Workshops
Go deep into the art of cinematography in this six-week intensive.
There are no available registration dates at this time.
Our Cinematography Intensive is a fully immersive program that provides students with the knowledge, tools, and experience, essential to becoming a working professional in the film industry. Unlike any other film program you’ll find, this Intensive exposes you to fundamental film theory, top-tier industry equipment, and the tools and knowledge to prepare you to work as a professional, or get to the next level in your career.
In a sequence of workshops, you’ll spend each week focusing on a particular aspect of the art and craft of cinematography, and be guided by seasoned industry professionals with years of experience honing their craft at the highest levels of film production. You’ll make valuable professional connections, learn hands-on with industry gear, and accumulate content each week for your professional portfolio or demo reel.
Students will leave the program having gained meaningful and extensive experience in all aspects of cinematography, the camera, and visual storytelling.
Testimonial:
“The industry professionals that come in are world-class. You get intimate time with them to really ask questions, learn, and network with other creatives. All the while, you get hands-on time with some of the best equipment in the industry, which is unique for a small school in the middle of (beautiful) nowhere. I will always recommend Maine Media as a great organization!” – Rob Weidner, Alum, Camera Operator, “Black Panther”, “The Maze Runner”.
Please note: Each of these workshops can also be taken individually if you are looking to take a specific class. Please contact Registration for information on room & board fees for intensives at [email protected].
Please note: An hour-long training session on Set Etiquette and Safety will be required of anyone registered for a workshop that involves production. Students only need to participate in this session once during their time on campus.
The 6-Week Cinematography Intensive (Sept 18-Oct 27, 2023)
Week 1: Grip & Electric
Gain the fundamental knowledge of lighting, grip, and set procedure, essential to begin working in industry production. Students participate in a series of exercises, lighting and shooting a variety of interior, exterior, day, and night scenes. They build and light sets within the soundstage, as well as shoot in practical locations, all while becoming familiar with each of the various roles of a film crew. Set etiquette and safety will be taught and emphasized throughout the week.
Week 2: Framing the Narrative
The class will examine how different choices in framing and lens choices can impact the power of a scene. Special attention will be paid to how framing, lenses and lighting can be used to illuminate a character’s emotional and psychological state. Students will weigh how traditional scene coverage versus an unconventional approach can enormously alter how the audience experiences a dramatic moment.
Week 3: The Art of Cinematography
This workshop is a comprehensive introduction the fundamental technical aspects and aesthetic considerations of the craft and process of cinematography. Students explore the camera as a tool, and the theory of cinematic storytelling. They are introduced to fundamental concepts through lectures and demonstrations. They explore the theory and use of exposure, lens selection, frame rate, shutter angle, depth-of-field and composition. Through hands-on exercises in-studio and on location, led by a career cinematographer, participants get their feet wet shooting with digital cinema cameras...
Week 4: The Steadicam Workshop | Paul Taylor
In week 5, students are challenged to put their skills to practice. In this unique and intense Steadicam course, students learn to interpret a script in visual terms based on the director’s vision, the DP’s requirements, and the editor’s needs. They will learn the “language of Steadicam” and how to properly employ it to produce riveting images that enhance the narrative. Students gain practical experience in using the equipment as they are introduced to the technical skills, set etiquette and the aesthetic vision required to become a professional Steadicam operator.
Week 5: Feature Film Lighting
Explore advanced, dramatic lighting techniques used in feature films. Through lectures, screenings, and discussions led by a top industry cinematographer, this class covers the importance of light in visual storytelling, and the techniques and processes to execute a wide array of complex lighting set-ups. Students use LED, HMI, tungsten, fluorescent and more, to light a variety of interior and exterior residential and commercial spaces, as well as car interiors, day and night street scenes, and dramatic scenarios with actors, using the most recent and advanced technology in feature film lighting.
Week 6: The Camera and Visual Storytelling
In this course, the focus will be on the cinematic language and grammar of shot design, composition, camera placement, and movement, and how these techniques are employed to tell effective and emotional stories. Students will work with a distinguished cinematographer as their instructor. The subtle differences in visual styles and their effects on the viewer are addressed through exercises and screenings. The course will be heavily project-based, and the entire latter half of the week will be dedicated to shooting original concepts. By week's end, participants will have created a short, portfolio-quality, cinematic piece, and worked with an editor to see their vision to completion. Projects are screened at the Friday Night Showcase of student work.
