For more than a decade, I've profiled members of the International Cinematographers Guild for the Generation NEXT package, one of the most popular features of the year. It's always an honor to share the stories of talented folks. This year, the opportunity was even more meaningful as we shifted our focus to highlight early career members who are effecting serious change in the industry. Showcasing their work was a labor of love and I'm so grateful for the opportunity.
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS, AS OUR LARGEST-EVER GENERATION NEXT CLASS PROVES.
BY MARGOT LESTER
Here’s a quote from Samantha Power, with the United States Agency for International Development, that sums up our 2021 Generation NEXT class: “People who care – act and refuse to give up. They may not change the world, but they can change many individual worlds.” Certainly, the last 18 months have served up change – social, cultural, and political – on a scale not seen in many of our lifetimes. The list includes heightened (or more vocalized) racism and bias, an assault on LGBTQ and reproductive rights, the climate emergency, worker safety and mental health, all backdropped by a global pandemic that has yet to fully abate. All of this has made us at ICG wonder: How important is it to not only be a skilled and safety-minded union film craftsperson but someone who also wants to make the world a better place? As these past few years have revealed, Local 600 is blessed to have many “change-makers” within its ranks who walk their talk every day; so we asked this year’s Generation NEXT to share their inspiring stories. May their commitment and passion move us all to begin (or continue) to advocate to help change many individual worlds. Click here and flip to page 62 to read about these influential and righteous folks.
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