Fluid Master Workshop with Gyula Gazdag
Subject is not scheduled Not scheduled
| Code | Completion | Credits | Range | Language Instruction | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 311FLUID | Z | 3 | 5d/S | English | winter and summer |
Subject guarantor
Name of lecturer(s)
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Learning how to execute the most complicated scenes.
Mode of study
Workshop, intensive course.
Prerequisites and co-requisites
2nd year of Cinema and Digital Media students, 2nd year of CINKK students, carefuly selected assisting positions.
Course contents
Directing and DoP students rotating in different crew positions (including acting as stand-ins) is an important part of the set-up for the course. It is not only about working on their own scenes, but also observing their peers working on their scenes, participating in their process in a creative way as well as learning from working in different positions, understanding different perspectives of different crew positions.
Camera operators/ DoPing a shoot work with the electrician/gaffer (Vaclav Filacek) by communicating the lighting set-up and waiting for him to complete the work on his own. The idea for this exercise is that lights should be set in the pre-lighting session in a general way so they work for all the scenes and when rehearsing individual scenes only minor adjustments should be necessary that don't take up much time. Lighting is not a priority in the course and cinematographers' focus should be on learning and practicing how to design fluid master shots.
Recommended or required reading
More about Gyula Gazdag: http://www.tft.ucla.edu/2011/09/faculty-gyula-gazdag/
Assessment methods and criteria
100% attendance without any excuses.
Note
Friday, 23.02.2018, FAMU, Classroom with DVD/BluRay screening
13:30 – 17:30
First class meeting
Watching clips from films with fluid master shots, finalizing scene selections for the upcoming shoots and assigning crew positions as well as casting the scenes. Students in the workshop are required also to act in the scenes, since the shoots are not about acting talent, but learning the technical skills needed to work with fluid masters, e.g. how to hit several marks in the same shot.
Saturday, 24.02.2018, Studio FAMU, Klimentska 4, Sound Stage B
08:00 - 13:00 Preparatory session and pre-lighting
Set protocol, introduction to the set: discussion of the selected scenes for shoot and how to conceive the shots based on the introduction and on the scenes watched the previous
day.
All selected scenes will be shot on the same set. Furniture and other movable elements can be moved around, walls can not be moved.
Floor plans of the sound stage and set will be provided on 23.02.2018 to all students.
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 19:00 SHOOT 1*
Sunday, 25.02.2018, Studio FAMU, Sound Stage B
08:00 - 13:00 SHOOT 2*
14:00 – 19:00 SHOOT 3*
Monday, 26.02.2018, Studio FAMU, Sound Stage B
08:00 – 13:00 SHOOT 4*
14:00 – 19:00 SHOOT 5*
Tuesday, 27.02.2018 Studio FAMU, Sound Stage B; FAMU screening room
08:00 - 13:00 SHOOT 6*
16:00 - 19:00 SCREENING OF BEST TAKES FROM EACH SHOOT, discussion
FAMU projection room, 1st floor, FAMU main
Screening of the best take from each scene, selected by the director, or (time permitting) an edited version of the scene, and discussion of the work.
15 minutes/scene + one 10 minute break after each 5 scenes.
- Time-frame for each shoot/ slot:
First 2 hours:
- Blocking Rehearsal with director, actors, DoP, gaffer, dolly grip (in case a dolly will be used) and the rest of the crew observing
- Lighting session. Based on the blocking rehearsal the lighting of the scene is set.
- Rehearsal for actors, camera and sound.
Second 2 hours:
- Shoot
Final hour:
- Watching dailies and have a brief assessment of the shoot
Technical parameters of the workshop:
Place: Sound stage at FAMU Studio, Klimentska 4, Prague 1
Camera used: Sony XD Cam EX 3 with a zoom lens 14x + LCD monitor Panasonic BT - L2150 (21”, inputs: video, SDI, HDMI)
Description of the workshop, educational goals:
The goal of the course is to prepare students (directors and DPs) to develop shooting strategies helpful for their future film projects. Exercises shot entirely during studio time will focus on developing and improving creative and technical skills required to master the creation of fluid master shots through:
- scene interpretation, defining
the story of the scene (what happens in the scene)
the event of the scene (what is the scene’s function in telling the story)
- finding the blocking of the scene with the actors
- finding the blocking of the scene for the camera
- finding integral motivation for the camera to move and to create editing without cuts.
Creative thinking regarding shooting strategies play a central part in understanding the dramatic nature of the material and to develop the craft of visual storytelling.
Directing and DP students rotating in different crew positions (including acting as stand-ins) is an important part of the set-up of the course. It is not only about working on their own scenes, but also observing their peers working on their scenes, participating in their process in a creative way, as well as learning from working in different positions, understanding different perspectives of different crew positions.
Camera operators/ DPs work with the electrician/gaffer by communicating the lighting set-up and waiting for him to complete the work on his own. Lights should be set in the pre-lighting session in a general way and the lighting set-up is supposed to work for all the scenes. When rehearsing individual scenes, only minor adjustments should be necessary that do not take up much time. Lighting is not a priority in this course and cinematographers' focus is on learning and practicing how to design fluid master shots.
Crew: 7 directors and 7 DPs (camera operators) as fully enrolled, taking care of all the crew needs. To gain credits, all enrolled students have to be present at the workshop at
all time (23. - 27. 02. 2018)
Acting: The goal of the workshop is not related to education in acting. However, some acting tools required for the actors‘ work on fluid master shots are beneficial to experience both for directing and cinematography students, thus learning to find the motivation for the physical movement of an actor that the camera needs to follow, how to coordinate those movements with the camera and how to memorize those movements, how to learn to hit marks. Serving as stand-ins in the scenes is supposed to serve this purpose in the first place. Students can learn about these elements of the actors' work by being stand-ins without ever attempting to deliver a performance. They are not required to learn their lines, they can use their copy of the script all the time.
Casting: participants of the workshop.
Catering: not provided. Please bring your own food and water supplies to set. The School is not providing any catering for this workshop. Students are required to leave for lunch only during lunch breaks.
Further information
No schedule has been prepared for this course