4-Week Online Cinematography Workshop

4-Week Online Cinematography Workshop

Learn Cinematography from Anywhere

The 4-Week Online Cinematography Workshop is focused on understanding the basic principles of cinematography with a combination of online lectures, analysis of the history of cinematography, camera and basic lighting technology and techniques, including an introduction to editing and color correction using Davinci Resolve.

Program DescriptionProgram Name: 4-Week Online Cinematography Workshop

Students will test what they learn during the online lectures with 3 exercises that are designed using a digital camera of their own possession, including a cell phone if nothing else is available.

Projects/Exercises

  • Composition: As directed during the Production Lab prep class, the students will create a series of shots to practice and test their knowledge of composition and the technical elements of cinematography (focus, exposure, color, basic camera movements).
  • Continuity: The student will create a small scene within the space safely accessible to them, in which they will use different framing, angles of view, and available or artificial light to build the narrative. Could be fictional (ex: a mystery presence in the room) or documentary (ex: a family member/partner baking a cake
  • Montage: For their final film, the students will pick an abstract concept (e.g.: fear, excitement, love, solitude, etc.) and, within their safe space, film images that will describe it visually either on their own or combined with others. The project focuses less on the narrative aspect of filmmaking and more on the capacity of cinematography to deliver a subtext of significance to otherwise unrelated images.

Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected. 

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

Cinematographer’s Craft
This class will provide the basic elements of Cinematography, including but not limited to the basic principles of Cinematography, an introduction to visual storytelling, an analysis of how shots are used to build a narrative or documentary sequence, the basic elements of Montage and a deeper analysis into painting with lights.

History of Cinematography
This class analyzes the evolution of cinematography along the history of cinema, pointing out trends and historically relevant turning points in style (film noir, the introduction of color, etc.). A list of films, easy to find online and representing a wide range of cinematographers’ styles, genders, and ethnicities, will be distributed to the students for watching on their own time. Each student will choose 6 movies from this list to watch and analyze.

Camera
This class will introduce the basic characteristics of a digital camera and the main settings common to most digital cameras, using a Sony FS5 as an example. Advanced digital cinema cameras will be introduced using a Red Dragon as an example. The course will also provide an overview on the evolution of Digital Cinema.

Lighting and Grip
Lighting and Grip class will present lighting principles and examples via live demonstrations of how to create basic lighting setups. During Guerrilla Lighting, students will be introduced to examples of lights that are easy to build using common materials.

Editing
This class will introduce the digital editing capacities of Davinci Resolve, allowing the students to receive basic editing training, and also will guide the students to understand the basic principles of color correction and postproduction.

Production Lab
This class will guide the students in producing and developing their 3 personal projects with respect to social distancing and isolation rules. During the online course, they will create a Composition, a Continuity, and a Montage project, each one of them following a different set of rules and instructions.

Screen and Review
This class provides feedback to the students on their personal projects and analyzes their choices and approaches.

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Times and Breakdown by Week

All classes for this workshop are scheduled for full-time hours. 

Class Breakdown

  • Cinematographer’s Craft – 9 Classes
  • History Of Cinematography – 3 Classes
  • Camera – 2 Classes
  • Lighting & Grip – 3 Classes
  • Editing
    • Editing On Davinci Resolve – 3 Classes
    • Basic Elements Of Color Correction – 3 Classes
  • Production Lab – 6 Classes
  • Screen And Review – 3 Classes
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Program and Software Requirements

  • Computer: Mac, Windows or Linux based computer with the capacity of running Davinci Resolve on it and with webcam
  • Internet access in order to follow the online classes live and interact with instructors and classmates
  • Software: Davinci Resolve 16 Lite, free software downloadable at https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/
  • Camera: Any camera will do for the program, even a cellphone. We suggest, but not require, apps like Filmic Pro to be able to control manually the functions of the video camera of the phone.

Tuition

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Dates

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Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.

4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs

4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs

Learn How To Create Nonfiction Films

In the full-time 4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs, students learn the fundamental aspects of narrative and documentary filmmaking. Through immersive learning, they are introduced to the arena of digital social media micro docs. Through a series of lectures, in-class screenings, and practicum assignments, award-winning filmmakers shepherd students through the production of three original 1-5 minute documentaries which can be made traditionally or as social media micro docs. Films include an Observational Film, Interview Film, and Final Film.

Workshop DescriptionWorkshop Name: 4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs

Production and post-production of all films created in this workshop can be accomplished using a home computer and a smartphone. As each film is completed, students screen their work with their classmates and instructors and engage in feedback sessions and discussions.

Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected.

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

The 4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs Workshop include directing, documentary storytelling, camera & lighting, producing, and editing.

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Times and Breakdown by Week

The 4-Week Online Documentary Filmmaking And Micro Docs Workshop typically has full-time hours on Monday – Friday. Additional time is needed outside of class to complete coursework and films.

Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • Smart Phone with a camera
  • Filmic Pro app (additional student cost is approximately $14.99)
  • DaVinci Resolve Editing Software (no additional student cost)
  • Laptop or desktop computer with minimum specs for editing

Suggested Resources

  • External hard drive (optional) would cost an additional $30-$200
  • Voice Record (PRO) app which is free to download

4-Week Online Filmmaking Workshop

4-Week Online Filmmaking Workshop

Learn to Make Short Films from Anywhere

In NYFA’s 4-Week Online Filmmaking workshop, students gain a thorough introduction to the foundations of film craft. Throughout this immersive online workshop, students attend class remotely in an interactive environment, where they will learn from our seasoned faculty of accomplished filmmakers and directors. Many students find the one-month length fits conveniently into their yearly schedules. The workshop is a full-time program with four hours of instruction five days a week and shooting on the weekends.

Workshop Description Workshop Name: 4-Week Online Filmmaking

The 4-Week Online Filmmaking program focuses on how a filmmaker writes, preps for, and directs a short film. Through a series of online lectures and guided exercises, this workshop will cover the tools available to help implement the Director’s vision in the unique narrative structure of the short film they write. Examined in depth, this course covers but is not limited to the necessary elements that make a good scene/story, how a director breaks down the written word into visual shots and creates a point of view, getting good performances from the actors, and designing a visual strategy for their story.

Students participate in a series of lectures, discussions, and in-class screenings to further hone their understanding of the art and craft of directing. This class has a special focus on pre-production and the elements of visual storytelling. A coherent visual approach to each proposed film should be arrived at by course end.

Prerequisites – Because all short-term filmmaking workshops start at the introductory level, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected.

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

Director’s Craft:
The core of the Four-Week Program, Director’s Craft, introduces students to the fundamentals of directing short films. As directors, students will focus on the essentials of visual storytelling. They will learn concepts to help achieve maximum psychological impact by studying the director’s decisions in camera placement, blocking, staging, and visual image design.  

Upon successful completion of this portion of the course, students will be able to create a floor plan, shot list, and shooting schedule.  Demonstrate a basic understanding of the components of designing a shot and creating and directing the dramatic beats in a script.   

Director’s Craft is broken down into subclasses: Directors Craft, Screen & Critique, Directing Actors, Preproduction Meetings, Producing for Directors, and Production Design.

 

Cinematography:
This course is designed to introduce students to the art of cinematography, enabling film directors to make informed choices.  In addition to introducing the students to the principles of photography as applied to the moving image, it will also cover fundamental lighting techniques. Students learn how to support the story with appropriate lighting choices. This includes the use of practical lighting sources such as lamps, flashlights, and china balls in a safe and creative manner.

 

Editing:
This area of study presents students with multiple aesthetic approaches to editing moving images. Students will learn how to apply concepts such as temporal continuity and spatial and emotional continuity.  Not purely technical, this course will also discuss the psychological and emotional effects of editing on the overall story. 

Additionally, students will learn to operate DaVinci Resolve editing software that they will use to edit their own exercises. 

Open Edit is a time set aside for the students to edit their own footage under the virtual guidance of their Editing instructor. 

Editing is broken down into 3 subclasses: Theory of Editing, Working with DaVinci Resolve, Sound Design in DaVinci, and Intro to Color Correction.

 

Screenwriting:
The Screenwriting portion of the course adheres to the philosophy that good directing cannot occur without a well-written script. The course is designed to lay the foundational understanding of dramatic structure, which is essential to writing an engaging script. 

Also included in the course is writing a treatment and logline, developing plot lines, screenplay format, and creating believable characters with complete narrative arcs.

 

Sound Design:
This film course introduces the student to the world of sound design, detailing the process of sound design by providing concepts, technical information, and examples of how sound is used in cinema.

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Times and Breakdown by WeekSessions: Two 2-hour classes each day.

This workshop consists of two 2-hour classes per day Monday-Friday, for the entire four weeks (80 total hours).

All classes are scheduled for 12pm-2pm and 3pm-5pm EST.

Total Course Hours = 80

Weekly Breakdown:

  • Week 1: Intro to the Language of Cinema
    • Practicum: Mis-en-scene
  • Week 2: Continuity and Shot Design
    • Practicum: Continuity Exercise
  • Week 3: Elements of Story, Pacing & Rhythm
    • Practicum: Music & Montage Exercise
  • Week 4: Putting it all together
    • Practicum: Polished cut of Music & Montage Exercise OR Continuity

Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • DaVinci Resolve (free download)
  • Laptop or desktop computer with minimum specs for editing with DaVinci Resolve 16
  • Smartphone with a camera
  • FiLMiC Pro App for mobile cinematography (approximately $14.99)

Suggested Resources
As students in the filmmaking classes work with large files and software that may require minimum technical specifications, we ask that all incoming students review our recommended resources:

  • External hard drive (optional, costs $30-$200)

4-Week Online Filmmaking Workshop

Location Program Start Date and End Date Tuition
Online

September 28, 2026 – October 23, 2026

Tuition and Equipment & Technology Fee

Tuition:$2,200

Departmental Program Fee:N/A

Program Duration: 4-Weeks

4-Week Online Cinematic AI Filmmaking Workshop

4-Week ONLINE CINEMATIC AI FILMMAKING WORKSHOP

You have stories to tell. Now you have the tools — and the right school — to tell them. NYFA was built on a single belief: that learning by doing, under the guidance of professionals actively working in the industry, is the fastest path to becoming a filmmaker. This workshop brings that philosophy into the AI era. In four weeks, you’ll develop real directing, writing, and editing instincts while learning to harness generative AI as a creative force — not a shortcut. You’ll leave with finished work, hard-won skills, and a completely new sense of what’s possible.

Fully online. No prior AI or filmmaking experience required.

Apply Now
for Online Workshops!

Apply Now

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • Film language that empowers you to get the results you want from the AI
  • How to direct AI-enhanced performances with emotional intention
  • Prompt craft for cinematic imagery — lensing, lighting, blocking, and action
  • Editing strategies that fix AI’s continuity problems: drift, eyelines, and geography
  • The ethical and legal framework for using AI in professional production
  • A write–visualize–revise loop that makes AI your fastest creative tool

WHAT YOU WILL MAKE

  • Micro-film (15–30 sec): An AI-enhanced scene demonstrating shot control and editorial assembly
  • Short film (45–90 sec): A narrative scene with AI-enhanced performance, coverage, and continuity
  • Certificate of Completion upon graduating

YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Matt GaluppoMatt Galuppo has worked in advertising, animation, and entertainment for over 10 years. He began his career in VFX working on films such as Avengers 2, Inception, and Godzilla before taking on directing and supervisor roles for clients like Netflix, Nintendo, Riot Games, and Comedy Central. Off that success, he founded a boutique, nimble, turnkey studio where he led CG animation on the Emmy and NAACP Image Award-winning children’s show “Tab Time” for YouTube Originals.

Recently, he worked as an Animation and Visual Effects Supervisor for TCL, where he lead teams of artists developing AI-enhanced creative pipelines – breaking ground on spatio-temporal consistency for use in original content – completing AI effects for films that have premiered both at the Chinese Theatre in LA and at the Sundance Film Festival, and John Travolta’s directorial debut at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Classes: Monday & Wednesday, 9:30am PST, 12:30pm EST, 6:30pm CET
Open lab: 1× per week, 3 hours – for AI iteration & troubleshooting
Format: Lectures + hands-on AI production work, online
Support: 1-on-1 sessions with professor or TAs; community messaging channel

EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE

  • Cloud-based and local generative AI tools (full list provided before start)
  • Standard video editing software
  • Basic lighting & camera gear for AI reference capture
  • Reliable internet connection
  • External storage drive recommended for AI media workflows

Specific software and hardware recommendations are shared before the workshop starts — tools are updated each cohort to reflect the latest AI tech.

4-Week Online Cinematic AI Filmmaking Workshop

Location Program Start Date and End Date Tuition
Online

July 6, 2026 – July 31, 2026

Tuition:$1500

4-Week Online Cinematic AI Specialist Workshop

4-Week Online Cinematic AI Specialist Workshop

The film and media industry is being rebuilt around AI — and fluency in these tools is fast becoming one of the most valuable skills a creative can have. At NYFA, you don’t just study the craft: you practice it, hands-on, guided by professionals who are using these exact tools on real productions right now. In four intensive weeks, you’ll build the kind of practical AI expertise that sets you apart — a portfolio of cinematic work, a command of professional workflows, and the confidence to bring serious creative vision to any production environment.

Fully online. No prior AI or filmmaking experience required.

Apply Now
for Online Workshops!

Apply Now

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • How to art-direct AI so it produces exactly what you intend — not what it guesses
  • Prompt craft for cinematic shots: composition, light, and camera grammar
  • How to feed traditional footage into AI as reference, pose, and performance data
  • How to build repeatable AI pipelines that give you consistent, professional results
  • The legal, business, and union rules that govern AI work in the industry today
  • AI previs, pitch visualization, and VFX-style shot development from scratch

WHAT YOU WILL MAKE

  • AI-enhanced short film — narrative, music video, or documentary format
  • Still visualization project with cinematic AI art direction
  • Hybrid AI + live-action shot or short sequence
  • Portfolio-ready deliverables throughout the program

CLASS SCHEDULE

Classes: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30am PST, 12:30pm EST, 6:30pm CET
Open lab: 1× per week, 3 hours — for AI iteration & troubleshooting
Format: Lectures, demos, supervised AI labs, creative sprints
Extras: Peer critiques + instructor feedback each AI production cycle

EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE

  • Cloud-based and local generative AI tools (full list provided before start)
  • Standard editing or compositing software
  • Reliable internet connection for AI model access
  • External hard drive recommended for large AI file workflows

Tool recommendations are shared before the workshop begins and updated each cohort to keep pace with AI developments.

4-Week Online Cinematic AI Specialist Workshop

Location Program Start Date and End Date Tuition
Online

July 6, 2026 – July 31, 2026

Tuition:$1500

4-WEEK ONLINE DIGITAL EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE PRO

4-WEEK ONLINE DIGITAL EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE PRO

LEARN DIGITAL EDITING FROM ANYWHERE

In NYFA’s intensive 4-Week Online Part-Time Digital Editing workshop, students gain a thorough introduction to digital editing techniques, editing theory, and industry-standard software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. Students acquire foundational editing skills through hands-on immersion projects and are guided by our seasoned faculty. This 4-week online digital editing workshop allows students to balance the course with daily obligations throughout the workweek. 

Workshop DescriptionWorkshop Name: 4-Week Online Digital Editing With Adobe Premiere Pro

Over the course of four weeks, students will gain the necessary technical editing skills and learn foundational editing theory needed to professionally edit footage with Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. In daily meetings, students will acquire critical skills and editing knowledge such as starting a project, making cuts, post-production workflow, sound design, media management, basic effects, and other advanced concepts. Students will learn through immersion and edit various projects throughout the course including a montage and two short narrative scenes. 

All classes are geared toward acquiring foundational industry-standard Adobe Premiere Pro editing skills.

Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected. 

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is used for editing videos, commercials, and other film, television, and online video. It is a professional and comprehensive video editing software application. Students will become comfortable or fluent in the software, and learn Shortcuts, Audio Mixing, Color Correction, Graphics and Effects, and Export Settings for various platforms.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an advanced digital imaging software, used by photographers, designers, web professionals, and video professionals. The app gives you the utmost power and creative control for 2D and 3D image manipulation and compositing, video editing, and image analysis. Students learn the major functions of Adobe Photoshop and will create usable assets to be imported into Premiere Pro.

**Please note: Students who submit applications later than Thursday at 5 pm (ET) on the week preceding the start date of this workshop may not receive the Adobe Premiere software in time for the first day of class, as the issuance of your NYFA ID and account set-up requires, approximately, 12 business hours.

Creative storytelling, Be a better storyteller

The key to any great piece of content is a story. Storytelling in your video will help you to engage your audience and achieve the results you want. Stories tug at our hearts. They engage our emotions. They make us feel something for the characters and allow us to empathize or imagine ourselves in their place. Creativity is how you grab your audience’s attention. Throughout the program, students will learn how to create engaging content using editing software as a tool to tell their stories.

Screening and Critique

Students screen their work for instructor and classmate feedback upon completion of each film assignment. Constructive feedback is based on the student’s application of technical and aesthetic principles learned during workshop/lecture hours, and on how well those techniques were used to achieve the student’s goals. All instructors are film, TV, and other media professionals and are active in their fields. Their feedback helps students understand what they are doing well and what they could make improvements on. This practice allows students to continually improve and make even more engaging content.

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Times and Breakdown by Week

The online 4-week workshop (Adobe Premiere Pro) runs full-time from Monday through Friday. 12-2pm Eastern and 2:30pm-4:30pm Eastern.
Each day consists of 2 classes, including supervised lab time. Lab time is part of the schedule and allows the students to practice their editing skills under the guidance of our expert faculty. Students will need to anticipate extra time outside of class to complete assignments, projects and exercises.
Classes that land on Federal Holidays will be made up on a Saturday.

*Exact weekdays are subject to change due to holidays. 

Total course hours = 80

Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • Camera (cell phone will suffice)
  • Premiere Pro and Photoshop – NYFA will provide the software during the workshop
  • Laptop

Hard drive. Recommended specs are as follows:

  • Recommended brands: Lacie or G-Drive
  • 7,200 rpm. This is how fast your drive spins, rpm stands for rotations per minute
  • 1tb of space
  • Another option: SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable external Solid-State Drive (SSD). SSD storage is much faster than its HDD equivalent

Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.

4-WEEK ONLINE DIGITAL EDITING WITH AVID MEDIA COMPOSER

4-WEEK ONLINE DIGITAL EDITING WITH AVID MEDIA COMPOSER

LEARN HOW TO USE AVID MEDIA COMPOSER AT NYFA

A strong editor knows how to piece together a compelling, engaging story. In NYFA’s 4-Week Digital Editing workshop in NYC and Los Angeles, students learn the art of storytelling for film, television, and media and become proficient in editing with Avid Media Composer.

Workshop DescriptionWorkshop Name: 4-Week Online Digital Editing With Avid Media Composer

During this hands-on workshop, students gain an introduction to editing for filmmaking, media, entertainment, and more. It is a full-time, intensive workshop that meets during the day, designed for students from various professional, personal, and educational backgrounds. The workshop is a great fit for students or professionals contemplating a longer-term education in editing or an industry career.

The workshop curriculum balances projects and coursework, teaching students to edit with Media Composer while they learn the theoretical and technical approaches to editing. Students rapidly learn essential skills in making cuts, post-production workflow, sound design, media management, and basic effects through this hands-on approach.

At the end of the course, students keep a reel of the work they edited. They may also take the Avid Certified User exams. To learn more about NYFA’s workshops, see NYFA’s Course Catalog or request more information.

Class Details

Digital Editing Theory & Practice

This course presents students with multiple aesthetic approaches to editing film and video. Students will learn how to apply concepts such as temporal continuity and spatial continuity, as well as less traditional discontinuous editing techniques to their work. The course will also discuss the psychological and emotional effects of editing on the overall story. Additionally, students will learn to operate Avid Media Composer editing software. Advanced technical elements including sound design, color correction, and working with multiple media types will be investigated in depth. Classes are supplemented with individual consultations at the computer.

Times and Breakdown by Week

This workshop runs full-time from Monday through Friday. Each day consists of approximately two to three classes, including supervised lab time. Lab time is part of the schedule and allows the students to practice their editing skills under the guidance of our expert faculty. Students will need to anticipate extra time outside of class to complete assignments, projects, and exercises. Request information to learn more.

Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • External hard drive (generally costs $30-$200)
  • An SD Card

Tuition

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Dates

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Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.

15-Week Online Part-Time Digital Editing Workshop

15-WEEK ONLINE DIGITAL EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE PRO

LEARN DIGITAL EDITING FROM ANYWHERE

In NYFA’s 15-Week Online Part-Time Digital Editing workshop, students learn cutting-edge digital editing techniques, editing theory, and industry-standard software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. Students acquire editing skills through hands-on immersion projects and are guided by our seasoned faculty. This 15-week online digital editing workshop is held in the evening and allows students to balance the course with daily obligations throughout the workweek. 

Workshop DescriptionWorkshop Name: 15-Week Online Digital Editing With Adobe Premiere Pro

Over the course of fifteen weeks, students will gain the necessary technical editing skills and learn foundational editing theory needed to professionally edit footage with Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. Students will learn through immersion and will be assigned 4 projects to edit including a Montage, a short Documentary, and a Dialogue project. The final week of the workshop is dedicated to cutting a Reel.

All classes are geared toward acquiring foundational industry-standard Adobe Premiere Pro editing skills.

Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected. 

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is used for editing videos, commercials, and other film, television, and online video. It is a professional and comprehensive video editing software application. Students will become comfortable or fluent in the software, and learn Shortcuts, Audio Mixing, Color Correction, Graphics and Effects, and Export Settings for various platforms.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an advanced digital imaging software, used by photographers, designers, web professionals, and video professionals. The app gives you the utmost power and creative control for 2D and 3D image manipulation and compositing, video editing, and image analysis. Students learn the major functions of Adobe Photoshop and will create usable assets to be imported into Premiere Pro.

**Please note: Students who submit applications later than Thursday at 5 pm (ET) on the week preceding the start date of this workshop may not receive the Adobe Premiere software in time for the first day of class, as the issuance of your NYFA ID and account set-up requires, approximately, 12 business hours.

Creative storytelling, Be a better storyteller

The key to any great piece of content is a story. Storytelling in your video will help you to engage your audience and achieve the results you want. Stories tug at our hearts. They engage our emotions. They make us feel something for the characters and allow us to empathize or imagine ourselves in their place. Creativity is how you grab your audience’s attention. Throughout the program, students will learn how to create engaging content using editing software as a tool to tell their stories.

Screening and Critique

Students screen their work for instructor and classmate feedback upon completion of each film assignment. Constructive feedback is based on the student’s application of technical and aesthetic principles learned during workshop/lecture hours, and on how well those techniques were used to achieve the student’s goals. All instructors are film, TV, and other media professionals and are active in their fields. Their feedback helps students understand what they are doing well and what they could make improvements on. This practice allows students to continually improve and make even more engaging content.

Read More

Times and Breakdown by Week

The online 15-week, part-time, Adobe Premiere Pro workshop meets Tuesday and Thursdays 7-9:30pm Eastern. There are classes also on Wednesday during week 14 and 15. Classes that land on Federal Holidays will be made up on another day.

Throughout the fifteen-week commitment, in addition to the class hours, students will have scheduled edit sessions to complete their projects.

*Exact weekdays are subject to change due to holidays.  

Total Course Hours = 80

Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • Camera (cell phone will suffice)
  • Premiere Pro and Photoshop – NYFA will provide the software during the workshop
  • Laptop

Hard drive. Recommended specs are as follows:

  • Recommended brands: Lacie or G-Drive
  • 7,200 rpm. This is how fast your drive spins, rpm stands for rotations per minute
  • 1tb of space
  • Another option: SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable external Solid-State Drive (SSD). SSD storage is much faster than its HDD equivalent

Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.

15-Week Online Part-Time Filmmaking Workshop

15-Week Online Part-Time Filmmaking Workshop

Learn Filmmaking from Anywhere

 In NYFA’s 15-Week Evening Online Part-Time Filmmaking workshop, budding filmmakers learn the process of creating short films. Through interactive and immersive sessions, students produce their own original content under the guidance of our seasoned faculty of accomplished filmmakers and directors. As this 15-Week Online Filmmaking Workshop is held in the evening, students can balance the course with daily obligations throughout the workweek.  

Workshop DescriptionWorkshop Name: 15-Week Evening Online Filmmaking

Over the course of fifteen weeks, students will learn that film directing is all about making informed creative decisions that best serve the needs of the story.  In addition to learning how a director communicates with the cast, crew, and, ultimately, the audience, participants will also get a thorough introduction to all roles found on a film set, including Producing, Production Design, Cinematography, Editing, Screenwriting, and Sound Design. 

All classes are geared toward providing the building blocks needed to create a compelling short film. 

Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor is any prior experience expected. 

To learn more, request more information.

Class Details

Director’s Craft

At the core of this Filmmaking Program, Director’s Craft introduces students to the fundamentals of directing a film. As directors, students will focus on the essentials of visual storytelling. They will learn concepts to help achieve maximum psychological impact by studying the director’s decisions in camera placement, blocking, staging, and visual image design.  

Upon successful completion of this portion of the course, students will be able to create a floor plan, shot list, and shooting schedule.  They will also be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the components of designing a shot and creating and directing the dramatic beats in a script.   

 

Cinematography:  

This course is designed to introduce students to the art of cinematography, enabling film directors to make informed choices.  In addition to introducing the students to the principles of photography as applied to the moving image, it will also cover fundamental lighting techniques. Students learn how to support the story with appropriate lighting choices. This includes the use of practical lighting sources such as lamps, flashlights, and china balls in a safe and creative manner.

 

Editing: 

This area of study presents students with multiple aesthetic approaches to editing moving images. Students will learn how to apply concepts such as temporal continuity and spatial and emotional continuity.  Not purely technical, this course will also discuss the psychological and emotional effects that editing choices can have on the story.

Additionally, students will learn to operate DaVinci Resolve editing software that they will use to edit their own exercises. 

Open Edit is a time set aside for the students to edit their own footage under the virtual guidance of their Editing instructor. 

 

Screenwriting: 

The Screenwriting portion of the course adheres to the philosophy that good directing cannot occur without a well-written script. The course is designed to lay the foundational understanding of dramatic structure, which is essential to writing an engaging script. 

Students will write a treatment and logline for their script and explore plot line development, screenplay format, the creation of believable characters with narrative arcs, and how to write effective dialogue. 

 

Sound Design:

This film course introduces the student to the world of sound design and sound recording, detailing the process of sound design by providing concepts, technical information, and equipment demonstration on a mobile device.

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Times and Breakdown by Week

All classes for this workshop are scheduled for 7 pm-9:30 pm EST.  For the first thirteen weeks, the course meets two evenings a week for 2.5-hour classes. In the last two weeks, the course will meet three nights a week.

Throughout the fifteen-week commitment, in addition to the class hours, students will have scheduled edit sessions to complete their projects and will participate in directing their own projects – three in total.     

*Exact weekdays are subject to change due to holidays.  

Total Course Hours = 80

Weekly Breakdown:

Weeks 1-4: Visual Literacy/Understanding the Language of Cinema and shot design for continuity. 

  • Practicum: Continuity Exercise

Weeks 5-9: Elements of Story, Pacing & Rhythm. 

  • Practicum: Music & Montage Exercise

Weeks 10-14: Building Character, Creating POV, Working with Dialogue, and the Importance of Sound. 

  • Practicum: Final Film Exercise Physical Production

Weeks 15: Putting it All Together

  • Practicum: Post Production on Final Film
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Program and Software Requirements

This course requires the following software and equipment:

  • DaVinci Resolve (free download)
  • Laptop or desktop computer with minimum specs for editing with DaVinci Resolve 16
  • Smartphone with a camera
  • FiLMiC Pro App for mobile cinematography (approximately $14.99)

Suggested Resources

As students in the filmmaking classes work with large files and software that may require minimum technical specifications, we ask that all incoming students review our recommended resources:

  • External hard drive (optional, costs $30-$200)

15-Week Online Part-Time Filmmaking Workshop

Location Program Start Date and End Date Tuition
Online

August 31, 2026 – December 11, 2026

Tuition and Equipment & Technology Fee

Tuition:$2,200

Departmental Program Fee:N/A

Program Duration: 15-Weeks

Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.