Workshops
Examine the dynamics of launching a sustainable career in film and television, then attend The Camden International Film Festival.
Dates:
Sep 9, 2024 - Sep 13, 2024
Levels:
Intermediate,
Advanced,
Workshop Fee: $1195
Workshop Duration: 1-week (Monday-Friday)
Workshop Location: On-campus
Class Size: 10
PLEASE NOTE: To register for this professional development unit you must be a student in the Certificate in Collaborative Filmmaking Program, or have taken a 10-week Filmmaking Residency, or be one of the following: an alumnus of a multi-week on-campus Maine Media intensive (Cinematography, Directing, or Nonfiction Filmmaking), or a graduate of a filmmaking program at Maine Media or another college. Others wishing to register for this unit must submit a statement of their training and/or professional experience.
Spend a week examining the dynamics of how to launch a professional career in film and television. Guided by instructors who are established professionals, participants will survey career opportunities in different areas of the industry (directing, writing, camera, crew, producing, editing and post-production.) Guest speakers representing different craft areas will make appearances.
In a collaborative medium, your point of entry to the industry may be different than your ultimate career goal. Even if you are looking to become a director or producer, you might find that your path to get there involves establishing yourself in a different craft role. Thus, the goal of this unit is to provide students with an overview of professional opportunities in a range of areas.
After four days in class, the week will culminate with students attending the three-day Camden International Film Festival, one of the world’s leading film festivals for documentaries. Regardless of whether your primary interest is narrative or documentary filmmaking, you will experience the creative dynamics and professional networking opportunities that a leading film festival affords. (A full pass to the festival is included in the tuition price.)
Topics covered in this unit:
- How to pitch a project (and yourself)
- Building a reel, website, and developing a portfolio
- How to create a resumé
- How to make the most of a networking opportunity
- How to get your project in front of an agent
- Making an independent film: risks and rewards
- Pitch decks and sizzle reels
- Internships and assistant positions
- How to launch in different craft areas
- How to effectively work film festivals and trade events
Leave the week with a new understanding of how to navigate the professional marketplace.
ACCOMMODATIONS NOTE: As this unit includes a pass to the Camden International Film Festival, please note that the festival starts on the evening of Thursday, September 12 and runs through Sunday, September 15. If you are planning to stay for the full festival, you will want to plan your check-out time accordingly. If you are staying in the Maine Media Campus Residence, students who are taking this workshop on its own will need to check out of the residence by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 15.
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Instructor: Wayne Beach
Wayne Beach has written screenplays for Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, Disney, Sony, TNT, Village Roadshow Pictures, Wolf Films, and other studios and networks. His students have gone on to create box office hits and popular TV shows.
He recently created and wrote an original television pilot, American Dream, for Sony. His pitch for it inspired a bidding war between Showtime, FX, and WGN. He also recently finished an assignment adapting a novel for Identity Films, producers of The Old Man & the Gun.
His filmed screenplay credits include Murder at 1600 (Warner Bros.) starring Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane and Alan Alda; and The Art of War (Warner Bros.) starring Wesley Snipes. He wrote and directed Slow Burn (Lionsgate) starring Ray Liotta, LL Cool J, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mekhi Phifer, Jolene Blalock, and Taye Diggs. His directorial debut, Slow Burn premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released in 1100 theaters by Lionsgate. He has written projects for the makers of Pirates of the Caribbean, Law & Order, House M.D., Ocean’s Eleven, The Perfect Storm, Total Recall, The Fugitive Platoon, and many others.
Instructor: Will Castellucci
Will Castellucci is the Film Production Manager at Maine Media Workshops and College. He has 15 years of experience as an AC, camera operator, and director of photography based out of New York City, where he worked in documentary, narrative, commercial, and fashion cinematography. He is known for his work on the Sundance Dramatic Grand Jury Prize winner “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” and “Madeline’s Madeline,” while his documentary work has featured subjects including David Letterman, Will Smith, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Billie Eilish, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan.