Feature

My ASC Master Class: Sara Garth

Program participants discuss the impact of attending this intensive five-day program in the art and science of cinematography.

ASC Staff

Program participants discuss the impact of attending this intensive five-day program in the art and science of cinematography.

Photos by Nick Mahar


Sara Garth (right) at the ASC Clubhouse during her Master Class session, held June 18–22, 2018.

“What I gained from the Master Class was the same thing that I ended up getting from college, which was confidence. I am very school oriented. I was always good at school. I’m a great test-taker. But that doesn’t matter in real life. What does is having the balls to say, ‘Yeah, I am good at my job and I will be an asset to your production and I can achieve these things.’ That’s how I felt when I graduated from school, and I had not been feeling that in my life or in my work, so I decided to do the ASC Master Class in the hopes that it would reinforce what I knew, set me on a path to learning bigger and better things, but then also make me feel like I have the right to say I’m a cinematographer. And it’s been awesome. It’s done all of those things. And I came home yesterday, and my husband was like, ‘You’re different since taking this class.’ And I’m like, ‘Goddamn right I am! Let’s go make a movie!’


Garth speaks with ASC instructor Stephen H. Burum during a lesson at the Mole Stages.

“The most surprising thing I learned was the car stuff — the Bill Bennett [ASC] stuff. I’ve worked with cars on a very basic level, and I’ve seen other people work with cars on a basic level, and there’s always issues. There’s always hot spots. You always see the lamps. And the people never want that. And you don’t know what to do. And now I do! 


Bennet during his Master Class lesson at the Mole Stages.

“The most important thing I’ve learned is that everything I thought was true. There is no right way to do this. Not everyone is going to like your work. But somebody else is. You will always be behind the learning curve. And that’s okay as long as you know how to build a team and take the initiative to ride the wave. Sara Garth


You’ll find Garth’s personal site here.


Garth sits in front of Bennet (center with car) with her assembled June session class.

Garth (fifth from left) was one of five female students to attend this Master Class session. The others were (from left) Suelen Romani, Veronica Bouza, Melissa Kirchhoff and Sophie Cuadra. ASC members who served as instructors in the June session included (from far left) Bennet, Burum, Ueli Steiger, Don McCuaig, Rodney Charters and Curtis Clark, among others.

Click here for complete course details for the ASC Master Class sessions coming up on September 17–21 and October 22–26. Register now here.


Garth was presented with her completion certificate at the Clubhouse by ASC instructors Burum and Steiger.




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