Filmmaker's Foundation Certificate

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.

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.

Over the 5 weeks, the course will teach the following subjects:

How 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.