FILMMAKING

You’ll meet your instructor, get an overview of the course structure, and learn what to expect from assignments and the final project. No pressure—this is about setting the stage, not memorizing lines.

• Meet your instructor
• Course structure
• Assignments
• Final project overview

Let’s talk big picture. What kind of filmmaker do you want to be? In this class, you’ll reflect on your creative goals and the challenges you’re ready to tackle.

• Defining your vision and goals
• Unique challenges and rewards
• Strengths & areas for development
• WORKSHOP: Time to break the ice! Divide into groups and take turns introducing yourself, discussing your experiences, and what you aim to gain from the course. 

Assignment:
Write a short paragraph outlining your personal vision for filmmaking, your specific goals for this course, and your future in film, acknowledging one or two potential challenges you anticipate facing as a filmmaker.

Learn how to break down a screenplay, spot its strengths and pain points, and begin shaping your own work with clearer purpose and stronger storytelling instincts.

• Reviewing a screenplay
• Challenges & opportunities
• Constructive feedback & unique strengths
• Overseeing rewrites

Dig deeper into script development—this time with an eye on production realities like budget and format.

• Time & budget constraints
• Formatting screenplays for production
• WORKSHOP: Take a short scene from a well-known low-budget film and analyze it for elements like visual storytelling, dialogue, and how the scene contributes to the overall narrative within resource constraints.

Discover how to communicate your vision visually—even if you “can’t draw.” Cover storyboards, concept art, vision decks, and digital tools to make your story tangible.

• Pre-visualisation techniques
• Where and when to use visual aids
• Techniques for non-artists
• Vision decks 

How do you make your vision real, while keeping costs in check? You’ll learn to build a smart, realistic budget and begin planning your production strategy.

• Realistic and detailed budgets
• Essential and non-essential costs
• Cost-effective filmmaking strategies
• Budgeting software and templates

Assignment:
Begin developing a preliminary budget for your film project. Identify at least 5 key budget categories and provide initial rough estimates for each.

Scouting the right locations is an art form. Explore how to pitch, plan, and manage locations like a pro—even if your “scouting” starts on Google Earth.

• Managing location logistics
• Identifying and securing filming locations
• Negotiating with owners and authorities
• Creative vision & practical constraints

Assignment:
Scout locations for your project idea through Google Earth. For each location, create a brief “pitch” outlining why it would be suitable, potential logistical challenges, and initial ideas for how you would manage the location during the shoot.

Dive into scheduling strategies, contingency planning, and locking your script—so your shoot runs smoothly and your vision doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

• Scheduling & time management
• Comprehensive production schedules
• Contingency plans
• Storyboards & visual planning
• Locking a script 

Break your script into scenes, days, and logistics. Learn to choreograph your shoot like a pro—before you even call “Action!”

• Creating effective shot lists
• Dividing scripts into shooting days
• WORKSHOP: Take a small section of your hypothetical script and create a very basic shooting schedule for those scenes.

Assignment:
Create a character sheet listing your vision in preparation for the next class.

From auditions to actor agreements, you’ll explore the casting process and how to collaborate with key crew heads.

• Collaborating with casting directors
• Techniques for evaluating talent
• Character needs & casting goals
• Actor agreements and contracts
• WORKSHOP: Using your character snapshot, hold mock “auditions” with group members and write down brief notes on what you liked or disliked about each performance.

Discover who you need on set and why. You’ll explore roles, responsibilities, and how to balance collaboration with your creative leadership.

• Production design & cinematography
• Prioritising department heads
• Crew agreements & negotiating rates
• Translating vision into action
• Meeting logistical and budgetary realities

Assignment:
Create a prioritized list of essential crew roles you believe you will need for your project, justifying why each role is crucial and outlining the key responsibilities they would expect from that person.

Cameras, lighting, and sound shape your story’s mood and impact. Learn the essentials and start speaking your cinematographer and sound designer’s language.

• Camera fundamentals
• Lighting: Mood, tone, & visibility
• Clean dialogue & ambient audio
• WORKSHOP: Take a short scene from a pre-designated film and create a basic shot list. Then break into groups and brainstorm potential improvements to the shots. 

Assignment:
Take a short, dialogue-heavy scene from your project and create your own detailed shot list. You can also create rough storyboard sketches for at least 3 key shots in the scene.

Time to talk on-set dynamics—from directing actors to syncing with your DP and AD. Learn how to lead calmly, clearly, and confidently under pressure.

• Working with actors
• Collaboration & managing pipelines
• On-set communication and workflow

On set, anything can happen. Discover how to manage time, solve problems, and adapt creatively when your perfect plan hits a snag.

• Maximising creativity within constraints
• Shooting day management
• Turning limitations into creative opportunities
• Documenting changes & adaptability
• Creative problem-solving in real time
• WORKSHOP: Using hypothetical scenarios detailing restraints on set resources, break into groups and brainstorm creative ways of proceeding to shoot a scene effectively.

Get in sync with your editor. This session covers everything from daily footage review to creative feedback loops and legal logistics.

• Director-editor collaboration
• Dailies
• Post-production: Scheduling & budgeting
• Post-production protocols
• Insurance, legal, & release requirements
• Rights, clearances, & legal considerations

Assignment:
Create a basic safety checklist of at least 10 key points you would consider before starting a shoot day for your project.

Understand how editing, sound, and scoring bring your story to life—and how to guide the process from first assembly to final cut.

• Post-production overview
• From first assembly to rough cut
• Aligning the edit
• Collaboration & providing feedback

Assignment:
Create a detailed outline of your post-production workflow for your hypothetical project. This should include the key stages, an estimated timeline for each stage, and your initial thoughts on who might handle each task.

Explore the role of sound design and how to legally license music, collaborate with composers, and meet platform delivery specs.

• Platform-specific delivery requirements
• Finding, licensing, and clearing music legally
• Scoring & working with composers
• Collaborating on sound edits and design
• WORKSHOP: Choose a key scene in your project and brainstorm the different sound elements that could enhance the scene’s atmosphere and storytelling.

Assignment:
Create a mix tape of your preferred TEMP soundtrack.

Learn how to pitch your project to investors, festivals, and your future audience. You’ll also build out your marketing strategy—from poster to pitch deck.

• Elevator pitch
• Marketing strategy
• Trailers, posters, & promo materials
• Pitches: Investors, distributors, & festivals
• Online presence
• WORKSHOP: Practice crafting a compelling "elevator pitch” for their hypothetical film project.

Assignment:
Create a mock-up of one key marketing material for your hypothetical film project. This could be a poster concept, a short logline and tagline for social media, or a brief outline of a potential trailer.

Wrap up with a deep dive into career-building: from assembling a killer portfolio to networking and staying ahead of industry shifts.

• Portfolio & reel
• Networking & industry connections
• Staying relevant
• Future trends in filmmaking