Steven Poster
Steven Poster | |
|---|---|
| Born | Steven Barry Poster 1 March 1944 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Title | President of the International Cinematographers Guild |
| Term | 2006-2019 |
| Awards | See below |
Steven Barry Poster ASC, CSC[1] (born 1 March 1944) is an American cinematographer.[1] He served as President of the International Cinematographers Guild from 2006 until 2019.[2][3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Poster studied at Southern Illinois University, the ArtCenter College of Design, and the Illinois Institute of Technology.[5][6] He began his filmmaking career as a creative assistant at 'The Film Group,' a Chicago-based commercial film production company.[1]
Career
[edit]After being promoted to director of photography due to his skill at lighting, he met Herschell Gordon Lewis and worked with him in various crew positions on a total of three films.[1]
He founded a production company with director Michael Mann, and served as the cinematographer on numerous industrial and education films.[1][6] His 1973 short film Another Saturday Night, co-directed with Mik Derks, was nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. In 1977, he was the second unit cinematographer for Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind.[6]
In 1980, he relocated to Hollywood and shot his first feature film as cinematographer, Blood Beach. Throughout the '80s, he shot films like Dead & Buried, Strange Brew, Testament, The Boy Who Could Fly, Big Top Pee-wee, and Rocky V. He also worked second unit and/or additional photography for Blade Runner, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and several John Carpenter films.
Poster joined the American Society of Cinematographers in 1987. The same year, he shot Someone to Watch Over Me for director Ridley Scott, which earned him an ASC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
He shot the iconic music video to Madonna's "Like a Prayer", as well as commercials directed by Ridley Scott and Kinka Usher.
In 2006, he was elected as the National President of the International Cinematographers Guild, a position he held until 2019.[2] He is also a former executive board member of the International Documentary Association, and currently sits on the Nicholl Fellowship committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[5] He is a adjunct professor at the ArtCenter College of Design.
Filmography
[edit]Feature films
[edit]Director of photography
[edit]Other credits
[edit]Short films
[edit]| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Another Saturday Night | Himself Mik Derks |
|
| 1994 | Nunzio's Second Cousin | Tom DeCerchio | Segment of Boys Life 2 |
| 1995 | Celluloid Heroes | Gary A. Beaird Tony Dow |
With Billy Beaird |
| 2004 | Tap Heat | Dean Hargrove | |
| 2011 | Xelerate | Bill Duke | |
| 2013 | Canon USA Commercial: Rhythm of Life | Dean Hargrove | |
| 2018 | The Boor | Jeannie Berlin |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? | Episode "Mr. Potential" |
| The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank | TV film | |
| 1979 | The Night Rider | |
| Beggarman, Thief | ||
| 1981 | Coward of the County | |
| 1982 | Mysterious Two | |
| 1983 | The Cradle Will Fall | |
| 1986 | Courage | |
| 1992 | The Bat, the Cat and the Penguin | |
| 1990 | Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special | TV special |
| 1987 | I'll Take Manhattan | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Roswell | TV film |
| 1995 | Present Tense, Past Perfect | |
| 1996 | Once You Meet a Stranger | |
| 1997 | Color of Justice | |
| 1998 | American Experience | Episode "A Midwife's Tale" |
| 2005 | Mrs. Harris | TV film |
| 2006 | The Danny Comden Project | |
| The Loop | Episode "Pilot" | |
| 2007-12 | Craft in America | 8 episodes |
| 2008 | Raising the Bar | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2013 | Hemlock Grove | Episode "Jellyfish in the Sky" |
| Gutsy Frog | TV film | |
| 2021 | The Miles Davis Documentary | Documentary special |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Institution | Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Society of Cinematographers | 1987 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Someone to Watch Over Me | Nominated |
| CableACE Award | 1994 | Best Cinematography | Roswell | Nominated |
| Cannes Film Festival | 1973 | Short Film Palme d'Or | Another Saturday Night (with Mik Derks) |
Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Movie | Mrs. Harris | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au "STEVEN POSTER". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ a b "Local 600 - Home". www.icg600.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ "Steven Poster Re-Elected President of International Cinematographers Guild". The Hollywood Reporter. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
- ^ "Lewis Rothenberg Ousts Steven Poster as Cinematographers Guild President". Variety. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
- ^ a b "Steven Poster". ArtCenter College of Design. Retrieved 2025-04-16.
- ^ a b c d e Williams, Tom (2023-10-27). "Visionary / Steven Poster ASC". British Cinematographer. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ "Steve Poster, ASC on "The Box"". www.tiffen.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
