Learn - The Hawaii Film School




 

 Required Reading For Filmmakers

1.8.23



Advanced Photography
Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
American Cinematographer Manual 9th Ed. Vol. I
American Cinematographer Manual 9th Ed. Vol. II
American Cinematographer Video Manual, Third Edition
Audio Postproduction for Film and Video
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
Cinematographer Style - The Complete Interviews, Vol. I
Cinematographer Style- The Complete Interviews, Vol. II
Cinematic Storytelling
Cinematographer Style:  Vol 1
Cinematographer Style: Vol 2
Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors
Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema
Developing Digital Short Films (Voices that Matter)
DSLR Cinema: Crafting the Film Look with Video
Fellini On Fellini
Film Art: An Introduction
Grammar of the Edit, Second Edition
Grammar of the Shot, Second Edition
Hitchcock (Revised Edition)
How to Read a Film: Movies, Media, and Beyond
Legal Guide for the Visual Artist (Fifth Edition)
Making Movies
Master Shots Vol 1, 2nd edition
Motion Picture and Video Lighting, Second Edition
Moviemakers' Master Class: Private Lessons from the World's Foremost Directors
On Directing Film
Perspective as Symbolic Form
Producing Great Sound for Film and Video
Rebel without a Crew
Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, Fourth Edition
Shot Psychology: The Filmmaker's Guide for Enhancing Emotion and Meaning
The Complete Guide to Low-Budget Feature Filmmaking
The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script
The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition
The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
The Steadicam® Operator's Handbook
The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media

After Effects Marathon Sessions

1.7.15

Please consider joining us on Sunday, July 12th and Sunday, July 19th, for two marathon sessions in learning After Effects. If you have ever wanted to learn After Effects but didn't seem to have the time, this could be the perfect way to jump right in and learn. We have an aggressive schedule planned. We will cover 14 lessons over the course of two consecutive Sundays, doing 7 lessons the first Sunday and 7 lessons the second Sunday. Each lesson is approximately one hour, so this means a total of 14 hours of intense practice in a classroom setting.  Class size is limited to four students. You will need two things:

REQUIREMENTS

1) Classroom in a Book CS5 / CS6 / CC for After Affects [it can be used but must include the CD]. We have used copies available for purchase.
2) A PC or MAC laptop with After Effects installed (any version)

The idea is to power through all the exercises in the book doing one lesson per hour. If you don't complete the lesson, you can finish it later on your own but we will be moving on to the next lesson in order to get through all the material. We will be available to assist you if you have questions or need additional assistance, but we will be concise and moving quickly. We believe this is the best way to actually learn---by doing hands-on practice under a bit of pressure, so as to simulate a real-world working environment. Of course, we will try to make it fun and stop for breaks and lunch. It will be a full day of study from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the reward is YOU WILL LEARN AFTER EFFECTS! 

The cost for the entire marathon course (that includes both Sundays) is $125. We don't believe you will find a better deal than this anywhere. If you are interested, please send an email confirmation to admin@hifilmschool.com.. Upon receipt of your email, we will send you more detailed information. Class size is limited to six students. Payment can be made during the first session by cash or credit card. Free parking is available. The class will be held at the Castle Professional Center in Kaneohe.

The registration deadline is July 7th, 2015.

Please note our course offerings are based on demand, and a minimum of three students is required for this class. The class size is also limited to six students. If you register, but we don't meet the minimum requirements, you will be notified at least two days before the start date.

Crash Course

11.12.23

If you are interested in learning filmmaking, we can teach you the basics in two days right here in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. We have developed an amazing crash course on filmmaking and will take you all the way from your concept to the final DVD.

There is a lot to know, but we make it work by putting all the information you need to know within the context of creating a promotional campaign, commercial or other creative project. The project can focus on a particular area of the island, a particular issue, or even serve as a publice service announcement.  We give you the key concepts and show you what you need to do. This is hands-on, one-on-one, real-world training, not in-the-clouds theory but practical information you can use immediately. You will benefit from our experience and knowledge and will learn where you can make short cuts and where you can't. For instance, we will teach you that if you don't have a great-looking set or anything interesting in the background, then you need to move in on your subject and get close-ups or use a shallow depth of field. We will show you why sound is so important and why you have to have a field mixer and wind protection to record profesional-quality sound. We will make you think and challenge you, so you will remember these lessons for a lifetime. And once you are a graduate of the program, if you ever have a question or need advice in the future, we will always be available to help answer any questions you might have.

When it comes to learning filmmaking, we don't believe the cost of learning how to do it should cost more than the camera equipment itself. Or in other words, we don't believe that sailing lessons should cost more than the boat! If you are motivated and passionate about learning as much as you can, then we want you as a student. You should also know that our focus is and will always be on producing quality outcomes. As a student of ours, the work you create is also a partial reflection on us, so while we believe in having fun, we also demand attention to detail and doing the best work possible.

The course covers how to tell a story, how to find and work with talent, how to light and design your shots, how to record sound, how to adjust camera settings and shoot, how and when to move the camera, and basic editing and rendering. Our approach will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, by teaching you the true essentials of what you really need to know. After the course, you should have the confidence to continue on your own, and at any time you feel uncertain, you can always refer back to the course material or simply contact us. This sounds horribly cliche, but your success is really our success too. We want you to succeed in this business.

The cost of the individual program is $349 and includes two course books (a $40 value), a course manual, use of our equipment, 14 hours of one-on-one instruction, and a certificate of completion. These are private lessons, so all the focus is on you and what you want to know. This is the smartest and most effective way to learn because the course is at your speed, not anyone else's.  This is the real deal, a chance to jump start your journey into filmmaking in an intimate and personal way. The first day covers pre-production and initial production, then we meet a week later to finish production (shooting as needed), then cover post-production. 

No courses currently being offered at this time.

Learn By Watching!

06.1.11

One of the best ways to learn how to make great movies is by watching them. Here are three perfect examples. The first time you watch these, just enjoy them. The second time notice everything else: dialogue or lack of, pacing, camera movement and angles, depth of field and focus, framing, use of color, staging, shadows and lighting, edit points, music, and sound.

One thing these videos have in common is a minimal use of dialogue. If a story can be told visually, it should be. Dialogue, in that sense, should always be a last resort.

If you are interested in learning more about making videos, we highly recommend Vimeo Video School. No worries. It's free!

A Thousand Words from Ted Chung on Vimeo.

Mike's from Ted Chung on Vimeo.

water from Corrie Jones on Vimeo.

Robert McKee

005.30.11

Want to help?

05.22.11

Do you have some knowledge or technical expertise in filmmaking? If so, please contact us at admin@hifilmschool.com. We are always looking for other filmmakers who are willing to give their time to help train others.