Ava Berkofsky

Ava Berkofsky is an American cinematographer and director. They are best known for their work on Insecure, for which they were nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. Berkofsky has been noted for their skill in lighting brown skin on camera.

Career Berkofsky was the director of photography for the films Free In Deed (2016) and the Starz series Vida.

Berkofsky was the principal cinematographer for HBO's Insecure from seasons two through five. They collaborated with executive producer Melina Matsoukas to develop the show's distinct visual style, which has some unique variation each season. The style frequently includes "short-siding characters and giving them lots of headroom to trap them in unbalanced frames." They also paid particular attention to framing to shoot Insecure.

They have been hailed for their uncommon skill in lighting the brown skin of Insecure's principal cast members. Berkofsky, who did not receive formal training on lighting non-white people in film school, uses techniques to control the levels of light throughout the shoot with tools such as LED-filled Litemats, glossy makeup on the actors, and a filter called a polarizer. The cinematography of Insecure 's fifth season was reviewed by Vulture's Angelica Jade Bastién as "visually...a feast. Its graceful, sloping camerawork delights...The color scheme of cool blues, warm amber, and deep green enlivens the frame. Mirrors hold possibilities for your past to reach out to your present."

Berkofsky also directed one episode in each of the final two seasons of the show.

They are the cinematographer for the Apple TV+ film The Sky is Everywhere.

Personal life Berkofsky was born in Wales, United Kingdom and was raised in California, spending part of their childhood in Los Angeles before later moving north.

Berkofsky is queer. They are nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. 2015 Free in Deed 2017–2021 Insecure Short film 2019 Vida Short film 2019 Share 2020 Woke 1 episode 2022 The Sky Is Everywhere 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) Insecure (for "Reunited, Okay?!")