Courses & Programs Programs Independent Media Producers Program

The Independent Media Producer's Program is a one-month intensive course. This program was designed to advance the skills and knowledge of GIFTS Alumni who are pursuing a career as independent media producers/filmmakers. Although the IMPP was designed to build on the skills acquired through GIFTS one-week media courses, new students with equivalent experience may also be accepted into the program.

Each week, industry professionals and artists will teach specific, self-contained courses, allowing students to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the process, tools and techniques of independent media production. These advanced workshops upgrade technical skills including: camera work,lighting, sound recording, non-linear editing, and other post-production techniques. The course also offers workshops in skills specific to independent video production, including production budgeting, sources of financing, grant writing, and other successful production strategies for upcoming producers. Drama students are offered workshops in directing, casting and scriptwriting; Documentary students receive workshops in pre-planning, researching, interviewing, paper editing and the ethics of documentary filmmaking. These complete the criteria for a well-rounded understanding of all aspects of independent production.

A limited number of students are accepted into these special courses. Throughout the month, the students will produce a video, working in teams of three or four, as well as working on a solo film project. This ensures that all students gain extensive hands-on experience in every aspect of the course. Industry professionals will evaluate the rough-cut during the last week of the course. This key experience, combined with the extensive augmentation of all production-related skills, fulfills the overall goal of the course to help prepare students for a future in independent media/film production.

On weekends, students may elect to stay at the school (with limited support) to work on their projects.

Upon completion of the course, students will receive a graduation certificate for the skills they have acquired and will have new work to add to their demo reel. The Independent Media Producers’ Program is a cost-effective and intensive course designed specifically to prepare students for work in today’s competitive media revolution.

Course Schedule - geared to Drama & Documentary streams.

• Week 1: Super 8mm & 16mm film
  Super 8mm & 16mm Workshops
  Sound Manipulations
  Financing and Project Development
  Scratch Sound Workshops
  Experimental Film Editing
  Digital Video Effects Assignment
• Week 2: Cinematography, Lighting & Sound
  Cinematography & Lighting
  Screen writing
  Location Sound
  Edit Workshop: Adobe Premiere
  Screening of films from first week and critique
  Assignment: Editing One Minute Films, Writing Five Minute Scripts (1st Draft Completed)
• Week 3: Direction
  Directors Prep: Breaking down the script, Casting, Character journeys, Rehearsals, Blocking
  The Actor's Perspective
  The Business of Writing
  Pre-production Planning/Storyboarding
  Assignment: Workshopping 5 Min. Scripts (2nd drafts)
  5 minute video production days
  
• Week 4: Post-Production
  Distribution and Grant Writing Workshops
  Edit Workshops, start editing 5min piece
  Spotting and Copyright Workshops (full group)
  Sound Design Workshop
  Assignment: Critique of roughcuts and discussion of potential soundtrack.
  Edit, Musical scores if needed
  Finishing touches, credits, etc. Critiques of final cuts
  Last day: Screening at 4:00 pm

Prerequisite
GIFTS MIP course or equivalent experience.

Age Group
Adult (19+)

Production Streams
Drama | Documentary

Additional production areas which are part of the IMPP curriculum links go to MIP production streams, but are useful to get an idea of the content of the course

Drama/Documentary Streams: Advanced Drama | Advanced Documentary | Super 8 Filmmaking
| Scratch Animation / Cameraless Film | Soundtrack Composition | Webcasting