4-Week Hi-Def Filmmaking Workshop

Students will make their films using the Canon 5D Mark ii. This camera allows students to achieve a true cinema look. The camera is a favorite of independent filmmaking, commercials and television, including the international hit series, HOUSE, shows on BBC, CBS Hawaii Five-O and Saturday Night Live's new title sequence and segments. Each student writes, directs, shoots and edits three projects shot on HD and edits on Apple Final Cut Pro stations. Each student works in key crew positions on at least six more films directed by classmates.

The program is not for everyone. It requires a total commitment to a challenging curriculum of making films. It is an intensive hands-on program, with hours that often extend beyond a traditional class day. Students should be prepared to eat, drink, and breathe filmmaking.



BEIJING
Beijing is an exciting and bustling city with a history of culture and power that extends back thousands of years. Visitors to Beijing will be inspired by the Forbidden City and Summer Palace which were homes of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties.



Near Beijing, the Great Wall of China can be visited, one of the world's wonders and also other attractions such as Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, Hutongs, Tianamen Square, Beijing Opera, Panda House among many great places to visit. Modern Beijing is a city with a vibrant night-life and world-class restuarants. It is the center of a burgeoning entertainment industry where hundreds of films and television shows are produced.

FORMAT
The program is structured around the production of three short HD films of increasing complexity. Classes and hands-on workshops are held throughout the week and weekends are reserved for additional classes or shooting. Evenings are spent on writing, location, scouting, casting, and editing. The fourth week is devoted to shooting and editing the final film, culminating in the final screening. As in all of our filmmaking workshops, each student writes, directs, shoots and edits a series of short film projects of his or her own. Classes in directing, writing, editing, cinematography, and production cover the creative and technical demands of telling a story with moving images. Each week all the students’ films are screened and critiqued in class with the instructor.
Language
All courses are taught in English. However, international students should take the opportunity to learn some conversational Mandarin Chinese during the program. This will enrich their understanding and enjoyment of Beijing.

CLASSES

DIRECTOR'S CRAFT
Students are taught the language of filmmaking and the director’s craft as applied to the HD digital format. Aspects of mise-en-scene, visual storytelling, continuity-style coverage, directing actors and writing visually will be emphasized.

HANDS-ON DIGITAL CAMERA AND LIGHTING
Using Canon 5D Mark ii, these classes help students master the digital medium including shutter speed, focus, focal length, dynamic range, latitude, color saturation, gels, and filters. In the first week, students shoot and screen tests for pulling focus, exposure, lens perspective, latitude, dynamic range, contrast, and utilizing Technicolor Cinema-style look.

DIGITAL EDITING
Students learn to “log and capture” their HD footage into the Final Cut Pro editing system. Creating a timeline, inserting footage, special digital effects, and building a digital soundtrack are among the subjects that are covered. Editing instructors are on hand to consult with students on creative and technical aspects of their individual projects throughout the editing process.

SOUND RECORDING
Students learn to get high quality sound for their final projects with boom microphones and accessories.



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