Learn To Make Films

Technology is making the art of film making more and more accessible. Digital cameras are available for a few hundred bucks. Usable editing software like I-Movie, comes free with Mac computer. Locations are everywhere. Democratization of the media marches forward and movie making is in the lead.

Sign up for Sunscreen Film School

New four-month course in filmmaking

Sunscreen Film Festival is offering a four-month course to teach filmmakers how to take off-the-shelf equipment and make a movie out of original stories. Participants will learn how to write and pitch a script; set up production schedules; plan and shoot shots; direct actors; work with lighting and sound; edit and assemble rough-cuts; insert credits and much, much more.

For anyone who wants to make better films

This course will help you turn out better video no matter what your aims are: better home and social events; better feature production; better movies.

The five-part course will end with a special screening and party at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg April 29 - May 3.

The teachers are Dave DeBorde, professor of cinematic arts at Southeastern University, as well as a handful of industry professionals. The course is advised by Tom Garrett, assistant professor of communication at the University of Tampa.

The cost is $250.00 for the School and a Sunscreen Film Festival Membership at the Key Grip level or $299.00 without the membership. For membership benefits Click Here. Sign up by purchasing the school at the Buy Now link above. After purchase you will be contacted by the Sunscreen Film Festival staff with more information. For more information, contact Harry Chittenden, at harryc@harryc.net or 727-490-7781.

Curriculum of Film Making Course

Session 1 - Introduction to film production and screen-writing

  • In this workshop, the first section will cover the basics of independent filmmaking.
  • A review of basic story structure and elements such as the 3-Act structure, character arc, etc. The students will actively participate in scriptwriting exercises and brainstorming for story ideas.
  • The homework for the attendees will be to create a 3-5 page script that they will submit at least two weeks before the next meeting.

Session 2 - Film Production and Line producing

  • Using the scripts that they've already submitted, the workshop will take them through, breaking down, budgeting and scheduling a script.
  • How to hold an audition.
  • All of the necessary positions on a crew and how to call out the cadence for a shot.
  • They will also learn the basics of using a camera (composing shots, etc.), lighting and audio.
  • They will be divided into production groups and only a handful of the scripts submitted will be used - one per group.

Session 3 - Directing and Shooting

  • The first section will go over film directing basics.
  • The teams will then break up into their teams and shoot their scripts.
  • The instructors will go around and facilitate the productions.

Session 4 Post Production

  • The basics of video editing.
  • Coloring
  • Music

Session 5 - the Sunscreen Film Fest

  • The filmmakers screen their films at the fest in a special category.
  • The filmmakers will do a Q&A after each film has screened.
  • We will have a guest panel to comment on and evaluate the work of each film.
  • We party and brainstorm about next year's projects.

Schedule of film making course Sessions

One - January 10 Film-making boot camp

Two - February 7 Film Production and Line producing

Three - March 7 Directing and Shooting

Four - March 14 The basics of video editing.

All sessions 9 am to 7 pm. In St. Petersburg, FL

Five - Screenings at the Festival. Will include panel discussions, prizes, and story-swapping

Film Making Faculty

Dave DeBorde - Instructor

Dave DeBordeDave DeBorde is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has screened at over 50 film festivals, domestically and internationally, and has garnered over 27 major awards. His film experience is long and varied, including a film project called Potluck: three short, yet poignant films now in distribution for the Christian media market. One of the films, "Success Story, part I," was selected for competition at France's Cannes Film Festival. For a time, DeBorde worked on an animated web series as the primary writer and has consulted on several film projects and companies from Florida to California. DeBorde earned his stripes in 2001' as one of the producers of "The Least of These." That remarkable 35mm short won numerous awards, including a Crystal Heart from the Heartland Film Festival and a CINE Special Jury Award; TLOT is in DVD distribution, cable and air travel.

After a stint in the corporate world running marketing for an international company, DeBorde was hired as an assistant professor in Southeastern University's Communication Department with the idea that he would create a film department from scratch. In Fall of 08', student filmmakers at SEU enjoyed their first official semester in the newly formed film department. DeBorde convinces his students of the high responsibility they have as filmmakers and storytellers, "Storytellers will always define the culture and the way we think about the past. The medium-which is film in this generation-may change, but the importance of storytellers will never change."

DeBorde is currently working on post-production for a new series of potluck short films, and a feature film, Lakeland Love Comedy" which he hopes to premiere on Valentine's Day 2009'. LLC is a Cohen Brothers-esque comedy about a loveable loser who goes to extraordinary lengths for his dying mother so she can see him finally get the girl. In keeping with his busy slate, DeBorde also has a low-budget feature in development which is the result of a partnership with the website, audioholics.com. He hopes to shoot that feature comedy in Summer 09'.

Tom Garrett - Advisor

Tom GarrettTom Garrett is a producer of independent feature films and a founding partner of Circa Films, a sales and distribution company engaged in production and international distribution of independent feature films In the past 20 years Tom has been credited as a producer on 14 feature films. He has intimate knowledge of the legal and financial issues that are involved in feature film production, having produced, directed and delivered films to the international marketplace. He has also served as a consultant on production issues, budgets, financing, casting, guilds and unions, and legal affairs on projects ranging from low budget independents to studio level pictures. Tom's films have screened at many prestigious film festivals worldwide, including Berlin , Cannes , Florence , Rotterdam and Toronto . For the past two decades he has played an active role with Circa Films at the Cannes Marche du Film at the Cannes Film Festival, MIFED (Milan International Film Fair of Exhibitors and Distributors), AFM-American Film Market and IFFM/IFP (Independent Film Market & Project).