The American Society of Cinematographers has announced the fall launch of its inaugural ASC Master Class, the first in a series of quarterly, week-long seminars taught by the organization’s most accomplished members. This intensive, five-day seminar, which hopes to be the premier educational opportunity of its kind, will take place from Oct. 21-25.
“The ASC Master Class offers an unprecedented opportunity to get direct, hands-on instruction from the best cinematographers in the world,” ASC president Richard Crudo said. “Classes will be based at our historic Clubhouse in Hollywood, and will be augmented by field trips to nearby state-of-the-art facilities. No one else can give such access to the range of knowledge and experience that resides under our roof.”
The program’s advisor is renowned cinematographer and ASC lifetime achievement award recipient Stephen H. Burum, ASC, whose résumé includes an ASC Award and an Academy Award nomination for Hoffa; ASC award nominations for The War of the Roses and The Untouchables, a shared Emmy Award for the acclaimed television series Cosmos, and a string of other memorable features, including Mission: Impossible, Carlito’s Way, Casualties of War, St. Elmo’s Fire, Body Double, Uncommon Valor, The Outsiders and Rumble Fish.
An impressive list of ASC members has already committed to serving as faculty, including John Bailey, Dion Beebe, Don Burgess, Russell Carpenter, Caleb Deschanel, Robert Elswit, Anna Foerster, Darius Khondji, Emmanuel Lubezki, Matthew Libatique, John Schwartzman, Dante Spinotti, John Toll, Mandy Walker and Dariusz Wolski.
To encourage intensive learning and close contact with ASC instructors, the size of each Master Class will be limited to 20 students. According to Burum, the seminars and screenings will help students unlock many hidden motion-picture techniques. “Just as students of painting study the brushstrokes of the masters, we too can discover the secrets of cinematography that convey both story and emotion,” he said. “The use of composition, camera movement, light, shadow and color are all there for the serious student to behold.”
