Film School Chronicles - Part I

Each day of the week we attend a different course and are taught all about the film industry and what's expected of us. There are 27 students and it is definitely a nice mix of experience and different backgrounds. We have business students, teachers, ex-military, writers and pretty much anything else you can think of. 

Monday was our first day of Film Tech I and as soon as I walked in, I knew it would be a good class... why? Because, there were three cameras lined up at the front, two of them were beauties that I've always wanted to play with: the Arriflex 535 and the Black Magic. Our teacher then proceeded to show us different film cameras and explain the age of digital filmmaking. 

The coolest thing about this program so far is we start learning on 16mm film! Using a Bell & Howell 16mm camera for the first few weeks, we'll shoot and edit and create 2-3 shorts. He walked us through opening the camera and loading the film - which, for a digital person, like myself - was a bit of a trial. 

Then, after lunch, we went for a tour of the Image Arts campus and I was impressed. Not only do they have full photo studio bays and film editing labs and dark rooms, there is a huge sound stage and green screen! That's where we spent time building and taking down a full set - a living room, complete with a door, windows and a fireplace. I also got to climb up a scaffold and took down lights.  

The course was already impressing me with how hands on we got in the first 5 hours! Then, our prof pulled out the dolly and a Panasonic digital camera. Volunteers took on roles as directors/actors/camera ops and we played out a scene using the dolly. 

The amount of equipment I got to play with on the first day really makes me excited for the rest of the summer. Also, the fact that the school has a carpenter who will help build set pieces... well, any ideas for a great short film? 

Then Day 2 brought Motion Picture Production. We learned extensively about cameras: exposure, film versus digital, ISO, fps - the list goes on. Our first assignment is to film a 30 second, black and white, silent documentary.  We're going to be pitching our ideas tomorrow and begin filming and editing, pretty much right away. I have a feeling this course will be particularly challenging and informative.

And, last but not least, today was our first Screenwriting class. It was very informative and went through formatting, story structure and the film industry. Every question was answered and a few samples were read out loud. 

I had a good class but felt maybe this was a bit too introductory for me, I would recommend it if you have never touched a screenplay before.

Three days in and I can say that the course has not been a disappointment yet. I definitely feel more knowledgable on cameras and being a crew member for films. 

For my readers that don't want to fork out for film school, stay tuned for more updates and enjoy the suggested reads from film school.

Reading List:

Mandatory:

• The Screenwriter's Bible - David Trottier 
• The Filmmaker's Handbook - Steven Ascher & Edward Pincus

Recommended:

• Film art, An Introduction - Bordwel & Thompson
• Film: An Introduction - William H Phillips
• Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen - Steve Katz *
• The Complete Film Dictionary - Ira Knoningsberg
• Screenplay: The Foundation of Screenwriting - Syd Field *
• Comedy Writing Secrets - Mel Helitzer with Mark Shatz
• Writing for Emotional Impact - Karl Iglesias
• The Hidden Tools for Comedy -  Steve Kaplan
• The TV Writer's Workbook - Ellen Sandler
• SAVE THE CAT! - Blake Snyder * 
• The Comic Toolbox - John Vorhaus
• Essentials of Screenwriting - Richard Walter
• The Whole Picture - Richard Walter