Cinematographers Guild Elects John Lindley Its National President (2025)

The Sum of All Fears and Pleasantville cinematographer John Lindley has been elected as the International Cinematographer Guild’s next national president, returning to a role he vacated in 2022.

With 1,482 votes, Lindley prevailed over sitting president and first camera assistant Baird B. Steptoe (who earned 591 votes) and cinematographer Dave Perkal (with 685 votes). Turnout for the election was 35.6 percent of eligible voters.

Lindley last served as the president of the union, which bargains on behalf of around 10,000 cinematographers, camera technicians and publicists, between 2020 and 2022. He chose not to run for re-election at the end of his first term and Steptoe was elected in his stead.

The union’s former national assistant secretary-treasurer Jamie Silverstein was elected national vice president after running unopposed. Four national executive officers for the union were re-elected, including Deborah Lipman as first national vice president, Mark Weingartner as second national vice president, Stephen Wong as as national secretary-treasurer and Betsy Peoples as national sergeant-at-arms. And Selene Preston was voted in as national assistant secretary-treasurer.

Each elected leader will serve a three-year term between June 2025 to June 2028. The election results remain provisional until the union’s national executive board accepts a report on the election at its June 21 meeting.

“This election marks the next chapter for our Guild, and I am confident that our newly-elected member leaders will bring the vision, experience, and unwavering commitment to guide Local 600 during these turbulent times,” the union’s national executive director, Alex Tonisson, said in a statement.