Shooting Documentary
Today’s documentary filmmakers are required more and more to be multi-skilled. Not only are they asked to do the research, write the treatment and direct the documentary, they also have to shoot and edit it as well! In this practical hands-on course students are taught the main principals of Documentary Production by researching, developing, scheduling & planing a short documentary. Students will then shoot the film on HD cameras over 2 days (a weekend), which they will then edit over several evenings and a weekend.
Oxford is a Documentary City: as well as being home to many award wining documentary filmmakers, (including OFVM trustee Rob Lemkin who won best documentary category at 2010 Sundance), it also has a large international documentary Film Festival OXDOX (which in the past has shown work made on this course), as well as a thriving film & TV industry, with many small documentary companies based in the city and county making programmes for BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. Many have reported to us the lack of local skills, so forcing them to seek crew and production staff from outside the County. This course is a chance to make the next step in developing your documentary skills and improve your employment prospects.
Course Tutors: (The production part of this course will be taught by Filmmakers Sharon Woodward with additional tuition by Richard Duriez)
Sharon Woodward – Award winning documentary director, ( trained at The National Film and Television School, Newport Film School and BBC). Her latest 45 minute documentary “Thankyou Skiknhead Girl” won best Documentary at at the 8th International Film Palace Festival in Bulgaria in 2010, as well as recieveing numerous Screenings at other Festivals around the world.
Richard Duriez – Has more than 10 broadcast credits for Documentaries (as Producer and/or Director, Editor, Researcher). Produced numerous non-broadcast productions for NGO’s, charities and government. He is also Course Manager at OFVM.
Dates
8 weeks, starts 22nd October 2012
Cost
£243 (includes10 per cent early booking discount if booked by 8th October 2012 – EU citizens)
£270 Subsidised rate for EU citizens
£320 Full price for non-EU citizens. (Non-Eu citizens with indefinite leave to remain can pay subsidised rate – proof required.)
£135 – includes 50% discount for people on benefits, proof required, (income support, JSA, Housing Benefit, Council tax benefit, pension credit (guarantee), asylum seeker, unwaged dependent of someone on these benefits
TIMES: This evening course runs over 8 weeks and consists of 8 evening classes at OFVM (from 7.00pm to 9.30pm) + whole weekend for a shoot + a Saturday editing day + 3 additional unsupervised sessions on a monday evening.
Students should have completed shooting video or a similar course elsewhere; particularly the students must have a experience of shooting on pro or semi-pro cameras (with XLR inputs) using manual controls (ie, white balance, exposure, gain, ND filters, focus, audio etc.) and hands-on with pro mics and lighting. Paricipants should also have basic editing knowledge. All these skills are covered on Shooting Video, and will be assumed knowledge on this course, (if unsure e-mail course manager at office@filmoxford.org). Without such basic knowledge of pro video digital production you are unlikely to enjoy the full benefits of this course.
This course is extensively student led with support from a tutor who is a professional filmmaker. Students will be expected to be highly motivated and self driven, as well as the ability to work collaboratively. In addition to scheduled classes, students would be expected to meet regularly with each other to develop their films.
Students will need to meet together outside of scheduled class times, particularly during the pre-production phase.
Week 1 22/10/12 An introduction to documentary as a genre and exploration of key styles and directors. Discussion of important documentary issues and ideologies. Introduction cameras and shoot excercise. Intro to pitching & Outlines. 7.00pm-9.30pm
OUTSIDE CLASS: Plan ideas for a 4-8 minute documentary.
Week 2 29/10/12 Pitch session. Two ideas are chosen by the group to shoot in week 4. Script development workshops and a look at the pre-production process. 7.00pm-9.30pm
OUTSIDE CLASS: Students meet in their groups to plan their shoot, this can be around someones house or the pub?
Week 3 05/11/12 Major shoot exercise. Both groups will light and shoot a practice interview. 7.00pm-9.30pm
Note Two weeks until next class due to Jubelee bank holidays
OUTSIDE CLASS: Students meet in their groups to help finalise plans for their shoot, this can be around someones house or the pub?
Week 4 12/11/12 Final pre-production paperwork workshops. Shooting schedules, health and safety and interview questions to be finalised. Creative camera part 2 – hand held camerawork. 7.00pm-9.30pm
Week 4 17/11/12 & 18/11/12 Shoot weekend: Saturday and Sunday for both groups. During the weekend both groups will go out on location to shoot their documentaries. Group members rotate production roles taking it in turns to direct, interview, operate the camera, light and sound record. The tutor will rotate between the two groups as they film. Sunday afternoon groups will log thatie footage. 10.00am-5.00pm
Week 5 19/11/12 Finish reviewing and Loging footage and start edit. 7.00pm-9.30pm
Week 6 26/11/12 Editing evening. 7.00pm – 9.30pm
Week 6 01/12/12 Saturday: Groups produce rough cut by end of day. 10.30am-5.30pm.
Week 7 03/12/12 editing evening. 7.00pm – 9.30pm
Week 8 10/12/12 Last minute changes and finish their edit and Master to DVD. Screening of finished films and critique. Introduction to distribution including festival submission. 7.00pm – 9.30pm