About the Master Series: 

Lecture

Saturday, October 31, 2026 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm)
Location: FTM office
In this two-hour intensive, acclaimed cinematographer Mark Irwin (CSC, ASC) will draw on his extensive career experience to explore the art and craft of cinematography. Participants will learn about creating scale and depth through lighting, while gaining insight into the creative and technical decisions that shape an image.

The session will cover digital cinema cameras, lenses, lighting techniques, and Mark’s approach to visual storytelling. An open Q&A will conclude the session, providing participants with an opportunity to engage directly with Mark and ask questions about cinematography, the film industry, and his career behind the camera.

One-on-Ones

Saturday, October 31, 2026 (1:00 pm – 6:00 pm)
Location: FTM Office
During the one-on-one session, each participant will receive the opportunity to meet with Mark Irwin for a 25-minute interactive coaching session to discuss career advancement, working relationships, and film industry trends.

Roundtable Session

Sunday, November 1, 2026 (10:00 am – 2:00 pm)
Location: FRANK Digital 
This interactive roundtable session will give participants an opportunity to explore cinematography through an open discussion with Mark Irwin and the other participants. Participants are encouraged to research Irwin’s body of work and be prepared to ask questions in an open and supportive environment.

During this session, Irwin will use selected scenes and clips from his extensive body of work to discuss the creative and technical decisions behind the images, including how he approached lighting, camera placement, lenses, composition, and visual storytelling.

Participants will be encouraged to bring their questions and engage directly with Irwin in a candid discussion about the challenges, choices, and techniques involved in bringing a scene to life. The session will provide a unique opportunity to look behind the camera and gain insight into the working process of an accomplished cinematographer.

Registration Fees: 

Lecture: $50 – General Public | $ 35.00 CSC & IATSE 856 Members and Permittees
Bundle (Lecture, One-on-Ones, Roundtable): $175 General | $150 CSC & IATSE 856 Members and Permittees
Please note: FTM is projecting this session to sell out quickly, so please register as soon as possible.
Note for Bundle Participants: Registration for the full bundle requires at least 3 years of film industry experience. Participants must come prepared with questions for the roundtable discussion and be ready to explore scene replication from Mark Irwin’s past film projects:

• THE BROOD
• SCANNERS
• THE DEAD ZONE – The Screaming Tunnel scene
• VIDEODROME
• THE FLY – Early-morning gymnastics in his lab + the “Be Afraid” moment
• YOUNGBLOOD
• ROBOCOP 2
• SCREAM – Opening scene with Drew Barrymore
• KINGPIN
• THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
• 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU – The prom and balcony scene (crane move at the end)
• DECK THE HALLS
• TEEN BEACH MOVIE 1 & 2 – Big dance numbers in each (bikers vs. surfers in #1 and big spotlit dance battle in #2)
• OLD SCHOOL
• PASSENGER 57 – Fight scene finale
• NEW NIGHTMARE – Freddy comes out of the underworld in a kid’s bedroom
• BAT*21 – Vietnam helicopter shootout attack
• THE PROJECTOR – Jackie Chan fights

This in-class session will not be streamed or recorded in any manner.

About Mark Irwin

Mark Irwin CSC ASC is a Canadian cinematographer whose career took off when he got the chance to work with David Cronenberg on Fast Company in 1978. This led to five more collaborations, including Scanners, The Dead Zone, and The Fly.

Irwin moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and worked on a wide range of films from Robocop 2 to Scream to Old School and There’s Something About Mary with directors like Gil Cates, Wes Craven, Todd Phillips and the Farrell Bros. He shot The Layover for director William H. Macy in Vancouver, The Retirement Plan with Nic Cage in Grand Cayman, and a number of AirBud/Netflix series in Victoria BC.

He has won Best Cinematography awards for The Fly, Youngblood, The Dead Zone, and Videodrome. He has shot films in Itay, China, Malaysia, Thailand and all over Canada and the United States.

This annual program brings renowned, world-class film and television veterans to the province for specialized masterclasses, lectures, and one-on-one mentorship sessions.