Cynthia Pusheck (born 1964) is an American film and television cinematographer. She co-founded and co-chairs the ASC Vision committee that supports people from under-represented groups who hope to build a career in cinematography.[1][2] She was the first woman to serve as Vice-President of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).[2]
Cynthia Pusheck was born in the Chicago area, and was raised in Rockford, Illinois.[3] She attended Columbia College Chicago before moving to Los Angeles.
As a camera assistant, Pusheck specialised in underwater cinematography under the guidance of Peter Romano. She worked on Free Willy, White Squall, Flipper, Waterworld, Alien Resurrection, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Baywatch and Sphere. She was the camera operator on the underwater sequences in Magnolia, Men of Honor, Tomorrow Never Dies and A Nightmare on Elm Street.[3]
She took a job as a camera operator on CSI:Miami in 2003, where she gained her first experience as a Director of Photography (DP) on the second unit.[3][1] Puskheck then studied cinematography at the American Film Institute for a year in order to improve her qualifications as a cinematographer.[3]
Pusheck has been DP on a range of television/streaming shows, most notably Brothers and Sisters, Revenge, Good Girls Revolt, Strange Angel, Sacred Lies, and The Bold Type.[1] She has also been DP on the independent feature film Loving Annabelle.[4]
Pusheck joined the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 2013,[3] and became the first woman to be elected Vice President in 2017.[5] She held the VP role until 2019.[6]
Pusheck received the Kodak Vision Award at the 2010 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards.[7][8]