Courses,
Training &
Guidance

21st June - 16th July 2010

DFG, London

DFG's one month intensive Diploma in documentary filmmaking will give you the technical and practical skills you need to enter the industry and become a broadcast documentary filmmaker. By the end of the course you will be a confident self-shooter. You will have directed and edited two short films and be able to write, research and pitch your ideas - plus much more!

DFG are partners in the Goldsmiths Media Academy - part of the Skillset Media Academy Network.

Limited places are available for this course. Early booking recommended.

The aims of the course:

This highly intensive Diploma is designed for people who may not be able to afford to take a year off to study at film school, and who want to gain the technical and practical skills you need to start working as a broadcast documentary filmmaker - fast.

This will be achieved through seminars, hands-on training, and through the production of a short documentary by every participant.

The course basics:

4 weeks, five days a week with some occasional weekend work
Hours:10AM - 6PM basic with screenings and occasional individual work on some evenings and weekends
Tutored by award-winning broadcast filmmakers

The course will cover:

• Camera skills, using industry-standard HDV equipment. Students will gain competence in the use of camera and sound recording equipment
• Editing: Familiarisation and basic competence in non-linear editing, using Final Cut Pro. Story structure in documentary and the grammar of editing
• Production management, clearing copyright, budgeting, scheduling, legal issues etc. The aim is to give students an awareness of basic production management skills involved in larger scale productions.
• Researching, writing a proposal and pitching with practical exercise.
• Each student will undertake several shooting exercises and direct and edit their own short documentary film. 
• Sources of funding in the UK and Europe
• Making films for online television and multi-platform delivery
• Screenings of seminal and innovative documentaries will be set in their historical context and used as a springboard for discussion about theory and ethics
• The course is mapped to Skillset standards and is run in partnership with Goldsmiths University of London. Participants will receive a DFG certificate on completing the course.

Schedule

Week 1:
Overview of documentary film past and present
Screenings of innovative documentaries (evenings)
Hands-on - HDV camera operation and sound recording
Hands-on - Editing on Final Cut Pro
Finding a good film idea
Short exercise: shooting and editing
Research techniques and researching own film

Week 2:
Story structure
Interviewing techniques
Proposal writing
Health & Safety
Advanced Camera / Lighting techniques
Advanced Sound Recording
Pitching
Short exercise: shoot 1 2min film

Week 3:
Production management‚ budgets, scheduling, copyright issues etc.
Fundraising
Grammar of editing
2 days shooting of own five minute film

Week 4:
Editing and completion of own film
Business Skills in the factual world
Distribution / Marketing
How to Get Ahead in Documentary - networking, career planning.
Screening of completed films and party

For more details and to book, click here.

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