ASC Videos from ICSC 2011 - New Generation of Cinematographers

Matt Workman · July 17, 2012

Hey Guys!

Please watch this video released by the ASC and share your opinion.

https://vimeo.com/44477302

There are many many more if you are interested:

https://vimeo.com/theasc

Cheers,

Matt

Sean Elder · July 17, 2012

I think that the issues being addressed are very poignant. Dare I say extremely poignant. I am one of those guys who believes that the best way to learn a craft is by walking the path that the masters of that craft have taken, then forging on your own path when the time presents itself. I am truly discouraged that in my market, or in my area of the country, there are very few Cinematographers/Dps who take on apprentices or even want to mentor. (I am speaking from my own experience calling and speaking with cinematographers/DPs in town and quite a few in other cities.) Needless to say, my call or meeting was probably one in hundreds that they get in a day so I cannot truly say that NO ONE wishes to mentor, but with the state of the industry and the national economy the way that it is I think mentor-ship may be placed on the back-burner in my section of the world. IMHO I WANT to learn from either those that were in that conference, and those who were not in attendance. The thing is not everyone (from my own opinion) who applies to AFI or NYU or any other prestigious film school will make it, and to further compound things there are Vo-Tech's that call themselves film schools. Plus they only teach extreme basics of film theory,dare I say the barest minimum of theory. So whose of us who really love and respect the craft and art do what they can, they work and work their way up the ladder. Please do not get me wrong there are a TON of great film-makers out there, but cream typically rises to the top; and I want to be in that mixture of people who I call MY cinematic heroes. They are not just Cinematographers/DPs, either. Included in that list are gaffers, art directors, above the line cast & crew, below the line etc. I hope that when I get the opportunity to move up that I will be more than capable to do the story and project justice, become better with working the technology, and the people that use it, and be able to handle the politics of being in this industry. If I have missed anything or left anything out, great!!! I am willing and able to learn more about what I love.

Blake Z Larson · July 31, 2012

I have to agree with what Sean said. It is really hard to find mentors within the industry. There was recently a rather large Hollywood movie shooting for about 2 months in my town (which never gets any movie action) and I contacted the Cinematographer, in hopes of perhaps getting to meet him and learn a few things, and I never received a response. Now he seems like an incredibly nice guy and I understand he was probably extremely busy with the movie but I really would have loved to learn a few things from him and talk with him about cinematography. I was lucky enough that there is an operator who lives near me, who showed me how the use a light meter and a few other things but other than that, I have never had a real mentor. I think there defiantly needs to be a better system in place to attach aspiring cinematographers with people in the industry who can help them out.

Blake Z Larson · August 13, 2012

I have to agree with what Sean said. It is really hard to find mentors within the industry. There was recently a rather large Hollywood movie shooting for about 2 months in my town (which never gets any movie action) and I contacted the Cinematographer, in hopes of perhaps getting to meet him and learn a few things, and I never received a response. Now he seems like an incredibly nice guy and I understand he was probably extremely busy with the movie but I really would have loved to learn a few things from him and talk with him about cinematography. I was lucky enough that there is an operator who lives near me, who showed me how the use a light meter and a few other things but other than that, I have never had a real mentor. I think there defiantly needs to be a better system in place to attach aspiring cinematographers with people in the industry who can help them out.

Just wanted to say, the story has a great ending! Josh Bleibtreu, ASC, who was doing the second unit cinematography for said film, invited me to come and shadow him and other members of the camera department for the day. Many thanks to him and the crew for taking me in and showing me what they know!

~ Blake

David Mullen ASC · August 13, 2012

It's very hard to be a mentor these days with the restrictions on film sets against visitors, which is why I do what I can online to educate people but there are limits to my time... I had an intern on one production who got kicked off the show when he was discovered using FaceTime on set while we were shooting a sensitive scene with nudity -- I think it was just a coincidence but younger people on sets really have to learn to curtail all their social networking activities when working. I was on another show being driven by a camera assistant while I was shooting some b-roll footage handheld from the passenger seat and discovered that he kept texting his girlfriend while driving.

But I digress... Let me just say that a mid level DP like me doesn't have a lot of power on a movie set, I'm just an employee, so bringing in guests, students, etc. is frowned upon, leaving only actual student interns covered by school liability insurance who can be on a set, and then you run into other issues.

The last two years I have been working out of town so there is also the problem of simply meeting with students on my spare time when we aren't in the same city.