Additional Instructors Named for March Master Class
The session takes shape with five ASC teachers: Berkofsky, Conroy, Gainer, Pessah and Rutkowski.
Joining Society members Ava Berkofsky and Richard Rutkowski as teachers of the upcoming ASC Master Class taking place in Los Angeles on March 24-28 will be John Conroy, ASC, ISC (Penny Dreadful, The Terror, West World), Steve Gainer, ASC, ASK (Bully, Mysterious Skin, On My Block, With Love, Awkward) and Michael Pessah, ASC (Scandalous, Block Party, Smiley Faced Killers).
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.
Conroy has been a member of the ASC since 2021. Also a member of Irish Society of Cinematographers (ISC), he photographed the acclaimed British crime series Luther, which earned him BAFTA and Emmy Award nominations, and garnered another BAFTA nomination for his camerawork on the British thriller Fortitude. He also earned the 2020 ASC Award for Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television for his work on the AMC miniseries The Terror: Infamy, as well as an additional ASC Award nomination for Showtime’s horror drama Penny Dreadful. (Personal site here.)
As curator of the ASC’s Museum collection, Gainer blends a love of history and cinematography with a talent for engineering and communication into a truly unique experience that bridges the past and present for a whole new generation of filmmakers. His screen credits include the films Bully, Teenage Caveman and Wassup Rockers with director Larry Clark; Mysterious Skin with Gregg Araki; A Dirty Shame with John Waters; and the action feature Punisher: War Zone with Lexi Alexander, as well as numerous music videos and television series. (Personal site here.)
Pessah’s credits include Scandalous, which was nominated for a 2021 Emmy, and Viva La Causa, which was shortlisted for a 2009 Academy Award. His scripted work includes the features Block Party, Smiley Faced Killers, Saving Flora and additional photography on Season 5 of HBO's Insecure. He’s done music videos for Halsey, Yoshiki, and Five Finger Death Punch, and commercials for Ford, Ralph Lauren, and Red Bull. He is also an instructor at the American Film Institute. (Personal site here.)
Additional ASC members will teach specific components of the March session, as well as attend as Ambassadors and be available to answer questions from students, including ASC Vice President Charlie Lieberman.
You’ll find much more information about this ASC education program here. And here is a story about a recent Master Class session held in New York last year.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn from the industry's top professionals. Reserve your spot today.
