Art Direction (Production Design)
F132 (4 units)
Prerequisite: Visual Design
A practical introduction to the profession of production design, with an emphasis on communicating ideas visually. Students learn the skills necessary to become a production designer, including conceptualizing and researching, sketching and basic drafting, and basic model building. By the final class, students have completed a fully designed set, including concept boards, sketches, plans and a model for an assigned scripted project. There is a scheduled field trip. This course is strongly recommended for producers, directors, and cinematographers. (Counts as an elective for the Directing Emphasis.)
Guerilla Filmmaking
F160 (4 units)
Pre-requisites: Cinematography 1 & Production Sound
No financing? No problem! Learn to shoot short films with minimal financial security. Learn how to write a zero-budget script, maximize your limited assets, and get the shots off quick. Emphasis is also placed on blocking, hostile locations, pick-ups, and re-shoots. The class will shoot multiple student-generated projects.
Principles of Production
F101 (4 units)
Pre-requisites: None
Principles of Production is a required class designed to give the entering film student a comprehensive grounding in the filmmaking process. Through hands-on learning, demonstration, and lectures, students will learn the fundamentals of directing, screenwriting, camera operation and lighting, editing, sound, and art direction. Students will also learn vital safety rules and regulations as they pertain to any set and in particular at Columbia College Hollywood. Each student will be expected to write, direct, and shoot at least one short project and crew and/or act in those of others. In doing so the students participate in the group endeavor that is an integral part of professional filmmaking.
Production Workshop 1 (Senior Year)
F135 (8 units)
Prerequisite: Completion of Tier 2, Senior Status
Production Workshop is a multi-quarter course designed with the goal of the student developing, shooting, and finishing a narrative or documentary short film, or, if they choose, a feature film script. Faculty involvement is geared towards providing supervision, guidance and counsel for the students. The instructors pledge not to impose their ideas on the student’s work, but rather work with the student to enhance his / her creative choices. It is your voice CCH wants to see on the screen, not the instructors’, and not an homage to your favorite filmmaker. This is your course, your chance to create a project you wish to use as your “reel,” your calling card to the entertainment industry. Students are also encouraged to submit your project to film festivals.
Specifically, Production Workshop 1 is pre-production for Production Workshop 2 and 3. Students develop their projects and do the necessary pre-production with the thought of executing production in PW 2. Students crew for each other and also receive advanced instruction in their emphasis. Additionally, there are numerous speakers from the wide array of entertainment industry disciplines.
Production Workshop 2 & 3 (Senior Year)
F235 & F335 (8 units)
Prerequisite: Previous Production Workshop(s)
Production Workshop 1 is designed for the development of a student’s thesis project. In Production Workshop 2/3 the student will be shooting and completing prost production on that project or fulfilling a key role – directing, producing, writing, cinematography, editing, or art direction – on the final project of another student. Although instructors are continuously available as counsel and sign-off on projects, students can shoot their thesis without instructor supervision having grown sufficiently as filmmakers to stand on their own. Writing emphasis students may choose to complete a feature film script or TV pilot as their thesis.
Production Workshop Focus (Senior Year)
F435 (4 units)
Prerequisite: Production Workshop 3
A four unit class for seniors who have completed Production Workshop 3. This class is not a chance to continue with a student’s thesis project; rather the student is focused on generating a new project. The student participates in Production Workshop once per week.
Prop Design & Rendering
F243 (4 units)
Prerequisite: Drawing
Say you have a SciFi film with objects that cannot be purchased at the second-hand store. What do you do? Or your script calls for a Maltese Falcon and you cannot find one anywhere. Make the props yourself. This course shows you how to create props that work artistically with the script by blueprinting the concept and rendering the model.
Set Design: From Models to Flats
F123 (4 units)
Prerequisite: Principles of Production
Fee: $55 for materials
Forming the environment that will speak properly to the piece is a key element in the entire canvas of film and TV production. Students will conceive and design sets, then work as a unit to actually create one of those designs potentially for ongoing use.
Storyboard Design
GH151 (4 units)
Prerequisite: Drawing
Interpreting the written word using visual images, with specific focus on the transformation of a script into moving pictures as represented by the storyboard—a visual series of pictures based on the story, action and dialogue of the script. Students accomplish creating storyboards using industry-standard software. (Counts as an elective for the Directing Emphasis.)
