HDDSLR Master's Class

I'm very excited to run this one day workshop as it will diverge quite a bit from what I have had a chance to do in the past given the great resources that will be at our disposal at the Los Angeles Film School. While most of my past workshops have been focused on introducing people to the world of HDDSLRs and the basics of film production and cinematic theory - this course is designed for people who want to (literally) get hands on experience with shooting on a typical HDDSLR production during an almost full-day of shooting.

We will be bringing 15 students together and teach them the ins and outs of an HDDSLR production - and focus on both the advantages as well as some of the challenges this new breed of cameras offers. The students will come together to shoot a variety of scenes at one of the Los Angeles Film School's cinematography stages. We will have access to a number of stages, dollies, JIBs, lighting and a pretty impressive array of HDDSLR equipment. We will also have the assistance of a DP/Gaffer/Grip and a series of actors. While we will be discussing cinema theory and language - the goal will be to do so ON SET - as opposed to sitting down in a classroom. We will also discuss how to set the cameras to obtain the best possible quality in camera with the post-production workflow in mind.

I will begin the course with a 45 minute presentation where I will share some of my more successful images and videos from the past decade and the stories behind them - in many cases discussing the films shot by shot . I will also discuss my transition from shooting stills as an editorial photographer for the New York Times, to becoming a commercial photographer and ultimately transitioning ino Directing and DPing Commercials, TV Pilots and short films for clients around the globe.

My goal is to have the students leave with a clear understanding of what they will need in terms of preparation and equipment to achieve HDDSLR productions on both high-end and more budget-conscienscious productions. This class is open to students with minimal film experience as well as seasoned professionals interested in gaining a strong grasp of what this new breed of camera offers. We will however jump straight into blocking out and shooting scenes from the get go - so people new to filmmaking should expect a bit of a roller coaster ride - but a fun one!