Film Production Program

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

TERM 1

Camera

This course will teach the fundamentals of practising the art of cinematography. A hands-on approach will teach students how to set up and operate a range of cameras, understand and control both natural and studio lighting, know the function and use of camera components and accessories and grow into a competent DOP on future projects.

Screenwriting

Story is the heart of film. Established screenwriters teach the fundamentals of story development and foundational topics such as character, three-act structure, dialogue, theme, and genre. After the general overview, we delve deeper into detailed breakdowns of character and structure. We even teach when and how to break the rules. Instructor-led workshops will improve your writing and interactive lectures will teach the fundamentals of screenwriting as you write a short script that will be produced in Term 2.

Documentary Directing

Crafting a cohesive and interesting story from factual events can be even more difficult than writing fiction. Lectures are combined with production labs to give you an overview of how to write treatments, design production schedules, scout subjects and conduct interviews. Exercises and film shoots are assigned throughout the course to provide the opportunity to practice and master your newly acquired skills.

Documentary Aesthetics

The documentary genre was born from factually documenting subjects, mostly for educational or historical purposes. Entertainment has also become a key factor, and documentarians now borrow elements from dramatic cinema to make their stories captivating for audiences. The documentary genre is constantly evolving, finding new ways to deliver the facts in engaging, exciting, and creative ways, and in this course, students will explore the narrative structures, situations, moods and character development of the various styles of documentary film.

Production Audio

Sound is often overlooked but is an essential component of any film. Recording clean dialogue and sound on set is vital and having the technical skills to effectively operate audio equipment saves countless hours in the edit suite. Work with professional Rode and Senhiesser microphones and learn about microphone placement, how to operate a boom, and how to mix and record audio with a variety of Zoom and Tascam mixers.

Editing

Students will survey the international history of motion pictures from its incarnation to present day. Following the evolution of the art, industry, and technological advances in filmmaking, students will discover the works of some of history’s greatest directors and dissect the medium’s evolution via ground-breaking ideas, experimental artistry, and risky choices throughout several genres. An important goal of this course is to instruct the student in “media literacy,” to illustrate how movies as a mass medium not only entertain, but also have the power to inform, persuade, and influence modern society.

Documentary Production

This course guides students through the production of their first major project: the Documentary. Students will develop stories, research topics, find dynamic subjects and then, over a week of shooting, will collect all interviews, footage, and visuals they require for their film. Students will employ various styles and techniques of documentary genres to craft a dynamic and exciting story.

TERM 2

Directing Drama

No matter what style of film you’re making, knowing how to effectively manage and lead a team is essential to success. Classes are taught the intricacies of dramatic filmmaking and are mentored on what it takes to become successful film directors. Students learn shot selection, shooting coverage, camera angles and working with actors. A key to directing is communication, and students will be taught how to communicate their directorial vision clearly to cast and crew – how to be firm with their vision, yet also welcome creative collaboration

Film History

Cinematography

Building on the basics learned in term 1, students will apply and advance their knowledge with the introduction of higher-calibre gear, more complex filming scenarios, new on-set roles, and fresh lighting and composition techniques. Students should be able to utilize new tools to strengthen their knowledge of framing, movement, and lighting, as well as having motivation and cinematic purpose behind their creative decisions behind the camera.

Assistant Directing

Film productions are a collaboration of different departments working towards the same goal. The Assistant Director is the glue that binds all of those departments together. Learn to prepare a film shoot, break down a script and schedule the shoot using Movie Magic Scheduling software. By understanding leadership, film set protocols and safety concerns, you will learn to keep the crew moving forward, lead both production meetings and the production itself, and be the communication hub on set. By the end of the course, students will have the skills to prep a film production and know how to run a set as a first assistant director.

Editing Theory

Editing is a lot more than button pushing. This course will explore the art of editing by offering students professional theory, methods and techniques. The focus will be on how the theoretical aspects of editing; the psychology behind cuts, screen grammar, spacial relationships, rhythm and pacing. Students will workshop the cuts of several film projects, learning how to build cohesive and engaging sequences and apply advanced theories of editing.

Sound Design

Sometimes it’s impossible to record clean audio on location, and even if it is clean, multiple layers need to be added on. You will learn to work with Adobe Audition to fix dialogue issues, add sound effects, create soundscapes, and record ADR to fully flush-out your films. Professional sound editors workshop your progress and provide mentorship through the process of audio post-production.

Web Short Production

This course guides students through the production of their second major project: the Web Short. Over four days students will shoot four films, rotating roles between director, AD, Camera/DOP, and Audio. Students will put their classroom training into practice and will be expected to effectively carry out the duties of their crew position.

TERM 3

Advanced Cinematography

This is the culmination of the entire cinematography stream before students start sprouting off into their specializations. Students will understand the importance of preparation and will be introduced to many advanced lighting techniques including shooting for colour, using a green screen, night-for-day and day-for-night, exterior lighting and shooting, lighting large rooms, and filming with a vehicle. At the end of this course, students must utilize all of the creative, technical, and organizational tools learned throughout the last three terms in practical, lighting-for-genre tests.

Advanced Directing

This course builds on many of the principles taught in the Directing Drama course, and introduces students to more advanced and theoretical directing concepts. Students learn to break down professional scripts into components of character, tone, metaphors and scene beats as well as employ storyboards, create artistic statements to communicate their vision for a project, and pitch their visions to producers.

Advanced Screenwriting

Now familiar with the script development process, students will move straight to pitching the basis for their grad film. After developing beat sheets and plot points, students receive workshops analyzing structure, character, visuals, tone, clarity, and grammar along with one-on-one mentorship as they work through the drafts of their scripts. Lectures recap narrative structure and subtext in dialogue, followed by advanced topics on intention of the filmmaker, controlling the flow of information, emotional depth in characters, creating emotion from beat to beat, and economy in storytelling. Students complete the course with a production script to pitch as a grad film.

Film Theory

This course will familiarize students with major European and American film theories and various approaches to film analysis. Classes will focus on core theoretical contributions from realism, formalism, psychoanalysis, auteurism, and genre theory amongst others. The theoretical discussion will be combined with exercises in film analysis and screenings of films that exemplify the theories being covered, informing students’ own filmmaking.

Art Direction

A holistic approach to art direction will be emphasized in designing a robust visual presentation. Students will explore the techniques and craft used to create effective mise-en-scène in a wide range of films and series. Encouraged to experiment with traditional and non-traditional techniques, students will have the opportunity to develop their own art directorial and production design skills.

Producing

The producer is the driving force behind any project. From start to finish, they are the people behind the curtain; the essential leaders of the filmmaking process. Producers control the project, build the team, raise finances, oversee the budget, organize the production, and are responsible for delivering the project based on agreements. You will learn the fundamentals of producing including creative development, budgeting, funding, pitching, team building, project management, marketing, and distribution.

Music Videos

Music videos are a fantastic learning tool to encourage lavish production design and experimental cinematography. Music videos are essentially client films, and the skills developed while translating an artist’s vision to the screen will be applicable to any client production. This course has students work with an actual musician as their client, and students must work to complete the project in a timely manner and on budget.

TERM 4

Career Pathways

Whether choosing the indie route or applying to a union, this course will prepare students for their new careers as filmmakers. Through guest lectures, students will be taught how to pursue the various careers open to them, and the pros and cons of those choices. Students will gain a clear vision of the most common pathways to their individual career goals as filmmakers.

Personal Branding

As a filmmaker, it is important to separate yourself from the crowd. Building a personal brand is important to be remembered, easy to find online, and to present a professional image to potential employers. Your personal brand will build industry recognition and associate you with the professional title you wish to have. This course will take students through all the steps needed to take to create and present a unique personal brand, create memorable business cards, build and tailor a professional social media presence, and create personal websites to showcase their skills and expertise.

Grad Film Production

This course guides students through the production of their final major projects: the Grad Film and the Passion Project. Two rounds of four-and-a-half day shoots, and 6 days of Passion Project shooting will see each student complete a final graduation project. Students will each direct or write a final film and graduate with a film that they can truly call their own.

RETURN TO FILM PRODUCTION PROGRAM