Cinematography Showcase Cinematographers 2024
Meet the 2024 AFI Conservatory Cinematography Graduates
The AFI Conservatory presents a showcase of the extraordinary visual storytelling talent’s of this year’s Cinematography class. Click on a fellow headshot to see their bio and contact information.
www.genevieveagar.com | genevieveagar@gmail.com | IG: @genevieveagar | 913.680.7427
Alexandra Geneviève Agar started her career as a camera assistant in Miami on commercials and music videos. After relocating to Los Angeles in 2020, she has worked as a camera operator for Showtime, Hulu and HBO documentary series. When she’s not on set, you can find her growing native milkweed plants or roller-skating along the LA River.
Alexandra Geneviève Agar
www.arianodp.com | arianofilms@gmail.com | IG: @arianorocco | 818.571.0383
Ariano Treviño Angelone is an LA-based cinematographer who has been recognized globally for his work. Most recently he has been nominated for back-to-back ASC Heritage Awards and a Golden Tadpole at EnergaCAMERIMAGE, and has shot films that have won DGA Awards as well as being recognized by the Academy and yugoBAFTA. He loves telling stories more than anything else and tries to bring his passion for narrative work into the commercials and music videos he shoots. Angelone is a recent graduate of the AFI Conservatory cinematography program and is excited to continue to work and forge new relationships.
Ariano Treviño Angelone
www.jessicaarzate.com | jessicaarzate11@gmail.com | IG: @jessicaarzate | 323.633.1211
Jessica Arzate is a Mexican cinematographer currently based in Los Angeles. She believes that authenticity and empathy are crucial to storytelling. Over the last decade, Jessica moved up the ranks by crewing as a camera assistant and camera operator. Her work as a cinematographer includes narrative shorts, documentaries and commercials throughout Mexico, Spain, Japan, India and the U.S. In 2023, she received an artist grant from the California Arts Council and was chosen as one of four cinematographers to participate in Issa Rae’s “Find Your People” program in 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Philosophy from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. While not busy on set, she enjoys going to the beach and hiking around LA.
Jessica Arzate
www.mrorigin.net | Mrorigin.jb@mrorigin.net | IG: @Mrorigin | 608.381.8186
Jordan Biagomala was born in Sarah Chad, Africa. At a young age, he was adopted and traveled the globe (Ivory Coast, Denmark, New York and Washington, DC) with his adoptive family before becoming a resident of Monona, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Madison Media Institute with an associate’s degree in entertainment media business and earned a bachelor’s in film and an MFA in Cinematography. He is based in Los Angeles, California. He began his passion with cameras filming skate videos. After entering college and focusing on film, Jordan began doing work for a variety of clients including artists, business and organizations, and pursuing his passion in film while winning awards for his work. When not behind a camera he enjoys studying art, soccer, books about drifters and songs about the same.
Jordan Biagomala
www.donijahcollier.com/ | donijah.collier@gmail.com | IG: @donijahcollier | 203.850.0415
Donijah Collier is from New Haven, Connecticut. They obtained their Bachelor of Arts degree in cinema arts and science with a concentration in cinematography from Columbia College Chicago and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Cinematography from the AFI Conservatory. Collier aspires to tell diverse new narratives that influence and impact our society through visual storytelling. Collier has completed his AFI thesis film, INSTINCT, and FLOW, a 2nd year AFI visual essay. Both films will soon have their festival run.
Donijah Collier
www.elicooperfilm.com/ | eliGcooper@gmail.com | IG: @elicooperfilm | 612.385.0580
Eli Cooper is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, he grew up surrounded by free spirits, delicious food and a tight-knit community. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in cinematography at Columbia College Chicago. After graduating from Columbia, he moved to Los Angeles. With experience in 16mm, 35mm and digital formats, Cooper utilizes his knowledge to take creative liberties in a wide variety of genres. He strives to create thought-provoking and inspirational work that generates a conversation to challenge the status quo.
Eli Cooper
simongulergun.cargo.site | sgulergun@afi.edu | IG: @simongulergun | 914.471.5933
Simon Gulergun is a New York-born, LA-based cinematographer. Recently, he lensed Sharon Lockhart’s latest film EVENTIDE, which has screened in New York, Los Angeles and Vienna. This year, his shorts have screened at Slamdance, BFI London and Cannes Marché du Film. Simon has worked with artists such as Stanya Kahn, Don Bachardy, Azadai Navai, Awolnation and more. He served as Head of Digital Content at LA Dance Project and teaches 16mm and 35mm film workshops with Mono No Aware in Brooklyn. Simon has a BFA in film/video from CalArts and is completing his MFA in Cinematography at the AFI Conservatory.
Simon Gulergun
www.hex.video | jess@hex.video | IG: @hex.video | 310.993.1176
Jessica Hayes is keenly interested in bringing communities together as well as creating visual stories that are experimental and sensational. Being technically curious has led her to continuously incorporate new technology in her practice. She is the founder of HEX.VIDEO, a female-driven production company, and her narrative and documentary work has been shown at various film festivals around the world.
Jess Hayes
www.allysalisbon.com | allysalisbon@gmail.com | IG: @allysagram | 816.785.8887
Allysa Lisbon is a cinematographer focused on using her lens to show audiences the world in a dynamic way. Drawing from her own Black, queer Midwestern experience, she aims to explore ideas of memory, complexities of the Black diaspora and gender/sexuality. She is inspired by Black radical artists of the past, present and future. Allysa grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in American studies and film and media studies. A passion for movement work, photography and documentary storytelling led her to begin capturing activist movements in Washington, DC. There, Allysa developed her craft through narrative, documentary, and music video projects focused on celebrating Black life and culture. After relocating to Los Angeles, she continued to DP while refining her skills as a camera assistant and released her first award-winning narrative short, THE KNOW. Her cinematography has been featured in the Washington Post, Smithsonian Institution Museum and on Hulu, and has won awards at various film festivals. Allysa is passionate about images and excited by the challenge to give powerful visual language to nuanced stories.
Allysa Lisbon
www.chrisllerins.com | chrisllerins@gmail.com | IG: @chrisllerins | 786.630.3024
Chris Llerins is a cinematographer from Barcelona, Spain, currently based in Los Angeles. She specializes in narrative and documentary filmmaking, drawing significant influence from European cinema. Her work has been showcased at festivals such as the Vancouver International Film Festival, Venice Shorts and Independent Shorts. She is currently engaged in several documentary projects across the United States.
Chris Llerins
www.elizabethmealey.com | emeale01@gmail.com | IG: @elizabethmealey | 413.992.8997
Liz Mealey is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. She is especially drawn to stories that uplift underrepresented voices and shift perception, and delights in collaborations that prioritize the value of people and human connection both in front of and behind the camera. Mealey earned her B.A. in anthropology from Tufts University where she focused on human rights and resistance to state power in cultural context. At Tufts, she was also mentored by VII Photo Agency co-founder Gary Knight through the Program for Narrative and Documentary Practice. Through the program, she produced photo essays on youth culture in Myanmar, and access to opioid pain medication for palliative care in Kenya. After undergrad, Mealey moved to Brooklyn, New York, to pursue a freelance career as a cameraperson, shooting both stills and moving images until her addiction to being on set prompted her to pursue cinematography in-depth. Liz lensed her first two features – MORE THAN ACADEMICS, a documentary following an innovative English teacher in Harlem, and BROKE BOI, a love letter to Brooklyn underground culture and the power of friendship ¬– before being accepted into the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, where she earned her MFA in Cinematography in 2024.
Liz Mealey
www.zachmorrison2go.com | zmorrison94@gmail.com | IG: @zachmorrison2go | 214.738.7592
Zach Morrison is a cinematographer currently based in Los Angeles, Texas native (Austin), and Hawaiian shirt enthusiast. Zach loves to chase a good story and has found himself hiking 3D cameras through the White Sands desert with only moonlight to illuminate the path, loading 16mm in the trunk of a car to be ready for the perfect sunset, and teaching free film workshops to hundreds of people across the country. His work has played festivals such as SXSW, New Orleans Film Festival, and Inside Out Toronto. Projects he has shot have premiered on HBO, been selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick, and been selected by Short of the Week. In 2019 he co-founded Austin Cinematography Group along with Peter Simonite, ASC. As an organization, they aim to provide free education and training for those interested in the cinematic arts throughout Texas.
Zach Morrison
www.brookemuellercinematography.com | brookemueller19@yahoo.com | IG: brooke_muellerrrr | 612.968.0817
Brooke Mueller is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota where she was a Division 1 college softball player. Being a competitive athlete taught her a discipline and drive that she has brought with her to her career as a cinematographer. She is a Local 600 camera operator with a passion for crafting compelling visuals. Brooke’s journey in cinematography has included a diverse range of experience across both camera and lighting departments. Brooke gained recognition for her work as the cinematographer of the feature film EVAN WOOD, which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She looks forward to collaborating with fellow storytellers to create impactful visual narratives.
Brooke Mueller
www.uditnijhawan.com | unijhawan@afi.edu | IG: @nijhawanudit | 323.542.6317
Udit Nijhawan’s journey in visual storytelling took root during his years at Sherwood College, India – a boarding school nestled in the Himalayas. He further honed his skills by majoring in Communication Design with a focus on film. Nijhawan has lent his cinematographic talents to various films, including camera operating on the critically acclaimed documentary THE PRICE OF FREE, which won the 2018 Sundance Grand Jury Prize. His independent short film THE HIDDEN SKIN received recognition on the international festival circuit, screening at the London Film Festival and DIFF in 2014. Nijhawan showcased his directorial and cinematographic abilities with the short I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, which earned him the Best Director honor at the Lee Strasberg Film Festival. With a repertoire that spans diverse genres and formats, Nijhawan continues to explore new avenues of visual expression after graduating from the prestigious AFI Conservatory with an MFA in Cinematography in 2024, leaving an indelible mark on the storytelling landscape.
Udit Nijhawan
www.jodisavitz.com | Jodi@JodiSavitz.com | IG: @JodiSavitzDP | 954.415.1736
Jodi Savitz is a multifaceted cinematographer, a closeted Floridian and a New Yorker at heart. Having earned her B.A. in theater and gender studies from Northwestern University, Savitz embarked on an early career transition from acting to documentary filmmaking where she found herself drawn to telling stories with political, religious and LGBTQ themes. Gravitating toward the camera, Savitz found her calling in cinematography – which ultimately led her to pursue a master’s degree at the AFI Conservatory in 2022. A passionate Scorpio in every way, she brings a blend of creativity, ingenuity and spirit to her work, and hopes to not only push boundaries, but also inspire others through her craft. Savitz is a two-time recipient of the Perenchio Foundation Scholarship, awarded through AFI, and the International Cinematographer’s Guild Scholarship (ICG Fund). She is a proud union member of IATSE Local 600, the SOC (Society of Camera Operators) and SAG-AFTRA. Embracing the bicoastal life, she is available to work in Los Angeles, New York and likewise aims to take on projects internationally.
Jodi Savitz
www.kevinshanmugam.com | contact@kevinshanmugam.com | IG: @kevinshanmugam | 858.232.7940
Kevin Shiva Shanmugam is a Swedish-Indian cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He has spent the last 8 years as a freelance cinematographer, working on film projects spanning from luxury real estate and commercials to documentaries and short films. Born and raised in Enköping, Sweden, Shanmugam moved to San Diego when he was 7. He spent many years alongside his friend making Lego movies, short films and music videos until he finally decided to pursue a career in the film industry, leading him to earn his bachelor’s degree in Television, Film, and New Media from San Diego State University. Thereafter, he moved to Los Angeles to continue his journey and worked under industry cinematographers, notably Russell Carpenter, ASC, and Larkin Seiple. Shanmugam has spent the last two years honing his visual storytelling acuity and is set to graduate in 2024 with an MFA in Cinematography from the AFI Conservatory.
Kevin Shiva Shanmugam
www.timothyshindp.com | tshin@afi.edu | IG: @ishindig | 360.593.3595
My life is faith-driven. As a kid, I lived inside of a church. When I would wake up to the light streaming into the chapel, I didn’t know then that I’d pursue sharing that Light for the rest of my life. Currently living in LA, I frequently go back home to Brooklyn, New York. My journey started over a decade ago working in the equipment room at MILK Studios NY, to being a first photo assistant to world-renowned photographers, to being a gaffer, and eventually becoming a DP. Raised in a small town in Washington state, my family was the only Korean American family in town. We lived in government housing, motels and a church, which inspired me to dedicate myself to telling stories that highlight the marginalized. My life’s mission is to serve as cinematographer, each soul next to me, at any given time. I relentlessly love and have faith in the filmmaking community and hope to have a positive impact on culture.
Timothy Young Shin
www.nevoshirazi.com | nevoshirazi@gmail.com | IG: @nevo_shirazi | 310.866.3070
Nevo Shirazi is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He majored in filmmaking at Sam Spiegel Film School and began his career as a camera operator on the acclaimed TV Series DISMISSED (Kan 11) and NORMAL (Netflix). Nevo worked as a cinematographer on many successful short films featured in renowned festivals such as the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival and PÖFF Tallinn Black Nights. He earned his master’s in Cinematography from the American Film Institute, where he shot his thesis film, FOWL PLAY, and filmed two 35mm shorts that were selected to screen at the AFI Visual Essay Showcase. Nevo recently shot his debut feature film.
Nevo Shirazi
www.quinnthomashow.com | quinn.c.thomashow@gmail.com | IG: @quinnthomashow | 802.522.5915
Quinn Thomashow is a Vermont native and a cinematography graduate of the Class of 2024 at the AFI Conservatory. Before AFI she specialized in experimental filmmaking. With awards for her exceptional work on projects like INVENTOR CRAZYBRAINS and the GIRL CALLED BIRD, she combines her expertise in cinematography and experimental techniques to create captivating narratives. Quinn’s passion for community and environmental advocacy shines through her filmmaking, influenced by her upbringing on a Vermont farm. She taught cameraless filmmaking techniques nationwide, culminating in a collective film project. Now based in Los Angeles, Quinn is excited to continue to learn and grow as a cinematographer.
Quinn Thomashow
www.ioanavasile.com | ioana13ster@gmail.com | IG: @ioana13ster | 323.872.7315
Ioana Vasile was born in Romania and grew up in Canada after her family emigrated as refugees. There she discovered a passion for the visual arts, painting and sculpture, and eventually cinematography. After moving to Los Angeles and working in the industry for a few years, she decided to further develop her skill by pursuing an MFA in Cinematography at the AFI Conservatory.
She has shot a wide range of projects from music videos and commercials to narrative films and has coordinated multi- and single-camera shows. Her most recent feature THE DEAD THING, directed by Elric Kane, will be premiering at the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Ioana has worked with emerging and established artists and enjoys shooting unconventional projects as much as highly polished shows. Her ability to manage a strong crew allows her to work efficiently and creatively to deliver a director’s vision. When she’s not shooting, she’s catching up on films, doing yoga and spending time with her kids.
Ioana Vasile
www.madsfridolin.com | mail@madsfridolin.com | IG: @madsfridolin | 747.758.1961
Mads Fridolin Vejlby is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles and Copenhagen. He graduated from the Danish School of Media and Journalism with a Bachelor of Arts in TV and Media Production. He also studied in Sydney and worked on a variety of television productions in more than 20 countries. Mads has attended Copenhagen Film and Photo School and the Danish School of Art Photography Fatamorgana. Mads has worked on many productions for The Danish Broadcasting Corporation and has also shot a long list of short films, music videos and some commercials. Mads likes to work as a cinematographer on films that focus on social matters and shed light on parts of society that often are overlooked in the mainstream media. Mads served as cinematographer on the short MUSIC FOR FLYING CARS which screened at several international festivals including the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. Besides his passion for filmmaking, Mads is a fierce badminton player.
Mads Fridolin Vejlby
www.puyuwang.work | brucewang1582@gmail.com | IG: @bruce_wang_lee | 929.329.5309
Puyu Wang is a director and cinematographer known for his captivating visual storytelling and unique perspective. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the School of Visual Arts (New York) and pursued his graduate studies at the AFI Conservatory in the United States. With a background in cinematography, Puyu entered the industry and began his career by working on various short films. Puyu’s work has garnered recognition at several esteemed film festivals. His film BITA JOON was selected for the Palm Springs International ShortFest and ORNITHOPHOBIA was an official selection at the FIRST International Film Festival. Furthermore, his music video DINGTAIFENG received recognition at the Hi Shorts Film Festival. In addition to his achievements, the film that he was in as DP, IT IS NOT SPRING, UNTIL ALL FLOWERS BLOSSOM, received the accolade for Best Styling and earned two nominations in the categories of Best Photography and Best New Fashion Film.
Bruce (Puyu) Wang
www.samdavidzhang.com | samdavidzhangdp@gmail.com | IG: @samdavidzhang | 732.742.7020
Sam David Zhang grew up in the great state of New Jersey. He initially studied electrical engineering during college, but pursued film in one of the best decisions of his life. He soon fell in love with the camera department and lighting. He spent four years cutting his teeth in New York’s independent film scene before continuing his journey at the AFI Conservatory. Sam’s favorite snack at craft services is cheese, and his favorite thing to do for fun is sing karaoke.
Sam David Zhang
