A weekend workshop for novice video makers who are interested in making their own independent experimental short video on digital format, and sharpen their filmmaking and directing skills, will take place at the SABC, Auckland Park in Johannesburg.
Hosted by the SABC and presented by The Writing Studio, the Xperimental Digital Video Production workshop takes place on Friday, June 3 from 6pm until 9pm, and from 10am until 6pm on Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5.
The trainer is writer-director-producer Dirk Fourie, whose independent short film In God's Country was nominated for awards at the Shortz Festival in Cape Town, including Best Picture and Best Director. Dirk has been teaching workshops in filmmaking and directing for The Writing studio the past two years. Over the last five years he has actively been involved in the drastic transformation process of our struggling South African Film and Television industries. He received a Diploma in Film and Television Production Techniques at the acclaimed City Varsity Film, Television and Multimedia School in Cape Town, receiving numerous awards and recognition for his short films.
On Friday, June 3, from 6pm - 9pm, the group will examine the independent short film industry in South Africa: The current status and where it is heading, as well as look at what drives a short screenplay. They will look at the pros and cons of being independent videomakers and define the concept of their short film. The group will develop the concepts for their short films through writing a treatment. On Saturday, June 4, the group will pitch and select scripts. They will look at format and structure, interpreting and visualising the screenplay, defining the purpose of a scene, the director and his crew, defining the positions on set, the director of photography/camera operator, the gaffer and the script supervisor, location scouting, securing the sets, the production meeting, organisation and communication, the production schedule, and safety on set. The videomakers will then write their shooting script, interpret and visualise their film. During this session production meetings will be held and the directors and crew allocations will be made in groups.
During the afternoon session the group will look at the camera's POV, composition and framing, recording location sound, checking the right levels, the shotlist, basics on lighting, working with your actors, and the rehearsal as development. The individual groups will then develop their short films, run test shoots from selected scenes with the crews, and the footage will be viewed and discussed.
On Sunday, June 5, the director's responsibilities on set will be discussed, as well as the relationship between the director and the editor, the dailies, working copies, basic editing techniques, and how to secure funding. Final production meetings of individual crews and the recording of short films will take place, and to end off the weekend workshop, there will be a viewing and discussion of the footage.
Following the workshop the videomakers will edit their short films, and have an opportunity to show their work at the monthly Jozi Shortz festival.
Those interested in attending the workshop must have their own digital camera, or have access to one.
The cost of the workshop is R900; there is a discounted rate of R650 for SABC staff members, students, pensioners, and members of the IPO and SASWA. Bursaries are available on discretion for disadvantaged writers.
For more information on the Xperimental Digital Video Production Workshop, contact;
Tel: +27 21 425 5355
E-mail [email protected]
Or visit the website www.writingstudio.co.za for registration details
Posted on Tuesday 31 May 2005
Festival Daily
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