Cynthia Pusheck (born 1964) is an American film and television cinematographer. She co-founded and co-chairs the ASC Vision committee that supports people from under-represented groups who hope to build a career in cinematography. [1] [2] She was the first woman to serve as vice-president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). [2]
Cynthia Pusheck was born in the Chicago area, and was raised in Rockford, Illinois. [3] She attended Columbia College Chicago before moving to Los Angeles.
As a camera assistant, Pusheck specialised in underwater cinematography under the guidance of Peter Romano. She worked on Free Willy , White Squall , Flipper , Waterworld , Alien Resurrection , Speed 2: Cruise Control , Baywatch and Sphere . She was the camera operator on the underwater sequences in Magnolia , Men of Honor , Tomorrow Never Dies and A Nightmare on Elm Street . [3]
She took a job as a camera operator on CSI: Miami in 2003, where she gained her first experience as a Director of Photography (DP) on the second unit. [3] [1] Puskheck then studied cinematography at the American Film Institute for a year in order to improve her qualifications as a cinematographer. [3]
Pusheck has been DP on a range of television/streaming shows, most notably Brothers and Sisters , Revenge , Good Girls Revolt , Strange Angel , Sacred Lies , and The Bold Type . [1] She has also been DP on the independent feature film Loving Annabelle . [4]
Pusheck joined the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 2013, [3] and became the first woman to be elected vice president in 2017. [5] She held the VP role until 2019. [6]
Pusheck received the Kodak Vision Award at the 2010 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. [7] [8]