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2021 DOCUMENTARY FILM WORKSHOPS

OVERVIEW​ //

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• Classes meet once per week (Hawaii Standard Time)

• Classes will be taught live, online (Zoom)

• Minimum course enrollment: four (4) students per class

• Maximum course enrollment: ten (10) students per class

• Tuition: $450 per course

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DATES​ & DETAILS //

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CLASS 1: DEVELOPING YOUR DOCUMENTARY STORY

Winter Course Dates:

• Saturdays, February 6 – March 27, 2021 | 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

• Tuesdays, February 9 – March 30, 2021  |  5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Spring Course Dates:

• Saturdays, April 10 – May 29, 2021  |  10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

• Tuesdays, April 13 – June 1, 2021  |  5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

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DESCRIPTION

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Non-fiction filmmaking looks to real-life events and personal experiences for inspiration. This live, online course combines conceptual and practical filmmaking skills to help you understand the process of creating a documentary film from start to finish through a producing lens.

Weekly viewing assignments will help you understand different documentary approaches and drive class discussions to help you identify ethical issues to avoid in documentary filmmaking today.  

This workshop is ideal for:

• Storytellers with an idea for a short or feature-length documentary looking for guidance and the support of a community

• Documentary filmmakers with a short film they’d like to expand on into a series or feature

By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand the styles and methods used to create a documentary film

• Practice interview techniques to help drive your story

• Translate your visual goals with film style sheets or storyboards

• Create a project timeline and basic production budget

• Learn how to develop a treatment and fundraising strategy unique to your film

• Identify ethical issues in documentary filmmaking 

• Communicate your story by practicing a 2-minute pitch

• Learn to prepare your project for post-production using footage logs and paper edits

• Develop your outreach and engagement strategies for impact campaigns

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CLASS 2: DISCOVERING YOUR STORY IN POST

Winter Course Dates:

• Mondays, February 8 – March 29, 2021 |  5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Spring Course Dates:

• Mondays, April 12 – May 31, 2021  |  5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

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DESCRIPTION

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In documentary filmmaking, the story is largely crafted after the footage has been shot.  In this live, online course, you will deepen your understanding of and engage in the post-production process with a specific lens on your own work-in-progress documentary film.

This workshop is ideal for:

• Filmmakers who have started production with 60% or more of their footage shot

• Filmmakers who are already in post-production and want help organizing their project for editing; and need help finding the material within their footage to tell their story

• Filmmakers who are deep in their editing process and need help on specific scenes or sequences and would benefit from feedback from their peers and instructor

By the end of the course, you will:

• Determine your own film’s genre and approach.

• Understand the technical post-production workflow

• Find your strongest themes, characters, and storylines using footage logs

• Write your script using tools such a paper edit or beat sheet

• Develop a strategy for third party materials (music and/or archival) and when/how to use recreations

• Workshop a sequence or scene from your current project to help troubleshoot and move forward on your story development

• Learn how to align your film for possible distribution and strategize for social impact campaigns

How to apply for full or partial tuition scholarship

ONE full scholarship and TWO partial scholarships will be available for this workshop. To be considered for reduced cost or full tuition coverage you must submit a short essay.

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• Applications will be accepted starting Jan 7, 2021

• Submissions will close Feb 3, 2021 (midnight HST)

• Awards will be announced on Feb 5, 2021

• Classes start Feb 6, 2021

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