In this feature, we are showcasing the amazing Shana Hagan, ASC. Shana has been a friend and mentor for 18 years. I met her at a Camera Women of the Apocalypse get-together in Los Angeles. She was hilarious and talked about everything except herself or her Oscar-winning work. Curious about who she was, I did a search of her documentary work and had what I called a “Shana Hagan Film Festival.” Each documentary was incredibly interesting, and I watched them all over a weekend. Shana’s ability to choose compelling stories and connect with them in a way that resonates with the viewer is truly rare. Because of this connection, it is not surprising that Breathing Lessons won an Oscar and Walk Run Cha-Cha was nominated for another one. Eighteen years later, a “Shana Hagan Film Festival” is even better than ever, featuring early films like Shakespeare Behind Bars, The Innocence Project, and The Queen of Versailles, as well as more recent features such as Generation Wealth, The Kingmaker, and The Conductor.

As Shana’s career has grown, so has her list of narrative projects. I had the pleasure of shooting with her on the series Welcome to Flatch, where I discovered that Shana is a rare mixture of an exacting boss and a kind mentor. She also served as the Director of Photography for a series I love, Somebody Somewhere on HBO, which has been awarded multiple Peabody Awards.