Film Training

HD & FILMMAKING 2009

HD & Film Making 2009South Africa producer Pascal Schmitz provided HD filmmaking training to Ethiopian filmmakers 6 – 8 May 2009, at Addis Ababa University. The short masterclass course was attended by some 40 camera operators, sound engineers, editors as well as teachers Addis Ababa University, the Ethiopian film associations, film production houses, and Addis Ababa Tourism and Culture Bureau.

 

Day 1 : PRE PRODUCTION

Pre-Production and format choice: Why it’s important to choose your format during pre-production.

HD Formats: Definition of HD. Different HD formats and what differentiates them in size, compression and data rate. Blu-Ray.

HD Cameras: Different brands and what formats they do. Advantages and disadvantages of using HD Cameras.

Script Writing/ Celtx: Free Celtx software as an aid for script writing. Script as a production tool.

Budgeting: Australian film website with great budget templates.

 

Day 2 : PRODUCTION / ON SET

Lighting: Basic lighting techniques for HD.

Grips: Grips applicable for HD gear. Basic grips overview.

Camera Dept.: Camera accessories(filters, focus assist, monitors, focus pulling). Depth of field and lensing.

Sound recording: Sound recording on set for HD shoots (radio mics, samoosas, minidisc, buzz tracks, rfile mic and boom).

Crew: Set ethics and protocol. Roles on set.

Location: Impact of good locations. Practicality of locations. Unit manager.

 

Day 3 : POST PRODUCTION

HD editing software: Different software on the market for editing HD.

Grading in HD: Basics of grading in HD. Shooting for the grade.

Troubleshooting and methodology: Audio sync issues. HD workflow in tape and card format.

Editing techniques: Basic editing techniques for film and video production.

Final Mix: Final mix workflow and audio techniques (ADR, Foley, Buzz tracks).