BOSTON FILM SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE directing - producing - editing camera - screenwriting - lighting

BOSTON,  is the largest city in New England, the state capital and the 7th largest DMA in the U.S.  In part, due to it’s large college population (Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University and Tufts are just a few of the prestigious  institutes of higher learning) Boston has always been a ripe media center.

One of the few cities that still supports two daily newspapers, Boston is also the 11th largest radio market in the country.  A list of TV series set in Boston include Ally McBeal, Banacek, Boston Common, Boston Law, Cheers, Crossing Jordan, Dawson’s Creek, The Practice, St. Elsewhere, Spawn and Two Guys and a Girl.  IBDB credits Boston as the location of over 810 TV series or specials or feature films.   Famous music acts that began in Boston include Aerosmith, Boston, J, Geils Band, Spirit and James Taylor.  Famous celebrities born in Boston include Uma Thurman, Anthony Michael Hall, Jasmine Guy,  James Spader, Barbara Walters and Leonard Nimoy.  Boston Professional Sports franchises include the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins and the Patriots.

Boston is a city that loves its media and provides plenty of opportunities for those looking to further a career in radio, television, film, recording or music.  FILM CONNECTION, with its mentor/apprentice approach to  filmmaking education overwhelms the efforts of traditional Film Schools.  What better way to learn the film or tv business  than on-the-job, working on a real world production, show, or series?  Not only is the work experience vital to landing a job in the media, so too are the contacts with industry professionals that FILM CONNECTION’s curriculum for Film and TV courses provide for its students.   If you’re serious about a career in film, FILM CONNECTION has a mentor/apprentice program that can help you attain your dreams.

Progress Reports:  Checking in on our Massachusetts Students who are learning filmmaking where they live in places like Boston, Worcester, Chelmsford and Hopkins

Doug Myer
WORCESTER, MA
On Monday we went to Union Station (Worcester, MA) to shoot passengers / extras to board the train. Exterior and interior shots of the train were needed for the project and we were able to fulfill this task with a crunched scheduel. I helped set up lights and reflectors at the station platform (we relied on natural lighting in the train) and I also served as a personal assistant for Mike, taking digital pictures of the production for the purpose of records. I also posed as passenger (for a needed closeup) for the project that was done in the station. On Wednesday a representative from Honey Farms (convienient store chain) came to do voice over for a commercial and left us several products that were needed to be in the commercial such as chip bags bottles of soda, etc. We took digital photos of these products and edited them in photoshop so they would look clear and sharp when they were placed on the timeline for editing. The editing process was completed for the commercial. Yesterday a representative from Rotman's (furniture chain) came in to do voice over for a new commercial. Later in the afternoon Mike had to attend meetings for clients and he assigned me the task of doing freelance shooting with his camera. I used his camera and tripod and shot in various areas outside his house and in the neighborhood. A couple of hours went by and I managed to get dozens and dozens of shots of the camera staying still phographing elements of nature, doing slow and quick pans, and also attempting a Kubrick technique (camera focused
on an object and pulling out to a wider portrait). I later experimented with time lapse setting the camera to 12 fps and getting fotage of the moving clouds. When Mike returned we watched the footage that I shot and he was impressed with what I had accomplished. The shooting for my promo was rescheduled for next week.

Nick Caloggero
CHELMSFORD, MA   EDITING
I've been on several shoots now, and it's only been 2 months. With this program you learn in a real film production company.

Dale Eldredge
FILM CONNECTION STUDENT - HOPKINS, MASS.

I just wanted to let you know that I had a quick shoot with my mentor on Wed the 8th and one today the 9th. Am I really doing
this? Pinch me.