Motion Picture Production

Full-Time One-Year Diploma. Next intake September 27th, 2024.

The Motion Picture Production Program is designed for students who want to become fully qualified independent filmmakers, or are looking to launch a rewarding career in the film and television industry.

Why you should study with us:

The Motion Picture Production program will guide students through every step of the creative process, from that first spark of an idea through to distribution of the finished project. 

In addition to helping students hone their creative talents, the program also gives students an in-depth understanding of the business side of the industry, teaching them about legal clearances, funding sources, tax credits, budgeting, and how to successfully navigate through the legal entanglements of contracts, agreements, and financing to maintain ownership of their intellectual property. 

Through a series of lectures, workshops, exercises, and student projects, students will gain invaluable experience in scriptwriting, cinematography, directing, editing, sound recording, set decoration, lighting and special effects, as well as learn about film theory and the subtle nuances of visual storytelling. 

Students complete several projects throughout the program, including a commercial, public service announcement, short documentary, and a number of short films, creating a body of work that can be used as a ‘calling card’ for future endeavours. 

Each student has the opportunity to write and direct their own final projects, and to experience a variety of on-set crew roles while working with other students and faculty mentors. Upon completion, students will be knowledgeable and skilled filmmakers ready to share their creative visions and talents with the world.

Career Options:

Upon graduation, students will be able to apply for entry level positions in film and television industry, create their own independent films, or start a small production company.

 
 

Tuition and Lab Fees:
Fees for all the programs are listed on page 3 of our Application Form.

This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. 

Program components:

    1. Film Production Fundamentals:

      • Introduction to the basics of filmmaking, including screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, and sound design.
      • Hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment and software used in film production.
    2. Screenwriting and Story Development:

      • Instruction in the art and craft of screenwriting, covering storytelling techniques, character development, plot structure, and dialogue writing.
      • Workshops and feedback sessions to refine students’ scripts and develop compelling narratives.
    3. Cinematography and Visual Aesthetics:

      • Training in camera operation, composition, lighting techniques, and visual storytelling.
      • Practical exercises in shot composition, camera movement, and visual effects to create cinematic imagery.
    4. Directing and Production Management:

      • Study of directing principles, actor collaboration, blocking, and scene staging.
      • Introduction to production management, including budgeting, scheduling, casting, and location scouting.
    5. Editing and Post-Production:

      • Hands-on experience with non-linear editing software (e.g., Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro) for assembling footage, editing sequences, and adding sound effects.
      • Instruction in color grading, visual effects compositing, and sound mixing for enhancing the overall cinematic experience.
    6. Sound Design and Foley Artistry:

      • Exploration of sound recording techniques, dialogue editing, Foley sound effects creation, and soundtrack composition.
      • Application of sound design principles to enhance narrative immersion and emotional impact in films.

Course Overviews

Film Fundamentals I

When we recall a movie we don’t necessarily remember the subtle character arcs, thematic resonance or even clever plotting. We remember scenes and “movie moments” within them. This course will relay film history, types of theory and visual storytelling paradigms via full films and especially scenes.

By the end of the course, students will have developed a complete industry-standard level of film grammar, will understand the basics of “story central” critical film theory, and grasp the myriad ways one idea can be interpreted filmically. Topics will include: time compression/expansion in relation to plot, the camera as a “god’s eye” view of a story world and characterization, and how emotional investment/tonal wash is established in film beats/scenes.

Finally, students will be able to apply the above list to their own projects from story seed to screen.

 

Film Fundamentals II

Film theory, often thought to be the realm of academic elites, can make people itchy. This is because overt analysis of a film via fancy-worded theory often ruins the magic of it. In this course, critique will come less from the application of academic treatises and more from common-sense cinematic investigation, such as “reverse engineering” a scene and examining how culture, time and place influence both the making and interpretation of a movie. Using an audience-first perspective, this course aims to foster a new appreciation, and perhaps even a love, of the film arts.

Cinematography I

 This class will cover video technologies and audio design as students create video and audio for internet applications. Subjects include: shooting video with DSLR and other cameras, video editing, audio design, motion graphics, colour and audio correction, and video compression. Students will also learn some of the key ideas and themes relevant to the history of cinematography and practice working with a crew and location shooting.

 

Cinematography II

In this class, students will continue to develop their skills in shooting video with DSLR and other cameras. Additional skill development will include editing video, performing audio design tasks, creating motion graphics, performing colour and audio correction, and video compression.

Special projects may include: shooting dream sequences, narrating footage, shooting dialogue in a vehicle, filming in the real world as well as other skills relevant to the students’ final film project.

 

This course will explore important visual storytelling paradigms through the study of scenes. Scenes are the guts of a screenplay. But what comprises them? What are beats, bookends, hooks, throwbacks, catalysts, actor “candy”, inciting incidents, setups/payoffs, opening images, montages, reversals and reveals? And how do they fit into the 50 to 80 scenes strung together to form a satisfying screenplay in three acts and a movie of 100 plus minutes?

The course emphasis will be on examining the macro/micro of it all so the student can understand how the tiny parts comprise (and can be manipulated to make better) the whole. Knowing how to craft a well-constructed scene – and the bridgework required to link it to what comes before/after – is the foundation of visual storytelling.

Directing / Assistant Directing I

This course focuses on how to be an effective director/leader. Emphasis will be on directing actors and experiencing the filmmaking process from the actor’s point of view. Topics covered will include: analyzing dialogue and dramatic material, the development of the dramatic situation, understanding character needs and relationships, finding the throughline, and the script breakdown. Students will learn how to ‘take charge’ of a film crew, how to effectively communicate with actors and crew, and how to get great performances out of their actors. The role and the responsibilities of the assistant director will also be discussed.

 

Directing II

This second course in directing will focus on working directly with actors, and effectively communicating as a director. Topics covered will include: creating useful character profiles, the casting process, rehearsals, and getting the best performances out of actors. Students will refine their abilities to effectively communicate with actors and crew, and learn how to pitch their ideas to producers and potential financiers. This course will use the students’ Term III final projects as a basis for their work in the class, with all casting, rehearsals and directing exercises also serving to support their Term III final projects.

The course will teach a basic literacy of documentary filmmaking and the key elements of strong visual story telling. We will learn about the different modes and formats of documentary filmmaking and discuss the use and purposes of each sub-genre. We will explore technologies and techniques relevant to documentary production. The class will work together in teams to produce a minimum of two short documentary films, carrying out all processes from pitching their ideas to the class to filming and editing.

Editing I

This course introduces editing as a means for creative storytelling with a technical approach to the Adobe Premier non-linear editing system. Students will learn the post-production workflow, make hands-on proficient editing decisions and demonstrate their ability to use the technical and creative qualities of nonlinear editing.

 

Editing II

This course will focus on more advanced processes of editing as a means for creative storytelling with a technical approach to the Adobe Premier non-linear editing system.

 

Editing III

This course will further develop the students’ skills in editing as a means for creative storytelling. We will take a technical approach to Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro nonlinear editing systems. Student will learn commercial editing, practice working with clients (Rough Cut PSA, rough Cut Commercial), and create animatics.

The Commercial Production course is designed to educate students on the business aspects and production of television commercials. Students will explore the steps involved in the development process, dealing with a client, and producing broadcast quality television commercials.

Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the television commercial production process and explore the rhetoric of commercials through the art and science of persuasion.

This interactive class will focus on learning from the real-world experience of visiting industry professionals in the local filmmaking scene. Class-time will be split between discussions of historic or innovative films, with review of key scenes from that film, and in-class visits from local filmmakers and production personnel. Through this class, students will create professional relationships and gain valuable insight into the current and future state of the local film industry.

Screenwriting I

This 12 week course will relay the theoretical foundations of dramatic structure, moving from classic cinema and post-modernism to the current material that forms popular trend and opinion (dwelling largely on commercial movies/TV). The classes will also cover the “hands on” application of common industry practices and lesser-known tricks of the screenplay trade.

The course emphasis will be on deconstructing the formulas used in the scripting process. It is weighted heavily towards feature films – but most screenplay structure principles are directly applicable to television, documentaries, corporate films and music videos as well. The better you understand the structure (in both theory and practice) the better you understand why a filmed narrative might be strong or substandard.

Screenwriting II

In Screenwriting II, students take the theoretical lessons learned in Screenwriting I and applying them in a practical fashion via a “hands-on/how-to” approach. In this class, the the actual writing is where the learning takes place.

In this course, we will take an in-depth look at the procedures, processes and practices of motion picture production with an emphasis on the practical mechanics of how a feature film gets made. We will look at the 5 stages of film production (development, preproduction, production, post-production and distribution) and how a beginning filmmaker can successfully navigate each stage. We will also discuss the roles of each member of the film crew and production team, and what their specific job function entails, as well as the career path to each role. Students will learn how to stay organized and effective when dealing with the mountain of paperwork and information that a film production entails, and will be responsible for creating a production binder and a legal production binder for their Term III final projects.

Sound I

George Lucas once described sound and music as “50% of the entertainment in a movie” and, through classroom examples, discussions and location sound exercises, participants in this course will discover for themselves the importance of sound in any production. We will experience and overcome the challenges faced by sound crews recording for documentaries, narrative drama as well as basic studio techniques. The student will learn to select and use the proper equipment for each situation, understand the responsibilities of each member of a sound crew and understand film set etiquette. Students will apply their knowledge by recording audio at clear and appropriate levels.

Sound II

In Sound II, students will experience and overcome the challenges faced in post-production in the creation of an effective soundtrack to bring a world to life, shape an audience’s perception, and make characters and narrative resonate with audiences. The focus is for students to gain an understanding of Audio Post-Production Processes and workflows.

The student will be able to appropriately design and create a film soundscape and a gain a technical understanding of editing, mixing and mastering sound. Students will also learn to apply appropriate voice looping.

In this class, students will gain an introductory understanding of the production process, from concept to completion. Students will begin to develop skills as they pertain to motion picture production and maintaining chain of title throughout the process. We will cover the legal issues surround film production from the acquisition of rights and intellectual property, to the creation of contracts and deal memos once production has begun. We will look at sources of funding, tax credits available to independent filmmakers in Canada, and the various forms of insurance that are required for film and TV production.

Visual Effects I

In this course students will gain an introductory understanding of graphic design and motion graphics as they relate to film. The main focus of the course will be on learning how to use the programs Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects in the film making process. The students will learn how to develop and understand the principles and theory of Graphic Design; the technical skills and knowledge of essential software; be able to enhance and modify video footage and; animate text and graphical elements.

Visual Effects II

In this course students will gain an advanced understanding of graphic design and motion graphics as they relate to film, furthering their use of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects in the film making process. The students will apply Principles and Theory of Graphic Design in their own Projects and learn to create advanced digital effects.

In this course, students will learn the unique challenges of producing and distributing video online. Students will learn how to select equipment for budgets, ranging from shoestring to professional grade and create on-demand and live-streaming video projects. By the end of the course, students will also know how to promote video online, using services such as YouTube, Vimeo, Vine, and Periscope.

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