LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: JOHNNY E. JENSEN, ASC Director of Photography
Johnny Jensen, Director of Photography, has worked in the motion picture industry for nearly half a century. Early in his career, Johnny worked as a Cinemobile technician for The Godfather, a camera assistant for Altered States, and a camera operator for An Officer and a Gentleman among many other projects.
Johnny began work as a Director of Photography/Cinematographer for feature films in the early 1980s. He served as Director of Photography on Rambling Rose for Director Martha Coolidge, with whom he works to this day. This film was nominated for two Academy Awards with an additional Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography. He went on to do the Cinematography for many feature films including Grumpy Old Men, Rosewood, and The Game of Their Lives (a film about the United States National soccer team competing in the 1950 World Cup).
He acted as Director of Photography on numerous television productions. He received Emmy Award nominations for Best Cinematography for the television movie Into The Badlands and again for An American Story. His series television experience includes L.A. Dragnet and Heartland.
Johnny directed a number of films for television including The Lazarus Man and The Ditchdigger’s Daughters, which received a nomination for Best Film, Best Actress (Kimberly Elise) and Best Original Score by the Cable Ace Awards.
He currently teaches the craft/art of cinematography at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, part of Chapman University, where he enjoys sharing his knowledge and passion with his students. He still works in features and television.
Johnny is a proud member of The International Cinematographer’s Guild, The Directors Guild of America, The American Society of Cinematographers, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Stuart Crowner will interview Jensen about his career and show clips from various projects he has worked on, Saturday, November 4 at 2 pm in the Ojai Art Center Gallery.