As Director of Photography and Lighting Designer, among other roles, Donald (Don) A. Morgan\u2019s artistic vision, lighting design and technical skills have made a mark on the last 35 years of American television. From starting out as a lighting engineer on hit \u201870s series like Maude, One Day at a Time, and to becoming lighting director and director of photography on Good Times, The Jeffersons, Three\u2019s Company, Silver Spoons, Gloria, The Facts of Life, Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Wife and Kids, Girlfriends, Malibu Country\u201d and \u201cLast Man Standing\u201d (to name a few), Don has broken barriers in the industry and opened the door for many behind him to follow. As one of the first African American lighting directors at a major network in the early \u201880s to disregarding the industry\u2019s limited view of television cinematographers and successfully shooting film and awards\/variety show projects, Don has shot four to five pilots annually for 20+ years and over 1,500 television episodes. He\u2019s shaped a majority of both the popular television series Generation X grew up with and today\u2019s hit shows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1985, Don was awarded 11 Emmy wins including one for the Pilot\/series shared with George Spiro Debie, ASC \u201c Mr. Belvedere\u201d first Emmy Award, for outstanding lighting design in a nighttime series. Don went on to earn another Eight Emmy Awards for his work on Home Improvement and Three for the Netflix series The Ranch He\u2019s also been nominated by his peers at the Television Academy 23 Emmys for his work on Girlfriends, Baghdad Caf\u00e9, Saved By the Bell and Home Improvement and \u201cThe Ranch\u201d. The Conners, The Upshaws, to name a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not allowing the industry stereotype of \u201ctelevision cinematographers\u201d only being valuable in television to narrow his opportunities, Don\u2019s portfolio also includes shooting the annual two-hour, live NAACP IMAGE Awards program at the Kodak, The Shrine, Dorthy Chandler Theatres every year between 2001-2011, variety shows, MTV productions, and feature films he takes on during the summers. He has traveled the world for Sony International Pictures to consult on high-definition TV; and he was also the first to do a four-camera Hi Def sitcom. His most recent film projects include the narrative short film Lopez and Lopez for NBC, and The Conners ABC <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don consistently pushes the envelope of foot candles in this medium. Prompting lens and filter companies to evolve to accommodate lower levels of light which allows for atmospheric looks in four camera settings. Morgan\u2019s lighting innovation \u2019bounce front fill\u2019 has become an industry standard. That type of light has become de rigueur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2020 Don was honored with the ASC Career Achievement in Television Award and in 2022 was Inducted into The Television Academy\u2019s Hall of Fame. He is currently co-chairman of the DEI committee for Local 600, International Cinematographers Guild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n