Filmmaking Crash Course: 30 Exercises for Educators, Students, and Filmmakers - Paperback

by Sabrina Pena Young (Author)

Unravel the mystique surrounding filmmaking through simple, well-thought-out exercises and practical tips. This book can be used quickly by any filmmaker regardless of level. For those that are established film professionals, there are a variety of exercises that can help you build skills in your weaker areas. Over thirty practical filmmaking exercises. Focus on writing, production, directing, and post-production. Students and professionals alike will find exercises that hone their skills substantially. A great addition to any video production library. Whether you are in video production, screenwriting, sound, cinematography, short films, feature-length movie production, advertising, or animation, you will learn something new in this exciting new film workbook. FOR EDUCATORSFind exercises and inspire your students to create. Feel free to adjust the level and difficulty of the exercises or add your own unique talents to their execution. Over thirty exercises for beginners to adult learners to seasoned professional filmmakers. Chapter 1 InspirationChapter 2 Screenwriting and StoryboardingChapter 3 Directing and Producing a FilmChapter 4 The Art Department: Sets, Costumes, MakeupChapter 5 Lighting and Cinematography BasicsChapter 6 Sound and Film MusicChapter 7 Post ProductionChapter 8 That's a WrapINSPIRATIONBreak down these "writer's block" issues by giving very direct instructions to prompt composition.SCREENWRITINGBefore you can have a good film, you need to have a good script. And while the talent can improvise decent lines now and again, a film can go over budget and topsy-turvy without a solid script to hold it together. STORYBOARDINGPractice the basics of storyboarding and basic techniques to help with overall pacing and rhythm of your film.DIRECTING A FILMDirecting a film is more than simply shouting out directions from the director's chair. A director needs to truly know the craft.WHAT IS CINEMATOGRAPHY?Learn the importance of composition, lighting, and movement in your film. Practice color theory, using a color palette, how to color grade, and how different shots affect the psychology of your film. Develop a stunning visual vocabulary.SHOOTING YOUR FILMLearn the practical side of shooting a film, from different types of shots, movement in film, continuity, montage, and other aspects of filmmaking technique.LIGHTING BASICSWhat is the role of light and shadow in film? How does digital editing impact lighting? Learn basic techniques to successful filmmaking.LOCATION, COSTUMING AND SET DESIGNHow can you choose the best location for your film? Discover how costuming, makeup, and other aspects of design can affect your production, including period piece productions. Tips for the budget filmmaker.SOUNDA practical guide to professional audio editing. Learn what equipment you will need for production, how to get the best sound that you can afford, and learn how to speak the sound of the audio engineer to make take your film production to the next level.FINDING TALENTFinding talent is not as complicated as it used to be. Today with the Internet you can find talented actors in your area or around the world. Practical tips and exercises to interact with actors and direct them to do their best for your film.POST PRODUCTIONVideo editing, special fx, sound design, music, software, and more are all integral to making your vision a reality. Exercises focus on editing the best video possible.WHY SOUND DESIGN AND MUSIC ARE IMPORTANTWhat is Foley? Does sound design matter? What role does music play in your film? Learn about the psychology of sound in film, audio editing, panning, recording Foley sounds, and how to choose the right composer.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESThe appendix includes additional resources like a movie list, sample budget, book list, and a quick look at film genres, as well as other helpful resources.Written by award-winning composer and filmmaker Sabrina Pe a Young.

Author Biography

Award-winning composer and filmmaker Sabrina Peña Young is internationally known for her work in music technology, video production, and animation. She has been involved with over 150 film, video, and multimedia projects. Young's experience runs the gamut of post-production and video editing, film composition and audio, special fx makeup, and visual fx/animation. Her work has been presented at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, NPR Morning Edition, TED Talks, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, NYC's Opera America, the Beijing Conservatory, the International Computer Music Conference, the Athena Festival, the New York International Independent Film Festival, Art Basil Miami, Turkey's Cinema for Peace, Art Miami, the Pulsefield International Exhibition of Sound Art, the Holland Animation Film Festival, the Australasian Computer Music Conference, the Buffalo Women and Arts Festival, the Deep Listening Gallery, and countless venues worldwide. Young has a rich history of combining intermedia, science fiction, and music, composing works like her multimedia oratorio Creation, winner of the IAWM New Genre Prize, World Order #5 for percussion and multimedia, and collaborating with artists with the Vox Novus 60x60 project and UK filmmaker Lee Scott's interactive web opera The Village.