Awards

The Australian Cinematographers Society Awards for Cinematography are open to all current financial members of the Society. Gold winners of State and Territory Awards automatically progress through to the National Awards for Cinematography.

Minari
Lachlan Milne

The Australian Cinematographers Society Awards for Cinematography are open to all current financial members of the Society. Gold winners of State and Territory Awards automatically progress through to the National Awards for Cinematography.

The Australian Cinematographers Society Awards for Cinematography are open to all current financial members of the Society.

The State & Territory Awards are held in October / November each year with Gold winners automatically progressing through to the National Awards for Cinematography. The National Awards include the announcement of Australian Cinematographer of the Year which is announced the following year. The recipient receives the coveted MILLI Award.

Direct entry is not possible into the National Awards, all entries must first go through the relevant State & Territory awards system.

Judging is by a panel of 5 Accredited ACS members in each host state.

Enter the awards »

Special Awards

The ACS also has a number of special awards that are presented at the National or State & Territory awards.

Special National Awards include:
▸The Ron Windon ACS Contribution Award for services to the ACS and the Australian Film Industry
▸The ACS Hall of Fame and Life Membership inductees
▸The NFSA – ACS John Leake OAM ACS Award for an Emerging Cinematographer
▸The Drew Llewelyn ACS Camerimage Scholarship
▸The Bob Miller – ACS Technical & Innovation Achievement Award.

ABOUT: The Bob Miller – ACS Technical & Innovation Achievement Award

Developed in honour and memory of the fluid head inventor Bob Miller.

This award presents the recipient with a $1,000 cash prize and a $2,000 Miller product prize and a framed certificate. The winner will also have his or her name engraved onto one of Miller’s LP ’54 Classic tripods, which will reside permanently on display at the ACS National Headquarters in Sydney, Australia. In honor of its 60th anniversary, Miller only produced 40 of these LP ’54 Classic tripods for worldwide distribution through donation. The LP ‘54s were built by hand, as they were when first introduced, from remaining components left after the last production run of the Light Professional (LP).

“The man who invented the fluid action head, Bob Miller prided himself on his abilities to develop ground-breaking solutions and to problem solve,” says Mark Clementson, Managing Director, Miller Camera Support Equipment. “Together with his father Eric, who patented the fluid head and provided necessary financial support, Bob revolutionised the film and television industry with his invention, allowing operators the freedom to shoot creatively and to achieve shots once deemed unobtainable. This prestigious, new award is a fitting tribute to the memory of Bob and a great reward for the recipient, who will have contributed to the advancement of technology in cinematography as Bob himself once did with his inventive camera support solutions.”

John Bowring ACS

In May 2011 the National Executive decided unanimously that the TV Station Breaks & Promos category would be named in the honour of John’s memory. To that end, this category is called the “John Bowring ACS TV Station Breaks & Promos Award”. The meeting felt this particular category, which John had won in the past, was an ideal one to carry his name into the future.

2021 Awards categories

Please read carefully as some categories have changed. View the Awards categories

The Milli Award

The Milli is awarded to the Australian Cinematographer of the Year and is the highest award an Australian Cinematographer can receive from the Australian Cinematographers Society.