RG Pro Production Intensives Workshops (Fall 2024)

Oct 19 - Dec 8, 2024

7 Workshops

About

Northwest Film Forum’s ongoing series of modular film production workshops designed to provide young and emerging filmmakers with training on the fundamentals of film. Eligible participants who complete the entire series have the opportunity to become an apprentice of our production company, RG Pro. Sign up for the workshop series or individual sessions!

About RG Pro

Remove the Gap Productions (RG PRO), works to support and uplift the careers of girls, women, nonbinary, femme, trans, and gender-nonconforming filmmakers. RG PRO was founded on the belief that in order to achieve equity and advancement in today’s industry and creative economy, female and gender-nonconforming filmmakers must be active participants in all aspects of media production. We support our community by offering a two-pronged approach: our Production Intensive Workshop series and our Apprenticeship Program.

Production Intensive Workshop Series:

RG PRO’s Production Intensive Workshop series is an 8-week, entry-level program hosted by Northwest Film Forum, open to anyone interested in gaining introductory video production skills geared towards non-narrative, community-based storytelling or small-scale commercial work. Based on a feminist curriculum, industry professionals and the RG PRO team will walk through the fundamentals of pre-production, camera, audio, livestreaming, and post-production to ensure that participants have the basic skillsets to create media confidently.

COURSES AVAILABLE IN THIS SERIES:

Every week, each course takes place from 11am to 6pm, on the Saturday and Sunday of that week.

Oct. 19 & 20 | Intro to Producing for Film and Media
Oct. 26 & 27 | Intro to Camera Operation and Technique
Nov. 2 & 3 | Sounds Good: Intro to Sound and Audio Techniques
Nov. 9 & 10 | Looks Good: Lighting Techniques and Mock Film Set
Nov. 16 & 17 | Intro to Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro
Nov. 23 & 24 | Intro to Motion Graphics in Adobe After Effects
Dec. 7 & 8 | Bringing It All Together: Livestreaming and Virtual Productions

Participants can register for each workshop individually or as an entire series. In addition to these intensives, RG PRO also offers professional development and early career production experience through its apprenticeship program.

RG Pro Apprenticeship Program:

RG Pro’s Apprenticeship Program works to support and uplift the careers of girls, women, nonbinary, femme, trans, and gender-expansive filmmakers. Women, trans, femme, and nonbinary participants age 17–26 who have completed all of Production Intensives workshops can apply to become RG Pro Apprentices. Apprentices are paid as contractors to work and train with a mentor on local video productions. Email derek@nwfilmforum.org and/or rgpro@nwfilmforum.org for more information.

General Workshop Information

Skill Level: Introductory

All workshops have a suggested registration fee of $100. Sliding scale, pay-what-you-can prices are available starting from $0, but we humbly request that participants contribute the amount that they are comfortable, to ensure that the programs remain accessible.

In-person workshop format: All workshops will be offered as an in-person experience. These workshops are designed to have hands-on demonstrations and small collaborative projects meant to be finished within the sessions. The projects are not graded; they are meant to provide practical, project-based learning. All workshops are lead by industry professionals and all necessary equipment will be provided for in-class experiences.

Recommended for:

Ages 17+
People interested to enter the local film and video production industry
High school and college students over 17
People interested in freelancing

*There are no minimum or maximum age requirement; all are welcome.

Apprenticeships: Women and nonbinary students aged 17-26 who complete all the workshops can apply to become RG Pro apprentices. Apprentices are paid as contractors to work and train with a mentor on local productions. Email rgpro@nwfilmforum.org for more information!

Fall 2024 Production Intensives

Intro to Producing for Film and Media (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Oct 19 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Oct 20 11am–6pm PT

The introductory workshop in our Production Intensives series familiarizes students with documents, skills, and workflow required to transform a basic idea to an an achievable production proposal. Learn how to read a Request for Proposal (RFP), create a budget, and design an artful proposal, then collaborate with a small group of peers to design a pitch for a potential client. A round of feedback will follow, where participants can gain tips and best practices on how to land a gig.

Recommended Equipment: A computer or tablet which can access spreadsheets and word processing softwares, and shared Google Drive files.

Show lessRead more

Intro to Camera Operation and Technique (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Oct. 26 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Oct. 27 11am–6pm PT

Basic understanding of camera setups, operation, and DSLR functions is vital for any successful film project. Gain an understanding of the artistic advantages of using a DSLR, and what types of projects might require a more advanced camera. Students will learn how to choose a lens and control manual exposures; they will gain an understanding of framing and composition, standard tripod use, and techniques for handheld filming.

Recommended Materials: NWFF will provide Canon 5D MKII and Canon 60D camera bodies and lenses for use in the workshop. Students with their own camera equipment are encouraged to bring their own for hands-on practice.

Show lessRead more

Sounds Good: Intro to Sound and Audio Techniques (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Nov. 2 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Nov. 3 11am–6pm PT

Quality sound is crucial to the success of any film production. Gain a basic understanding of production sound on-set, the priorities of sound mixers, and how to record high-quality sound with modest means. RG Pro instructors will offer hands-on demonstrations of all the gear in a sound mixer’s kit, including microphones, timecode equipment, and boom poles.

Recommended Materials: NWFF will provide all sound equipment and microphones for use in the workshop. Students with their own audio equipment are encouraged to bring their own for hands-on practice.

Show lessRead more

Looks Good: Lighting Techniques and Mock Film Set (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Nov. 9 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Nov 10. 18 11am–6pm PT

Through an introductory survey which covers lighting techniques for interviews, portraits, and scenery, students will learn how to maximize their lighting resources to get the best out of their locations. Use natural light to get a professional and clean look for your interview, utilize basic lighting techniques, or discover how to adapt when you do not have access to the perfect lighting kit.

The second day of this workshop will be a mock film set, where participants can experience how all the departments work together. We will be bringing together all of the collective learning that we have done to film a short scene and work through all of the elements that we have demonstrated thus far.

Recommended Materials: NWFF will provide all equipment for use in the workshop.

Show lessRead more

Intro to Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Nov. 16 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Nov. 17 11am–6pm PT

Learn the essentials of editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, which has become an industry standard for editing in film and video. Gain an understanding of a professional workflow and basic tools, then practice with sample projects and footage, with guidance from RG Pro mentors.

Recommended Materials: A computer or tablet which can access shared Google Drive files, and has Adobe Creative Cloud membership. NWFF will also have its Edit Lab available with community stations that have Adobe Premiere available for use.

Show lessRead more

Intro to Motion Graphics in Adobe After Effects (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Nov. 23 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Nov. 24 11am–6pm PT

Moving beyond editing, students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of motion graphics, through Adobe After Effects. Learn to create and modify existing templates, create custom animated graphics, and dabble in basic special effects. Create and share small projects throughout the workshop with guidance from an RG Pro mentor.

Recommended Materials: A computer or tablet which can access Zoom, shared Google Drive files, and has Adobe Creative Cloud membership. NWFF will also have its Edit Lab available with community stations that have Adobe After Effects available for use.

Show lessRead more

Livestreaming and Virtual Productions (Winter 2024)

SATURDAY, Dec. 7 11am–6pm PT & SUNDAY, Dec. 8 11am–6pm PT

Livestreaming and virtual video productions have now become essential tools for communicating with the public and will continue to be vital services for clients in the foreseeable future. Receive an overview of available software and technologies, best practices for livestreams and virtual productions, and receive hands-on demonstrations with various software and technologies.

Recommended Materials: A computer or tablet which can access Zoom, shared Google Drive files, and has access to Open Broadcaster Software (OBS). NWFF will also have its Edit Lab available with community stations that have OBS available for use.

Show lessRead more