If you're embarking on making your own films your timing is fortuitous. The technology for shooting and editing has never been more powerful, intuitive and accessible. The methods of exhibition, distribution and dissemination have never been broader.

Perhaps the only thing you need now is a guide.

The CINEMA EXPEDITION is an intensive two-day overview of the crucial technical and aesthetic elements necessary for making a successful contemporary film. From film stocks and 24p HD cameras to Final Cut Pro to copyright law, the CINEMA EXPEDITION focuses on the important concepts and technologies you need in a logical, efficient and useful way.

No mere collection of facts, the Cinema Expedition is the first seminar of it's kind to focus on contemporary digital filmmaking as defined by the underlying bedrock motion picture techniques and production methods. It is a complete approach that covers: Basic 16mm film and digital imaging, cameras, lenses, metering, cinematography, lighting, audio, writing, directing, scene and sequence design, pre-production, production, post production, and digital non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro.

Can you do that in two days?

Sure. Austin based award-winning filmmaker Steve Mims has designed this seminar to distill twenty years teaching college level filmmaking down to its essence. As both a filmmaker and teacher working in both film and HD, Steve has necessarily kept pace with the evolving technologies while adapting them to a motion picture process that is the basis for single camera (or film style) production. At the University of Texas at Austin Steve taught Film One (the introductory 16mm filmmaking course) for four years. (This spring Steve is teaching RTF366K, INTRO TO NARRATIVE PRODUCTION at UT.) He first taught through Austin FilmWorks in 1993. His PRODUCTION ONE class evolved into the most comprehensive and practical guide available to beginning filmmakers. Austin FilmWorks CINEMA EXPEDITION is the natural hybrid film/digital video class that has evolved today. The class covers the issues of technology, design, and practical application of technique in a manner that blends bedrock filmmaking techniques with elegant digital tools.Read what others have said about Austin FilmWorks.

COURSE SPECIFICS

The CINEMA EXPEDITION covers the following areas through reading, lectures and demonstrations:

'Properties of Film and Digital Imaging', 'Digtial and Motion Picture Cameras', 'How Lenses Work', 'Incident and Reflective Light Metering', 'Visual Design, Part I: Nomenclature, Composition and Application of Technique', 'Visual Design, Part II: Screen direction and Objective and Subjective Cinema, 'Cinematography', 'Editing Concepts', 'Story formats: Synopsis, Treatment and Script', 'Production Management', 'Fundamentals of Audio', 'Post-Production Process', 'Non-Linear Editing Techniques using Final Cut Pro', 'Audio Mixing', 'Special Visual Effects', 'Copyright and Music Clearance' and 'Advised Reading'.

Students will be provided a free CINEMA EXPEDITION HANDBOOK which includes lecture outlines, reading material, resource lists, and a recommended viewing and reading list.

BENEFITS
Our objective is to teach students a great deal in a compressed timeframe. Our focus is on the controllable elements of filmmaking and the decisions that go into making the choices that will affect the final film. This is the first step in closing the gap between what a filmmaker imagines and what he creates. Learning to close that gap is crucial to all successful and satisfying work. As an investment of time, the CINEMA EXPEDITION is an important and inexpensive way to decide whether the process is compatible with the student. Filmmaking is almost always a collaborative, team effort and this class will help you find your comfort level in that world.

Contemporary filmmaking is in the midst of tremendous shift from emulsion based analog imaging to digital acquisition of sound and picture. However much of contemporary motion picture production is still done on 35mm and 16mm film and it will be for some time. Therefore, we believe that students must be grounded in both motion picture and digital production and that we would be remiss if we do not prepare students to navigate among the many contemporary techniques for creating films.

ENROLLMENT / WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS SEMINAR?
Previous filmmaking experience is not required. The class is designed to bring students up to speed on technical and aesthetic concepts through lectures, reading, and demonstrations in a completely comprehensive approach.

Professional designers, graphic artists, writers, art directors, web masters and developers will gain new insights into production and post-production techniques and options that will help them exploit digital filmmaking to its fullest effect.

The CINEMA EXPEDITION is also a perfect refesher seminar for those who need to update their filmmaking skills.

Register now.