Tag Archive for: in focus film school

Cinema Verité and Authenticity

Imagine you are out for dinner with two of your close friends. The conversation is candid, and flows from one topic to the next. One of your friends pulls out their phone, and begins recording the conversation.

Does the dynamic change?

Do you speak as freely as you did prior to being recorded?

Documentary film aims to capture a subject or topic with some measure of objectivity. But the simple act of turning a camera on a person can change their behaviour. The premise of Cinema Verité is to film a scene in as natural a state as possible – as though the camera and director were merely flies on a wall.

The following video was made by documentary student Stan Huang. Below the video, read about his experience filming the exercise.

Can you explain the exercise that you were given? Rafi Spivak,our editing instructor, was teaching us about cinema verité and he wanted us to go out and film someone doing something. I thought it was interesting because you don’t usually just go to a shop or restaurant and shoot what people are doing.

Why did you decide to shoot at this particular restaurant? For their kitchen, they have an open window for people to watch. Every I time go have noodles there, there are kids just hopping up in the window watching them making noodles, so I thought that would be a cool action to shoot.

What was it like to shoot the exercise? We only had one day to shoot this project. So my project partner Adam and I decided to go there, and I went in and said we’re making a documentary about local food scenes.

Luckily the owner was there and he was cooking. I asked if I could interview him but he was a bit shy so he said you can just interview the waiters. So Adam did that and we got footage of that. Then I went into the kitchen with a slider and just shot whatever I could.

Did you run into any challenges or anything unexpected while you were filming? Yes actually, that was the first time I used a slider with a DSLR and I learned a lot in terms of how to set it up. And space was very limited in the kitchen so we had to deal with that.

 

Why Go To Film School: Beyond the Basics

There is a lot to consider when deciding to go to film school. Because it is a creative art, some may even argue that filmmaking can’t be taught in a classroom, and is better learned on your own. As an independent film school we’re all for indie productions and a DIY ethos. But, we also believe film school is the best way to sharpen your skills and produce portfolio quality work.

Why? First and foremost: creativity breeds creativity. We’re familiar with the lone mad genius trope. But the reality is, we can all benefit from receiving creative feedback – particularly when it comes from experienced industry professionals. Filmmaking is an ever­ evolving art, and the industry thrives on innovative and unique ideas. Working in a creative environment with practicing and emerging filmmakers is the best way to explore and push the boundaries of your filmmaking vision.

IMG_5433Which brings us to the next point. We know you’re passionate about filmmaking and determined to pursue your dream project. Yet setting aside time to do so can often be a challenge. Attending film school gives you an opportunity to explore your ideas, learn new techniques, and hone your craft.­Although it might seem counterintuitive, deadlines are useful because they increase productivity and time management. Instead of being relegated to the “when I have time,” pile attending film school allows you to focus on just one thing: your personal development as a filmmaker.

It also allows you to explore the different technical aspects of filmmaking. From pre­production through to post­production, there are countless processes involved in making a film. While many film industry professionals specialize in one area such as directing or cinematography, understanding the basic processes behind each facet is essential to your development as a filmmaker.

And of course, collaborating with fellow students on a variety of film projects gives you on set experience, and can lead to lasting creative partnerships.

Perhaps most importantly, attending film school gives you the opportunity to build a strong and diverse portfolio of work. Your show reel is your calling card – from entry­level positions to funding an independent project, it’s your key to the industry.

As user­friendly cameras, accessible editing software and online tutorials become increasingly popular, learning about filmmaking on your own is much easier than it used to be. And like any field, much of the learning process is trial and error. Delving into film school expedites the learning curve so that you can realize your potential, and your filmmaking vision, that much sooner.