Kees van Oostrum Re-Elected As ASC President

Kees van Oostrum has been elected as president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) for the third consecutive term.

ASC has made a number of other important appointments, including Bill Bennett, John Simmons and Cynthia Pusheck as vice presidents; Levie Isaacks as treasurer; David Darby as secretary; and Isidore Mankofsky as sergeant-at-arms.

"During this past year at the ASC, we have been steadfastly focused on educational events, international outreach, and efforts to promote diversity and inclusion," said Mr van Oostrum. "These all support our mission of loyalty, progress and artistry. As we look ahead, we plan to usher in the 100th anniversary of the ASC in a way that commemorates our heritage and positions our members to maintain a leadership role in the evolution of the art and craft of image making."

Mr van Oostrum initiated and chairs the ASC Master Class program, which has expanded to locations worldwide under his presidency. The Master Classes take place several times a year and are taught exclusively by ASC members. It is designed for cinematographers with an intermediate-to-advanced skill set, and incorporates practical, hands-on demonstrations of lighting and camera techniques with essential instruction in current workflow practices.

The ASC Vision Committee, founded during Mr van Oostrum's first term, continues to organise successful symposiums that encourage diversity and inclusion on camera crews, and also offers networking opportunities. The most recent was a standing-room-only event that explored practical and progressive ideas for changing the face of the industry. The Society will continue to host more of these activities during the coming years.

Van Oostrum has earned two Primetime Emmy® nominations for his work on the telefilms 'Miss Rose White' and 'Return to Lonesome Dove'. His peers chose the latter for a 1994 ASC Outstanding Achievement Award. Additional ASC Award nominations for his television credits came for 'The Burden of Proof', 'Medusa's Child', and 'Spartacus'. He also shot the Emmy®-winning documentary 'The Last Chance'.

A native of Amsterdam, he studied at the Dutch Film Academy with an emphasis on both cinematography and directing, and went on to earn a scholarship sponsored by the Dutch government, which enabled him to enrol in the American Film Institute (AFI). Mr van Oostrum broke into the industry shooting television documentaries for several years. He has subsequently compiled a wide range of some 80-plus credits, including movies for television and the cinema, such as 'Gettysburg' and 'Gods and Generals', and occasional documentaries. He recently wrapped the final season of TV series 'The Fosters'.

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