program, ranging from modern masters to bold new voices defining the state of the art form include Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, among others.
About Panavision
Panavision is the world-class provider of end-to-end solutions that power the creative vision of filmmakers. Panavision’s comprehensive offerings include unparalleled optics, proprietary camera and lighting systems, and state-of-the-art post-production services. Driven by a passion for collaborative innovation, Panavision provides the content-creation industry with the highest standard of quality and service.
Panavision’s portfolio includes the renowned brands Light Iron, Panalux, LEE Filters, Direct Digital and Island Studios. For more information and locations worldwide, visit Panavision.com.
