Hollywood Reporter

The American Society of Cinematographers presented its 2013 ASC Harris Savides Student Heritage Awards on Saturday during a ceremony at the organization’s clubhouse.

Carolyn Giardina

Each year, the ASC Heritage Award is dedicated to an individual who advanced cinematography. This year’s award is dedicated to the memory of director of photography Harris Savides, who was known for his cinematography on such films as The Bling Ring, The Game, The Yards, Finding Forrester, Margot at the Wedding, Zodiac and Somewhere. 

Savides, who died last October at age 55, earned Independent Spirit Award nominations for his photography of Gerry, Elephant, Last Days, Milk and Greenberg. In 2008, he was nominated for a BAFTA for American Gangster. He was also known for his imagery in music videos for artists such as Madonna, R.E.M. and Michael Jackson.

“Harris wasn’t just an amazingly talented cinematographer, but also a wonderful person,” said Richard Crudo, ASC president. “His point of view and artistry have left a lasting impression on the filmmaking community, and for these students and the generations after them, his influence will have a profound effect.”

The complete list of winners and honorable mentions follows:

Graduate

WINNER: Ryan Broomberg of Chapman University for The Bright Side

HONORABLE MENTION: Petr Cikhart of AFI for First in Flight

HONORABLE MENTION: Martin Kobylarz of AFI for Wolves from Another Kingdom

Undergraduate

WINNER: Mishka Kornai of Chapman University for Straight Down Low

HONORABLE MENTION: Nick Reinhard of Florida State University for Cootie Contagion

HONORABLE MENTION: Daniel Rink of Brooks Institute for Ai

Documentary

WINNERS: Drew Heskett and Ryan Westra of Chapman University for We are the Land

HONORABLE MENTION: Dan Duran and Sam Price-Waldman of Chapman University for Wolf Mountain

Chapman University

The focus is on Chapman University cinematographers at 2013 ASC awards

Dawn Bonker

Chapman University film students swept the top honors at the 2013 American Society of Cinematographers Harris Savides Student Heritage Awards on Saturday, June 15, in a ceremony at the organization’s clubhouse. The ASC awards are designed to showcase the artistic abilities of the next generation of filmmakers, with a focus on their cinematographic abilities.

Students from Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts performed particularly well in the documentary category, earning both the top award and the honorable mention. Among the winners were Drew Heskett and Ryan Westra for We Are the Land, a documentary about an activist’s battle to stop fracking on her ancestral lands.

Other winners and honorable mentions include:

Graduate
WINNER: Ryan Broomberg of Chapman University with The Bright Side
HONORABLE MENTION: Petr Cikhart of AFI for First in Flight
HONORABLE MENTION: Martin Kobylarz of AFI for Wolves from Another Kingdom

Undergraduate
WINNER: Mishka Kornai of Chapman University for Straight Down Low
HONORABLE MENTION: Nick Reinhard of Florida State University for Cootie Contagion
HONORABLE MENTION: Daniel Rink of Brooks Institute for Ai

Documentary
WINNERS: Drew Heskett and Ryan Westra of Chapman University for We are the Land
HONORABLE MENTION: Dan Duran and Sam Price-Waldman of Chapman University for Wolf Mountain

The American Society of Cinematographers is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing the art of filmmaking. Since its charter in 1919, the ASC has been committed to educating aspiring filmmakers and others about the art and craft of cinematography.

Each year, the ASC Heritage Award is rededicated in memory of an individual who advanced the art and craft of cinematography. This year’s award is dedicated to the memory of Harris Savides, ASC. Savides earned Independent Spirit Award nominations for his photography of Gerry, Elephant, Last Days, Milk and Greenberg. In 2008, he was nominated for a BAFTA for American Gangster. Savides was known for his stunning cinematography on such acclaimed films as The Game, The Yards, Finding Forrester, Margot at the Wedding, Zodiac and Somewhere. He was highly lauded for his imagery of award-winning music videos for artists such as Madonna, R.E.M. and Michael Jackson, among others.

To qualify, professors at film schools recommended one student for each category from their school, who then submitted their film for judging. A Blue Ribbon panel of ASC members judged the 135-plus entries.

 

American Society of Cinematographers Dodge College of Film and Media Arts film student awards

Master of Light and Shadows

An SDSU alumnus took top prize from the American Society of Cinematographers.

Story Keywords: Professional Studies and Fine Arts, Alumni, Students, Television and Film, Theater, Home Page, People

Ryan Broomberg, ’10, has visions.

In his head, a virtual projector beams a succession of film scenes, each one meticulously composed and dazzlingly lit.

Cinematography is Broomberg’s lifelong infatuation. It’s all he’s ever really wanted to do, and he has the credentials to be one of the best.

In June, Broomberg won top prize in the American Society of Cinematographers Harris Savides Student Heritage Awards competition. Designed to showcase the artistic abilities of young filmmakers, the awards reflect the judgment of America’s best cinematographers—names like John Toll (“Braveheart”), Robert Richardson (“The Aviator,” “Hugo”) and Wally Pfister (“Inception,” “The Dark Knight”).


Ryan Broomberg

True collaboration

Broomberg’s film, “The Bright Side,” was written and directed by Sarah Wilson-Thacker as her thesis project at Chapman College, where Broomberg earned a graduate degree after his undergraduate studies at San Diego State.

He considers “The Bright Side” a true collaboration with Wilson-Thacker because of his deep involvement in scouting and planning every scene.

In fact, Broomberg’s work ethic and copious experience behind the camera gave him a reputation at Chapman; three graduate students, including Wilson-Thacker, asked him to shoot their thesis films.

“I came to State realizing that I wanted to be a cinematographer, so I took on a lot of projects as an undergraduate,” Broomberg said. “It was great going to grad school with all that knowledge and experience from SDSU.”

Musical fantasy

“The Bright Side” is a glamorous, glitzy 1940-style musical that alternates between reality and fantasy as it spins the story of a young theatre performer who aspires to winning Hollywood stardom and the girl of his dreams.

The film was one of 135 submitted by colleges across the nation in three categories: graduate work, undergraduate work and documentaries. Selected ASC members screened the nominated films and voted for a winner and two or three honorable mention selections in each category.

“I was in shock,” Broomberg said, recalling the announcement of his win at a June 17 ASC ceremony. “This is such a great honor and a motivation to continue doing good work so that maybe one day I’ll be invited to become an ASC member.”

Master of light

Broomberg’s visual style is clean, precise and visually arresting, observed Greg Durbin, a professor of theatre, television and film who taught him at SDSU.

“Ryan’s has an innate talent with light. He plays with it, manipulates it to reveal subtle nuances,” Durbin said.

One of Broomberg’s many projects this year was short film for Durbin. He describes it as a dark comedy about a mother who trains her two young daughters to pickpocket from pensioners while performing at senior living facilities.

Future screenings

On Sept. 26, “The Bright Side” will screen at the Directors Guild of America theatre complex in Los Angeles as part of the Leo Freedman Foundation First Cut Screenings.


Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Broomberg.

Ryan, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I discovered cinematography when I was a teenage skateboarder filming my friends doing tricks to get sponsored by skateboard companies. I realized pretty early on my passion for cinematography through the use of composition, lighting, and movement to create feelings and emotions.

Growing up in San Diego, I had a lot of talented skateboarder and surfer friends who recruited me to film them for their sponsors. This led me to traveling the world doing what I love and also making some money. After filming action sports, I decided to transition into the narrative world so that I can tell stories and collaborate with other filmmakers. I wanted to get proper training, so I went to film school at SDSU for undergrad and Chapman University for grad school. That is where I met some of the amazing people I still collaborate with today. Some of my mentors were my professors at Chapman including Johnny Jensen, ASC, and Bill Dill, ASC. My wife, Karen is a radiology resident in New York, so I go back and forth between New York City and Hollywood. I’m the Director of Photography on feature films, shorts, documentaries, music videos, and commercials.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
As a Cinematographer, I take a story from a script and ideas from the Director, and I turn that into a reality. The Director of Photography is the gatekeeper. They are the first ones on set to see the frame and know what the final image will look like. This was especially true when film was the only format, and there were no monitors for everyone to watch. Monitors and digital format have changed the process but from paper to screen it is still the DP’s job to make the Director’s vision of the script happen. Basically what I do is read a script and develop a sense of the look and feel. I pull references to show the Director what I’m thinking. The Directors show me their own references, and we discuss and compromise until we are both happy. Each Director has his or her own method of working, so I am constantly adapting.

The most important lesson I got from my mentor Johnny Jenson, ASC is that you have to read the script and know it really well. Be familiar with the locations and know how you want the scene to look and feel. Trust yourself and your experience. Cinematography is an art, so if you feel like it should look a certain way go with your instinct. That advice has given me the confidence to shoot anything. I have shot projects in other countries with multiple camera teams and crews that are not fluent in English, but because I was prepared, I was confident the projects would be a success.

Each film and story has a message or subtext. Ask yourself, “What is the film about?” I do not mean what happens in the movie; but what is it really about. My job is to use lighting, composition, color, and movement to help the viewer transport into the narrative.

During my free time, I shoot 35mm film and digital photography to experiment with composition, lighting and different film stocks. Even though still photography is more of a hobby, the skills and experience translate to Cinematography. In fact, I have a film in pre-production now that will be shooting in NYC, and some of the references come from my street photography.

In between projects, it is good practice to be constantly analyzing your surroundings as they are naturally and finding cinematic moments. This keeps me engaged in viewing how the world looks and how to best capture that on film. I can use this understanding and daily practice on future projects. I also try to take photos as much as possible while traveling. It is often I’m asked to shoot films that take place in another country, but because of budget and logistical reasons, we shoot in the US. Knowing how these places photograph and experiencing the place yourself is important. Experiencing the culture of different places can help you decide how you’re going to capture it on film.

Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Artists today have many platforms and options to show their work. You can post a photo or video on sites like Vimeo or Instagram and literally anyone in the world can see it. That can be as much of a good thing as it is a problem. Although you can see talented artists from around the world you also get tons of artists you may not want to see. Trying to navigate the web and find the work you like can be challenging but when you do find what you are looking for, you can reach out to the artist and potentially collaborate. I’m a big fan of social media and use it as a platform to display my work.

The decrease in camera equipment price and size with the increase in quality and dynamic range has greatly changed the film industry. Almost anyone can get their hands on a camera like a DSLR and make a professional looking film. Sure, there are limitations with using a DSLR on a movie set, but if you don’t have a big budget, you still have a lot of options. This gives people like writers who normally wouldn’t shoot, an opportunity to experiment with their own stories and scripts. I think it also gives people who do not have a budget a chance to make a good indie film. It has made film more accessible whereas before you had to be a part of a major production company to make a movie professional quality film.

LA and NYC have great film festivals and events for artists to show their work. Unfortunately, a lot of the film festivals require an entry fee to submit work, but that goes to paying for the festival. It would be great if there were more free screenings to exhibit work.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have some movies on Lifetime and SyFy but my work is organized on my website www.Ryanbroomberg.com and Instagram @Ryanbroombergdp. It is a collection of narrative work, commercials, music videos, documentaries, and photography. People can support me by adding me on Instagram and reaching out. I’m always looking to collaborate with filmmakers, photographers, and artists.

Contact Info: