THANK YOU! To all the attendees, speakers, sponsors, crew and volunteers that made Master’s POV 2012 spring edition a resounding success. Stay tuned for the 2012 autumn program!

Gabriel Beristain, ASC, BSC – “Hell in Paradise” – Session starting up

Gabriel Beristain, ASC, BSC – “Hell in Paradise”

G Beristain, ASC, BSC – “Hell in Paradise”

G Beristain, ASC, BSC – “Hell in Paradise”

“Hell in Paradise” – Actors: Nick Sarando & Simona Morales

“Hell in Paradise” – Audience Q&A's with moderator: Ed Gutentag.

Karl-Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk “Lighting on Stage for Day & Night”. Model: Hanna Denham

 

Karl-Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk with the ALEXA Studio

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk – “Lighting on Stage for Day & Night”. Actor: Nick Sarando. Model: Hanna Denham

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk with actor Nick Sarando

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk – Audience networking during break

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk – Audience networking during break

Mark Sawicki – “Stop Motion Cinematography” & “Forced Perspective”

M Sawicki – “Forced Perspective”

M Sawicki – “Forced Perspective”

M Sawicki – “Forced Perspective” & “Stop Motion Cinematography”

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk – “From PREVIS to Shooting”

Audience during “From PREVIS to Shooting”

KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk – “From PREVIS to Shooting”

Robbie Greenberg, ASC – “The Genesis of a Project: Even Money”

R Greenberg, ASC – “The Genesis of a Project: Even Money”

R Greenberg, ASC – Audience Networking during break

Ed Gutentag (Moderator), Allen Daviau, ASC and Stephen Taylor-Wehr (Assistant Camera)

Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion: Mark Sawicki, Gabriel Beristain, ASC, BSC, Karl Walter Lindenlaub ASC, Bvk, Robbie Greenberg, ASC and Allen Daviau ASC

Cinemills/CMC Products was the official sponsor for the Master's POV spring edition by providing their excellent lighting gear for our DPs this year, including their latest acquisition: LedZ – LED Production Lighting.

Main event coordinator Rametin Movahhed from The Film Training Company with Cinemills' CEO Carlos De Mattos. A perfect partnership match in support of professional and aspiring filmmakers world-wide.

Grip & Electrical equipment generously supplied by our official sponsor Cinelease, by Joe Ball and Jorge Mendoza, allowing extensive flexibility to the crew and Master DPs to deliver the event content in excellence!

Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, Bvk with the ARRI Alexa Studio used during his lighting workshop “lighting on Stage for Day & Night”

Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, Bvk with the Panther Dolly used during his lighting workshop “Lighting on Stage for Day & Night”. Here with his head grip Loren Corl, chief lighting technician Mike Walsh and Assistant Camera Stephen Taylor-Wehr.

camadeus supported the lighting workshops with their excellent Panther dolly. Sebastian Lumme from camadeus also donated a $1000 gift certificate. The lucky winner was Jeff Weakley

Hollywood Rentals supported the event with a generator and AJ Wedding also supported a very lucky attendee with a $1000 gift certificate

Footage Firm generously donated a large stock footage DVD set worth over $2500. One of the lucky winners was Seyda Aydin

Focal Press donated several essential cinematography book titles. Here is one of the winners: Juliana Pernanda-Loftus.

Michael Frediani from SOC with Joe Mendoza from GearNex who supported the lighting workshops with the GearHead.

Mike Walsh – Chief Lighting Technician/Cinematographer and head of technical support of Cinemills was an invaluable and essential key-player in the success of the event by leading the crew members and assisting our master DPs in all of their lighting demos.

As a veteran in the industry, Event host and Moderator Ed Gutentag, Editor in Chief of Shoot Movies in California & Movie Times Magazine, brought insight, experience and curiosity with a great personality enhancing the event experience for everyone.

Alan Scott – Set design & Construction. Alan's skill, dedication and enthusiasm was one of the main contributors to the visually stunning set for Karl Walter Lindenlaub's Lighting Workshop.

Prelight with KW Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk (Set design & construction: Alan Scott, Art Direction: Katerina Goode)

With a bright future in the Fashion World and a unique style, Hanna Denham contributed to the event´s flair as a Wardrobe stylist & Make-Up Artist as well as a Model.

Student Voluntees from the Hollywood CPR: Poppy Maureen Carter (electrician), Rafael Alarcon (best boy), Kevin Fobbs (grip), Yaya Castaneda-Edwards (electrician), Nicholas Possnack (electrician)

Enzo Williams (still photographer), Russo Mutuc (Cinemills), Kat Tyuganova (still photographer)

Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC Bvk and Ana Gatchell (a/v technician)

Ramin Shakibaei (camera operator) and Gabriel Beristain ASC, BSC

Anne Etheridge (gaffer) and Katharina Bosch (camera operator)

Peter Mosiman (gaffer)

Stephen Taylor-Wehr (assistant camera)

Katerina Goode (director & set design) and Ricky Bulda (assistant director)

Nick Sarando (actor) and Simona Morales (actor)

Samantha Cruz, Carlos De Mattos, Stephan Ukas-Bradley, Cinelease & Joe Ball, Sebastian Lumme, AJ Wedding, Scott Berman, VideoBlocks.com, Production Hub, Joe Mendoza, Video Gear and Martin Banks, Atomic Production Supplies, pCAM, Russo Mutuc, Loren Corl, Christopher Hart, Nader Afshar, Ali Afshari, Arash Mohammadi, Visionary Forces, San Diego Filmmakers

This weekend, ahead of his upcoming Master Class workshop at The Masters POV LA 2012, we caught up with the incredibly talented cinematographer Gabriel Beristain!


GB) 2011 was my first and very exciting television year… I started the year shooting a pilot for Antoine Fuqua and the film “Exit Strategy” with the wonderful actor Ethan Hawk. Over the summer I was shooting “Magic City” in Miami – a truly magic Starz series set in Miami in 1959 with a tremendous script from Mitch Glazer and stellar performances by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Olga Kurylenko, the unique Danny Huston and a array of incredibly talented young actors, including Alex Rocco!

My latest feature film was “There Be Dragons” a very powerful film directed by the legendary director Roland Joffe.

GB) For a long time the digital revolution has been exploiting the notion that digital cameras do not need light… This advertising ploy is in part correct since the digital sensors have the possibility to be pushed and manipulated to register very low levels of light, obviously there are consequences to it, but that’s part of a longer and also very important conversation. What has been deceiving to many is the fact that some people believe that films now can be made without light fixtures, without lighting and lighting technicians and gaffers and indeed Directors of Photography.

During the shooting of my first digital project; the pilot of “Hawaii 5-0” it became clear to me that the above notion cannot be taken lightly since it is shared by producers as well as studio executives. Fortunately the very dynamic of Hawaii 5-0 immediately proved to everybody that this absurd notion could not be taken seriously and that lighting and cinematographers more than ever have to play a very vital role in the generation of images and in the process of visual story telling. In face, it was the Hawaiian experience coupled with the Miami experience that gave me the inspiration to structure a very actual and informative master class: “Hell in Paradise”. 

GB) There will be three main aspects: 

The Technical one which will cover light balance: Mixed color temperature, Mixed lighting, (natural-artificial, available-film lights), Density or ways to control the shadows and highlights on a scene and finally the Quality of light.

The Artistic one which will cover Modeling and creating Mood through the understanding of lighting styles and artistic inspirations, from the classics to pop culture.

The Cinematic one which will cover Lighting as an integral part of story-telling and the way it has to be considered in the production process, since this affects schedule, shooting and acting style and even directorial choices.

GB) I expect the attendees to join me on a ride of discovery where the technical aspects of lighting will work with the imagination in order to tell a film story, I will endeavor to guide them on this journey so that they can take home the fundamental conviction that lighting as an art and technique which is an irremovable part of the filmmaking process no matter how sensitive the digital sensors are or may be in the future.

I am so much looking forward to a Masters POV which will become not only a master class but an extended dialogue and a source of information and support for those aspiring filmmakers and those who are always seeking to improve their understanding of the ever so changing techniques and styles of filmmaking.

Cinemills Studio Lighting

We are honored to have ARRI support our DPs with the ALEXA Studio at this year´s Masters POV event.

At the pinnacle of the range is the ALEXA Studio, featuring a quiet, adjustable mirror shutter and an optical viewfinder that provides a real-time, high contrast image with true colors. The Studio is a direct response to cinematographers’ requests for a camera that perfectly combines cutting edge digital image-making with traditional elements of the film cameras they have known and trusted for generations.

Another key feature of the ALEXA Studio is its 4:3 sensor, which makes it the only digital camera (aside from the ARRIFLEX D-21) to boast true anamorphic capability. Anamorphic lenses create a unique, cinematic look that has been appreciated by directors and cinematographers for over half a century, and cannot be created in post.

We look forward to a great collaboration with ARRI!

Read more about the ALEXA Studio

ARRI ALEXA on Facebook

Here is a video featuring one of his lessons from the Stan Winston School where he shows us how to use Stop Motion Pro software and a Terminator™ collectible figure to create a character performance using the stop motion animation technique.

Enjoy!

Panther is one of the leading manufacturers in camera support throughout the globe and has developed dollies, jibs, cranes and accessories. Panther’s precision designs have garnered numerous awards including an Oscar in technology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

All the giants will be there: will you? Grab your ticket today.

Visit Panther.tv

Thanks Ed!

Watch the interview at shootmoviesincalifornia.com

Read more at Cinemills blog

We’re delighted to announce that our final Masters POV LA Workshop Speaker will be the hugely talented GABRIEL BERISTAIN, ASC/BSC.

BERISTAIN´S cinematographer credits amount to over two dozen motion pictures and a hundred commercials and music videos. His was the look that launched Liv Tyler in her father’s Aerosmith videos, re-energized the filmography of David Mamet (The Spanish Prisoner) and Guillermo Del Toro (Blade 2), and broke new ground in films like ‘S.W.A.T.’, ‘The Ring 2′ and ‘Blade Trinity’. His latest film: “There Be Dragons” for film legend Roland Joffe.
Read his full resume here.

Our workshop seats are selling out quickly, so head over to register for yours as soon as possible!

Links:
GABRIEL BERISTAIN on IMBd: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075244/
GABRIEL BERISTAIN Official Website: http://www.gberistain.com/

For all the big name speakers, the networking and the inspiration – it’s learning that’s right at the heart of the Masters POV Event. That’s why we’re delighted to give away some of the hottest Cinematography titles provided by our supporting partner Focal Press – to the next 10 people to register for the event.

We have copies of each of the following:

• The Filmmaker´s Eye (Mercado)
• Cinematography: Theory and Practice (Brown)
• DSLR Cinema (Lancaster)

Ready to register for your place in Los Angeles this February? To claim your free book, while our stocks last, just email us with a copy of your confirmation email, letting us know which title you’d like! The book of your choice will be waiting for you at the show :)

Hi Charlie, would you tell us about yourself and your background as a DoP?

My name Charlie Wuppermann and I am a German DoP living and working in Los Angeles. I mainly work on commercials but love working in the feature world as much as possible.
I had an art teacher in high school who taught me to look at paintings and woke my interest in the visual arts. But it was only after starting to work as an intern in the film business that I discovered that being part of the camera and lighting department was the most interesting for me. I worked for several years in the German film industry, mainly in the camera department as trainee and later as assistant, and at the ARRI film lab in Munich, before going to film school in the UK. I wrote and directed several short films which helped to finally make my decision to become a DoP. I graduated concentrating on shooting as much as possible. Then I worked for a couple of years in the lighting department while continuing to shoot to build a decent reel. Nowadays I am solely working as a DoP.

What projects have you been working on most recently?

Recently I have mainly been working on commercials for brands like Honda, AT&T, Coors Light and Ford among others. I am also involved in the early development stages of two feature film projects. My last feature film was Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain, a film in India about the Bhopal gas accident staring Martin Sheen, Kal Penn and Mischa Barton.

What is cinematography to you? What inspires you as a cinematographer and what are some of the most inspirational moments in your career so far?

Being a cinematographer is to be the director’s closest collaborator on the set. Together with the other departments I am helping the director to tell his story, to create the right atmosphere, to lay the groundwork for actors to make the characters come alive.
What inspires me the most is the opportunity to create an atmosphere for a film, to create a world with its own mood, lighting and texture in which the audience can submerge itself for a couple of hours and leave its own world behind.
For inspiration in my work I like to look at films, photography and paintings. And I like to get inspired by the people I work with, the story that is being told, and the locations. To walk into a new location and observe what the natural light does, or to walk onto an unlit set and start looking around and setting up light, inspires me more than anything else.

What are your future aspiration and how are you planning to move to that next level in your craft as cinematographer?

Shoot as much and as many films as possible to become a better cinematographer. Travel, see the world through a viewfinder, make new friends everywhere and tell stories that move people and make them think.
In order to move to the next level in my craft I need to constantly meet, work with, and get inspired by new people and to always continue my studies of the visual arts.

Why are you attending the 2012 Masters POV and what are you mostly looking forward to about the event?

To learn, to get inspired, to meet new people. I look forward to the whole event and though I am not sure what the seminars will exactly be like but I am hoping for less technical details and more conversations about how to develop a visual concept and palette for a film.

Thanks Charlie!
To join Charlie and other DoP:s, just head here! If you are attending and would like to share your story, just email me @ Johanna@MastersPOV.com.
Look forward to networking with you in Feb :)