The Digital Cinema Filmmaker\'s Training Course (2006)initiated by prakash on September 07, 2008 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0962722/) I am trying to write a fair review of this course without sounding like I am trying to push it. I know that this is a worldwide website, and not a filmmaker forum where I usually hang out. So I will try to sound as objective as possible. I bought the course about 4 months ago, and I also bought the gear guide. So I have a complete Command course.When I first got the course, I was anxious to start with the lighting, so I skipped to the advanced lighting set that comes with it. I found it was a bit over my head, and went back to the basic production like the course advises. After Basic and Movie production, I went back to advanced lighting, and I found that it was well within my comprehension. So the course for me was a success, since I learned enough from the basic DVD sets to understand the advanced set. As with others, my weakest field was lighting. I have been writing and shooting for a while, but the art of lighting seemed to be impossible. I really needed something to help me get past the dark shadows and bright walls syndrome. Not to say that finally understanding story structure was not a help. I kind of hit something of a block for a while, and the first movie production DVD really helped get me a schedule of writing regularly.So, objectively, the course was a success for me, primarily because my lighting now looks good (I understand Key, Fill, Backlight, Rim light, Filler, and lighting for different positions of the actor's blocking) since Rush POUNDED it into my head again and again how important it is to take the time to light your subjects carefully, and setting proper ratios between the lights using a light meter. I have truly, earnestly, learned more in this course than in entire weekend courses dealing with lighting. Not to say that I have taken my last weekend course, but this felt more like a private course. I know that others may be more apt to learn from the "hands on" aspect of lighting, but personally, not having to share a classroom with 20 other students is fantastic. Also, there are places that the course takes you (real life kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, conference room, sitting by a window, by the beach, inside a video arcade) that a weekend course could physically never accomplish.It took me about a week to complete the 24 hour course, but NOW I OWN IT! I don't have to worry about not remembering something from an instructor, when it's all right there on the DVD. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to learn from live instructors as well, and this will not be the last training DVD or class I take. I believe in enriching myself as much as possible. However, the DVD course has really given me more in one week than I can possibly expect. Mainly because it doesn't just TELL me how to do something, it actually SHOWS me how to do it. Everything is laid out and described carefully, before and after, again and again so I can really see it. I have been in a class where the teacher just doesn't have the time or the place to do 12 different lighting setups with light skin and dark skin models, men and women, makeup, etc. to show every step of the process. He shows you one or two setups, then everyone discusses it. If you want more, the teacher simply describes it, mathematically or on a chalk board. He just doesn't have the resources to draw on that a DVD course like this does. That really worked for me in this case. Again, I STILL LOVE live courses, don't kill me. : ) I honestly thought it was expensive at first, but after going through it, I really consider it a steal. Good luck everybody, Edward Irey, in Washington. |
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