Cinematography Capstone
Shoot a complete short film as director of photography, from brief to festival: scoping, look book, breakdown and shot design, micro-budget and funding from co-ops, arts councils and Telefilm pathways, permits, releases and music clearance, crew, safety, scheduling and ACTRA or UDA options, tests, two production weeks with coverage triage, post and grade supervision, DCP and festival strategy, and an evidence-based reflection.
CINE-499 Year 4 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h 52 min
Offered by HSM University · Cinematography
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Plan a capstone short film within the brief, assess its scope and agree roles, credits, ownership and a working calendar
- Develop a visual concept and a look book that sets visual grammar, palette and format with the director
- Break down a script into beats and produce overheads, shot lists with priorities, lighting plots and a camera and pipeline document
- Build and track a micro-budget with contingency and identify equipment, funding, in-kind support and insurance in Canada or the US
- Identify the permits, releases, music licences and other clearances a short film needs and keep a clearance log
- Organize a small crew, prepare a safety plan, schedule and call sheets, and explain low-budget union options in Canada or the US
- Plan and run camera, lens, exposure, makeup, wardrobe, flicker and look tests and write a test report that informs decisions
- Run a set as DP with the director and first AD, check coverage and continuity, hold exposure and protect data with verified copies
- Solve production problems methodically, triage coverage when time runs out and decide on reshoots and pick-ups
- Supervise post-production from the DP's side, including editorial collaboration, picture lock, conform, grade, clean-up and sound
- Prepare deliverables including a DCP, plan a festival and online release strategy in Canada or the US and build a reel excerpt
- Write an evidence-based reflection, give and receive critique and plan professional next steps
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h 52 min total · final exam
- 1 The capstone brief, assessment and choosing a project 30 min · quiz
- 2 Developing the pitch and look book 29 min · quiz
- 3 Script breakdown and shot design with the director 30 min · quiz
- 4 Budget and resources for a micro-budget short 30 min · quiz
- 5 Permits, releases, music and legal clearances 27 min · quiz
- 6 Crew, safety and scheduling 28 min · quiz
- 7 Camera, lighting and look tests 30 min · quiz
- 8 Production week one: running the set as DP 30 min · quiz
- 9 Production week two: problem solving and coverage triage 30 min · quiz
- 10 Post-production: editorial, conform, grade and sound 28 min · quiz
- 11 Deliverables, festivals and screening strategy 30 min · quiz
- 12 Reflection, critique and professional next steps 30 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Shoot a complete short film as director of photography, from brief to festival: scoping, look book, breakdown and shot design, micro-budget and funding from co-ops, arts councils and Telefilm pathways, permits, releases and music clearance, crew, safety, scheduling and ACTRA or UDA options, tests, two production weeks with coverage triage, post and grade supervision, DCP and festival strategy, and an evidence-based reflection.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 4.