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One minute Tricia Mears and Matt Ryan were sitting in their MFA graduation ceremony in Ruby Diamond Hall listening to advice about making it out in the world, and the next they were in Budapest, attending the world's most prestigious cinematography workshop, and shooting scenes under the tutelage of world-class cinematographers. Both students were chosen to attend the Budapest Cinematography Masterclass, a special two-week program in Hungary, which included 35 cinematographers from 25 countries, and was taught by Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, and Elemer Ragalyi, HSC.

Zsigmond, who won an Academy Award for his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers. He has worked with Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, Brian DePalma, Michael Cimino, Richard Donner, Woody Allen, and Kevin Smith. Originally from Hungary, he immigrated to the U.S. in the sixties.

Ragalyi won an Emmy for Rasputin, which starred Alan Rickman and Ian McKellen and aired on HBO. A native of Budapest, Ragályi has shot 100 features, mini-series, TV movies, and documentaries. He is one of the most active Hungarian cinematographers and has received the Critic's Prize for Best Cinematography six times at the Hungarian Film Festival.

Students in the masterclass had plenty of hands-onexperience with a variety of cameras and equipment, listened to guest lectures from professionals from all over the world, and watched films shot by Zsigmond, Ragalyi and other Hungarian filmmakers. Mears said, "Matt and I were living, eating, and breathing cinematography for two weeks straight. We were able to get our hands on some new equipment and teach others how to use the equipment we had already been exposed to while at the Film School."

While the chance to try new equipment was a boon, the most important component of the experience was less tangible. Zsigmond explains, "At a Masterclass it isn't the technique one must learn, but the way of thinking and the approach." As most cinematographers will tell you, half of learning to shoot is learning to see. Having seasoned, world-class cinematographers helping you learn to see is, as Ryan said, "The experience of a lifetime." But he added, " I have gained a new appreciation for education and resources at Florida State. This is not just with cinematography and equipment, but story."

Resources:

film.fsu.edu

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