Details
The Filmmaker’s Foundation Certificate is designed to provide filmmakers with the ammunition to tackle their first short or feature film. Split over five weeks, this course equips attendees with the tools and skills to start making their film career, from Writing & Shooting Low-Budget Films to The role of the Director and How to Break in to the Film Industry.
Who is it for?
This Certificate course is designed for beginner filmmakers interested in getting an insight and an understanding into the process of making a film. If you have a desire to make your first short or feature film, or to advance your filmmaking knowledge so you
can start a career, this is the course for you.
Outline
Over the 5 weeks, the course will teach the following subjects:
Week 1: Writing for Low Budget FilmsHow to get the most out of your script, locations and actors and how to make sure these elements will be in line with a low budget. You will develop the tools to turn your script into a unique and saleable story.
- Writing on a low budget
- Creating characters that grab audience attention
- Essentials of screen dialogue
- Story structure explained
Making movies can be very expensive but debut films are usually made on miniscule budgets. A successful filmmaker can make the ordinary seem extraordinary and offer exceptional production values.
- Finding Lo-to-No budget locations
- Low budget shooting tips
- Working with crew and actors with little money
- Negotiation and communication skills
Actors, cinematographers and directors form one of the most exciting relationships on a movie set. New directors need to learn to communicate their vision to their cast and crew in order to get the best results on screen.
- Finding a cast
- Using and understanding the rehearsal process
- Protocol on the set
- Basics of camera placement and shooting
Computer and camera companies have developed a bewildering array of low cost editing and camera equipment. Learn how to choose the right equipment and maximise its potential for the edit of your movie.
- Basics of the picture and image capture equipment
- Introduction to DV equipment available
- Working with sound
- Limitations and benefits of desktop editing
If you really want to work in the film industry as a writer, director or producer, your chances of success will succeed if you make a plan of attack.
- Creating a showreel
- Presenting yourself: CV's and query letters
- How to break in as a writer, a director or producer
- Getting jobs in crew: sound, camera, art department, post-production etc.
Speaker/s
Elliot is the founder of Raindance Film Festival and the British Independent Film Awards, and has produced over 150 short films and 5 feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, TABLE 5 (1997) was shot on 35mm and completed for a total of £278.38. He teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe, Japan and America. He produced the multiple-award winning The Living and the Dead (2006) and the cult horror Deadly Virtues: Love.Honour.Obey. (2013), directed by Ate de Jong (Drop Dead Fred).
Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas has been teaching and developing courses for film directing with Raindance since 2000. With a strong emphasis on storytelling and communications skills, he has created classes both practical and inspirational. The camera classes he runs place weight upon storytelling and understanding visual grammar from a psychological and creative perspective. Chris has recently shot a teaser trailer for the upcoming psychological thriller, Dead of Winter, a short called Emmas Last Date, and is in development on his feature script The Devil You Don’t, a dark comedy about the power of influence and the battle between the nearly good and the fairly evil.
Special Offer
Students and those in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance can get a 10% discount.
Listed by Variety as one of the world’s top 50 "unmissable film festivals", Raindance Film Festival showcases features and shorts by filmmakers from around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, film fans and filmmakers.
Throughout the year, Raindance runs evening and weekend film training courses covering everything from producing, directing, screenwriting, technical crafts (e.g. lighting, sound, editing), and hosts international guest tutors such as Academy Award nominee Guiellermo Arriaga and screenwriting coach to the studios John Truby.
Raindance also offers an M.A/M.SC Film prograduate programme, both London-based and online.