| Nonfiction Camera in Action

Explore the camera’s unique and pivotal role in nonfiction storytelling.

This one-week course is for emerging documentary filmmakers and cinematographers who want to explore the technical and creative role that the camera plays in documentary production.

Through lectures and hands-on production, students will learn the best camera techniques for documentary and narrative work in order to deepen their mental and physical understanding of scene coverage. We will explore shot design, camera movement, and point-of-view. Students will also gain insight into the working relationship between the Director of Photography, the Director, their crew, their environment, and most importantly, their subjects.

You’ll work alone and with a variety of teams using custom handheld rigs.

The mornings are spent in the classroom for discussion, critiques, and screenings. The afternoons are dedicated to research and fieldwork as the students find and shoot a short documentary and gain practical experience handling the camera in a variety of situations. Scenes are edited for review and critique.

The agenda will challenge students technically and creatively as filmmakers, and be a fertile place to examine their critical thinking, decisive action, and instincts.

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.