Workshops
Explore the power of cinematography and lighting to make your films land with impact.
There are no available registration dates at this time.
This workshop is a part of the 2024 summer Academy program.
Book before December 31st, 2023 and save $300 on any 2-week Academy workshop or $1000 for the 6-week summer school programs. Early Bird discounts will be applied automatically & cannot be combined with any other offers.Filmmaking
Note: Workshops can also be taken individually.6-Week Summer Film School (Jun 24 - Aug 2, 2024)
• 2-Week Film School (Jun 24 - Jul 5, 2024 - SOLD OUT)
• 2-Week Film School (Jul 22 - Aug 2, 2024 )
• 2-Week Advanced Film School (Jul 8, 2023 - Jul 19, 2024)
• Finishing Strong: Editing & Post-Production (July 22 - August 2, 2024)
Photography
Note: Workshops can also be taken individually.6-Week Summer Photo School (Jun 24 - Aug 2, 2024)
• 2-Week Digital Photography (June 24 - July 5, 2024)
• 2-Week Advanced Digital Photography (July 8, 2024 - July 19, 2024)
• Scholastic Portfolio Development (July 22 - August 2, 2024)
Book Arts & Design
Midcoast Maine Summer Arts Expedition (July 22 - August 2, 2024)
In film production, the role of the cinematographer is to tell the story visually, through image composition and light. In this workshop, aspiring cinematographers and filmmakers learn the techniques and tools of cinematography and lighting to create dramatic and powerful visuals.
You’ll spend these two weeks on the mid-coast Maine campus of Maine Media Workshops, one of the world’s most respected training grounds and schools for cinematographers. Our students have gone on to work at the top levels of their professions, winning Oscars and Emmys.
Through hands-on exercises in class and on location, you’ll learn how to use framing, lenses, camera movement, and lighting as tools to convey the emotions and psychology of a story and delve into a range of techniques and practices used in fiction, non-fiction, and music video. Throughout the week, an emphasis is placed on telling a story through images as opposed to the written word.
Working alone and in groups, students practice lighting and shooting images and scenes, and become familiar with the process of acquiring the shot choices needed to make an edit successful. They will work hands-on with professional digital cinema cameras, lenses, lighting units, and more, and have ample opportunity to practice and become well-acquainted with the many tools of a cinematographer. Students will also rotate crew positions in support of their classmates as they shoot exercises. The basic procedure and etiquette of a film set are discussed and practiced.
You’ll learn how to scout a location and plan lighting requirements for a shoot. As we cover the importance of light in the storytelling process, we will examine a series of lighting scenarios with goals to achieve specific visual looks. We will discuss a range of lighting technology used for filmmaking, and we’ll touch upon the essential “grip” equipment, which is used to shape and control the light.
With the guidance of an experienced instructor, students will gain a strong foundation in digital cinematography and valuable mentorship in enhancing their creative expression as well as exploring an exciting career path in the filmmaking world.
Whether you are looking to journey more deeply into developing your creative voice as a filmmaker or seeking a pre-college film experience that will allow you to create your portfolio, you’ll exercise your creativity and put into practice what you’ve learned. And of course, you’ll also experience two summer weeks in the beauty of midcoast Maine.
Learn how to unleash the power of images in telling your story.
About the Maine Media Academy
For over 30 years, each summer the Academy at Maine Media cultivates the next generation of photographers, filmmakers, and book artists through expert learning opportunities. Academy students join a longstanding community of artists and visual storytellers committed to building a legacy of mentorship and lifelong creative learning. Instructors in the program are accomplished working artists and professionals who are dedicated to the personal success and artistic journey of their students. Students will be surrounded by peers who share their passions and are guided by working artists who encourage creativity as they instruct them in the latest skills and techniques and help create portfolio-level work.
Brief Academy Overview:
- Student days are comprised of both classroom and field/location work: lectures and critiques, demonstrations, shooting, editing, writing, computer workflow, and/or digital lab work, depending on the workshop. All instructors are talented industry professionals as well as experienced educators, and each works with a teaching assistant, providing additional support for their class. The students are busy all day and into the mid-evening hours.
- All students reside in our campus residence, occupying the lower floor. Rooms are all private baths with a maximum of three students per room (most will be doubles). Resident Advisors (RAs) also reside on the same floor to monitor and supervise. The upper floor is occupied by non-Academy adult workshop attendees who will have little exposure or direct interaction with the Academy students.
- During the week, all meals are taken together in the dining facilities directly across the street. Weekend meals are taken in the local economy and transported by the RA’s – or sometimes do cookouts. This cost is included in the tuition package. Parents may indicate any special dietary needs upon registration.
- RAs supervise the students when not in class and help make group decisions about weekend activities which may include swimming, bowling, movies, and hiking. Coin laundry facilities are available on campus.
- A lobster dinner is served (there are other choices) on the last Friday night of each workshop, and all Maine Media students gather for an evening presentation of highlights from the week’s work. Parents are welcome to attend, and meal tickets may be purchased in the Registration Office.
- We recommend students have access to $150 over the two-week period for incidentals, snacks, movies, field trips, etc.
- Check-in is on Sunday, between 3 and 6 and departure is on Saturday morning.
- Tuition includes accommodation, access to campus amenities, transportation once the workshop has begun, meals (including a lobster dinner!), Resident Advisors, and Teacher’s Assistants.
- Students may request a transcript be sent to their high school for possible credit.
Questions or Need More Information?
We have the answers to your questions and are here to help! You can give us a call at 877-577-7700, email us at [email protected], or get in touch online.