IMAGO Oslo Digital Cinema Conference 2025 Returns With AI Focus – David Stump ASC, Steve Yedlin ASC Among Speakers

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by Nino LeitnerNovember 10^th, 2025

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The 9th Oslo Digital Cinema Conference returns November 21-23, 2025, with artificial intelligence emerging as the dominant theme across three days of technical presentations, masterclasses, and hands-on equipment demonstrations. Organized by IMAGO and Norway’s FNF cinematographer society, the biannual event brings working cinematographers face-to-face with industry leaders addressing how AI will reshape workflows, authorship rights, and the profession itself.

Held at the Norwegian Film Institute in Oslo, this year’s Oslo Digital Cinema Conference features at least six dedicated AI sessions alongside traditional technical deep-dives into HDR workflows, camera noise performance, and virtual production methodologies. With registration closing November 15 and multiple high-profile speakers confirmed, the event positions itself as essential for cinematographers navigating the rapid technological shifts defining 2025 production landscapes.

The program reveals a substantial focus on AI’s practical implications for working cinematographers, from workflow integration to intellectual property concerns and educational impact.

AI takes center stage at Oslo Digital Cinema Conference

David Stump ASC anchors multiple sessions across the three days. The Emmy winner and Academy Award recipient for Scientific and Technical Achievement chairs Friday’s opening AI panel examining what machine learning tools can actually accomplish for cinematographers in 2025. His Technical Committee credentials and extensive virtual production expertise position him to separate genuine utility from marketing hype.

Oslo Digital Cinema Conference’s legal dimension comes through Dr. Cristina Busch, IMAGO’s copyright lawyer, who presents “AI: Artificial intelligence and intellectual rights” Friday afternoon. As generative AI tools trained on existing cinematography proliferate, understanding intellectual property implications becomes critical for protecting authorship claims.

Stephen Lighthill ASC delivers Saturday’s most provocative session: “Educating cinematographers in a new reality: How does AI influence film education?” As AFI Film School’s Cinematography Discipline Head and former ASC President, Lighthill addresses whether film schools are preparing students for an AI-integrated production landscape or training them for workflows already obsolete.

Philippe Ros AFC, IMAGO Technical Committee co-chair and Digital Imaging Supervisor, appears in both Friday’s AI session and Sunday’s profession-future panel. His credits span high-end documentary and fiction work, providing practical perspective on how AI integration affects real-world production decisions.

Additional AI-focused sessions include Christian Wieberg-Nielsen on AI implementation in post-production workflows at Storyline Studios, examining what AI tools actually accomplish in daily grading and finishing work versus marketing promises. Sunday features an AI in commercials session directly confronting job displacement anxiety, screening AI-created commercial examples to discuss where human cinematography remains irreplaceable.

HDR and technical deep-dives

Steve Yedlin ASC participates digitally in Saturday’s HDR update panel. The Rian Johnson collaborator (Looper, The Last Jedi, Knives Out, Glass Onion) pioneered influential color science research through his Display Prep Demo, making his HDR perspective particularly valuable for technical audiences. He joins Daniele Siragusano (FilmLight image engineer), Christian Wieberg-Nielsen FNF (IMAGO Technical Committee), and Dirk Meier BVK CSI in examining current HDR workflows and standards.

Charles Poynton PhD delivers technical deep-dive into modern cinema camera noise characteristics Saturday morning. For spec-focused cinematographers evaluating cameras based on measurable performance metrics, Poynton’s color science and image processing expertise promises quantitative analysis beyond marketing claims.

Sony’s strong conference presence includes Daniel Listh moderating sessions and a Friday slot titled “What is cooking at Sony?” suggesting potential product reveals or technology roadmap updates. The manufacturer views ODCC as strategic platform for European cinematographer outreach.

Masterclass and hands-on access

Saturday’s masterclass features Marko Mladenovic SAS discussing “Vreme Zla” (Time of Evil), shot on Sony Venice 2. Joined by colorist Goran Todoric and moderated by Sony’s Daniel Listh, the session examines practical workflow decisions on high-end Serbian television production.

Conference materials promise “new equipment, tools, new lights and lenses will be presented for hands on” access throughout the three days. FilmLight’s presence through Daniele Siragusano suggests color grading software demonstrations, particularly Chromogen software for creating film looks within digital workflows.

Why working cinematographers attend

IMAGO conferences prioritize cinematographer-specific concerns: authorship rights, working conditions, technical standards, education, and peer knowledge exchange. Unlike manufacturer-driven trade shows, ODCC provides direct access to IMAGO Technical Committee research on noise performance, HDR standards, AI tool evaluation, and color science.

The conference’s technical credibility stems from Technical Committee involvement. Members like David Stump, Philippe Ros, and Christian Wieberg-Nielsen contribute to color science standards, workflow best practices, and equipment evaluation that cinematographers rely on for production decisions.

Previous ODCC editions attracted 100+ cinematographers from across Europe and internationally, offering intimate, accessible atmosphere where participants can engage directly with prominent cinematographers and technical experts.

Registration details for Oslo Digital Cinema Conference 2025

Registration closes November 15, 2025. IMAGO member societies, FNF members, and Norwegian film union members pay NOK 650 (approximately €60), while non-members and companies pay NOK 1,450 (€125). The fee includes coffee throughout, light lunches Saturday and Sunday, Friday evening reception, and Saturday’s pizza party at Storyline Studio.

For international IMAGO members facing substantial travel costs, FNF and IMAGO offer grants covering participation fees. Applicants must contact conference coordinator Paul René Roestad at [email protected] before registering.

Norwegian participants register via letsreg.com, while international attendees contact Roestad directly via email or phone (+47 9209 1400). The conference runs Friday 11:30 AM through Sunday 2:45 PM at Filmens Hus / Norwegian Film Institute, Dronningens gate 16, 0152 Oslo.

IMAGO context matters

IMAGO represents 54 national cinematographer societies and over 4,000 members globally. Founded in Rome in 1992 by four European societies (AIC Italy, AFC France, BSC Great Britain, BVK Germany), the organization evolved from European to international federation in 2023, now including ASC, ACS, CSC, JSC, AAC and societies across Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Current president Mustapha Barat ABC leads an organization that explicitly champions cinematographers’ co-authorship status alongside directors and writers, a legal distinction with profound implications for residuals, creative control, and professional standing.

Oslo’s Digital Cinema Conference, running biannually since 2006, represents the 9th edition of Europe’s most consistent technical cinematography gathering. Conference coordinator Paul René Roestad FNF, former IMAGO President and current Honorary Member, has refined ODCC’s format across nine editions.

With AI reshaping cinematography workflows and authorship questions growing more complex, will you attend Oslo Digital Cinema Conference 2025 to understand these implications firsthand? What AI sessions are most relevant to your current workflow challenges? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!