COURSE Code: FMTV 301
2 Credits
Course Description
This course is designed to give a basic overview to the craft of directing and the role of the director in both documentary and dramatic filmmaking. The class consists of two components:
1. A two-hour lecture/workshop devoted to basic film theory and directorial technique, including how to prepare for a shoot, the components of a crew, how to communicate with the crew, how to block shots, and basic film esthetics. In preparation for the following semester's dramatic productions, students will be introduced to the casting process and to the elements of working with actors. In the early part of the semester, students will be broken into crews in order to work on the pre-production, production and post-production of an eight to ten-minute documentary video. There will be great emphasis on the development of a meaningful concept, research, interviewing techniques and the role of editing in documentary film. In the second half of the semester, the focus will shift to dramatic storytelling techniques, (in combination with the scriptwriting class), shooting to a script and the director's role in editing.
2. A four- to six-hour workshop in the latter part of the semester, in which the techniques learned are given practical application. Classes will be broken into crews and each crew will be responsible for the pre-production, production and post-production of a specific dramatic scene. Each student in the directing workshops will be given the opportunity to learn as many skills as possible as they apply to the art and craft of directing. The students will also learn to function effectively as crewmembers. All rehearsals for workshops or assignments are to take place outside of class. The workshop simulates a professional studio environment, and students are expected to exhibit professional attitudes to the work at hand and to their fellow crewmembers.
