DAYS & TIMES:
Tuesday
5:30 -8:30 pm & Saturday 9:30 am -12:30 pm
TEXTS:
The Digital Filmmaker's Handbook
SCHEDULE:
1. Topic: Unit briefing
Important points: Introduction to unit, assignment brief,
consideration of assessment criteria
2. Topic:
Film formats & Genre
Important points: Action, adventure, comedy, crime, drama,
epic, horror, musical, sci fi, western, war, bio-pics. Cinema, streaming, online, short form film,
independent and mainstream, film for television
3. Topic:
Audience Form and structure
Important points: Narrative and plot in mainstream films and
narrative opportunities in animation, experimental and short films.
Important points: Audience demographics, audience needs,
audience feedback, audience in production
4. Topic:
Character
Important points: Flat, round, traits, dynamic, regular,
change, goals, obstacles
5. Topic:
Concept
Important points: Concept, theme, master scenes
6. Topic:
Treatment, character and talent
Important points: Finding talent for character. Practical
workshop developing treatment from script and developing pre-production
materials for talent
7. Topic:
Logistics
Important points: Resources, timescales, locations, permission
Practical workshops on logistics for own productions with 1
to 1 feedback
8. Topic:
Developing pitch
Important points: Vocabulary, materials, audience,
summarisation, communication, unique selling points, presenting, negotiating
9. Topic: Pre-production 1 - Scene breakdowns, shot list
Important points: From script to scene list to shot list. Practical workshop developing scene breakdowns, scene lists and shot lists
10. Topic:
Script 1
Important points: Developing a script. Script conventions.
Scriptwriting Workshop
11. Topic:
Script 2
Important points: Script revision and read-through
SAT MAY 15 Topic: Concept Pitch (TASK1 DUE)
Important points: Students pitch the concept and pitch deck for their short film.
TUES MAY 18 Topic: Pre-production 2 - Sourcing and testing equipment
Important points: Using household items and home-made gear to make camera stabilizers for creative shooting. Practical workshop making and using do-it-yourself camera gear.
SAT MAY 22 Topic: Direction - Staging a scene; blocking a scene – the basics
Important points: Talent, crew, setting
Practical exercises in direction: mise-en-scene, staging. Practical workshop for learners to stage a scene from their
film.
LECTURE
EXERCISE due by 12:30 pm
TUES MAY 25 Topic: Lighting and rigging masterclass 1
Important points: Line up, 3-point, hard and soft, types of light
Practical workshop reproducing specific shots with lighting equipment
SAT MAY 29 Topic: Camera masterclass 1
Important points: Advanced camera techniques and management
• Practical workshop and guidance on camera use for personal projects and idea setting for different types of shots
TUES JUNE 01 Topic: Sound masterclass.
Important points: Microphone types, audio types, noise reduction, audio management, Microphone positioning, wireless recording, audio rehearsing
• Practical studio workshops practicing audio positioning and rehearsing audio with talent and sound technician
1 to 1 guidance on audio use in relation to personal projects
SAT JUNE 05 Topic: Camera masterclass 2 & Production Day. Shoot your film, applying techniques from class session.
Important points: Advanced camera techniques and management
• Practical workshop and guidance on camera use for personal projects and idea setting for different types of shots, Application of techniques to on set filming.
EXERCISE due by 1:30 pm today
Here are some long take or one take short films:
CALL by Sam Lock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ60mBTBsbY
HOLD 'EM by Ryan Alexander and Jakob Owens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pJgQOQ1JRA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s1OaNTg3RM
CALL by Sam Lock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ60mBTBsbY
HOLD 'EM by Ryan Alexander and Jakob Owens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pJgQOQ1JRA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s1OaNTg3RM
TUES JUNE 08 Production Day. Shoot your film. Finalise shot lists for all scenes.
Topic: Production forms, final shot lists.
Important points: Planning, contingency, permissions, recce, call sheets, risk assessment. Practical workshop shooting film based on final shot lists.
SAT JUNE 12 Topic: Production Day
Important points: Shoot your film
• On set
production. Dailies emailed to lecturer for critique
TUES JUNE 15 Topic:
Production Day
Important points: Shoot and edit a scene for your film
• On set
production and rough cut. Rough cut of a scene emailed to lecturer for critique
SAT JUNE 19 Topic:
Production Day
Important points: Shoot your film
• On set
production. Dailies emailed to lecturer for critique
TUES JUNE 22 T
Important points: Timing and montage, cuts and variations
• Application
of different techniques to own work followed by group discussion and critique
of samples
SAT JUNE 26 T
Important points: Colour correction and grading for films
• Application
of different techniques to own work followed by group discussion and critique
of samples
LECTURE: Colour Correction Guide 2
EXERCISE: Edit
one scene from your film using one of the special techniques outlined
in the lecture presentation above. You will also indicate your reason
for applying that technique and what impact you hope to have on the the
viewer. Due by 1:00 pm
TUES JUNE 29 Topic:
Post production – Audio 1 & 2
Important points: Multi-track audio, audio transitions and
audio effects, adding Foley and sound effects, sound and voice
• Practical
test for adding sound effects, Foley and music to production followed by
presentation to group.
EXERCISE: Edit one scene from you film, adding in the relevant sound effects and music (if applicable) and ensuring that the dialogue is also properly edited. Apply the techniques covered in today's lectures. Due by 2:00 pm.
SAT JULY 03 Topic:
1 to 1 meetings; Work on your film
Sub-topic(s): Discussion of individual progress on
assignment
TUES JULY 06 Topic:
Post Production - Opening film titles and end credits
Important points: Fonts, size and order of titles and credits for a film
SAT JULY 10 Topic:
Project evaluation methods;
Important points: Efficiency of production processes,
workflow effectiveness, project management, planning and preparation.
Alternatives for evaluation and collecting feedback
LECTURE: Evaluating and analysing your film
EXERCISE: Prepare a rough cut of another scene or sequence (a scene or sequence you have not shown me yet) from your film along with an evaluation of the scene and email these to me no later than 12:30 pm.
TUES JULY 13 Topic: Output. Presenting a film for screening.
Important points: Platform, format, resolution, video and
audio compression, broadcasting or hosting
• Practical
workshop and test of mastering and delivery techniques
• Practical
workshop on how to present a film for screening•
EXERCISE: Continue to refine the edit of your film based on the feedback given to your rough cuts.
SAT JULY 17 Topic: Final submission of film at 9:30 am, Questions for Q&A due by 12:30 pm
• Presentation
and screening of film
SAT JULY 24 Topic: Production file, Q&A/Feedback response due at 9:30 am
Important points: Video response to audience feedback and evaluation of project
• Submit
short film production file and video of response to audience questions
ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
