The advent of Digital technology has revolutionised the Film Making process. Elements of Film Making, once thought inconceivable to execute, are now readily available to all would be Film Makers with the correct equipment and training. SAE students not only learn the entire Film Making process, from pre-production all the way through to post-production, they are also armed with the very latest in Digital Film’s cutting edge cameras and industry standard computer software.
The Digital Film Making course takes students through everything needed to make a Digital Film: scripting, storyboarding, camera operation, framing, lighting, editing, compositing, visual effects and even producing a DVD of the finished product. The Film Making Course follows the SAE concept of combining technical skills with creativity and providing training for an industry with a future.
The course has now been expanded to full time, and runs for 12 months. This allows students to partake in even more practical projects, and cover more topics than in the previous part time arrangement.
Course Overview
The Digital Film Making diploma is a 12-month full time course which gives students the ability to produce short movies, music videos, documentaries and advertisements. Throughout the course students complete several movie projects with professional equipment provided by SAE.
SAE Glasgow's digital film making diploma course is designed to reflect the changing structure of the film industry. Contemporary filmmaking relies on a combination of traditional methods and practices (such as camera operation, lighting, staging, storyboarding, etc.) and evolving digital technologies; including compositing, 3D, visual effects and blue/green screen filming.
Practical Experience
With an emphasis on practical learning, students are taken through the entire process of filmmaking. Each student will be expected to write, produce, direct and edit a number of projects on both an individual and group basis before screening them to an audience. Students will make use of a range of industry standard digital technology, including high end non-linear workstations such as Avid and Final Cut Pro; Post production systems including Apple's Shake and Discreet's Combustion, and gain practical experience using a range of camera, sound and lighting equipment.
Over the duration of the course, students will be involved in planning, shooting and editing a range of practical film projects including documentaries, music videos, commercials and short films. These projects are combined at the end of the course to provide each student with a demo reel, presenting the skills they have mastered during the course to potential employers.
Theoretical Background
While each subject in the course curriculum focuses on practical skills and working methods, theory classes expand students' understanding of different techniques and filming styles. These classes cover subjects such as traditional framing, editing theory, film history and analysis, and lighting techniques.
The course is split into several modules, taking the student through the entire process as follows:
Pre-Production
Students are introduced to pitching, scripting, storyboarding, budgeting, planning and organising a film production. Various practical assignments and class projects are used to train students in these areas, helping the students to understand the importance of planning, and be aware of deadlines, timescales and potential problems that can arise during a shoot.
Students are encouraged to develop a keen eye for detail, allowing them to plan and budget for productions accurately, and therefore have a smoother workflow and more efficient filmmaking experience.
Production
Within the production topics in the course, students are introduced to various equipment types, composition theory and camera operation. On top of this, lighting skills, sound and rehearsal/blocking techniques are studied with the view of increasing the quality of material filmed. They key part to this section of the course is the training given on equipment
The equipment available to students is of industry standard. Shooting in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD), students use tools commonly used in the industry. The equipment students work with here, are the very same as used in major feature films such as 28 Days Later (Canon XL SD) and the recent blockbuster 'Cloverfield' (Panasonic HVX HD).
Likewise, our software is also used commonly in the industry. Our main NLE (Non-Linear Editing) package Final Cut Pro has been used in films such as David Finchers 'Zodiac' and 'No Country for Old Men', and our main compositing software 'Shake' is used in almost every big-budget movie in recent years, 'Transformers', 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and more.
This level of equipment and software allows students to make films that look and sound every bit as good as these hollywood counterparts.
Post-Production
Within this section of the course, students are instructed in editing, compositing, colour correction, blue and green screen shooting, and 3D integration, as well as authoring and producing broadcast-ready edits of their work on DVD.
Using top of the line software such as Apple's 'Shake', students are also introduced to a variety of complex compositing and post production effects such as motion tracking, sky replacement and wire/object removal. While these subjects are deep in themselves, the DFM course allows students to be able to operate the software, 'talk the language', and develop these techniques further if they choose to.
Screenings
At the end of the course, students are invited to showcase their finest work at a local cinema. Family, friends, and potential employers are all invited to attend, and this allows students to show off their work, and network at the event. Students are encouraged to prepare a demo reel, and are taken through the process during the course to maximise chances of employment.
Digital Film Making Diploma Information
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