Jac Cheairs is an award-winning American cinematographer, Second Unit DP/Director and Local 600 Camera Operator based in Hollywood. His Second Unit DP/Director credits earned him membership in the Directors Guild of America, with projects spanning narrative, commercial and branded production.
His work has screened internationally at Cannes Court Métrage, Sitges, Montclair Film Festival and EnergaCAMERIMAGE. In 2022, Cheairs received the International Cinematographers Guild Emerging Cinematographer Award, followed by nearly $100,000 in filmmaking grants from Panavision and Chapman/Leonard to support his next feature film — support previously awarded to films including Requiem for a Dream and Napoleon Dynamite.
His commercial work has earned a Webby People’s Voice Award for Diversity & Inclusion and a Regional Gold ADDY for UPS’s Free Mom Hugs, along with recognition from The Fifty.
Cheairs has worked alongside filmmakers including Rodrigo Prieto, Peter Lindbergh and John Singleton, and has photographed or collaborated on projects featuring Beyoncé, Robert De Niro, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp, Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, Serena Williams, Charlize Theron, Adam Driver, Alicia Keys, Idris Elba, Sydney Sweeney, Steve Martin, Zoë Kravitz, Megan Thee Stallion and many others.
His client work spans fashion, entertainment, automotive and technology, including Nike, Tiffany & Co., Dior, Toyota, Samsung, Netflix, Amazon, Kaiser Permanente, Chase, ESPN, IBM, Tommy Hilfiger, The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Cosmopolitan.
Beyond the set, Cheairs has taught advanced cinematography at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and served as a guest artist at CSU Fresno’s Summer Arts program, teaching cinematography and virtual production with Unreal Engine.
Originally from Wheaton, Illinois, Cheairs earned a merit scholarship to Millikin University, graduating in 2002. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America, International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 and Society of Camera Operators.
