Course Outline

Cinematography & Film Production Training Outline

Course Outline: Cinematography & Film Production (2-Week Intensive)

Course Goal: To provide participants with a foundational understanding of the principles and practices of cinematography and the essential stages of film production, culminating in the creation of a short visual piece.

Assumptions: Full-day sessions (approx. 6-8 hours/day including breaks), access to basic camera, lighting, and sound equipment, and editing software.

Week 1: Foundations of Visual Storytelling & Camera Craft

Day 1: Introduction to Film Language & The Cinematographer’s Role

  • Morning (Theory):
    • What is Cinematography? The Art and Science of Visual Storytelling.
    • Brief History of Cinema & Cinematography Milestones.
    • The Film Production Process: Pre-production, Production, Post-production.
    • Key Roles on a Film Set (Director, DP, AC, Gaffer, Grip, Sound Mixer).
    • Understanding Film Grammar: Shots, Angles, Movement, Composition as Language.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Film Analysis: Deconstructing scenes from notable films (focus on visual choices).
    • Introduction to course equipment.
    • Group discussion: What makes an image cinematic?

Day 2: Understanding the Camera & Lens

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Types of Digital Cinema Cameras (DSLR, Mirrorless, Cinema Cameras).
    • Sensors: Size (Full Frame, APS-C, M4/3), Crop Factor, Impact on Image.
    • Lenses: Prime vs. Zoom, Focal Length (Wide, Normal, Telephoto), Aperture (F-stops), Depth of Field.
    • The Exposure Triangle: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO – How they interact.
    • Understanding Resolution (HD, 4K) & Frame Rates (24, 25, 30, 60fps).
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Hands-on Camera Familiarization: Menus, buttons, basic settings.
    • Lens Exercises: Comparing focal lengths, demonstrating depth of field control using aperture.
    • Exposure Exercises: Achieving correct exposure using Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO.

Day 3: Camera Operation & Basic Shot Acquisition

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Setting White Balance: Importance and techniques (Presets, Custom WB).
    • Focus Techniques: Manual vs. Autofocus, Focus Pulling basics.
    • Essential Shot Types: Establishing Shot, Long Shot, Medium Shot, Close Up, Extreme Close Up.
    • Camera Angles: Eye Level, High Angle, Low Angle, Dutch Angle – Emotional impact.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • White Balance practical exercises under different lighting conditions.
    • Manual focus pulling practice.
    • Shooting Exercise: Capture all basic shot types and angles of a subject/scene. Review footage.

Day 4: Introduction to Lighting

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Why Light? Shaping the image, creating mood, directing attention.
    • Qualities of Light: Hard vs. Soft Light.
    • Sources of Light: Natural Light (Sun, Ambient) vs. Artificial Light (LED, Tungsten, HMI).
    • Color Temperature (Kelvin Scale).
    • Classic 3-Point Lighting Setup: Key, Fill, Backlight – Purpose and variations.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Setting up a basic 3-point lighting scenario for an interview subject.
    • Experimenting with hard vs. soft light using diffusion and bounce.
    • Observing and utilizing natural light effectively (window light).

Day 5: Composition & Camera Movement

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Principles of Composition: Rule of Thirds, Headroom, Lead Room, Symmetry, Balance, Framing.
    • Using Lines, Shapes, and Patterns.
    • Introduction to Camera Movement: Static vs. Moving Camera.
    • Basic Camera Moves: Pan, Tilt, Dolly/Track, Crane/Jib, Handheld, Steadicam/Gimbal – Purpose and motivation.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Composition Exercise: Frame various subjects applying different compositional rules.
    • Movement Exercise: Practice basic pans, tilts, and (simulated) dolly moves.
    • Group review and critique of footage from Days 3 & 5.

Week 2: Production Workflow & Bringing It Together

Day 6: Pre-Production Essentials

  • Morning (Theory):
    • From Idea to Script: Basic script structure (3 Acts).
    • Script Breakdown: Identifying visual elements, props, locations, cast.
    • Storyboarding & Shot Listing: Planning your visuals sequence by sequence.
    • Location Scouting & Logistics.
    • Basic Budgeting & Scheduling overview.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Group Activity: Breakdown a simple provided script (1-2 pages).
    • Create a simple storyboard and shot list for a short scene.

Day 7: Basics of Sound Recording

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Why Sound is Crucial in Film.
    • Types of Microphones: Lavalier, Shotgun, Handheld – Use cases.
    • Basic Recording Techniques: Mic placement, monitoring levels, avoiding noise.
    • On-camera audio vs. Dual-system sound.
    • Room Tone importance.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Setting up and recording audio for an interview using lavalier and shotgun mics.
    • Monitoring levels on a basic recorder/camera.
    • Identifying and minimizing common audio problems (wind, handling noise).

Day 8: Production Workflow & Set Etiquette

  • Morning (Theory):
    • The Role of the Director & DP on Set.
    • Call Sheets: Understanding the schedule and information.
    • Set Etiquette: Communication protocols, safety procedures.
    • Continuity: Why it matters (visuals, action, props).
    • Basic Data Management: Handling media cards.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Simulated Set Exercise: Walk through roles and communication for a simple scene setup.
    • Preparation for Final Project: Group planning, finalising shot lists.

Day 9: Introduction to Post-Production (Editing)

  • Morning (Theory):
    • Overview of the Editing Process: Assembly, Rough Cut, Fine Cut, Picture Lock.
    • Introduction to Non-Linear Editing (NLE) Software (e.g., DaVinci Resolve Free, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro – focus on one).
    • Basic Editing Workflow: Importing footage, organizing media, basic cuts (J-cut, L-cut), timeline navigation.
    • Adding basic audio and titles.
    • Exporting basics.
  • Afternoon (Practical):
    • Guided Editing Session: Import footage from earlier exercises.
    • Practice basic cuts and sequence assembly.
    • Experiment with adding music/sound effects and basic titles.

Day 10: Final Project – Shoot, Edit & Review

  • Morning (Practical – Production):
    • Groups shoot their short planned scene (from Day 6) applying techniques learned (camera, lighting, sound basics).
  • Afternoon (Practical – Post-Production & Review):
    • Groups import footage and perform a basic edit of their scene.
    • Screening of final projects.
    • Constructive feedback and critique session.
    • Q&A, Course Wrap-up, Next Steps.