Misael Sanchez

This course is a continuation of Advanced Short Film Projects, Part I. Part II will be a practical course, in which students (collaborating in crews) are exposed to a broad range of filmmaking skills through hands-on production experience and class discussion. The course will explore craft, aesthetic, production, and storytelling issues—all while working toward the production of projects workshopped, developed, and selected in Part I. Composed of directors, writers, producers, and technically proficient students, the faculty-selected group of 20 students will collaborate on producing eight short films, not to exceed 8-12 minutes in length. The spring session will cover preproduction planning, budgeting, scheduling, script breakdowns, shot listing, casting, rehearsing with actors, crewing, location management, script revisions, permits, insurance requirements, production-related agreements, camera preparation, lighting plans, and postproduction.

This course will explore the roles associated with film production, focusing on cinematography and lighting for the screen. In addition to covering camera operation and basic lighting techniques, students will explore composition, color palettes, and application of a visual style to enhance the story. The semester will revolve around weekly exercises, followed by creating and producing original work. Work will be discussed and notes incorporated into the next project. In addition to the work completed during class times, students will be required to produce a short project, incorporating elements discussed throughout the semester, as part of conference work. Students will develop, write, shoot, edit, and screen a final project by the end of the term. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that immerses the student in all aspects of film production. By the end of the course, students should feel confident enough to approach a film production project with the experience to take on introductory and assistant positions with the potential for growth.

This introductory-level course will present students with the basics of cinematography and film production. They will explore cinematography as an art of visual storytelling. The cinematographer plays a critical role in shaping the light and composition of an image and capturing that image for the screen. Students will investigate the theory and practice of this unique visual language and its power as a narrative element in cinema. In addition to covering camera operation, students will explore composition, visual style, and the overall operation of lighting and grip equipment. Students will work together on scenes that are directed and produced in class and geared toward the training of set etiquette, production language, and workflow. Work will include the recreation of classic film scenes, with an emphasis on visual style. Students will discuss their work and give feedback that will be incorporated into the next project. For conference, students will be required to produce a second scene recreation, incorporating elements discussed throughout the term. Students will outline projects, draw floor plans, edit, and screen the final project for the class. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that immerses the student in all aspects of film production. By the end of the course, students should feel confident to approach a film production project with enough experience to take on introductory positions with the potential for growth.

This introductory-level course will present students with the basics of cinematography and film production. They will explore cinematography as an art of visual storytelling. The cinematographer plays a critical role in shaping the light and composition of an image and capturing that image for the screen. Students will investigate the theory and practice of this unique visual language and its power as a narrative element in cinema. In addition to covering camera operation, students will explore composition, visual style, and the overall operation of lighting and grip equipment. Students will work together on scenes that are directed and produced in class and geared toward the training of set etiquette, production language, and workflow. Work will include the recreation of classic film scenes, with an emphasis on visual style. Students will discuss their work and give feedback that will be incorporated into the next project. For conference, students will be required to produce a second scene recreation, incorporating elements discussed throughout the term. Students will outline projects, draw floor plans, edit, and screen the final project for the class. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that immerses the student in all aspects of film production. By the end of the course, students should feel confident to approach a film production project with enough experience to take on introductory positions with the potential for growth.

This independent-study collective will provide a framework for advanced screenwriting and filmmaking students to pursue material toward an advanced project that could take the shape of a short film and/or screenplay. Led by a team of filmmaking and moving-image arts faculty, students will be interviewed during registration to evaluate their proposed material and their role on the project. The week-to-week structure of the collective will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual projects/groups as the semester progresses. The collective will be open to screenwriting, documentary, and fiction filmmaking students. Both individual and group projects are invited to apply to the class. Interested students should come to the interview prepared to present a project proposal.

This course will provide hands-on shooting experience to advanced production students working toward further developing their skills behind the camera. The course will revolve around the development and production of a short film. Topics covered will include camera techniques, camera movement, lighting, exposure, filters, and interior/exterior location production. Topics discussed will include breaking down a script into visual elements, designing a look, and the production process from script to screen as it relates to cinematography. Additionally, when available, site visits to Panavision Camera systems, Camera Service Center, AbelCine NY, and post-production labs in New York City will be included as part of the pre-production process. All students will be required to participate in key crew positions in the production, a final group project. Throughout the course, students will create lighting scenarios in class and will be required to shoot location exercises. With this course, students will better express their vision and understanding of how to produce a project.

This course will be an intensive, hands-on workshop that will immerse students in all aspects of film production, focusing on cinematography and lighting for the screen. In addition to covering camera operation and basic lighting techniques, students will explore composition, color palettes, and application of a visual style to enhance the story. The course will revolve around weekly exercises, followed by creating and producing original work; work will be discussed and notes incorporated into the next project. As part of conference work, in addition to the work completed during class times, students will be required to produce a short project incorporating elements discussed throughout the semester. Students will develop, write, shoot, edit, and screen a final project by the end of the term. By the end of the course, students should feel confident to approach a film production project with the expertise to take on introductory and assistant positions with the potential for growth.

This course will explore the roles associated with film production, focusing on cinematography and lighting for the screen. In addition to covering camera operation and basic lighting techniques, students will explore composition, color palettes, and application of a visual style to enhance the story. The semester will revolve around weekly exercises, followed by creating and producing original work. Work will be discussed and notes incorporated into the next project. As part of conference work, students will be required to produce a short project in addition to the work completed during class times, incorporating elements discussed throughout the semester. Students will develop, write, shoot, edit, and screen a final project by the end of the term. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that immerses the student in all aspects of film production. By the end of the course, students should feel confident enough to approach a film production project with the experience to take on introductory and assistant positions with the potential for growth.

This course, open to intermediate/advanced students with works in progress, will provide a framework to pursue the production of an advanced-project short film. Students will be interviewed during registration to evaluate their proposed material and their role on the project. The week-to-week structure of the collective will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual projects/groups as the semester progresses. Course discussions will include script revisions, budgeting, scheduling, script breakdowns, casting, locations, crewing, equipment allocations, and preparations for postproduction. Students will complete a production book that will include all of the elements necessary to properly pursue the making of their project.

This course will focus on the role of the cinematographer and the production process as it relates to lighting and developing a visual style of a film/video project, concluding with the production of a short film. The course will cover camera movement, composition, framing, and artistic lighting and will provide students with technical and aesthetic knowledge of lighting for the screen. Throughout the semester, we will work with production equipment and set up exercises geared toward achieving different cinematic styles. This class is intended for those who have a basic understanding of the principles of camera operation and cinematography and would like to put their knowledge into practice. Each student will work on creating a lighting plan for an original scene to be produced in class. Conference work will be the production of a short film project by the end of the semester.

Behind every artistic vision in filmmaking is an understanding of how to use technology to realize the story on a screen. A skillful cinematographer brings a new dimension to a director’s vision by creating images that enhance the narrative of the film. By studying select examples of visual styles, tones, and continuity from classic films, students will learn key elements to consider when using a camera and lights to further enhance the story. The images that appear on the screen arise from the artistic vision, imagination, and skill of the cinematographer as he/she works in a collaborative relationship with fellow artists. This class will provide students with the opportunity to explore this art form and to learn how to capture visuals that will support the narrative of a story using available resources in a creative way. Students will work, hands-on, with film-production equipment and will explore the theoretical and aesthetic aspects of the craft. Course discussions will include framing, composition, color, and light to create compelling images. Students will learn fundamental “on-set” production skills as they develop and shoot exercises on a weekly basis. In the first semester, students will work on recreating scenes from classic films. Those exercises will focus primarily on visual style and learning basic production techniques. The second semester will focus on original work that will incorporate the lessons learned during the first semester. We will cover operation of cameras, structure and job responsibilities of the production crew, principles of lenses, lighting, and scene composition. All students will produce weekly exercises focused on building skill sets that will prepare them for work beyond the course. Field trips to professional film resources in New York City, reading assignments, and film screenings will be integral to the learning process of the class. Biweekly individual conferences will alternate with group conference activities.

In this introductory-level production course, students will explore the art of cinematography by producing weekly exercises designed to create and break down visual styles. Students will select and re-create a scene from a motion-picture film, television series, or music video. The goal of each class will be to work with available resources to replicate the selected scene to the smallest detail, focusing on composition, color, framing, camera movement, costume, and set design. Each student will come prepared with key elements, including talent, props, and set design needed to set up, shoot, and break down each assignment by the end of each session. Throughout the semester, students will alternate crew positions, allowing the opportunity to experience everything from directing and working with the camera to lighting and gripping. Conference work will consist of an additional scene re-creation or original script completed outside of class.

The cinematographer plays a critical role in shaping the light and composition of an image and capturing that image for the screen. This introductory-level course will present the basic tools of lighting and film production. Students will explore cinematography as an art of visual storytelling and will investigate the theory and practice of this unique visual language and its power as a narrative element in cinema. In addition to covering basic camera operation and techniques, students will explore composition, visual style, and the overall operation of basic lighting and grip equipment. This course will include video tutorials and live demonstrations. In addition, we will explore the implementation of cinematography and lighting through the study of the short-film format. Students will analyze shorts before class and prepare weekly outlines for discussion. The outlines will include interpretation of the film, the use of lighting to emphasize and complement the narrative, followed by how the film was produced from the cinematographer’s perspective.

This introductory course will present students with the basics of cinematography and film production. Students will explore cinematography as an art of visual storytelling. The cinematographer plays a critical role in shaping the light and composition of an image and capturing that image for the screen. Students will investigate the theory and practice of this unique visual language and its power as a narrative element in cinema. In addition to covering camera operation, students will explore composition, visual style, and the overall operation of lighting and grip equipment. In the first semester, students will work together on scenes that are directed and produced in class and geared toward the training of set etiquette, production language, and workflow. Work will include the re-creation of classic film scenes, with an emphasis on visual style. Students will discuss their work and give feedback that will be incorporated into the next project. For conference, students will be required to produce a second scene re-creation, incorporating elements discussed throughout the term. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop that immerses the student in all aspects of film production. By the end of the course, students should feel confident to approach a film production project with enough experience to take on introductory positions with the potential for growth.

January 8–January 12, 2024
Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM PT

This one-week filmmaking seminar, ConnectLA, is an immersive experience in which students will come together to explore opportunities in the film industry. The setting will be an ideal space to network, explore, and gain mentorship experience or connections in an environment conducive to learning under the guidance of faculty and industry professionals. It's a great start for students who are considering relocating to California upon graduation from school. Visit and hear from film-school alums and industry professionals: how they began the process of making contacts, exploring neighborhoods, and the creative ways in which they started to make inroads in the industry. Along with informative sessions, students will have the opportunity to explore technical aspects of the process through hands-on experience with film-industry technology currently used in production. The week will include production site visits, tours, and hands-on technical sessions with industry gear and crew. The program will be a fully guided experience offered in collaboration with Los Angeles-based rental facilities, instructors, and tech professionals. (January 2023 program highlights reel: www.vimeo.com/ifiny/connectla2023)
 

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