When I hear their candid and heartfelt responses, I always step back in time and find myself reflecting on how much I, too, am living my dream. I wanted to be a Director of Photography since I was fourteen years old. I won’t bore you with how that happened and how I got here. Let’s just say that making movies was what I wanted to do and I am doing it.

Unfortunately, there is a perception out there that I’ve sailed right into my career and that I work all of the time. As any experienced rank-and-file member knows, silver spoon stories are far from reality. We all know that sometimes the dream can become a nightmare. I remember times when I did not get the job despite all assurances that I was the front-runner. And when these types of disappointments string together over weeks and months, I found myself worrying if I’ll ever work again.

Sometimes there are things way beyond our control that affect our careers and our lives and the wellbeing of our families. The recent industry strike that we all suffered through is one tough example. There are tides of industry trends, like productions moving from one location to another for economic reasons. There are changes in technologies that can affect our entire industry. There are even changing tastes and perceptions of directors and producers that “this kind of Cinematographer and crew would be better than those others.”

Many of these situations are simply not within our control. What we can control, however, is our continuing education to understand the art and craft of what we do as professionals. The ICG is taking an aggressive position to help our members across the country with training in all forms of new technologies. We offer as many industry screenings with Q&A sessions as we can throughout the year, not only for our entertainment, but also for our members’ edification about the kinds of work being done currently. The ICG also sponsors the Emerging Cinematographers Awards so that our members who are just beginning their careers can have their work judged and shown to our community.

ICG Magazine strives to inform our readers of the important work our members do in all classifications. We also try to keep our readers up to date on technological advances and industry events.

I can still recall a time when getting on the roster was difficult, if not impossible. It took me about five years in the beginning of my career in Chicago. Then when I moved to Los Angeles it took me another three years due to rules and limitations.

Today, there is a much clearer, and, yes, easier path to roster status and Union membership. Information about the International Cinematographers Guild is outlined in our new Membership Information Booklet that will be mailed to all our members along with our new Membership Directory very soon. If you are not a member yet, please contact us for these new booklets. The Membership Booklet will give you the information needed to join our family as well as explain the many benefits of being a member.

Even though living the dream is not always as easy as it seems for most of us, attaining our lifelong goals will inevitably take up most of our waking hours. The three elements needed to achieve our dreams in this industry are ability and talent; perseverance to stay the course when time get tough; and a bit of good fortune to find yourself in the right place when opportunities arise. Our Union, our family, can help as you travel along that path.

Fraternally, Steven Poster, ASC National President International Cinematographers Guild Local 600