ASC Master Class Wraps in NYC

A unique one-day ASC education event was staged in New York City at Bronx Community College on Sept. 28, with a focus on lighting and camera movement within an architectural landmark.

With its exceptional detail and soaring domed ceiling, the BCC’s ornate Gould Memorial Library was designed by Stanford White and completed in 1900.

In addition to lead ASC instructors Martin Ahlgren and Declan Quinn, an impressive array of Society members were on hand throughout the day as Ambassadors, including ASC President Shelly Johnson, Manuel Billeter, Jim Denault, Fred Elmes, Dejan Georgevich (who also served as production coordinator), John Inwood, Tim Ives, Charles Libin, Julio Macat, Fred Murphy, Frank Prinzi, Mauricio Rubinstein and Buddy Squires. Also attending was ASC associate member Tanya Lyon, of Sony.

This was an in-person ASC Master Class designed for cinematographers with an intermediate to advanced skill set, and a unique opportunity for attendees to hone their craft and initiate valuable industry connections while receiving instruction from Ahlgren and Quinn.

Before their sessions, both cinematographers talked to attendees about their career paths and creative process, screening clips of their work in the library’s 600-seat auditorium and taking questions.

Ahlgren spoke at length of his visual approach to the period drama series The Plot Against America, in particular the use of deep-focus techniques and creating intricate oners to carry the performances without relying on additional coverage and cuts.

This formed the basis of his lighting demo, staged in the Gould’s main hall as a soft toplight provided primary illumination and the actors were blocked for a Steadicam shot that ended in a reveal of the library's expanse.

Quinn screened several scenes from his indie feature Leaving Las Vegas, talking at length about his collaboration with director Mike Figgis and the need to create a lighting approach that would allow maximum freedom for actors Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue while relying on the expressive use of colors and frequent handheld work to help support the film’s emotional tenor.

In his lighting demo, also staged in the Gould’s main hall, Quinn employed extreme colors to add drama, combined with shafts of light angled down from the library’s highest level, employing 5K Molebeam projectors.

Both cinematographers used Sony Venice 2 cameras (with Quinn also using the Rialto extension system to achieve a very low angle) and Zeiss lenses.

The last in person ASC Master Class session for 2024 will take place in Los Angeles on Oct. 21-25 and focus on shooting motion picture film. An online class, available to students worldwide takes place on Nov. 2-3. (More information and registration here.)