American Society of Cinematographers Award

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roger Deakins, Skyfall

The ASC honors the masterful Deakins for his work on Sam Mendes' Skyfall, you is also up for the Academy Award this year.  While Deakins remains one of the true poets of the medium, he has yet to win the Academy Award despit 10 nominations.  He's had better luck with the ASC as this claims his third prize (after wins for The Shawshank Redemption and The Man Who Wasn't There, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award two years ago.)  The ASC isn't a particular good bellwether in terms of the Academy-- rather hit or miss-- last year they chose Emmanuel Lubezki for his work on The Tree of Life, while Hugo won the Academy Award.  I still strongly believe the smart money for the Oscar lies in Life of Pi. 

ASC Lifetime Achievement Award

Masterful cinematography Roger Deakins will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from next years American Society of Cinematographers.  This great photographer\poet has been nominated 8 times for the best cinematography Oscar:

• The Reader (2008)
• The Assassination of Jesse James (2007)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
• O' Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
• Kundun (1997)
• Fargo (1996)
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Ridiculously, he's never won, however the ASC guild did honor him, rightfully so, for the beautiful black and white photography he worked ever so majestically for The Man Who Wasn't There (2001), directed by Ethan and Joel Coen.  Most famous for his collaborations with the Coen Brothers (for which he's lensed each of their films since Barton Fink, 1990), Deakins also memorably is responsible for the impeccable photography in films as varied as Dead Man Walking, The Hurricane, A Beautiful Mind, House of Sand & Fog, Jarhead, Doubt and Revolutionary Road.  His next gig will be the Coen's True Grit.