Graduate School Mini Course: Filmmaking for Everyone (Session 1)

With the advent of cell phones everyone has access to a camera.  Join and learn how to harness its full potential!

Andrew "Scotty" Scott has offered to teach the basics of Filmmaking in a documentary format, from pre-production to post-production, with hands-on experience on a video editor.

The mini course will consist of 3 sessions (Three hours each). At the end of the second session the students will be assigned homework (producing a 2-minute video). In the last session the videos will be reviewed, and a Q&A will follow.

For more information and to register, check here.

The program is as follows. Full details below.

Day 1

Pre-Production

• Scripting – how to take your idea and give it some structure.
• ​Intro to story structure and the Column Scripting technique
• Storyboarding  

Production

• Introduction to cameras
• Which camera do you use?
• Picture Resolution and Bit Depth
• Aperture, shutter speed and ISO
• Shot Composition – Wide, mid and close ups.  
• Shooting for editors – the 180 rule and “noddy” shots
• Using a Tripod vs Handheld
• Basic lighting
• Multi camera shoots
• Introduction to sound – how to record good sound, even with a phone
• Putting it all together - shooting in the real world, shooting in the lab

Day 2

Post-Production

• Organizing all your footage
• Introduction to Editing
• Assembly with the script
• Hard cuts and transitions
• When to put in your cut
• Picture lock
• Titles
• Mixing sound – hard cuts vs fades
• Hands-on – editing with DaVinci Resolve
• Homework: 2 minute films

Day 3  

Reviewing 2 minute films  

• Feedback
• Q&A