Sharp Shootin’ in High Definition
Instructor: Kenneth Thomas
4 Sessions / Wednesdays, June 5–June 26
Time: 6:30–9:30 pm
Location: DMS2
Number: FM-1004
Tuition: $170
Okay, you have a great idea for your first film. Or maybe you want to make a documentary that will change the world. Unless you know how to shoot, that film is going to remain just an idea. During this 4-week intensive of Sharp Shootin’ in High Definition, we will explore all of the basics of HD videography: composition, lighting, handheld vs. lock-down shots, and much more! At the end of this course, you will have the videography know-how to start turning your ideas into reality. The class will begin with a viewing of some classic scenes from various films, to study how and why they were shot in their various ways. We will then try to emulate some of those ideas, in order to express ideas through visuals. Different scenes will be set up for shooting, and each student will have the opportunity to try their hand at setting up shots, lighting, and composition, using professional HD cameras. Students will also learn the many technical elements of HD video, such as format, frame rate, and resolution choices.
No prior knowledge of videography is necessary. HD video cameras will be supplied for use in the classroom. Students are encouraged to bring their own HD cameras, if they own one – just to compare the differences between the gear they own and the gear we will use.
Kenneth Thomas is the independent eye and artist behind The Scourge Productions. He has spent the last 15 years capturing and displaying a unique vision via his multi-disciplinary skills in shooting, directing, editing, and photography, utilizing 16mm film and HD video. His primary interest is in documentary work, focusing on music and visual artists. His most recent film is the feature documentary Blood, Sweat + Vinyl: DIY in the 21st Century, which examines the current state of underground music. This film has screened in over 20 film and music festivals on every continent (except Antarctica), and is currently being independently distributed through various record labels. Thomas’s previous works have included directing music videos, producing EPK’s, and filming for The Residents, X, The Chameleons UK, Queens of the Stone Age, ISIS, Neurosis, Yanni, Bruce LaBruce, William Shatner, and many other artists. He recently completed his MFA at the San Francisco Art Institute, where he created “The Pathology of Civilization” - a short multi-media trilogy addressing the futility of progress arising from the dissonance of humanity and nature. Portions of the trilogy have screened at SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and as part of the “Big Screen Project” in Manhattan. He currently resides in San Francisco, continuing to produce music documentaries and multi-media works.
www.thescourge.com