Cinematography

This course teaches basic framing within the lens, including how to frame your actors and settings in the most aesthetically appealing manner possible. Most cameras have a Rule of Thirds grid overlay in the viewfinder to make it easy to place the subject where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect and thus follow the Rule of Thirds.

Course 2 emphasizes three-point-lighting, the most common and practical way to light a scene and give a true cinematic look and feel to your shot. Along with learning about the types of lighting instruments—open face, Fresnel and practicals—and light sources—tungsten, HMI, fluorescent and LED you’ll learn how to control your lighting through barn doors, gels, scrims, flags, shiny boards and more.

This course focuses on the technical aspects of the camera and introduces the all-important ‘f’ and ‘t’ stops that are on every lens. Students will learn how ‘f’ and ‘t’ stops are different ways to measure how much light is being transmitted through a lens. ‘F’ stops are based on a mathematical formula, ‘t’ stops are the physical measurement of the actual amount of light which passes through the lens. You’ll learn why DPs prefer ‘t’ stops—especially when using multiple cameras.

Every DP needs to understand how to frame a shot; however, to create a truly beautiful shot, the cinematographer must bring depth to the frame. This course will explain how to optimize beauty and depth within a frame by creating foreground, middle ground and background elements in each shot through the use of blocking and depth of field.

Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of an image. Over time, the aspect ratios have changed based on the evolution of technology. Common aspect ratios today include 16:9 HD TV; 21:9 most movies; 14:10 IMAX. This comprehensive course examines the history of aspect ratio, how it has evolved through cinematic history, and where it stands today.

During this course, you will get to meet with a professional screenwriter who’s been in the business for years! He/she will help you to perfect what you’ve already written, and also offer constructive advice on how to move forward. You might be missing an extremely simple plot mechanic that someone with more experience would easily see, or you might be over-writing. It’s amazing what a seasoned, professional screenwriter will notice. You’ll be glad you had a chance to sit down with this person after you hear their insights.

An in-depth look at the standard shot sizes used relative to the human body. This course will describe each shot size and type in detail, providing both descriptive and pictorial representations of how shots should be framed relative to the subject. Wide shot, full shot, mid shot, medium close up, close up, extreme close up, Dutch angle, low angle, high angle, pan, cut in, over the head, tilt, dolly, zoom, over the shoulder, two shot, crane, aerial shots and crossing the line will be described in detail.

Students will explore how different frame rates affect the look of the image—did you ever notice wagon wheels that appear to be going backwards on old movies? Frame rate is to blame. Additionally, students will be given a brief history of how frame rates developed during the earlier days of motion picture film. Today, the common frame rates are 24 fps (frames per second); 30 fps and 60 fps.

Students will take the cumulative knowledge they’ve gained in prior courses and shoot their own ‘experimental documentary’ utilizing all the skills they’ve learned from prior courses. Students will have access to their mentor location production company’s gear.

Students will learn how to communicate with directors in a practical manner in order to understand their vision as well as learn how to integrate their own creative ideas with those of the director. Their mentor, an experienced filmmaker, will serve as the director.

Cinematography students will collaborate with fellow Film Connection directing students who are also studying in their local area. This collaboration will be in the form of a full scene, shot from the director’s script and under full control of the director and cinematography student. This project will enable cinematography students to implement and utilize every skill learned throughout the curriculum in a true, on-set manner. Additionally, it will give the cinematography student high quality footage to add to his/her professional reel.