Short Film Production Workshop
Coming Soon
This course runs regularly but doesn't have a set date yet. Sign up and we'll notify you as soon as enrollment opens.
This course runs regularly but doesn't have a set date yet. Sign up and we'll notify you as soon as enrollment opens.
There is no better way to learn the basics of filmmaking than by actually doing it. In this very hands-on 4 day workshop I will teach you the basics of filmmaking in the most effective and fun way possible, by actually getting your hands dirty making a short film. You will learn the fundamentals of filmmaking by going through the entire process, performing various roles on set such as director, camera operator, lighting technician and sound recorder.
This workshop will have a very limited class size of 8 people. This ensures that everyone gets the personal attention that learning so much information requires, as well as to allow for a decent amount of time so that you can try each of the different roles. I have tailored this course to make it flexible enough to accommodate people with absolutely zero experience as well as for people who have done a bit of filming. This 4 day workshop is different from my 2 day workshop, the First Step Filmmaking Workshop: Make Your Own Film, in that it goes deeper into additional aspects of filmmaking, such as lighting and sound which couldn’t be included due to time constraints. We will also work as a group to make one short film together instead of everyone shooting their own film.
There will be three days of instruction and practical exercises and 1 shooting day. To be able to effectively get through the monumental task of shooting a short film in 1 day, we will be working from a prepared script that is very short and simple to shoot. This will allow everyone to work with the actors, shoot with the camera, modify the lighting, and get a grounding in the way a set works. All the equipment and actors necessary for the short will be provided.
After we finish the shoot, you will get all the video and audio files so that you can review and edit the footage on your own. Please bring a hard drive with at least 50gb of free space on the last day of the course. While editing is an extremely important part of filmmaking, this will not be covered, this course is designed to give you a grounding on the pre-production and shooting of a short film and 4 days just scratches that surface.
Story is the bedrock of any short film. If you don’t have a good story, no amount of dazzling visuals or great editing will save you. I will teach you the basics of how to write an engaging story, which we will see in action as we review our already prepared script. We will plan out our shoot using a shot list and storyboards that we will create together.
The director is in charge of all the decisions large and small. However, the one thing that no one helps the director with is working with actors. This is one of the most important aspects of directing.
I will give you advice on how to work with actors as well as lessons from my life on set that will help you avoid mistakes as well as find your unique voice.
Camerawork theory and tools will help us translate the written word into a visual story using building blocks, such as composition, shot size, blocking, camera movement, and shooting for the edit. We will use this knowledge to break down our script into the different shots that best tell our story.
You will get the opportunity to work with a cinema camera, follow focus, and all the gear you would normally find on an indie film shoot.
Lighting is an integral aspect of filmmaking that conveys emotion and mood and directs the eye of the viewer. I will cover the basics of lighting theory and practice and specifically tailor the information to give us options to light for our script as effectively as possible, using the equipment which we will have on hand.
Day 1:
Saturday DATE TBD – 09:00 – 16:00
Day 2:
Sunday DATE TBD – 09:00 – 16:00
Day 3:
Saturday DATE TBD – 09:00 – 16:00
Day 4:
Sunday DATE TBD – 09:00 – 16:00
No previous experience is required.
Alex DePew has spent 17 years in the film industry as a Cinematographer and Gaffer, working on projects ranging from no-budget shorts, music videos, art projects, to ad campaigns for brands like Volkswagen, Loro Piana, and Adidas. He got his start in New York City, his hometown, and has shot all over the world. After moving to Berlin he found his passion for teaching and has taught hundreds of students over the past 9 years. Alex guides you through lighting craft with clarity and enthusiasm, making complex concepts accessible to all.
Alongside Klaus Salminen and Linda Paganelli, he co-leads the Berlin Film Community, now a registered e.V. and home to a community of roughly 17,000 filmmakers and film-lovers. Got questions about the workshop? Reach out at alex@berlinfilmcommunity.com.
