5x5
Prior to the 5x5 exercise, students are introduced to the foundational principles of camera operation, including exposure, composition, and movement. The 5x5 serves as an introductory narrative exercise in which students construct a cohesive visual story through five distinct shots, each limited to five seconds in duration. This constraint emphasizes the relationship between form and meaning, encouraging precision in framing, timing, and visual continuity. Through this assignment, students develop both technical proficiency in camera technique and an understanding of fundamental cinematic storytelling.
Lighting Recreation
Prior to the lighting recreation workshops, classroom instruction emphasizes the theoretical and practical principles underlying cinematic lighting. Students engage in guided demonstrations on the proper operation, placement, and safety protocols associated with both tungsten and LED lighting instruments. This foundational training prepares students to manipulate light as a narrative and aesthetic tool. During the workshop, students collaborate in small groups to select a reference image of their choice and apply their technical and conceptual knowledge to recreate its lighting design with accuracy and intent.
Soundscape
Prior to the soundscape project, students receive foundational instruction in the principles and techniques of sound recording for film. Through guided, hands-on exercises, students gain practical experience operating various microphones and field recorders while learning to capture clean, intentional audio. Building on these technical skills, students then apply their knowledge in a creative context by producing a short film designed to evoke the aural atmosphere of a chosen location. This assignment emphasizes the expressive potential of sound to construct mood, space, and narrative meaning within cinematic form.
FINAL PROJECTS
Each semester culminates in a comprehensive final project in which students collaborate in small production teams to create either a short narrative or documentary film. This capstone assignment is designed to synthesize the technical, aesthetic, and storytelling skills developed throughout the semester, allowing students to demonstrate their growth across all phases of production. By engaging in collaborative authorship, students experience the creative and logistical demands of professional filmmaking while reflecting on their individual artistic development. Groups are granted significant creative autonomy in selecting and shaping their subject matter, encouraging originality, personal expression, and a cohesive application of cinematic craft.
