I am fried! And totally excited! Today I got the encouragement I didn’t know I needed to write the story that’s been in my face for the last year. I wrote plenty of treatments easily, I hadn’t written a script before or really knew what went into the creation of one. But having sat around a few discussion on story and character development, I feel pretty empowered to play and see what happens.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I happy we’re keeping it simple and basic for this first scene shoot and that the focus is mostly on story and direction. I can’t think anymore…must sleep…wake early tomorrow and write…

Today, in directing and producing class, Patrick taught us the value of
matching pairs and actor/shooting etiquette. When preparing the camera we
must keep in mind the distance between the actor and the camera. Once this
is done we must mimic our results with the second actor. We use the angle
of intimacy, the line between the subjects, to measure the camera eye
plane. When a moment becomes intimate we use the technique ’shallow” to
move in closer to the subject, on the 90 degree plane.
When filming a dialogue there are two different types of shots- the clean
and dirty shot. The clean shot includes the actors face without viewing
the other actor’s shoulder of head within the shot. The dirty shot is the
opposite, this shot does include the other actor’s head and shoulder. It
is important to know that the director or photography does not call
framing, the director does. When working with actors it is best to run
through only about six or seven lines in order to keep their energy. It is
also important to make sure not to use any negative words that would
hinder their attitude or confidence in any way. For instance instead of
using the word “cut” the director might use the word “ok.” This is ensure
a close relationship with the actor, in order to receive a great
performance.
I found this information to be very helpful. I know how have a sense of
how to interact with my actors on a director level. This information will
become essential advice when working on my student film project that is
around the corner.

What a day… And it’s only going to get more intense over the next couple of weeks!

Today in P&D, Patrick went over the Hollywood coverage paradigm again, but more specifically as to how it relates to our first project. He explained in depth how angle and lens selection directly communicate emotional intensity and intimacy. It makes sense. We went on to watch scenes from Pulp Fiction and Se7en to help illustrate the proper way to shoot “2 Guys in a Booth.” No joke, it really doesn’t have to be boring! We then did some script vetting, which is really helpful and instructive; it gets you working on your own script subconsciously while you address your classmates’.
Right after that, we had a follow-up casting seminar with Molly from Casting Connection, and Peter, wherein they took a look at our casting calls in preparation for posting them tomorrow, for our first casting session Monday. Great stuff; very practical advice.
I then had to immediately go into 202, to continue cutting my ballistics project. It went more slowly then I would have liked– mostly due to two distinct but instructive problems: having extra material to sort through on the one hand, but not enough of the right coverage on the other. Lesson learned. I had a pretty good idea towards the end of my session today which I believe will help it to move along tomorrrow evening– after class, and after helping Yauna cast. Zoinks, here we go again…

Starting our 4th week at BDFI we’re building momentum towards our first film project, the 3 minute dialog. I’m into the second draft of my script and just got my casting call posted. Getting a script to sound like two people having a conversation is harder than it seems. I’m looking forward to hearing real actors rehearse the script so I can get a better feel for it. I also scouted my location in the Berkeley hills last weekend and it looks great. Casting auditions start next week and filming shortly after. Gotta go get my crew together now… whew! LOTS to do!

We are already in week four of our first semester. The time is flying by! We have been working on getting our first project together. All of our instructors have been preparing us for location scouting, casting calls and auditions, lighting, cameras, editing and screenwriting. It’s going to get crazy here pretty soon, but every moment I’m learning and having fun with it.

In the past two weeks we have been working on our ballistics editing project. This project is so much fun! We take scenes from a movie of our choice then splice it together with a song and create our own music video. We have to keep the music video in line with the same style of editing used by Walter Murch and many other great editors. It is a style of editing that has a unique pacing that keeps in time with the story. I describe it as continuity within continuity ( even though there is way more to it than that.)

This week I am focused mostly on casting, auditions and securing my location. I am also going to be fine tuning my script as much as possible so it is golden when my actors read for their audition. I am looking forward to what the actors will bring to this project and what improv. they can add to it. My project has so much freedom with improv. that I think if the actor is into it they could really have fun with that role. My other big thing this week is securing my crew for this shoot. It’s crazy because everything is up in the air as far as location, actors, schedules and equipment it makes it hard to secure a crew when you don’t have everything concrete. I guess nothing is ever concrete, you just work with what you got.

The first time I watched the movie Gospel, by David Leivick and Fred Ritzenberg, our screenwriting teacher, I was impressed by the scope of what David and Fred had accomplished: they captured and documented the energy and essence of Gospel music in the early 80’s, and it’s tremendous power to energize and inspire.

It wasn’t until Fred shared with us his personal stories about the making of this film, that I realized that this was all filmed in one amazing 4hr night at the historic Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Not only did the directors bring together 5 significant Gospel groups of the time, but also 7 camera operators, a DP and an editor who are now all very accomplished and sought after in their respective fields. Rewatching the camera moves, and realizing the film was all created in one special night, I was so impressed with the footage and the feat accomplished that I was brought to tears. Gospel music in itself is very moving, and the stories Fred told us about each of the groups who performed helped me to enjoy the film in a new way.

As with any artform, the more we learn the greater our appreciation; in the world of film making, I now have a deeper appreciation of all that is involved in the making of a movie, the artistry and ingenuity that goes into every shot, edit, and sound of the stories told.

Mark Berger said during one of his lectures to us last semester that he highly recommends that we live our lives high up on scary cliffs, close to huge drops, being brave, taking risks, and using all of our senses to help guide us through each moment. Mountain faces come in many different shapes and sizes; to all you fellow climbers out there, may your journey be satisfying, may you reach heights you only hoped for, and may luck, and the love of it all, accompany you all the way.

Our world was created by the dreams of many, and many dreamers are on their way.

Its 10 am, I’m sleeping on a strangers couch in a crowded living room surrounded by my film crew. Someone is knocking at the front door. I wake up in a daze. For a moment, I forget where I am. Than I remember, I just finished an all night shoot on an abandoned mushroom farm. I am in Santa Cruz in a house of surfer-skater girls who are friends with my director, Rob Witt. Right when I start to orient myself, the person starts to bang loudly.

I awkwardly crawl off my pull-out-bed-couch and stumble over my wardrobe and make up artist. I answered the door as the person rings the doorbell again and again. A stranger in a strange place, I had no idea who’s abode I was intruding. Stumbling in at 5 AM I had yet to meet the other roommates.

I had no idea what to expect. I answered in my PJs. Is it the cops? Someone locked out, hung over, or maybe I blocked someone’s driveway with my car. Clearly the person knocking was upset. I opened the door to see a little old man in a walker smiling at me. In a daze I tried to understand what and why he was talking to me. I interrupted him saying, “I’m sorry, but we’ve been on a film set till 4 am last night, so I’m kind of groggy.”

As you can probably tell, it’s been an adventurous shoot. First off, as I mentioned, it is located on an abandoned mushroom farm. Second it’s at a great house on the ocean in Santa Cruz. Rob is friends with UCSC surfer students who happen to live in such a wonderful strange place and they gave him permission to film there.

The guys, Joel Pincosy, Nick Howard, Rob Witt and Nikko Deluna got there a day early and spent the afternoon cleaning and building the set. It was a music video for the band “This time Next Year” and had an Alice in Wonderland theme. Saturday, we, the girls, came. Margaux was in charge of wardrobe, Toni Huff did the makeup. Together they dressed the bassist in a torn shirt, muddy jeans and dirty face (he was the caterpillar). The lead singer, of course was the Mad Hatter, and the drummer and guitarist were Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb, complete with green suspenders and bowler hats. The hanger the guys built, with hanging light bulbs on flicker, harsh lighting and black tarp, looked really great.

The band said they were really impressed by the set and our professionalism. “This is like a legit set,” one of them said. Another said he felt a little intimidated, which was not our intention, he said “this is the real deal.”

My job, for this shoot, was crafts. Sounds simple, but very important. I had to keep the crew in constant supply of coffee, snacks and baked cookies in the wee small hours of the night. I had to go back and forth between the farm and the house separated by a steep hill and wilderness. It was totally dark, spooky, and looked like a scene from a horror/zombie movie. It looked even more eerie as the fog and moon set in. With my sturdy flashlight I trekked back and forth with my goodies.

The band was great, they did a great performance. Their fans were really easy to mange to (we had a call for 30 extras for a performance scene). As the night went on, the band did really great at keeping their energy up.

At the end of the night, the guys went down to the surfers house, and us girls drove to a house near the Boardwalk to stay at a friend of Rob’s. The poor girl was sleeping on the couch waiting to let us in. Now we are enjoying our morning at Rob’s friend’s house waiting for the second shoot to begin tonight at 6pm.

Anyways, this old guy is talking to me, well, sleep-deprived me, something about the internet, the neighbor, a guy named Dan (?) it was all very confusing. I had to interrupt him again.

“This may sound really weird, but we don’t know the people who live here. They just let us sleep here. So I don’t feel comfortable letting you in.” Someone from the back of the house woke up and took over. The guy repeated everything he said to me. He thought we were a bunch of crazy college kids.

“Looks like you had quite a party last night,” he said. I laid back down on the couch grumpy and exhausted saying,

“Yeah, right, a party. No way man, this is work.” And I went back to sleep thinking how awesome that was.

In our second week we’re past the introductions and quickly wading into the deep end of film making. We spent a fair amount of time with our hands on the cameras this week, learning how to use a tripod and setting the camera at various distances to see the effect on perspective and ‘feel’ of the subject. The camera controls are starting to make a little more sense now, too. We also started learning the magic of editing, which is basically all about capturing rhythm of motion and sound. We’re going to put this to the test by creating a 1 minute music video over the next couple of weeks. Everyone has now pitched their story several times and by the end of the week, I think we all have a better idea of what’s going to work or not. The word of the week is ‘verisimilitude’, and we’re all working on getting our story ideas to have the appearance of truth. Our acting teacher exposed many of the holes in our stories and pointed out ways that we can make our first project harder or easier by spec’ing the right cast. That’s going to take some real creative effort for sure!

My first week at BDFI was exciting. Just the fact that the movies like Amadeus was made there, I was impressed. But I was even more impressed that I was greeted by the dean of school, Patrick Kriwanek on my first day of school. Also the previous semester students were very welcoming. What a nurturing environment!

You begin the week with a Producing and Directing class, with a full intro to what’s to come this semester. You will get to write your own script, shoot and edit your own movie. This is fabulous. Not many schools that I’ve visited offered immediate hands-on on your first week. The second day covers Cinematography, hands-on instructions on how to handle a digital camera. A Panasonic, standard definition camera with all sort of functions, was a great way to get your feet wet. In the afternoon, your lab exercise is to shoot on tape what you just learned in class. On Weds, you start emerging into Script Writing, technical to creative aspects of script writing. It was fun discussing about movies. It’s even more fun that your homework is reading scripts. I’ve downloaded many famous scripts On Thurs, Editing class gives you hands-on experience on how to use the Final Cut Pro tool along with some tips and hints on important things to consider. On Fri, an Improve/ Acting class, you actually get to do 4 to 5 improve scenes with your classmates. This class gives you experience on acting, but mostly to help you understand what acting is, so that you can speak about it intelligently. That goes for all areas, Producing/ Directing, Cinematography, Scripting Writing, Editing, Improve/ Acting.

The Instructors are very knowledgeable and nurturing. I appreciate that each of these instructors are bringing their field experiences to the class. I look forward to learning and making my reels.

We started our first week at Berkeley Digital Film Institute and it was a blast! Every class is so much fun and it just keeps getting better. The instructors are so experienced in the filmmaking industry that you really feel like you are getting the best advice and guidance for your projects and for the big world of directing. Every instructor has their own style of teaching, so it’s really interesting to be a part of and to learn from each person in a different way.

I’m so glad to be at the BDFI, every morning I wake up so excited for class and come home and can’t stop talking about how awesome my day was. Just being in the building makes me happy because I know this is where I am supposed to be. The instructors and people that work there are all so nice they feel like old friends. When I first discovered BDFI I already had it in my head that I couldn’t afford it, but wanted to see the school anyway. Once I saw the resources and the equipment that the students are given and the experience the instructors have, I realized I couldn’t afford not to go. It is actually an incredibly good deal!

Last week we started by dissecting scenes from movies and looking at positive and negative space, head room and framing. I have taken some Film production and Film studies classes before, but it was nice to hear it from the true professionals. Everyone has a different way of explaining the same thing. At BDFI they really try to tell you in a clear and simple way even if it’s something complicated it makes it much easier to grasp than some of the other classes I’ve taken. We went over the basics of the cameras we are using and filmed our classmates for practice. There is definitely a lot I have to learn about all the settings, but it gets easier every time I mess with it.

I pitched my idea on Wednesday and again today and I was very happy with the response I got. I am really excited about this project and I know my next biggest challenge is finding great actors for it. This project is really going to depend on the performance and the writing or it will fall flat on its face ( which I am not about to let happen.) My script is finished I just need to format it in the proper Hollywood style. I think the script is pretty solid so my next real challenge is the casting. It’s going to be intense auditioning and doing that whole process, but I am really looking forward to it.

We ended last week with our Improv. class which was so much fun! Our teacher Melissa is hilarious and brings great energy to the class. We learned to let go of our fear and inner censorship buttons. At first I was nervous and totally choked on the spot, then I let go and just had fun with it. Once you don’t care what people think of you, you can truly express yourself and be impulsive. I thought it was a good way to end the week doing playful improv. exercises, just letting go and getting crazy. I know this week is going to be even more fun as we get into our projects and start diving in.

When considering the Berkeley Digital Film Institution program there were
many reasons to decline the offer and only one reason to accept- the drive
to become a filmmaker. With the help and support of many, I was able to
find the courage to accept such a valuable offer. The BDFI program will
enable me to learn all aspects of film production as well as gain the
experience and skills to understand the business of filmmaking.

The first week of film school was very new. I did not know what to
expect. The first day of class, I realized I was the youngest of the
whole group, which made me feel uncomfortable. I automatically felt
intimidated, feeling as though my lack of “life experience” and lack of
film knowledge were going to hinder my experience at BDFI. Despite these
concerns, surviving the first week proved me incorrect. My fellow
classmates are taking this program for the same reasons, in a sense, we
are all in the same boat. Each of them are unique, as time progresses we
will each have our strong points and our true colors will show.
Regardless of my age, I indubitably have something to offer. Insecurities
will only hold me back. Being new to the film production scene is the
whole reason why I decided to take these classes; I came here to learn
about film production.

Having recently left the corporate world after some 27 years, I was not expecting to find myself at a film school a couple of months later, but here I am, trusting my gut that this is the right thing to do right now and hoping that following my heart leads to work that I’m excited about and have a passion for, as this was something that was disappearing from my work after many years in the computer world.

I’m enjoying the buzz of a totally new direction, with new people, in a new environment, and a creative one at that and my mind is once again filled with new ideas and taking in new information, which feels good. I’m thoroughly enjoying being around people who are also living and breathing new found creative energy and, so far, seem to be excited about all this as I am. The hard part is having a family to support while I make this mid-life course change, but they’re all behind me on this, so for now, I’m plunging in and taking the fork in the road, to paraphrase Yogi Berra.

This week we started to get familiar with the basics of movie making, got some real hands on camera time, started learning about the construction of scripts, got an intro to FinalCut and did some fun improv games to begin our learning about acting and casting. Everyone has a passion for their subject area and it seems like we’ll get excellent assistance and tutoring as we get into our projects.

More as it happens!

Whew!

First week at Berkeley Digital Film Institute… Wow, what can I say? It’s all a bit overwhelming at first. The classes are definitely intensive; these guys know their stuff! It’s certainly intimidating to begin to peel back the layers of the masters’ work, and realize just the magnitude of thought that goes into these types of projects. It’s true, I’ll never watch film the same way again. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still inspiring, but standing at the bottom of the learning curve, and gazing upwards at a near-vertical wall is a humbling experience. I still aspire to excellence, to stand on that summit, and sooner than later, but I am going to more than work up a sweat. I’m training for the ironman.

Even though the instructors are the smartest guys in the room, they are all completely accessible. Serious, yes, but they treat us all with the utmost respect. I already feel like a colleague, although admittedly the least experienced by far. It’s hands on from day one. In Producing and Directing, we were breaking down David Fincher’s work in “Se7en,” and analyzing it scene-by-scene for blocking and coverage.

Cinematography had the camera in our hands and shooting by the end of the day! Screenwriting brought endless recommendations of films to watch and scripts to read, and our first assignment: pitch our first project by next session. And you better have backups; “What else have you got?” is par for the course in this business. I have taken an editing class before, so I don’t feel lost in those sessions, but Sharif is a working professional. not just as an editor, either, but also as a director. He will impart to us BDFI’s proprietary theory & technique of editing, the “Ballistic” style, so we know we’ll have professional grade skills in our quivers. That’s comforting to me, as I know that good editors always work.

Friday was Improv Acting. Becoming an actor was a dream of mine when I was in High School, but, surprise surprise, it is not a skill that comes naturally to me. However, I know intuitively that this will serve as an invaluable tool when it comes to directing actors.

Overall impressions? Well a wiser man than I once said, “Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it.” No, it really is pretty much what I hoped for, and, at the same time, expected. It is a very powerful thing to be actually endeavoring to make your dreams real. It’s crazy, exhausting, exhilarating- you name it- the full range of emotions. But, underneath it all, that niggling little twinge of restlessness that used to nip at the corners of my psyche, urging me onward, refusing to settle, seems to have curled up and dozed off. I feel I have belonged here all along.

At Monday morning’s Orientation class, Patrick Kriwanek (our Dean/CEO) presented us with his class syllabus for this core class that he will be teaching every Monday morning. Patrick then had us introduce ourselves and gave us an overview of what to expect in terms of classes, teachers, homework assignments, and projects, etc. At this class we, also, watched a coverage DVD from the film “Se7en” or is it “Seven?” by David Fincher. Patrick told us all about his own career in film making, and about many of his special projects, and about his former work as the director of the Motion Picture/ Video Program (Film School) at the Academy of Art in San Francisco for about 8 years. Then he told us all about how he was just recently given the fantastic opportunity to open his new Film School here at the Saul Zaentz Media Center which seems to have been a dream of his for a long time. Lastly, Patrick told us that on Wednesday, at Fred Ritzenberg’s Screenwriting class we would be discussing the pitching of our ideas for our first project.

On Tuesday we had our Cinematography Instructor, Alan Hereford, who is a working professional. We learned introductory information about the skilled use of the Panasonic HVX200 High Definition Camera, crossing over into the Mastery of and fluency with all external and menu-driven commands. We took the cameras outside to practice shooting with a partner.

On Wednesday we had our first Beginning Screenwriting class with Fred A. Ritzenberg. He had us introduce ourselves, too, which I think is a nice custom for breaking the ice and allowing us all to get to know each other and to feel more comfortable and relaxed about sharing our ideas. Fred quickly cut the the core of what my Screenwriting ideas for projects are, when he asked each one of us what we thought we wanted to make our film projects about. I was surprised that he pulled that information out of me so quickly and very succinctly got right to the heart of what was on each students mind in terms of what they wanted to make films about. Fred talked about Formatting and wants us to read a book called: “The Screenwriting Bible” which should arrive soon according to Patrick. Fred, also, told us all about his career and rise to “Screenwriting fame and hopefully fortune” which was very interesting. He wants us to give him a list of what we think are “The 10 Best Movies Ever Made,” and a list of “Our 10 Favorite Movies.”

Thursday was our editing class with Sharif. He was very knowledgeable, helpful, and delightful in every way. Since I have no paperwork whatsoever to refer to for this class, I have consulted my local Apple Store in Walnut Creek (at Jules recommendation) and will be attending their free classes on Saturday and Sundays on “Beginning Mac” and “Leopard” which I hope will help me get some Mac operational ground
work foundation so that I can learn to work the Final Cut Studio program at BDFI.

On Friday we had Melissa Hillman’s Acting and Improvisation Class was great and great fun. Melissa is really an excellent teacher.

My first week at the Berkeley Digital Film Institute has been a great
experience. On my first day I met my classmates who all share the same
passion and interest in film as I do. Though equally zealous, each
student has a unique vision of their film careers. After introductions,
the first lecture was the discussion of the basics of direction and
production. Patrick explained the 180, positive and negative space, wide
shots to close ups, and various other fundamentals. I enjoyed the class
because it gave me a new technical perspective while watching feature
films.
In our second day, which consisted of camera work, we learned how
to operate a video camera. We learned how to focus, zoom, and various
other lighting effects and adjustments. In the afternoon, we became
accustomed to handling the camera and we experimented with camera
settings. It was great to test the camera outside, and to find the
correct lighting adjustments and different angles with respect to the sun.

Wednesday was screenwriting. Alan introduced himself and described his
career as a screenwriter. He taught us how to properly format a script.
Reading a scene for the first time on paper made me enthused to begin my
own script. Next week, I’ll be able to pitch my ideas for a scene. I
think this might be the hardest area for me.

Thursday’s editing course was really cool because we got the chance to get acquainted with Final Cut
Pro. It was my first time using any editing software, and I learned how
to log and capture footage from the camera. I’m really exciting for the
next class where we’ll learn how to compile logged footage into a scene.

On Friday, I was sick and had to miss the acting session. I have really
enjoyed myself in the first week of class. I’ve gotten to meet people who
share my same passion and I’ve learned a great deal every day. I’m
excited to learn more skills and techniques and to shoot my own scene. It
has been one of my best learning experiences.

Welcome to our family at BDFI! It is a pleasure to have met some of you and am looking forward to meeting the rest of you. You are all in for a great treat. I know that the first week is truly a unique and exciting experience…well -guess what….it gets better! Would love to hear all about your adventures so get blogging! Enjoy your weekend!