Class Clown

Eythan Maidhof is a nonbinary cinematographer from Long Island, NY, known for crafting visually bold and emotionally resonant stories. Their work spans narrative, documentary and fashion, with a distinct emphasis on character-driven storytelling.

Eythan’s cinematography includes Tacocunr, premiering at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival; Allen Anders: Live at the Comedy Castle (SXSW, 2018); and the acclaimed feature documentary Invisible: Gay Women in Southern Music, which won Audience Awards at both NewFest and Frameline 45 in 2021.

They began their career as a colorist and editor at Ogilvy & Mather before transitioning to film in 2013. A graduate of the American Film Institute (AFI Class of 2021), Eythan is a resident Director of Photography for AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women+ and is affiliated with IATSE Local 600, the Society of Camera Operators, BAFTA Connect and the 2024 ASC Mentorship Program. They are represented globally by The Gersh Agency.

Eythan’s recent film Class Clown explores adolescence, identity and vulnerability, set during the week of Kurt Cobain’s death. Shot in black and white on the ALEXA 35 with a Tiffen #47B filter, the cinematography reveals the raw physicality of teenage self-consciousness. With the support of mentor Ronald Engvaldsen of Birns and Sawyer, Eythan collaborated closely with Hair and Makeup to embrace, rather than hide, each actor’s blemishes – evoking the hyper-awareness of youth.

Eythan brings a wry sensibility and deep empathy to their work. Their visual approach is grounded in realism, punctuated by stylistic flourishes that elevate the emotional and atmospheric tone of each story. They are drawn to grounded characters living in heightened worlds – stories that reflect life, with all its contradictions and beauty.