Cinema of 'Misfits': Making Movies Your Way

Catalog description

This seven-week arts workshop will introduce the fundamentals of independent filmmaking and provide guidance to the participants in their non-mainstream journey of making a short film. It will also offer some essential tools that will enable the filmmaker to understand as assets the restrictions and challenges that a filmmaker with limited resources can face during their productions. While the participants will gain insight into the technical aspects of filmmaking in all stages through a series of exercises, case studies, readings, screenings and guest speakers, the craft and passion of storytelling will always be at the heart of this course. Because just like the artist, Michaela Coel, stated during her 2018 speech, “The misfit doesn’t climb in pursuit of safety, or profit, she climbs to tell stories.” In-class exercises will involve writing sessions, directing the actors, shot-listing, floor-planning and blocking with a camera, script-breakdown, budgeting, scheduling and editing. In-class screenings will focus on the works of thought-provoking, bold, innovative, and ‘misfit’ voices from World Cinema and American Arthouse. The students will watch excerpts from a variety of shorts and features from all genres and with different budget ranges. At the end of the course, the participants will present a 3-5 minute narrative short film that matters to them. Collaboration and support between the participants in the making of their shorts will be highly encouraged.