Past Workshop Descriptions

Visual Metaphor and Expressive Directing Techniques

NOTE: It is recommended that participants wear a mask for all in-person workshops.

This two-part course is an intensive study of the role of visual metaphor, shot composition, and expressive directing techniques in fiction filmmaking. This is not a holistic course about the practical or physical aspects of filmmaking, nor is it a course about what appears inside the frame, such as props, costume, or production design, but rather it is a deep study of how master filmmakers use expressive camera techniques and visual metaphors to elevate their story. Students will undertake a close analysis of directed scenes, encompassing different forms and genres but with a primary focus on the Western classical narrative tradition, and compare these scenes with works of art from other disciplines such as poetry, painting, and music. Upon completing the course they will come away with a deeper understanding of how to deploy sophisticated visual design strategies and metaphors to elevate their stories.

The ultimate goal of the course is for students to reimagine the possibilities of filmmaking in order to move away from simply “covering” a scene towards the numerous ways of expressing a scene, bringing its essential drama, emotion, and poetry to life.

The Introduction to Independent Filmmaking and Camera Theory workshops are recommended as prerequisites. This course is recommended as a companion to the Short Film Writing, Advanced Script Studio, Producing Dramatic Films on a Shoe String Budget and Directing Dramatic Film workshops.​

Past Instructor: Paul Taylor
Location: In Person
Category: Directing
Maximum Capacity: 12
8 hours of instruction in 2 parts$125 /member$150 /nonmember

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