The June 2024 issue presents a special focus on optics, including coverage of the features Back to Black, Civil War, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Challengers; and a look behind the scenes of the ASC Master Class.
· President’s Desk: ASC President Shelly Johnson considers the collaborative dynamic that enriches the production process and impacts the result.
· Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC discusses her work on the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, including how she used an array of unusual lenses and techniques to render the singer’s subjective perspective at key moments.
· Rob Hardy, ASC, BSC, director Alex Garland, visual-effects supervisor David Simpson and collaborators share their strategies for the contemporary combat drama Civil War — and Hardy explains how prototype cameras and unconventional lenses help immerse viewers in the action.
· Ben Seresin, ASC, BSC, visual-effects supervisor and 2nd-unit director/cinematographer Alessandro Ongaro and crew discuss creating a visceral aesthetic for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire — and Seresin and ASC associate Dan Sasaki of Panavision explain how custom lenses and optical attachments contributed to the effort.
· Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and director Luca Guadagnino detail their approach to Challengers, including why classic and rehoused vintage lenses were appropriate for the intense emotional drama.
· ASC Master Class Committee Co-Chair Charlie Lieberman, ASC and recent ASC instructors Natasha Braier, Vance Burberry, Steve Gainer and Christopher Probst shed light on what makes the Society’s popular educational initiative unique.
· Shot Craft: A look at recent developments in modern lens design, with a focus on lens aberrations and tunable optics.
· Clubhouse News: The latest bulletins from the Society feature new members Jeremy Benning and Adam Bricker; Education & Outreach events for AFI students and Hollywood CPR; the Kodak Film Awards; and a screening of The Lost Legacy of Tony Gaudio.
· Wrap Shot: Salvador (1986), shot by Robert Richardson, ASC and directed by Oliver Stone.
