2025 Video Coverage

SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS ANNOUNCES CAMERA OPERATORS OF THE YEAR IN FILM AND TELEVISION

Los Angeles, CA (February 15, 2025) — The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) has announced the recipients of Camera Operator of the Year in Film and Television during the 2025 SOC Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.

The recipient of Camera Operator of the Year in Film is P. Scott Sakamoto, SOC – A Complete Unknown.Camera Operator of the Year in Television recipients are Scott Dropkin, SOC – Yellowstone, S5E14 “Life is a Promise” with Abby Linne, SOC, “B” Camera Operator, and Jed Seus, “C” Camera Operator.

Scott Sakamoto, SOC topped a talented group of nominees including Bianca Butti – Challengers, with Terrence Hayes, “B” Camera Operator and Patrick Quinn, “C” Camera Operator; Michael Fuchs, SOC – Wolfs, with Rebecca Rajadnya, “B” Camera Operator (NY), and Keith Dunkerley, “B” Camera Operator (LA); Karsten Bloch Jacobsen, DFF – Wicked, with Simon Finney, GBCT, ACO, “B” Camera Operator; and David J. Thompson, SOC – Civil War, with Hugh Braselton, “B” Camera Operator.

Recipients of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Awards

James Ramos and John Schreiber President’s Award

Los Angeles County Fire Department – Air Operations Section Govenors Award

Bonnie Blake, SOC Camera Operator, Film & Television

Larry Heider Camera Operator, Broadcast & Live

John Armstrong Camera Operator, unscripted

Jamie Felz Camera Technician

Tim Christie Mobile Camera Platform Operator

Zade Rosenthal Still Photographer

NODO Film Systems Technical Achievement Award

2025 Camera Operators of the Year

NOMINEES for FILM:

Bianca Butti – Challengers, with Terrence Hayes, “B” Camera Operator and Patrick Quinn, “C” Camera Operator

Michael Fuchs, SOC – Wolfs, with Rebecca Rajadnya, “B” Camera Operator (NY), and Keith Dunkerley, “B” Camera Operator (LA)

Karsten Bloch Jacobsen, DFF – Wicked, with Simon Finney, GBCT, ACO, “B” Camera Operator

P. Scott Sakamoto, SOC – A Complete Unknown

David J. Thompson, SOC – Civil War, with Hugh Braselton, “B” Camera Operator

NOMINEES for TELEVISION:

Scott Dropkin, SOC – Yellowstone, S5E14 “Life is a Promise” with Abby Linne, SOC, “B” Camera Operator, and Jed Seus, “C” Camera Operator

Sam Ellison, SOC – The Penguin, S1E4 “Cent’Anni” with Eli Aronoff, SOC, “B” Camera Operator

Michael Fuchs, SOC – Mr. & Mrs. Smith, S1E1 “First Date” with Rebecca Rajadnya, “B” Camera Operator

Chris Haarhoff, SOC – Fallout, S1E1 “The End” with Robert Campbell, “B” Camera Operator

Gary Malouf – The Bear, S3E1 “Tomorrow” with Chris Dame, “B” Camera Operator

2025 Tribute Book

2025 Photo Gallery

Photos by John Vincent Vogt and Paul “Sal” Salazar