Upcoming Classes 2024
Oct. 21-25 (Shooting Film) | Nov. 2-3 (Online)
The American Society of Cinematographers’ in-person Master Class program is designed for cinematographers with an intermediate-to-advanced skill set. The program provides live demonstrations of lighting and camera techniques, instruction in current workflow practices and analysis of feature films. This five-day seminar is taught in Los Angeles by some of the finest directors of photography in the world.
Enrolling in the ASC Master Class will enable you to hone your craft while making valuable professional connections that can jump-start your career.
Prominent Society members and ASC associates serve as instructors, offering invaluable insights not only on the creative and technical aspects of the cinematographer’s profession, but on business-related topics as well.
Subjects and Activities May Include
• Five-day class including multiple interactive lighting demonstrations
• Engagement with ASC members, ASC associate members and sponsors
• Presentation of shooting in an LED volume
• Color-grading workshop at a post facility
• ASC cinematographers-turned-directors panel
• Panel discussions on career and agent issues
• Analysis of cinematography from notable films of the past
• Presentations about cameras, lenses, sensors and future technologies
Specialized Instruction
Curriculum in each class varies depending on the instructors’ area of expertise. Instruction might cover such subjects as lighting for narrative storytelling, the creative use of optics, or virtual cinematography, for example.
Unless otherwise noted, instruction takes place at the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood and at nearby production and postproduction facilities. All equipment is provided by major industry suppliers. All in-class transportation needs are also provided.
Enrollment in each ASC Master Class is limited to 30 participants. Applicants must submit a current résumé in order to be considered.
Here’s a full report on one of our recent classes as well as a another article on a session that focused on shooting motion-picture film.
Our May 2022 Master Class session was held in Hollywood and focused on lighting and virtual production.
What Are Attendees Saying About Their Experience?
“The class helped me think more critically and creatively about my work.”
“The interactions with ASC members were the most beneficial for me.
I learned more from one-on-one conversations with the members than I could have asked for.”
“The mix of technique, artistry, and point of view was well-balanced.
The level of information was also great for my background and experience.”
“The on-set lighting sessions were extremely valuable because they are the hardest pieces of information to come across on our own.”
“The lighting demonstrations of the individual instructors were the most valuable part because they’re each so unique in their approach.”
“The classes addressed very advanced topics and contained demos where the details were very much in-depth.
You can’t just watch a YouTube video about these subjects to get this much information.”
Upcoming ASC Master Class Sessions
October 21-25, 2024 (Special Focus: Shooting Film)
This session will cover the unique attributes of shooting on motion-picture film (which may include 16mm, 35mm and 65mm formats), with seasoned instructors sharing their experience and insight. This class will include production and post, with instruction on working with the lab. The ASC Master Class is an intensive five-day seminar designed for cinematographers who want to master an intermediate-to-advanced skill set. Instruction takes place in Hollywood and covers lighting and camera techniques and current workflow practices. All necessary equipment is provided. This topic has been very popular and this session is expected to sell out. Learn much more about the previous class here.
Confirmed Instructors:
Wally Pfister, ASC (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception)
Edu Grau, ASC, AEC (A Single Man, Boy Erased, The Room Next Door)
More TBA*
November 2-3, 2024 (Online Class)
This class can be attended by participants located anywhere in the world. Derived and adapted from our signature in-person Master Classes, the seminar will have live interactions and Q&A with some of the world’s top working cinematographers. The class size will be limited to 30 participants. The planned curriculum — including two pre-recorded lighting demonstrations, selected film clips, live instruction and interactive discussion periods — is designed to last about 6 1/2 hours per day, with each session starting at 7.30 AM Pacific Daylight Time (10.30 AM New
York; 3.30 PM London; 4.30 PM Berlin; 9:00 PM Mumbai; 11.30 PM Beijing).
Confirmed Instructors: TBA*
Registration and newsletter signup is available here.
* Note: All instructors will participate based on availability.
Classes take place in Los Angeles unless otherwise noted.
ASC Member Faculty Roster
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC
- Affonso Beato, ASC, ABC
- Dion Beebe, ASC, ACS
- Bill Bennett, ASC
- Gabriel Beristain, ASC, BSC
- Oliver Bokelberg, ASC, BVK
- Natasha Braier, ASC, ADF
- Alice Brooks, ASC
- Vance Burberry, ASC, ACS
- Don Burgess, ASC
- Stephen H. Burum, ASC
- Patrick Cady, ASC
- Paul Cameron, ASC
- Russell Carpenter, ASC
- Vanja Černjul, ASC
- Christopher Chomyn, ASC
- Joan Churchill, ASC
- Curtis Clark, ASC
- John Conroy, ASC, ISC
- Richard Crudo, ASC
- Dean Cundey, ASC
- Chris Cunningham, ASC
- David Darby, ASC
- Caleb Deschanel, ASC
- Richard Edlund, ASC
- Eagle Egilsson, ASC
- Robert Elswit, ASC
- Anna J. Foerster, ASC
- Larry Fong, ASC
- Markus Förderer, ASC, BVK
- Steve Gainer, ASC, ASK
- Michael Goi, ASC, ISC
- Magdalena Gorka, ASC, PSC
- Shana Hagan, ASC
- Tom Hurwitz, ASC
- Baz Idoine, ASC
- Mark Irwin, ASC, CSC
- Shelly Johnson, ASC
- Jon Joffin, ASC
- Craig Kief, ASC
- Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC
- David Klein, ASC
- Edward Lachman, ASC
- Jacek Laskus, ASC
- James Laxton, ASC
- Robert Legato, ASC
- Matthew F. Leonetti, ASC
- Matthew Libatique, ASC
- Charlie Lieberman, ASC
- Karl-Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, BVK
- Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC
- Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, ASC
- Don McCuaig, ASC
- Sam McCurdy, ASC, BSC
- Robert McLachlan, ASC, CSC
- Suki Medencevic, ASC
- Dan Mindel, ASC, BSC
- Claudio Miranda, ASC
- Reed Morano, ASC
- Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC
- Kramer Morgenthau, ASC
- M. David Mullen, ASC
- Fred Murphy, ASC
- Guillermo Navarro, ASC
- James Neihouse, ASC
- Sam Nicholson, ASC
- Daryn Okada, ASC
- Woody Omens, ASC
- Daniel Pearl, ASC
- Michael M. Pessah, ASC
- Wally Pfister, ASC
- Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC
- Christopher Probst, ASC
- Cynthia Pusheck, ASC
- Declan Quinn, ASC
- Tami Reiker, ASC
- Armando Salas, ASC
- Mikael Salomon, ASC
- Linus Sandgern, ASC, FSF
- Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC
- Tobias Schliessler, ASC
- Nancy Schreiber, ASC
- John Schwartzman, ASC
- Dean Semler, ASC, ACS
- Steven Shaw, ASC
- Lawrence Sher, ASC
- Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC
- Dante Spinotti, ASC, AIC
- Buddy Squires, ASC
- Eric Steelberg, ASC
- David Stockton, ASC
- John Toll, ASC
- Quyen Tran, ASC
- Sandra Valde-Hansen, ASC
- Theo van de Sande, ASC
- Hoyte van Hoytema, ASC, FSF, NSC
- Kees van Oostrum, ASC
- Checco Varese, ASC
- Amy Vincent, ASC
- Roy H. Wagner, ASC
- Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS
- Jo Willems, ASC, SBC
- Dariusz Wolski, ASC
- Robert D. Yeoman, ASC