Fundamentals of Film Making

A series of 8 sessions that cover all the main components of filmmaking. Each session covers a different topic: Screenwriting, Pre-visualization, Directing, Producing, Acting for film/ directing actors, Editing, Post-production for film, and Distribution.

Screenwriting

The screenwriting workshop focuses on the main elements that construct a screenplay: acts structure, character development, scene breakdown. Using various exercises to put all the elements into practice, participants will be guided through the process from developing a simple idea into a 3-page screenplay draft.

Directing

The directing workshop focuses on what makes a director and what are his/her main tasks. We will examine the critical phase of pre-production during which the director formulates his/her vision. Participants will be guided through the process starting from script analysis, scene breakdown, research, and designing shot list. These elements help the director to construct the visual language of the film based on the thematic values of the narrative.

Pre-visualization:

The pre-visualization workshop focuses on the visual development of the concept through storyboarding, digital animatics and 3-D staging of complex scenes. Various case studies will be explored using different ranges of pre-vis. Participants will get to have a comprehensive idea on the approach and the various functionalities of the pre-visualization process.

Acting for film/ directing actors

Directing actors can be one of the most challenging tasks for a director. The workshop focuses on the director's role in giving instructions to actors and handling clear communication to bring context to a scene. Actors will be in attendance. Each participant will be assigned a scene to rehearse with actors who will perform it in front of others. Directors are then asked to give directorial instructions on how to enhance the performance.

Producing

Who is the producer? We will discuss in this workshop the two aspects of being a producer: creative, focusing on providing creative input and understanding the vision of the director, and executive, with tasks that range from financing the film and making decisions critical to the overall path of the project. We will look into both aspects closely through examples and exercises that will help the participants understand the producer's mindset and the talent it takes to be one.

Editing

Editing is often called the invisible art. In this workshop, we will look into scenes from various films and discuss the editing techniques used to tell a story. This workshop is about observing the importance of making editing choices that advance the story and have reason. Editing elements such as continuity and transition are also discussed to put into practice the technicality and the basics of editing tactics.

Post-production for film

The workshop is an overall guide that deconstructs the various stages of post-production: Editing, sound design, music composition, color grading and visual effects. It is a general approach to what each stage requires and what is the importance of each. We will look at various examples from films in which different elements in this stage have either supported or defeated the storytelling and the final outcome.

Distribution

The distribution workshop focuses on studying different ways of making a movie available for the audience. How to plan a marketing strategy for your film? How to plan a release whether in film festivals, movie theaters or over the internet? We will look into 3 case studies: a high budget feature film, a low budget independent film and a short film.