Online Camp
This online production course will help students utilize resources they have to make a short film. Using smart phones, tablets, or cameras (whatever devices you have at home), each student will employ the fundamental elements of visual storytelling to shoot practice exercises to hone their skills in writing, directing, shooting, and editing. Students will then apply those skills to a 3-5 minute short video project of their very own.
Schedule | More details | What you'll need | Instructor
Schedule
This camp combines scheduled real-time virtual class meetings via Zoom, asynchronous material, and independent work.
- Grades: 9th–12th
- Number of weeks: 3
- Session dates: 7/8/24–7/26/24
- Meeting schedule:
- M/W/F: 11 am–12:45 pm CT
- Optional additional supervision/office hours by appointment: M/W: 1 pm–2 pm CT
- Final screening on Friday, 7/26, time TBA
- Tuition: $595
Details
Scheduled Meetings:
The course takes place over the course of three weeks with meetings on M/W/F 11 am–12:45 pm CT. There will also be office hour, available by appointment, for supervised meetings with instructors on M/W to discuss individual projects or questions.
Camp topics include:
- Fundamental elements of visual storytelling
- Writing and developing story
- Working with actors, including first-time actors
- Basic camera and audio techniques
- Editing film with Adobe Premiere
- Distribution for shorts and starting out as a young filmmaker
Session overview:
Week 1
- Introduction to Visual storytelling, Writing, and Cinematography
- Introduction to Lighting Basics and Camera Movement
- Go over exercise 1 and present ideas for first short
Week 2
- How a Cinematographer preps for shoot day
- Working with actors
- Production and Editing basics
- Present first short film
- Pitch and workshop second short film
Week 3
- Post-Production basics
- Complete/polish second short film
- Filmmaking applications in the real world
- Final Screening
What you'll need at home
Devices – Required:
Smartphone with video recording capabilities OR digital video camera (camcorder, DSLR, etc.)
Computer: Laptop or PC with
8GB RAM minimum & 16GB RAM or more recommended
Wi-Fi / Stable Internet
Webcam
Built-in Computer Microphone
Devices – Optional:
External Hard Drive (optional)
Tripod or Camera Stabilizer (such as iphone handlebar or shoulder rig) (optional)
Separate Microphone (optional)
Software / Apps
Adobe Premiere Pro
(a month-long subscription= $31.49/mo; can also subscribe to an annual plan or bundle with the Creative Cloud monthly or annual plan)Zoom (free)
Instructor
Katherine Propper
Katherine Propper is a writer-director born and raised in Los Angeles and currently based in Austin.
Her 2022 short film BIRDS won the Grand Jury Prize at AFI Fest, a Special Jury Award for Vision at SXSW, and a Special Jury Prize in the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand in France. Her 2019 short film STREET FLAME screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.
She enjoys merging both fictional and non-fictional worlds in her filmmaking, and drawing upon experiences including working on director Terrence Malick's editing team. Her short films can be streamed on The New Yorker, Short of the Week, and Omeleto.
Katherine received her MFA in Film Directing from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Art History from Georgetown University.
Her feature directorial debut, LOST SOULZ, premiered at the prestigious 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, where it earned 2nd place for an Audience Award.