Film School Course (All Ages)

For the budding film maker…

Whether you’re 10 or 100, if you’re interested in film making, this course is for you! Classes will meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 10 weeks, covering a different topic each week. From script writing to sound and lighting to film editing, Film Maker, Curtis Collins will guide you step by step through the process of creating your own film. Choose the topics that interest you the most, or attend all 10 weeks (syllabus below).

This course is designed to get each student accustomed to writing and using their imagination. Students will be required to journal each day of the 10-week course. The journal should be used to write down daily thoughts and ideas that can later be transformed into story inspirations. Students will learn about character development and bringing the character you have on paper to life. Each student will have the outline of what their film will be about in the first two weeks of this course. We will teach each student how to storyboard (draw) their projects and the importance of drawing each scene and each camera angle. We will explore scene blocking and the important aspect is serves when you are storyboarding your film. Once we have developed the concept of your
short film, we will need to find locations to shoot the film; so, we will go over location scouting and the permits you will or will not need to shoot your film and where to obtain those permits.

Week 1: WRITING
Writer/Director Curtis Collins will speak about the importance of writing and how to utilize journaling to create a short film.
Journaling – Writing down daily activities, thoughts and ideas.

Week 2: CASTING                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Casting Director / Tracy Gray will come and explain the importance of casting. How to cast and what to look for during casting.

Week 3: PRODUCTION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Producer Kelley Collins, (produced Hanging Millstone, In the Box, Silence, Three Wishes, and Tripping) – We will discuss production and learn to understand the role of a producer; as well as picking a production team, creating a budget and scouting locations

Week 4: CAMERA, DRONES and SPECIAL EFFECTS
Camera operation – award winning cinemaphotographer Daniel Ortiz, will discuss the various types of cameras. He will show how to use a camera, what lenses to use, and what is 4k and 8k. The students will be able to handle different cameras in the classroom to learn how they work them. In the classroom, we will set up different scenes and teach you how to place your cameras.

Week 5: SOUND
Award Winning engineer from Sound Check Studios – We will discuss the importance of sound and will go through the key steps you will need to perfect the sound in your film. We will visit the sound check studio, so you may experience what it is like to be in a real functioning one.

Week 6 and 7: FILMING
Story board with Writer/Director Curtis Collins- We will speak about the importance of creating a storyboard, learning how to use remarkable and the latest drawing tools.
Shooting your film – Ernesto De La Vega, well established assist director and professor at Florida Gulf Coast University will talk about shot angles as well as set etiquette shooting scenes, how
to fallow story boards and set up the right shot.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Microphones – we will discuss the many types of microphones, i.e. boom, handheld, directional, and when to use a particular one.

Week 8: POSTPRODUCTION
Writer/Director Curtis Collins will lead students through the editing process– reviewing the concept and the process of how to edit your film.
Editing software – preview and review the latest in film editing software (Premier Pro)and understand the concept of how to splice and fade scenes together.
Graphics – we will learn how to create your movie poster, flyers and any other visual images needed to promote your film.

Week 9: DISTRIBUTION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 We will learn about distribution (the act of sharing a body of work out amongst several recipients) domestically and globally. Through Film festivals, Streaming Services and Major Studios.

Week 10: FILM FESTIVALS and AWARDS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           We will have a film festival with a red carpet, music, and paparazzi to celebrate the fact that you are a film maker and should be treated as such. We will conduct interviews and have a photo shoot.
This is a Graduation ceremony for those who complete the 10-week film school, to celebrate your success as a film maker.

Price is per class. We will meet 3 times a week- Mon, Weds and Friday.

Youth scholarships available (18 and under) by calling the Alliance