Workshop Registration

Visual Metaphor and Expressive Directing Techniques: Two Days

This two-part workshop offers an intensive study of visual metaphor, shot composition, and expressive directing in fiction filmmaking. It moves beyond the practical mechanics of production or art design (props, costumes) and what appears inside the frame, to focus strictly on how the director places and moves the camera to create meaning in their films. It is a deep study of how master filmmakers use expressionistic camera techniques to elevate stories into art.

Students will undertake a close analysis of scenes, primarily within the Western classical narrative tradition, comparing them with works from poetry, painting, and music. They will develop a fluency in sophisticated visual design strategies. The ultimate goal is for students to reimagine the potential of the frame—moving away from simply "covering" a scene to "expressing" it—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.

part 1: Sun 1 March 2026, 10 am - 5 pm   
part 2: Sun 8 March 2026, 10 am - 5 pm   
(Registration deadline is Sun 1 March 9:00 am)

Instructor: Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor is an Emmy® award-winning director, writer, producer, and showrunner with over twenty years of experience creating feature-length films and television series. He is the recipient of numerous international film festival awards, including the World Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He has acted in senior roles on over 150 hours of television and most recently served as an Executive Producer overseeing four television series for VICE Studios.

As a writer and director, his credits include the political crime-thriller THE ART OF POLITICAL MURDER. Based on the book of the same name by Francisco Goldman, this film was an original commission for HBO, executive-produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, was shortlisted for a British Independent Film Award, and nominated for an Emmy® award.

Paul's first film as a director, writer, and producer, WE ARE TOGETHER, won 14 international awards. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award, and was subsequently acquired by HBO.

He co-founded the UK-based production company Rise Films. At Rise, he developed and produced ROUGH AUNTIES (HBO), directed by British auteur Kim Longinotto. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the World Grand Jury Prize. Additional credits include producing THE INTERRUPTERS (Frontline / BBC), directed by Steve James, which also premiered at Sundance and won an Emmy® award for Outstanding Long Form Programming.

Paul holds an MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts.



Location: 1137 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M6H 2A3
Category: Directing
Maximum Capacity: 12
14 hours of instruction in 2 parts$225 /member$250 /nonmember
Registration opens
Tue 13 Jan at 10am