Screen Skills Ireland is seeking new participants for its two-day course - Film Camera Shooting for Camera Assistants, which takes place in Bray on Saturday, August 10th & 17th.
The course is led by cinematographer Shane O’Neill and first assistant camera operator Alan Butler, who has over 35 years’ experience working on over 60 feature films and TV series and 4 high-end TV Drama series including Vikings.
Date: Saturday, August 10th & 17th, 2019
Duration: 2 days ( 2x consecutive Saturdays)
Venue: Bray, Co. Wicklow
Cost: €190
“Film is dead” – Don’t believe it, film is alive and well.
At any given time, worldwide, there are literally hundreds of productions shooting on film. It is true to say that has not been the case in Ireland over the last 10 years (the last major film shoot was Leap Year in 2009). Over those 10 years of busy digital production, the camera department has grown and can boast world-class technicians at all levels. However, when it comes to film knowledge and experience there is a growing deficit which needs addressing. Last year, a producer called a local camera rental house and said, “Help, I need to find some of those old film guys”. This course is designed to produce some new younger film guys.
The course, conducted in partnership with Panavision Ireland, will cover everything from 16mm and 35mm film basics to prepping and shooting on film, from steady tests to check the gate and everything in between. It will run for two days on consecutive Saturdays. Most importantly, this will be a hands-on experience with both 16mm and 35mm equipment.
Some of what the course will cover:
- Film stock – What’s inside that can and what do all those numbers mean?
- From the can to the magazine and backloading mags and safely handling stock.
- Camera Reports, labelling and communicating with the Lab.
- The mechanics of a film camera
- Lens tests – What you see in the finder may not be what you get.
- Gates, Masks and Ground Glasses
- How to prep a film job, start to finish.
- Steady testing of cameras and stock.
- Viewing processed film tests
- Scratch testing.
- Harp tests – How much depth do I have?
- Setting up a film camera – Flange depth.
- Day to day maintenance of film cameras.
- Digital versus Film – Changes to how we work.
- Film ‘Trip Hazards’ – Eyepiece fogging, hairs in the gate etc.
- Focus Pulling on film – Depth of Focus on film compared to digital.
- What the labs can do with film during development. Force development, bleach bypass and other processes.
- Anamorphic and Spherical setups.
- Frame leader – Not an optional extra
- Clapper Boards – No time code on film
- Filters for film, exposure calculation and light meters.
- Shooting conditions (hot and cold etc.) and film.
This course is for Camera Assistants with good drama experience working with digital cameras. It is intended to bridge the gap in knowledge between digital and film, giving participants the confidence to accept a film job if asked. It will be heavily hands-on with everyone expected to execute the tasks demonstrated. As it is for busy working assistants it will be run on two consecutive Saturdays (10th and 17th August) from 9am to 5pm.
Please apply online by 12pm on Monday 29 July 2019.
For further information, email fran.keaveney@screenskillsireland.ie.