ASC Masterclass in New York presents students with unforgettable lessons from cinema icons

Sponsored by Sony and organized by Dejan Georgevich, head of the ASC New York Chapter, the masterclass explored lessons for filming the same space in unique ways, lighting closeups, and how to capture skin tones. It also gave filmmakers and students an opportunity to use the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera.

"Education is not filling a bucket, but the lighting of a fire," Georgevich quoted writer William Butler Yeats. "This W.B. Yeats quote best sums up everyone's takeaway from last weekend's ASC Master Class NY led by renowned cinematographers, Fred Murphy, ASC, and Julio Macat, ASC, at the historic BCC/CUNY Gould Library Rotunda."

"There's always something new to learn from each other. We all need an advocate and mentor who can help make a difference in our lives, and the ASC Master Class serves that purpose so well."

This ASC Masterclass was held at the historic Gould Memorial Library of the Bronx Community College. Completed in 1900, it has been a filming location for at least 22 feature films, including A Beautiful Mind, The Greatest Showman, and the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. 

During the Masterclass, Murphy showcased how he previously lit a dark horror scene in the same space, and how lighting could change the aesthetics of a scene into something more fantastical. 

For Macat’s lesson, the cinematographer focused on lighting for closeups and tabletop, as well as showing how a variety of skins can be captured at different budget levels.