To earn a certificate you are required to complete three courses in one or two successive summers.
Category A: Beginning Production
Fundamentals of Sight and Sound: Film
A comprehensive course in the fundamentals of 16 mm film production. Through intensive practice combined with lecture and discussion, the student becomes familiar with the means of achieving disciplined expression in film. Each student writes, directs, and edits five short films, as well as assists in the production of those of their crew members. Three of the five assignments are silent films; two employ prerecorded sound tracks. Assignments for these film projects cover a range of technical, stylistic, and conceptual challenges.
Course dates and times to be announced.
Category B: Writing
Writing for the Screen
Participants will examine the principles and processes of writing for the screen. Topics include finding and developing story ideas, film language and script structure. By the end of the course, students will have participated in in-depth film analysis and intensive screenwriting exercises and discussions. At the end of the course, students are expected to complete a film treatment (prose description of your film) with a step outline for a feature film or T.V. episode you plan to write. In addition, you must hand in the first scene (3-5 pages) of your script with dialogue.
Course dates and times to be announced.
Category C: Craft/Production
[choose one]
(Category A and B courses are prerequisites for the category C courses)
Cinematographer's Workshop
This is a basic course for students with a beginner's knowledge of film production. The course includes an intensive survey of black-and-white and color film theory. During the shooting of simple scenes, the course will explain controlling the "look" of a film by selection of lenses, choice of focus and exposure and use of lighting, arrangement of elements and use of various emulsions. Timing of prints or digital transfer and non-standard development will also be included in this course as well as pushing, pulling, skip bleach and cross processing.
Course dates and times to be announced.
Prerequisite: Beginning Film Production H99.1043
Color Sync Workshop
Color Sync Workshop is a practical course in which students (collaborating in crews of four) are exposed to a broad range of production techniques through production experience and class discussion. Each group produces four color sync-sound exercises during the semester that challenge craft, aesthetic and production issues. As a group member, each student will serve in rotation as director, producer, camera, sound, and AC/gaffer.
Prerequisite: Beginning Film Production H99.1043
Course dates and times to be announced.
