Twelve important sessions, including a mini summit on AI.
LINKS TO RECORDINGS OF THE 2025 EURO CINE EXPO SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS
Since 2022, Claire and Rob Saunder, organisers of the Euro Cine Expo, have invited IMAGO’s Education Committee (IEC) and Technical Committee (ITC) to participate in the Symposium, which has quickly become a must-attend event in Europe. For both committees, this is a tremendous opportunity to continue their efforts to deepen their approach to knowledge sharing and research.
Euro Cine Expo has now become Euro Cine and plans to take the event to different European capitals.
Please find the list and description of each recording from panels and lectures of the sessions held in Munich in June:
IEC 1: PANEL – “Envisioning Cinematography Education: Crafting the Future” with Jana Johnston
ITC 3: LECTURE – “Visual Score of Cinema” – Relationship between written story and visual dramaturgy
ITC 4: LECTURE – “You’ve got the Look, I’ve got the LUT – Look Management from Prep to Post”
ITC/HdM 6: LECTURE – “Rethinking Frame Rate – 100 fps as a modern capture format”
ITC 8: MINI SUMMIT ON AI (2 parts) – “Checking in on AI in 2025: what can it do for us?”
Part 1, “Trained Algorithms in Interactive Colour Grading”
Part 2, “AI, Latest developments”
ITC/CST 10: LECTURE – “Do Digital Gels Really Match the Look of Physical Gels?”
ITC/CST 11: LECTURE – “ASC White Point”
When opening the links you will find the following information + each clips
IEC 1: PANEL – “Envisioning Cinematography Education: Crafting the Future” with Jana Johnston
Pr. Stefan Grandinetti BVK (HdM University – Stuttgart) – Jana Johnston, Videographer, filmmaker & photographer – Dr. Marijke Van Kets, SBC – Rauno Ronkainen, FSC (Pr. Aalto University, Helsinki), ITC – Peter Slansky Cinematographer (HFF Munich -Full-time Professor Department II – Technology)
A gathering dedicated to educators at film schools worldwide.
This conference will delve into the evolving landscape of cinematography education. From embracing cutting-edge technologies to fostering creativity in the digital age, the educational committee of Imago aims to address the challenges and opportunities that cinematography instructors face.
This conference is a chance to network with peers, exchange insights, and collaborate on solutions that will shape cinematography education for years to come. As a cinematographer and educator your voice is crucial in crafting a future that blends artistry with technological progress.
ITC 2: PANEL – “Crafting Synergy: Teaching Collaboration Among Directors, Cinematographers, and Actors on Set”
Naomi Amarger, Cinematographer – Aleksey Berkovic, Cinematographer, ITC – Dhanushka Gunathilake, SLSC, (Project manager, FWF, Tallinn Film Festival) – Sarah Thomas Moffat, Cinematographer – Rauno Ronkainen, FSC (Pr. Aalto University, Helsinki), ITC – Philippe Ros, AFC, ITC Moderator: Dr. Marijke Van Kets, SBC
This presentation explores the vital collaboration between directors, cinematographers, and actors – the triad at the heart of cinematic storytelling. By examining the interplay of creative vision, technical expertise, and performance, we highlight the intricate dynamics that bring stories to life. The session will also propose innovative teaching methodologies to help film students master this collaboration. From fostering clear communication to navigating creative tensions, we aim to equip future filmmakers with the skills to build cohesive and effective teams. Join us to discuss strategies that blend artistry and pedagogy, ensuring the next generation thrives in the collaborative environment of film production.
ITC3: LECTURE – “Visual Score of Cinema”
Rauno Ronkainen, FSC (Pr. Aalto University, Helsinki), ITC
Visual dramaturgy is a key role when a cinematographer makes any attempt to interpret the relationship between the written story and visual dramaturgy. Relationship with the written form and visualisation can be either in sync or in contrapuntal, but eventually the combination of both aims to create emotional and psychological impact – in the own language of the cinema. In this presentation Rauno will focus on the cinematographer’s role and tools in creation of “the Visual Score” for the film and also the cinematographer’s attempts to control the uncontrollable.
ITC 4: LECTURE – “You’ve got the Look, I’ve got the LUT – Look Management from Prep to Post”
Dirk Meier, BVK, CSI, ITC
The “look” of a movie is only the end-point of a long collaborative process that brings together many departments and contributors. But in order to manifest the filmmakers creative vision into actual moving images it is very important to understand the ingredients of the so-called “look”. And having a solid vocabulary to describe image attributes is key to analyse reference images and communicate your own creative vision.
In this session, Dirk Meier will discuss useful categories and terms for image attributes alongside examples of various film productions and camera tests (e.g. from the recently released Guy Maddin film “Rumours” shot by DOP Stefan Ciupek). Furthermore, he presents some aspects of look development in pre-production, and how to feed this into a technical container—the so-called Look-up-table.
Session video will be available soon.
ITC 5: PANEL – “A new vision of film production reality: the shape of the future of the profession”
Aleksey Berkovic, ITC – Philippe Ros, AFC, ITC – Nic Sadler, Cinematographer (Artemis, Chemical Wedding) – David Stump, ASC, BVK, ITC Moderator: Roberto Schaefer, ASC AIC
“The professional film industry is undergoing significant transformations due to technological advances, the imperatives of energy sustainability and evolving creative demands.
“The good old days” will never come back: filmmaking, perhaps, survives the most difficult period in its history. The crisis should be seen just as a turning point, as it was in the middle of the last century. The French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague) is one of the most striking phenomena in world cinema, formed in the midst of a crisis”
What is the nature of a new language and a new expressiveness in visual storytelling?
What does the empirical formula “2/3/6” mean?
How can we achieve a harmonious interaction between creativity and technology?
We will try to answer these and other questions during our meeting, which can or should become a step towards a new day of our profession, to which we devote ourselves and our lives. Let’s start shaping a new reality of visual storytelling together”.
ITC/HdM 6: LECTURE – “Rethinking Frame Rate – 100fps as a modern capture format”
Daniel Grootz, Assistant director, filmmaker & Martin Hübsch, freelance filmmaker. Moderator: Pr. Stefan Grandinetti BVK (HdM University – Stuttgart), ITC
The last 100 Years of filmmaking were shaped by rapid technological innovations. The digitalisation of film has changed almost every aspect in the process of capturing and editing moving images. High Resolution, High Dynamic Range or High Bitrates seek to capture as much nformation as possible. The only thing that is not high, is the Frame Rate. To this date, 24fps is still considered the standard for theatrical film productions.
Films that made use of Higher Frame Rates in the past have encountered harsh criticism throughout the film industry.
We are going to explain why shooting HFR is not only technically superior to the Standard Frame Rate, but why it also leads the way to more creative freedom and new storytelling tools for filmmakers.
Martin adn Danile will discuss why the Soap Opera Effect might not be a problem with HFR in particular, but more with cinematography in general. And ultimately, we advocate for 100fps as a modern capture format and the creative possibilities of motion grading in post-production.
ITC 7: LECTURE – “Unified production workflow – using metadata to bridge the digital divide and the analogue abyss”
David Stump, ASC, BVK, ITC
Unified production begins in prep, a USD (Universal Scene Description) database / container is set up in prep to preserve and convey digital assets through the entire production process. This enables seamless integration between prep, live action production and VFX asset creation and lossless continuity between prep assets, on-set assets and final VFX assets. Then, Real-Time, Near-Real-Time, Near-Set and Off-Line VFX production happens during the shoot, providing On-Set visualization for timely feedback with the Director, the DP, the camera team and the entire production team. On set compositing means no waiting for VFX “Turnover”, circled takes are delivered as temp comps, and motion, lens and other meaningful metadata are instantly available for use in post-production.
ITC 8.1: MINI SUMMIT – “Checking in on AI in 2025: what can it do for us?”
Part 1, “Trained Algorithms in Interactive Colour Grading”
Daniele Siragusano, Image engineer (FilmLight), ITC
To guide us back to the present, Daniele will cut through the AI hype and will have a look at a specific class of trained image processing algorithms and how they can assist high-end colour grading work today. He will analyse the strengths and weaknesses of these algorithms and will demonstrate to which extent they are already usable for the big screen.
ITC 8.2: MINI SUMMIT – “Checking in on AI in 2025: what can it do for us?”
Part 2, “AI, Latest developments”
David Stump, ASC, BVK, ITC and Roberto Schaefer, ASC, AIC, ITC
As practicing cinematographers, David and Roberto will have a look at the most recent advancements in AI as they relate directly to the realm of the cinematographer. In their journey of investigating new tools and techniques, they put a special focus on how the artist can remain in charge of the actual images, positioning AI as an assistant and not the creator.
ITC 9: LECTURE – “Good art is technique that makes the soul sing”
John-Christian Rosenlund, FNF, ITC
Moderator: David Stump, ASC, BVK, ITC
“Flame – Building Light from the Spectrum Up”
While working on period films, we found no LED source could replicate the spectral depth of real fire — skin tones looked artificial. So, we built our own. Using real flame as a benchmark, we developed a hybrid LED blending four spectral types. Tested through cinema cameras and DI colour suites, this led to Flame: a custom fixture that renders skin with nuance and emotional truth.
(This research sparked further work on circadian-friendly lighting, using expanded LED spectra, a practical study in metamerism)
“21 Days in a Volume – Simulating Cold with In-Camera VFX”
On one of the first features shot fully in a LED Volume — in just 21 days — we faced big challenges: limited colour, frequency shifts, moiré, and no real cold.
To sell the illusion of a frozen cable car, we treated the volume as an active light source. We layered in haze, practicals, set pieces, and cold-toned reflections. It became clear: LED Volumes demand precision, but without the soul of cinematography, it all falls flat.
ITC/CST 10: LECTURE – “Do Digital Gels Really Match the Look of Physical Gels?”
Gilles Arnaud, Cinematographer (CST: French Higher Technical Commission for Sound and Images) – Eric Chérioux, Technical director of the CST, ITC
Modern LED on film sets often feature built-in digital gels—but do they truly replicate the colour rendering of traditional physical gels? To explore this, Eric and Gilles tested two LED lights and nine different gels. Each setup was used to light two subjects with distinct skin tones, allowing for a side-by-side comparison.
Precise colorimetric and photometric measurements were taken throughout the process. All tests were carefully filmed, edited, and colour graded to highlight the visual impact of each gel type—providing a side-by-side look at how digital and physical gels perform in real-world conditions.
ITC 11: LECTURE – “ASC White Point”
Tim Kang, ASC Associate Member, ITC
What is white light? This lecture will present the work of the Lighting Committee of the ASC’s Motion Imaging Technology Council (MITC) to answer this fundamental question. This work includes: recognizing existing spectral standards & conventions; computing the meaning of “plus green” and “minus green”; exhibiting the results of following these new computations; implications to bridge the gap between legacy practice with modern and future lighting control; proposals for adopting “ASC ±G” in camera and post-production software controls.
