Information about CML - Cinematography Mailing List

Of necessity our discussions are often of a technical nature but we never lose sight of the fact that we are “Guardians of the Image” and as cinematography standards are compromised with the introduction of equipment that makes it easy to get “average” results we try to hold on to a sense of discipline and quality. “Average” is not something we aspire to.

Participants in these discussions are Cinematographers and their crew as well as representatives of all the main manufacturing and rental companies involved in cinematography.

The key here is professional cinematography. CML was originally started by Geoff Boyle in 1996 so 60 cinematographers working in high end commercials, TV series, and movies could talk about issues that concerned them. We have since grown to a total membership of around 12,500. 42% come from the US; 10% from the UK; Russia, Canada, India, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and The Netherlands makes up another 23%; the balance is from 188 countries worldwide. We work extremely hard to make this list an international one and not one that focuses on local issues. Membership in India and China are the fastest growing at the moment.

CML depends on Sponsorship, Subscriptions, and Donations to survive: please help if you find CML useful.

To join the cinematography discussion list please click on the Discussions link in the menu at the top of the page. Beginners and non-cinematographers are welcome to read any list but we'd be grateful if they kept their questions to the mentor discussion list where cinematographers will answer questions as their schedule allows..

This link takes you to the best basic cinematography information collected here over 20 years

As an experiment these pages are also available as an ebook Timeless Cinematography Basics

This web site of edited pages (Reference link above), which are all available to non-members, was added in 1997, we now have over 2,000 pages of edited discussions between cinematographers, their crews and equipment and facility suppliers. The Discussion site has a current searchable archive of messages.

CML has won awards from SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) BKSTS (British Cinematography, Sound & Television Society) BSC (British Society of Cinematographers) ACS (Australian Cinematographers Society) for outstanding contribution to education in Cinematography.

Please read the guidance on posting before you post anything!

This site and the associated cinematography discussion lists are run and maintained by professional Cinematographers in their spare time. With Geoff stepping down in early 2021 CML is now run by...

Sir Franz Pagot AIC, Roberto Schaefer AIC ASC and Mark Weingartner ASC who are the main point of contact for sponsors and make the overall decisions on direction of CML.

Adam Wilt handles the maintenance of our web presence and in partnership with Mick van Rossum NSC is responsible for all equipment testing.

George Hupka is now our finance director.

Jessica Gallant continues as our West Coast moderator and is our contact with the indy film scene.

Manny Suys continues as our EU rep and moderator.

David Mullen ASC and Tim Sassoon are our advisors.

Mitch Gross, Danna Kinsky, David Mudre and Ashton Weiss are additional moderators.

Without their help CML could not survive as it is.

Shangara Singh, Martin Weiss, Steven Gladstone, Phillip Savoie & David Walpole were previous moderators.

We also have a "Grand Jury" of well known and respected DP's who are our independent adjudication and direction panel. :-)