2020 American Society of Cinematographers (ASC): Roger Deakins wins for ‘1917’

Roger Deakins has won his third American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) award of the decade (and 5th overall) tonight, this time for the ‘continuous shot’ WWI epic 1917. 50% of the ASC winners this decade have gone on to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography. Deakins won his first Oscar in 14 nominations two years ago for Blade Runner 2049. He is the far out in front leader to win again. His director, Sam Mendes, won the DGA for Directing just minutes before.

The ASC will honor director Werner Herzog with the 2020 ASC Board of Governors Award. The ASC Board of Governors Award is given to industry stalwarts whose body of work has made significant and indelible contributions to cinema. It is the only ASC Award not given to a cinematographer and is reserved for filmmakers who have been champions for the visual art form.

“Werner Herzog is truly a unique storyteller, and we are honored to recognize him for his prolific contributions to cinema,” said ASC President Kees van Oostrum. 

Herzog has produced, written, and directed more than 70 feature and documentary films, earning multiple awards and nominations over the past seven decades. He received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature for his work on Encounters at the End of the World (2009), and Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997) was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Special (1997). His extensive list of accolades hail from film festivals (Venice, Sundance, Cannes, Berlinale, etc.) and industry organizations, including the DGA, International Documentary Association, Film Independent, and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Don A. Morgan, ASC received the Career Achievement in Television Award. The ASC Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Frederick Elmes, ASC. The ASC Presidents Award was presented to Don McCuaig, ASC. The ASC International Award was presented to Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC.

Last year’s feature film winner was Łukasz Żal for Cold War but Alfonso Cuarón went on to win the Oscar for Roma. Four of the five film nominees are also nominated for the cinematography Oscar this year.

Here is the full list of nominees with winners in bold.

Theatrical Release

• Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC for 1917 – WINNER
• Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC for Ford v Ferrari
• Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for The Irishman
• Robert Richardson, ASC for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
• Lawrence Sher, ASC for Joker

Documentary

• Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma for Honeyland – WINNER
• Evangelia Kranioti for Obscuro Barroco
• Nicholas de Pencier for Anthropocene: The Human Epoch

Spotlight Award

• Jarin Blaschke for The Lighthouse – WINNER
• Natasha Braier, ASC, ADF for Honey Boy
• Jasper Wolf, NSC for Monos

Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television

• John Conroy, ISC for The Terror: Infamy “A Sparrow in a Swallow’s Nest” – WINNER
• P.J. Dillon, ISC for The Rook “Chapter 1”
• Chris Manley, ASC for Doom Patrol “Pilot”
• Martin Ruhe, ASC for Catch-22 “Episode 5”
• Craig Wrobleski, CSC for The Twilight Zone“Blurryman”

Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television

• David Luther for Das Boot “Gegen die Zeit”
• M. David Mullen, ASC for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “Simone”
• Chris Seager, BSC for Carnival Row “Grieve No More”
• Brendan Steacy, CSC for Titans “Dick Grayson”
• Colin Watkinson, ASC, BSC for The Handmaid’s Tale“Night” – WINNER

Episode of a Series for Commercial Television

• Dana Gonzales, ASC for Legion “Chapter 20”
• C. Kim Miles, CSC, MySC for Project Blue Book “The Flatwoods Monster” – WINNER
• Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC for Legion “Chapter 23”
• Peter Robertson, ISC for Vikings “Hell”
• David Stockton, ASC for Gotham “Ace Chemicals”