Mandy Walker Makes History as ASC’s First Female President

Industry News

by Nino LeitnerMay 26^th, 2025

Veteran cinematographer behind Elvis, Mulan, and Hidden Figures takes the helm of the 105-year-old American Society of Cinematographers, ushering in a new era of inclusion and mentorship in the field. Let’s dive into why it’s great to see Mandy Walker as ASC president.

Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS – the acclaimed director of photography known for Elvis, Mulan, and Hidden Figures – has been elected the 48th President of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), becoming the first woman to lead the century-old organization. The ASC Board of Governors announced Walker’s historic election on May 24, 2025, alongside a slate of new officers, as outgoing President Shelly Johnson stepped down after completing his term. Johnson noted that he passed the office to Walker with “a warm heart,” reflecting the supportive spirit of this leadership transition.

Historic election marks a new era for the ASC

“It is a great honor to be the president of the ASC, and an even bigger privilege to be the first woman to hold the position,” Walker said upon her election. “I am so humbled to take on the responsibility of representing a society that has carved out an inspiring, inclusive space to meet and support other cinematographers. I am proud of our century-old legacy to advance the art and science of cinematography, and I’m excited for the future of our organization”.

A trailblazing career behind the camera

A celebrated cinematographer, Walker’s filmography features a range of high-profile projects. She has lent her talents to the inspirational NASA drama Hidden Figures (2016), Disney’s live-action Mulan (2020), and Disney’s Snow White (2025), among others. But it was her collaboration with director Baz Luhrmann on Elvis (2022) that truly cemented her reputation on the world stage. Walker’s vivid lensing of Elvis earned her Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Cinematography, and in 2023, she became the first woman ever to win the ASC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in a feature film (on the strength of her work on Elvis). She also made history in Australia as the first female cinematographer to win an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award for Best Cinematography. Remarkably, Walker is only the third woman ever nominated for the cinematography Oscar, underscoring both her talent and the broader significance of this milestone.

Leading ASC forward: mentorship, inclusion, and innovation

Beyond her personal accolades, Walker is focused on paving the way for others in the field. “I am intent on making sure our members have the space to grow, the opportunities to educate and learn from one another, and the support of their fellow filmmakers to carve out the best career they can,” she emphasized, highlighting her commitment to the ASC community’s growth and mentorship. She added that under her leadership the Society will “continue to lead efforts in raising awareness about the importance of representation behind the camera”.

Walker’s appointment comes at a time when the ASC is pushing for greater inclusivity and adaptation to new technology in cinematography. The organization now counts 471 active members across more than 20 countries, and it operates over 20 committees – including a Vision Committee, a Motion Imaging Technology Council (MITC), and an Education & Outreach Committee – dedicated to advancing artistry, education, and innovation in the craft. Under Walker’s leadership, the ASC is expected to reinforce its focus on mentorship and technological collaboration while continuing to expand opportunities for underrepresented voices in the industry.

Cinematography and its AI challenge ahead

While this commitment to representation clearly involves including a diverse range of people as cinematographers, it can also be understood as a push to ensure human vision itself is represented within AI-driven production pipelines.

Walker’s presidency begins just as generative-video AI systems – most recently and impressively, Google’s Veo 3 – promise to create high-resolution, cinematic footage from simple text prompts. While the technology excites advertisers and experimenters, many cinematographers fear it could displace skilled image-makers or erode authorship standards. Walker and the ASC’s MITC now face the task of guiding members through this fast-shifting landscape: setting ethical baselines, defining human vs. algorithm credit, and exploring ways DPs can harness AI tools without losing creative control.

Mandy Walker broke the glass ceiling …

Walker’s groundbreaking election as ASC president is being hailed as a watershed moment for the cinematography community, marking “a pivotal shift in the traditionally male-dominated world of cinematography” and reinforcing the ASC’s commitment to inclusivity and artistic growth. It highlights how far the industry has come in elevating diverse creative voices – and how much further it aims to go.

… with a long way to go: only 8% of ASC members are female

I ran the math through the ASC’s member list, and if I am not mistaken, only 38 of the 471 regular members seem to be female, which is just over 8% of all members. A long way to go for the ASC – and many other cinematographers’ associations around the world, for that matter.

With her proven experience and international perspective, Walker is viewed as well-positioned to guide the ASC through its next chapter. As the Society continues to expand its global reach and educational initiatives, her leadership is seen as a “meaningful step forward” that balances the ASC’s storied traditions with a more open, collaborative, and forward-thinking future for filmmaking.

Learning from ASC masters — courses you can stream today

Education sits at the heart of the ASC’s mission, and several veteran members currently share their expertise on our filmmaking platform MZed. We always love to cooperate with the brilliant minds that are part of the ASC and will continue to do so in the future.

Here are some examples:

• “Lighting People – On Location” with Stephen Lighthill, ASC & Paul Atkins, ASC — a four-hour, documentary-style lighting workshop.
• “Large-Format Cinematography with James Laxton, ASC” — the Moonlight DP’s ARRI Academy masterclass on emotional storytelling with large-sensor cameras.
• Julio Macat, ASC’s “Christmas Master Class” — the Home Alone veteran’s set-based session on lighting, camera movement, and crew workflow.
• Wildlife Cinematography Workshop with Stephen Lighthill, ASC & Paul Atkins, ASC — be embedded in a wildlife filmmaking masterclass by cinematographers who’ve shot countless natural history masterpieces like Planet Earth and second unit on Tree of Life and The Revenant, like Paul.

These courses put ASC know-how a click away and underline Walker’s own call to nurture the next generation.

We will never know, but what kind of discussions within the ASC do you think ended up making Mandy Walker the ASC President? Let us know in the comments below.