Multi-Session Workshops

Northwest Film Forum classes and workshops are designed to instruct filmmakers on both the mechanical skills required in current filmmaking technology and the artistic application of tools to explore the critical and emotional range of the cinematic experience. Classes and workshops are taught by working artists: filmmakers, writers, producers and editors.

Explore filmmaking by doing it. We do not want you to make a commitment you are uncomfortable with; we offer a wide range of classes and workshops that can be taken at whatever pace you prefer. Whether you are new to the art and plan to plunge into filmmaking as a career or you have purchased your own equipment and wish to drop in on a few certifications to learn more, our classes are for you. NWFF's curriculum offers a complete education in nearly all aspects of filmmaking. Multi-session classes meet weekly and offer in-depth, hands-on experience with filmmaking tools, while one-day workshops offer both insightful lectures and practical techniques on current filmmaking topics.

This schedule is updated regularly.  Please check back for new classes, or email dave @ nwfilmforum.org to ask about our annual class offerings.

 

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The Moving Image: Constructive Criticism and the Art of Looking Anew

 The Moving Image: Constructive Criticism and the Art of Looking Anew

Four Wednesdays, June 19, 26, July 10 & 17 (no class July 3) , 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Jay Kuehner 
Tuition: $250/members, $280/general 
Max Attendance: 8
 
This course is designed for the passionate lover of film seeking to engage with film through new means of looking, thinking, and critically writing about key films and directors of the new millennium. Avid film fans, students, and professionals alike are encouraged to explore cinema both foreign and familiar by taking to task given films' themes, aesthetic contexts, historical precedents, and cultural conditions of production. An appreciation of film will be cultivated through constructive criticism of a personal nature: students will craft an essay to develop a unique line of inquiry, with the ultimate intent of publishing their work. Classes will consist of watching clips, reading sharp film criticism, and sharing persuasive discourse on what moves us in film.
 
What you'll learn: a new way of thinking and writing about film as an art form. 

Register for The Moving Image: Contructive Criticism and the Art Looking Anew
 

Screenwriting 101: The Eight Week Screenplay

Screenwriting 101:  The Eight-Week Screenplay
Eight Tuesdays, May 14–July 2, 7–9pm
Instructor: Walter Dalton
Tuition: $230/members, $260/general
Max Attendance: 8 

Whether the goal is to pitch a film to Hollywood or make an independent feature, students in this class will learn the substance of a good screenplay. With his decades of experience writing and directing for television and films, Walter will lead frank discussions about character development, plot structure and themes. Expect to talk about your ideas and receive regular feedback as you make progress in your writing. Students will work towards completing a feature-length screenplay in eight weeks. Students should come to class with an idea for a feature film, and will benefit from reading about proper screenplay formatting techniques before attending class. 

Register for Screenwriting 101 

 

Film Camp for Grown Ups—With Christian Palmer

 Film Camp for Grown Ups—With Christian Palmer

Three Mondays, May 6, 13 & 20, 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Christian Palmer 
Tuition: $150/members, $180/general 
Max Attendance: 8
 

First, make a container. In this workshop, we will explore the art of short-form cinema through discussion, screenings, and story exercises. Each camper will develop their own container – the narrative device that allows the Director to collaborate beautifully with the cast through improvisation, discussion, and continual on-the-fly reworking of the story. This workshop will focus primarily on the soft, nontechnical aspects of filmmaking – story development, casting well, and working effectively with actors to create honest, compelling work. 


Register for Film Camp for Grown Ups—With Christian Palmer
 

Basic Videography

 

Basic Videography
Saturday & Sunday, June 8 & 9, 10am–3pm
Instructor: Jake Warga 
Tuition: $250/members, $280/general 
Max Attendance: 10

Learn how composition, lighting, and depth of field interact to create memorable images. This class will cover basic videography skills and provide the opportunity to operate NWFF’s Canon GL1, Panasonic AG-DVX100, and HVX200. We will discuss the differences between video and film and the benefits and pitfalls of some of the more popular video formats currently in use. We will also address the basics of lighting for video, as well as how to record good field audio using a shotgun microphone and boom. Hands-on sessions will demystify the buttons and menu functions common to most consumer and professional video cameras. This class will give you a solid foundation for your video projects, whether you plan to use the Film Forum's cameras or your own.

 

 

Writing With Light - Lighting Essentials

 Writing With Light - Lighting Essentials
Saturday & Sunday, June 15 & 16, 10am–2pm
Instructor: Jake Warga 
Tuition: $190/members, $220/general 
Max Attendance: 10 

Photo-graphy: writing with light. This workshop will explore the basic vocabulary of lighting for filmmakers. Topics include exposures, color temperatures, finding the best ambient lighting, studio light, field lighting and more. We will start with the basics and progress to the more advanced, therefore suitable for any level of filmmaker. It's important to know the language of cinema, and without light there is no story. This intensive workshop will be a lighting boot camp. First day will cover basic terminology and technique of field and studio lighting. On the second day participants will emulate lighting set-ups based on popular movie frames or still images. At the end of class students will know the terminology, techniques and essentials of lighting.
 

Sound Recording for Film/Video

Sound Recording for Film/Video
Tuesday, July 16, 6:30–8:30pm & Thursday, July 18, 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Robb Kunz 
Tuition: $65/members, $80/general 
Max Attendance: 12 

This 5-hour workshop will present you with the essential principles of audio signal, microphone and recorder technology and technique. The first afternoon will be a 2-hour lecture, and the second class will include three hours of hands-on field testing and evaluation. Participants will learn how to listen and capture better in the production phase. 
 
 

Introduction to Post Production Sound

Tuesday, July 23, 6:30–8:30pm and Thursday, July 25, 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Robb Kunz 
Tuition: $80/Film Forum members, $100/general 
Max Attendance: 5 

Learn the basics of audio editing and sound mixing for video. Using Final Cut Pro, students will learn the standard tools and techniques that apply to most editing platforms. With sample audio clips to edit, each student will work at their own station during class. Focus will be given to importing, cleaning up problematic audio, basic editing and getting a presentable sound mix.
 

Beginning Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

 Beginning Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

Summer Dates TBA
Instructor: Cory Kelley
Tuition: $270/members, $300/general
Max Attendance: 5
 
Adobe's Premiere was one of the first desktop non-linear editing systems. With the recent releases of Premiere Pro, it has become a robust editing platform, widespread in the film and broadcast industry. Some of Premiere Pro's better qualities include an easy workflow with After Effects and Photoshop, track based editing, native support for H.264/AVCHD and RED footage and 64-bit processing. In this comprehensive class, students will gain a thorough understading of the basic editing mechanisms and become well-prepared to beging editing projects on their own. Each student will have an edit station to follow along during the class. Time is available in the Film Forum's edit suite for students to work between classes.

 
 

Beginning Editing with Final Cut Pro X

Beginning Editing with Final Cut Pro X

Sections to choose from:
Four Thursdays, May 16, 23, 30 & June 6, 6:30–9:30pm **This Section is Sold Out**
Saturday & Sunday, June 8 & 9, 11am–5pm
Four Wednesdays, Aug 7, 14, 21 & 28, 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Bernard Mann 
Tuition: $270/members, $300/general 
Max Attendance: 5
 
This class will introduce students to the tools of professional editing, using the latest version of Final Cut Pro. With FCP X, Apple made some major changes to the workflow and interface for their popular editing software. Students will learn the principles of basic editing from the ground up—starting a project, capturing footage, basic editing techniques for sound and picture, and exporting to one of the many formats available. Prior experience in non-linear editing is not required, but basic computer skills are necessary. Each student will have an edit station to follow along during the class. Time is available in the Film Forum's edit suite for students to work between classes. 
 
 
 

Intermediate Final Cut Pro X

Intermediate Final Cut Pro X

Sections to choose from:
Saturday & Sunday, May 18 & 19, 11am–5pm
Four Thursdays, Sep 5, 12, 19 & 26, 11am–5pm
Instructor: Bernard Mann 
Tuition: $270/members, $300/general 
Max Attendance: 5
 
Final Cut Pro X brought us a new paradigm of editing with trackless editing called storylines, a focus on metadata media management, and background rendering.  In this Advanced class, students will delve into compositing, in depth color-correction, multi-cam editing, sound editing, and green-screen keying. Designed for the student who has mastered the basics of FCP X, this class will explore the interface deeper and focus on a hands on, project oriented approach of learning. 
 

 

 

Advanced Final Cut Pro X

Four Wednesdays, May 8, 15, 22 & 29, 6:30–9:30pm
Instructor: Bernard Mann
Tuition: $270/members, $300/general
Max Attendance: 5

In this advanced class, the third in the FCP X class series, the students will put together a finished narrative project, with: dual system sound, green screen compositing & graphics, color correction, and mixing & sound troubleshooting.  A workflow method will be discussed, and media management will be covered as well. This is a class that culminates the experience from the previous two classes, and applies it directly to creating a project. Prerequisite: previous two FCP X classes required, or the permission of the instructor.

Register for Advanced Final Cut Pro X 

 

Remix Editing with Final Cut Pro 7

Remix Editing with Final Cut Pro 7

Four Tuesdays, May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 6:30–8:30pm
Instructor: Joe Milutis 
Tuition: $230/members, $260/general 
Max Attendance: 5
 
Appropriate for people with no prior editing experience or a beginner's level experience. 
 
Learn Final Cut Pro 7 while flexing your creative muscles by remixing video. By cutting up recycled footage and mixing in different sounds and music, students will create art-oriented projects. Students will use most of the class time learning the basic editing tools while working on a personal project using Final Cut Pro at their own station. Instructor Joe Milutis will assign some viewing and reading assignments, lead discussions about remix culture and provide hands-on guidance for student projects. Examples of source footage include '60s and '70s educational films from the Film Forum's vault and archival video available for downloading at Prelinger archives. Expect to finish the class with a strong understanding of editing basics and having completed a short personal found footage project.  

Register for Remix Editing with Final Cut Pro 7
 

After Effects Basics

 

After Effects CS5 Basics
Summer Dates TBA
Instructor:  Cory Kelley
Tuition: $280/members, $310/general 
Max Attendance: 5

After Effects CS5 is a powerful animation and compositing tool, with a wide range of applications. Commonly used for film, television and multimedia, this program can be difficult to crack at first. Once the basics are mastered, it offers a rich and nearly unlimited range of creative possibilities. We'll be learning from the ground up how to animate typography, as well as combine and manipulate footage and other elements to create effects and motion graphics.
 

 

 

 

Introduction to Blender: CG Animation and EFX

Introduction to Blender: CG Animation and EFX

Saturday & Sunday, Aug 3 & 4, 10am–3pm
Instructor: Tony Mullen 
Tuition: $150/WigglyWorld members, $180/general 
Max Attendance: 10
 
Learn 3D animation and visual effects with Blender. Blender is a free/open-source, fully cross-platform 3D animation application with functionality comparable to professional CG tools such as 3D Studio Max and Maya, including advanced modeling, texturing, and animation tools; matchmoving and object-tracking functionality; HDR image-based lighting and high quality rendering capability; node-based compositing and video sequence editing; and many other features. Blender has all the functionality you need to create straight CG animation or to add digital special effects to your live-action movies. This workshop will introduce the basics of modeling and animation, and will cover other topics according to participants' interests as time allows. The instructor is a member of the Blender Foundation's training certification board and the author of six Blender-related books. You are encouraged to bring your own laptop (PC or Mac), although it is not required. A Mac workstation will be available to everyone. 
 
What you'll learn: the basics of digital modeling and animation using an open-source tool.

Register for Introduction to Blender: CG Animation and EFX