Sessions – Production
Day 1 Sessions
Overlooking the paperwork you need for your production can cause you to make many mistakes on set putting you in danger of breaking the budget or worse, missing the shot. There are important documents you need to ensure that you have everything ready and prepped for your shoot day, from communication to permissions. This course is taught by Rachel Longman, an experienced producer/director from RHED Pixel who works with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. In this session, Rachel will walk through the paperwork you need to you protect yourself and your production.
Lights, camera, sound… Wait! Before you perfect the technical skills required to capture a powerful performance, you need to bring that performance to reality. Whether you are working with an Oscar nominated world-class cast, the CEO of a company, or a documentary subject, you need a specific set of skills to direct their performance.
Actors often learn techniques to compensate for a lack of direction. Save them the time and effort (and your film!) by providing the guidance they need to fulfil their potential as performers – to tell the story with authenticity and emotional honesty, to add emphasis to the right words, to feel the beat of the scene, to listen and respond by being present in the moment, and to bring the words to life in a way the camera can capture.
Truly, your subject is the most important part of your production.
In this intensive deep dive into directing performance, you’ll learn the key facts your subject needs to perform, whether they are presenting the news or conveying an authentic emotional performance.
- Learn the language of actors.
- Learn how to hold the space, so your cast feels safe to explore the emotional terrain of the script.
- Learn how to help an inexperienced speaker present information clearly.
- Learn how to give your cast genuine emotional responses to the script.
At the end of this session, you’ll have more confidence, the right vocabulary, and new skills to help your subjects give you the performance you need to make an amazing film.
Drone shots are ubiquitous and often overused in TV and film. Effectively using drones first requires understanding the general operational requirements of different types. This presentation will discuss how to use drones effectively to enhance your production value, how to get the shot you need through effective directing techniques and realistic shot expectations, and understanding shots from a drone pilot’s point of view. In addition, we’ll look at limitations of each class of drone and when you should step up or down in size and number of operators.
Topics covered:
- Finding a pilot who can get the shots you need.
- Selecting the drone: Don’t send a quad to do a hexcopter’s job. While drone selection is usually the drone pilot’s purview, it’s important to recognize how your format of choice and operational environment affect drone selection and crew size.
- Understanding the platform: How external elements such as vehicles, actors and locations affect set-up, timing and shot selection.
- Why cost is not your first consideration. Identify your shots first then select the drone.
- Movement is your friend: identifying the most effective shots and techniques for your production.
- Communicate your vision: Using terms and language that drone pilots understand.
Lighting has dramatically changed in the past decade, and budgets often do not take lighting systems into account, space is minimal, and speed is required. Optimizing every scrap of brightness while creating the proper mood and ambience is critical whether it’s for interview, talking heads, corporate presentations, training, or education. Great lighting doesn’t need to come on a truck and certainly doesn’t need to be expensive. This session not only discusses and demonstrates lighting that can be carried in a overhead-sized backpack; we’ll dive into actual demonstration of how to use these lights for talking heads, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring cameras (mobile devices are great for this!) to capture the overall scene during training.
Learn how to shoot great-looking video with an iPhone or Android device. Mobile devices have transformed video production, making it possible to capture new angles and perspectives without a large crew or lots of additional equipment. In this session, Nick Harauz will share techniques for shooting talking heads, compelling B-roll, and capturing slow-motion and time-lapse footage from unique vantage points.
Attendees will learn:
- The fundamentals of shooting great looking footage with your phone
- How to prep you phone for filming
- Things to consider when in production
- Staying organized on your phone to your desktop
- Useful apps and gear to enhance production value
- Phone and Tablet apps to edit your footage on the fly
The World in One Backpack: Shooting Travel Documentaries for Months on the Road
Day 2 Sessions
Are you asking yourself what you need to do to become a licensed pilot of commercial drones?
Certified Pilot and Remote Pilot Luisa Winters takes you through the content specifications of the test you need to pass to become a certified commercial drone pilot.
Although main topics will be covered in this session, attendees will still need to study further to pass the test to gain this coveted certification.
Topics to be covered:
- How to gain certification
- What you need to know
- What to do once you pass the test
- How can you make money with your drone
- And much more…
In this session, we will learn techniques to turn a mistake into a situation that can benefit you in the future.
Based on the nature of our industry, mistakes will happen. How you handle them decides if you will have another try. Not every failure is a complete defeat. In this session, we will learn techniques to turn a mistake into a situation that can benefit you in the future. This course is taught by Rachel Longman, an experienced producer/director from RHED Pixel who works with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits.
Mobile Filmmaking – The Rise of Mobile Phones for Acquisition
With the release of the multi lens iPhonePro, mobile filmmaking has taken a leap forward. Join Gary Adcock and Special Guests to discuss some of the groundbreaking new ways phone based journalism and film production will change media forever. In addition to tools and techniques, we also plan to do an in-depth look at the latest releases from Filmic Pro on both iOS and Android and how one application changes the way you create content for social media.
Increase your production’s value by changing the way you look through the lens. Tell your story creatively and effectively. By choosing the right positions, angles, and lenses you can build powerful, emotional, and consistent scenes. This session is designed for the Producer/Director who needs to keep all aspects of a production in mind while composing the perfect shot.
Audience: Producers/Directors/Shooter who need to create strong images and make compelling film/videos while keeping the overall production and its audience in mind.
Join Dan Bérubé for what’s new & happening with the SuperMeets and for a timely talk with Alex Lindsay on virtual events and live streaming. We’ll take some Q&A and also raffle off a few prizes!
As virtual events and live-streaming take centerstage, many in the video and event world are trying to catch up. Learn how to plan and build medium to large scale systems for live event production. Topics will include system design, building for flexibility and redundancy, and how to get the highest quality video for your investment.
It’s usually true that media production is best planned backwards – beginning with the completed project in mind and arranging a roadmap to achieve it – and this can be impossible when directing documentary films, right?
Join filmmaker Maxim Jago, director of the feature-length documentary film, “Trust Me: Working With Richard Foreman,” to explore the challenges, hurdles, and opportunities for directors of documentary films.
Topics include:
- There is always a story but how do you find it?
- How can you pivot and respond when you discover the story you want to share?
- What makes for compelling content?
- Explore the terms: What is the difference between a drama documentary, and a documentary drama?
- Key differences between directing fiction and documentary film
- What happens when you get into post-production
- Visible and invisible documentary filmmaking approaches
- Working with your subjects
- Technical challenges
- How can you know if your film works?
Bring all your creative, subject matter, and technical challenges for the Q&A!
Day 3 Sessions
In this session Jem Schofield of theC47 will take you through his journey of how he has repurposed a small space in his house and turned it into a live streaming studio for content creation, panel discussions and to provide educational & consulting services to his clients. He will discuss camera choices, lighting, audio and how to properly create a professional result on a modest budget.
Topics will include:
- Choosing and treating your home studio space
- Camera considerations
- Lighting your studio
- Microphone choices
- Multi-camera switching solutions
- Using a teleprompter for effective communication with clients
“We’ll fix it in post!” These are the words that make every producer and editor cringe in fear. But understanding how to avoid problems in post while shooting and what can easily be fix during the edit, you can save a lot of time, money, and frustration. This session will cover some of the best practices you should do BEFORE you hit the post suite and what can be solved easily during the edit.
Attendees will learn:
- How to make SOUND decisions during production so your audio doesn’t become a nightmare
- When and why to shoot LOG footage…and when not to
- Why you should always shoot at 4K if you can
- Things that can be easily fixed in post
Audience: Producers, Directors, & Editors who want save money and sleep better at night.
When it comes to understanding the needs and requirements of shooting at larger and larger frame sizes can seem confusing, even daunting. Now that Sony and Panasonic have joined RED, Sharp & NHK in the 8K revolution, join Gary Adcock, Arri’s Art Adams and a special guest offering some thoughtful guidance and insight on the wide variety of available optics from as we discuss what the evolution of Large Format cinematography and what that means for all filmmakers.
Join documentary director Christine Steele for an in-depth discussion on directing short, non-fiction content. Christine will share techniques she employs, including crafting effective story treatments to serve as a blueprint for content creation, from the early stages of development all the way through post-production. Topics include personal vision, persuasion, visual and audio exposition, and directing story progression using lighting, framing, color design, interviews and backgrounds. Templates, links and software options will be suggested for managing the complex process of non-fiction content creation, with emphasis placed on staying creatively focused while managing practical and technical concerns.
Lessons and take-aways:
- Creating Non-Fiction Treatments and Shot Lists
- Creative Planning for Style Design and Story Progression
- Risk Management Protocols
- Ethical and Journalistic Guidelines
- Practical Resources for Documentary Directors
Day 4 Sessions
Overlooking the paperwork you need for your production can cause you to make many mistakes on set putting you in danger of breaking the budget or worse, missing the shot. There are important documents you need to ensure that you have everything ready and prepped for your shoot day, from communication to permissions. This course is taught by Rachel Longman, an experienced producer/director from RHED Pixel who works with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. In this session, Rachel will walk through the paperwork you need to you protect yourself and your production.
