(left) Photo from One Battle After Another courtesy of Warner Brothers Studio. (right) Camera Operator Mark Goellnicht, SOC, ACO working onset for The Studio. Photo courtesy of Apple

Society of Camera Operators Announces Camera Operators of the Year in Film and Television

The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) proudly announced the recipients of the 2026 Camera Operator of the Year Awards in Film and Television during its annual SOC Awards celebration on Saturday, March 7, 2026. This year’s ceremony was presented via live stream, with in-person Watch Parties hosted simultaneously in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta, bringing together camera professionals across the country to celebrate the craft of camera operation.

The recipient of Camera Operator of the Year in Film is Colin Anderson, SOC – One Battle After Another. Camera Operator of the Year in Television is Mark Goellnicht, SOC, ACO – The Studio, S1E2 “The Oner”.

The SOC’s President’s Award was presented to Nick Phillips, inventor and founder of Libra Head, whose groundbreaking stabilization technology has become one of the most relied-upon tools in modern image-making. Phillips accepted the honor via live stream from Cape Town, South Africa, joining the global camera community in celebration.

The SOC also presented its Technical Achievement Award, honoring SONY’s Rialto Mini (VENICE Extension System Mini) for innovation that advances the art and craft of camera operation.

Society of Camera Operators Announce the Camera Operator of the Year Film and Television Nominees

The prestigious Society of Camera Operators (SOC) is pleased to announce the nominees for the Camera Operator of the Year awards for the Film and Television categories. Recipients will be honored during the annual SOC Awards ceremony during a live stream on Saturday, March 7, 2026, with in-person Watch Parties hosted in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta.

The SOC congratulates this year’s nominees:

Camera Operator of the Year – Film:

• F1 – Lukasz Bielan with Natasha Mullan, “B” Camera Operator 
• Frankenstein – Gilles Corbeil, SOC with James Frater, SOC, “B” Camera Operator/Steadicam 
• Marty Supreme – Colin Anderson, SOC with Brian Osmond, SOC, “B” Camera Operator 
• One Battle After Another – Colin Anderson, SOC 
• Weapons – Michael Fuchs, SOC with Kate Roberson, “B” Camera Operator, and Connor O’Brien, SOC, “C” Camera Operator 

Camera Operator of the Year – Television:

• Étoile, S1E1 “The Swap” – Jim McConkey, SOC with Fanny Coustenoble, “B” Camera Operator, and Niknaz Tavakolian, “B” Camera Operator 
• The Pitt, S1E12 “6:00 P.M.” – Erdem Ertal, SOC with Aymae Sulick, SOC, “B” Camera Operator 
• Severance, S2E7 “Chikhai Bardo” – Scott Maguire with Mark Schmidt, SOC, “B” Camera Operator 
• Stranger Things, S5E4 “Chapter Four: Sorcerer” – Nick Müller, SOC with Nick Medrud, “B” Camera Operator 
• The Studio, S1E2 “The Oner” – Mark Goellnicht, SOC, ACO 

Voting is open to the SOC voting membership on Thursday, February 5, 2026.