Filmmaking Essentials 5 Skills

Course details

This course is perfect for beginners, or anyone new to filmmaking who would like to get an overall view of the process.

Taught by various tutors from different discliplines, the course will cover Screenwriting, Producing, Directing, Camera and Editing. Made up of introductory lessons and practical exercises, it is a perfect introduction to the world of Filmmaking.

• Day 1 – Screenwriting with Stephen Walsh
• Day 2 – Directing with Paul Farren
• Day 3 – Production with TBC
• Day 4 – Camera & Sound with Baz al-Rawi
• Day 5 – Editing with Baz al-Rawi
• Day by Day Guide:

Day 1 – Screenwriting with Stephen Walsh

Starting with practical basics, day 1 of the course begins with the script. Students will learn the essential elements of storytelling, understanding film structure, narrative construction, character development, dialogue and visual elements. Script formatting and industry layouts will also be covered.

Day 2 – Directing with Paul Farren

Day 2 is all about the director. The role of the director will be outlined from prep to post-production. Students will learn the importance of developing the visual concept and shooting styles. The day will also cover the director’s responsibilities in working with other key crew such as Production Designer, DOP, costume designer, editor, casting director as well as the actors.

Day 3 – Production with TBC

Day 3 will look at the role of the producer. Key aspects will include project development, scheduling, budgeting, selecting Heads of Department, co-ordinating contracts and releases, sales, marketing and distribution. The day will also cover film financing, with a particular focus on funding short films.

Day 4 – Camera & Sound with Baz al-Rawi

Day 4 gets technical with a hands-on experience of filmmaking with the EX1 camera and sound recording equipment. Essentially a crash course in the area, students will learn a range of practical tips to give confidence in working with a range of digital filmmaking equipment.

Day 5 – Editing with Baz al-Rawi

The final day will look at post-production with a specific focus on editing. Students will be introduced to the art of editing and to the post-production workflow. Taking place in the Filmbase Multimedia room, students will work with FCPX and will cut together a sequence. Students will complete the course by learning how to output their edited work to DVD or the web.

Tutor Bios:

Stephen Walsh

Stephen Walsh wrote the feature film How Harry Became A Tree, directed by Goran Paskaljevic, starring Colm Meaney, Kerry Condon and Cillian Murphy, and co-wrote Where the Sea Used to Be with the director Paul Farren. He scripted the documentary features Patrick Kavanagh – No Man’s Fool and John Ford: Dreaming The Quiet Man, both directed by Sé Merry Doyle. He has taught screenwriting and conducted script workshops at Trinity College, Griffith College and Filmbase.

Paul Farren

Paul Farren is a writer, director, editor. He has made several award funded shorts over the years. His feature debut ‘Where The Sea Used To Be’ has recently screened with Access Cinema. It won the Best First Time Feature Director award at the Amsterdam Film Festival. He also works as a commercials director and has produced campaigns for Coca Cola Ireland, and Brandy dog food amongst others. Paul has a long history of making films with teenagers on the Screenagers programme and with other groups around the country.

Producer tutor TBC

Basil Al-Rawi

A graduate of the National Film School, Basil Al-Rawi is a cinematographer, photographer, editor and lecturer. He has worked as a cinematographer on several festival-screened productions and his photographic work has been exhibited and published in the UK, Europe, South America and Australia.