16 Week Course
Students having completed this course, will have been involved in pitching, writing, casting, scouting, art directing, lighting, shooting, directing, editing and producing a music clip, two short films and a medium length (up to 20 minute) film. Our curriculum is delivered entirely by guest tutors with their own on-going careers within the New Zealand film industry.
Students also leave the academy having compiled their own funding submission, including script, draft callsheets, estimated budgets, shot lists, and all other relevant information they need in order to carry on with their own project once the course has finished. This submission is an important component of the course, and many graduates go on to turn their own submissions into finished films.
Students work in small production crews to ensure that each individual gets the attention and hands-on experience they need in order to learn. The primary aim of the 16 week course is to give successful graduates the confidence and knowledge they need in order to be able to make an informed decision on a career path in the film and television industry. To see what some of our graduates have found themselves doing after studying with us, head to our graduates page.
Week one:
The first week is all about camera handling. You will be taken through the introductory basics of camera and tripod operating, angles, movement, shot sizing, exposure, focus, DOF, white balancing, continuity, you will have an introduction to telling a story through the lens, and you will be shown how to influence an audience through camera technique. Students are sent out in small groups to gather footage within specific parameters and with time limits, then regrouped to review, before being sent out again and again. This first week provides a solid technical grounding for the rest of the course.
Weeks Two – Three:
The following week you are in pre-production for the first project, a music clip. Each crew is made up of four students, and a production brief, shot list, and camera script are prepared, as well as location scouting, sourcing of talent if required, and scheduling of the shoot. While editing this project, you will be given the opportunity to pitch your idea for the first 3-minute short film to the class and a guest. That guest will then green light three ideas from the class and those ideas will be developed into scripts.
Weeks Four – Five:
Classes in artificial lighting and sound recording will take place, along with story and script development. Throughout this time you will also be scouting for locations, placing casting calls and holding auditions with local actors. Once your production preparation has been completed, you will issue call sheets and the shoot will take place at the locations you have found, giving you the opportunity to put into practice your new knowledge of lighting and sound gathering.
Weeks Six – Ten
During the editing of the first short film you will have the opportunity to again pitch, this time for a 6-minute short film. The new guest will choose two short films, which will again hold all the same aspects of pre-production as the first short film, except the equipment will be upgraded to a higher specification for this and the last project. You will also leave behind the Avid suites and be taught to edit on Final Cut Pro for the rest of the course. The paperwork and organisational requirements will become more complicated, with dedicated classes. Art department classes are held, introducing students to the basics of Art Direction and Production Design.
Weeks Eleven – Sixteen
For the final short film, one or two pitches are chosen, and the standard of production preparation, paperwork, and delivery is expected to rise to the level expected within the industry. Each crew is allocated a substantial production budget and expected to deliver a finished short film with high production values. As the course progresses, in addition to the roles you have been allocated on each project, you are also expected to put into practice everything you are learning by preparing your own submission, including script, shot lists, draft budgets, treatments etc. This individual assignment is due at the end of the 16week course.
Throughout The Course:
During the making of all of the above projects, classes are scheduled in all areas of the film production process, gaining in intensity as the course progresses, and always taught by visiting industry professionals. Marking is done and feedback provided by various internal and external moderators, and successful graduates are awarded an NZQA-registered Level 4 Certificate in Applied Film Making & Television Production.
Also, all applicants must be able to communicate effectively both in writing and orally, using the English language. Our tutors are by no means English teachers, so you will need to be confident in your ability to communicate your ideas to the tutors and fellow classmates. IELTS or TOEFL test results are helpful, but we reserve the right to make our own decision on your English capabilities at the interview stage of the application process.
2011 – 2012 16wk course dates
- Sep 5th – Dec 22nd 2011 FULL
- Jan 23rd – May 11th 2012
- May 14th – Aug 31st 2012
- Sep 3rd – Dec 20th 2012
2012 Tuition Fees (including gst)
Domestic Students
Course Fees – NZ$2860
Course Related Costs – NZ$250
International Students
Course Fees – NZ$9400 (inc. registration fee)
Course Related Costs – NZ$250
6 Week Course
The six week course is the first six weeks of the longer 16 week course, and is comprised of the music video and first short film projects. The course length is geared towards those who want to have a brief introduction to how films are made, what is expected of certain crew roles, and how to handle camera and basic lighting equipment. This course suits those who may not yet know if a career working in the film industry is for them, and would like to try it out first in a student setting. Pre-requisites are the same as for the 16 week course above, and participants who finish the 6 week course are awarded an NZFA certificate of completion.
Week one:
The first week is all about camera handling. You will be taken through the introductory basics of camera and tripod operating, angles, movement, shot sizing, exposure, focus and DOF, white balancing, and you will be shown how to influence an audience through camera technique. Students are sent out in small groups to gather footage within specific parameters and with time limits, then regrouped to review, before being sent out again and again. This week provides a solid technical grounding for the next five weeks.
Weeks Two – Three:
The following week you are in pre-production for the first project, a music clip. Each crew is made up of four students, and a production brief, shot list, and camera script are prepared, as well as location scouting, sourcing of talent if required, and scheduling of the shoot. While editing this project, you will be given the opportunity to pitch your idea for the a 3-minute short film to the class and a guest. That guest will then green light three ideas from the class and those ideas will be developed into scripts.
Weeks Four – Six:
Classes in artificial lighting and sound recording will take place, along with story and script development. Throughout this time you will also be scouting for locations, placing casting calls and holding auditions with local actors and actresses. Once your production preparation has been completed, you will issue call sheets and the shoot will take place at the locations you have found. You will be taught to edit both the Music Video and 3 minutes short film using Avid Media Composer.
Also, all applicants must be able to communicate effectively both in writing and orally, using the English language. Our tutors are by no means English teachers, so you will need to be confident in your ability to communicate your ideas to the tutors and fellow classmates. IELTS or TOEFL test results are helpful, but we reserve the right to make our own decision on your English capabilities at the interview stage of the application process.
2011 – 2012 6wk course dates
- Sep 5th – Oct 14th 2011 FULL
- Jan 23rd – March 2nd 2012
- May 14th – June 22nd 2012
- Sep 3rd – Oct 12th 2012
Fees (including gst)
Domestic Students
Course Fees – NZ$3950
International Students
Course Fees – NZ$4845 (inc. registration fee)
