Filmmaking

Instructor Image

Teacher: Duran Smith
Date/Time: Monday - 12:50 PM to 2:20 PM
Recommended Grades: 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Department: Fine Arts Electives
Grade Level: High School (9th-12th), Middle School (6th-8th)

Filmmaking is the combination of many art forms, and this class is a basic overview of everything it takes to make a movie! We will look at the fascinating history of motion pictures, discuss the role of media in our lives, and (of course) learn how to write and produce a great film! We'll study great scenes by great directors. Our course will focus on screenwriting, storyboarding, acting, cinematography, sound production, video editing, and the important roles of an efficient film crew. The goals for this class are to give high school students a preview of a college film education and to equip and inspire the next generation of media content creators to create with purpose!

Requirements:

  • A reliable digital video camera (of any kind: phone, tablet, DSLR, camcorder, etc.) for personal use only.

  • A reliable computer with internet (laptop or desktop at home) for writing and video editing.

Fall Semester: 4 months (August - November)

Spring Semester: 5 months (January - May)

$90 per month

You may pre-pay each semester in total.

Fall Semester: $360

Spring Semester: $450

To pay for courses, please use PayPal or Venmo. Please include the student's name in the description:

https://www.paypal.me/DuranSmith

https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2569108113588224547&created=1658171646

Thank You and God Bless!

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Tentative Syllabus

Fall Semester:

  1. August 11th: Introductions / Interests / History of Storytelling

  2. August 18th: Visual Aesthetics in Art

  3. August 25th: - Visual Aesthetics in Film / Assignment: Visual Aesthetic Pictures (due September 22nd)

  4. September 1st: Labor Day

  5. September 8th: Theatre and Mise-En-Scene

  6. September 15th: Mise-En-Scene in Film 

  7. September 22nd: Present Visual Aesthetics Pictures / Introduction to Storytelling and Screenwriting

  8. September 29th: The Director / Assignment: Watch old movie (due October 27th) 

  9. October 6th: Principles of Cinematography

  10. October 13th: Columbus Day

  11. October 20th: Cinematography continued 

  12. October 27th: Introduction to Screen Acting / Assignment: Shot Reproduction (due November 10th)

  13. November 3rd: The Actor - Classical, Modern, Method / Exercises

  14. November 10th: Present Shot Reproductions / Editing as Film / Assignment: Remake Project (due December 8th)

  15. November 17th: Sound Recording and Design

  16. November 24th: Thanksgiving Break

  17. December 1st: Film Music

  18. December 8th: Present Remake Projects

Spring Semester:

  1. January 5th: Art Meets Industry

  2. January 12th: Film Industry Breakdown / Assignment: Story Logline (due January 26th)

  3. January 19th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  4. January 26th: Story Logline Due / The Writer's Room / Assignment: Original Short Film Screenplay (due February 23rd)

  5. February 2nd: Pre-Production Basics

  6. February 9th: Director and Producer

  7. February 16th: Presidents’ Day

  8. February 23rd: Original Short Film Screenplay Due / Screen Acting

  9. March 2nd: Script Breakdown / Assignment: Original Short Film (Production Footage Due: April 13th / Finished Film Due: May 11th)

  10. March 9th: Pre-Production Scheduling

  11. March 16th: Grip and Electric

  12. March 23rd: Camera and On-Set Sound

  13. March 30th (my birthday): Lights! Camera! Action!

  14. April 6th: Spring Break

  15. April 13th: Production Footage Due / Post-Production Breakdown

  16. April 20th: Film Editing

  17. April 27th: Post-Production Sound Design and Mixing

  18. May the 4th be with you: Film Scoring

  19. May 11th: Premiere Day: Present Finished Original Short Films


Class Google Drive Folder:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fFQbWj9fh7go6yxrqdf6UtVaR2WwZD9d?usp=sharing 


Class YouTube Playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlVss66aFKB2NiQNka2pnFrnGmRJnkZ-W&si=qPPaoWuKG8Rpr1Xk