Here's What Our Film Students Did in February 2009.   What Did You Do?

70% Of These Students Will Be Working
in The Film Industry by September 2009.  WILL YOU?

School is going very well. I have another class with Amy next week. I am getting my tax id for the production company I am starting with my sister. I will be working under this production company for my current 2 documentaries. I am writing a new screenplay and hope to by the end of the summer produce and direct the screenplay with my sister who has just finished film school herself.

I have a potential investor as we speak for this script I am currently writing. I have also been working on the assignments given to me by Amy such as film history and power point presentations that must be prepared for my documentaries. Have a great weekend. I just wanted to send you a quick update for school and I will be posting new blogs as well.




Colleen Rowley
FILM STUDENT - PORTLAND, OR


I can not believe how cool this program is.  While every schedule is different and some are only able to go to their studio a few hours per week, I am getting about 30-40 hours on average at my studio weekly. Here is what I do every week:

• 2 hrs. was spent on training on the Panasonic HVX-200 HD Camera Package w/Letus Extreme Prime Lens Upgrade. Here I learned how to assemble this camera, all the different parts and features, how to put on different lenses, packing the HVX and its gear up, proper storage, and a bit of this cameras focal depth (hands on).
  
• 1 hrs spent assembling the gear of the HVX camera and the run bag for the upcoming shoot.
• 2 hrs spent touring the studio location and its gear. Grip gear, lenses, cameras, green screen, tripods, loading and unloading the gear trailer...etc.
• 2 hrs spent on their new camera; Red One 4K Digital Cinema Package: Red Raid Drive, Red Flash Drive, Red LCD.  Testing for any flaws as well as testing shots to find the best compression ratios.
• 1 hrs spent checking in video gear and making sure everything is in the right bags.
• 0.5 hrs spent going over my weekly lesson.
• 0.5 hrs spent on a client meeting in which I took notes down to prep for the shot list and call sheet info
• 0.75 hrs spent on making a call sheet for an upcoming shoot
• 0.5 hrs spent on prepping the equipment for this shoot
• 1.5 hrs spent on learning and using Color Correction through Final Cut Pro on stock footage
• 1.5 hrs spent on acquiring props for and upcoming shoot (pre-production)
• 1 hrs spent on calling talent and coming up with wardrobe ideas for upcoming shoot
• 2 hrs meeting with producer director/Dp coming up with shots and shot list, wardrobe, cast, location, time...ect.
  

This day was a stock footage shoot for funnelbox, shot in downtown Portland Oregon. I was involved with directing, lighting, PA, talent and being talent, location set up...ect.  I was a PA on a commercial shoot in which I also did some lighting, back at the office I made a call sheet for an upcoming shoot and shipped out some dub tabes to a few clients.




I moved to Los Angeles and within a week I had an interview with a Film mentor that was a perfect match for me. My mentor is a Producer who works on indie features. He takes me on his projects where I learn from him.


Angelica Martinez
L.A. FILM STUDENT

I'm graduated, but still working with my mentor on film shoots on a regular basis.



Matthew Beno
FILM CONNECTION STUDENT - GEORGIA

I went on my first film shoot. It was an interview with the co-founder of Home Depot.  Then I went on two more film shoots. On tuesday it was somewhat like a news conference  Laura Sydel, the wife of the Owner of the NHL hockey team Atlanta Thrashers, she showed us her "green" house for a segment we were doing. On Thursday was another film shoot. We were shooting a piece for the show Groundbreakers that airs on HGTV.

 I CAN'T BELEIVE THIS. I CALLED THE FILM CONNECTION, GOT ACCEPTED AND NOW SUDDENTLY MY LIFE HAS CHANGED, I'm in the film business !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then we had a production in Sandestin, Florida, with my mentor and his crew, shooting a resort video for the Sandestin Resort. We left on Tuesday 10/21/08 and got back late Sunday night 10/27/08.  We worked every day, shooting just about everything in the Resort.  I was there to help set up lights, run electricity, load and unload everything. Anything you can think of, I did. I was pretty much, the grip/light man. It was a great expierence, and I learned a lot on this trip.

How can you compare this course with any other? This is the best. I am learning in the field, I am forced to get it right. I love this!





My original mentor relocated further away than I could make it. Film connection had an amazing studio for me that was 2 blocks down the street from me.

I'm in the door of a real production company training.




James Federle
NEW YORK FILM STUDENT

I got to take a camera out to central park and then learned how to edit the same video I just shot in a professional studio. This is a great program. My mentor is the  best.



On Monday we went to Union Station (Worcester, MA) to shoot passengers / extras boarding 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 schedule. 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.

Douglas Myer
FILM CONNECTION STUDENT - NEW YORK CITY

I really am happy with the Film Connection film program. A corporate company came in regards to shoot a marketing video for
their website. I served as a teleprompter for two days on this particular project and I was paid for that job.

That's right I am going to class and I also got paid.

Then, PBS came in to shoot a commercial and I served as an assistant to the prop-master.. Later on in the week I helped out with editing some corporate projects.  I also  watched the studio animator work with the program that I'll be using for my project. This program is great in that it puts you in the real world so you get to get apprentice on real projects and make real contacts as you learn.



I've been on several shoots now, and it's only been 2 months. With this progrma you learn in a real film production company.

Dale Eldredge
FILM CONNECTION STUDENT - HOPKINKINS, 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.




I have been having a great time as a Film Student with Film Connection. I  go once a week for two to three hours. I want to be the
best movie editor in the world,And its going to happen.....


James Safrit
JONESBORO, ARKANSAS FILM STUDENT

I helped shot a commercial last week. Hands on. I was right there working under my mentor.

Forget about film school. This program is better.







I had to stop the program a few months ago when I moved to San Fransisco.  I called the Film Connection and was able to pick up right where I left off with a new mentor. 

It was like she was working with me the whole time.







Matt Phillips
PHILLY, PA. FILM STUDENT

I helped my mentor out with a video shoot for a band that came in. I learned on many real projects. I like the program very much.



Aline Nordmark
FILM CONNECTION STUDENT - LONDON, ENGLAND

I want to be a Director of Photography. Film Connection hooked me up with a DP and I am going to meet with my mentor one on one and learn camera. My mentor is great, and I am very excited about having her as a mentor!

Follow our students progress:  Feb 2009