Single Camera Video Production

Mastering the Lens: A Course on Single Camera Video Production

Single Camera Video Production is designed for aspiring filmmakers and enthusiasts, this 16-week journey equips you with hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge to create compelling video content. From mastering camera techniques to exploring cutting-edge AI tools and documentary storytelling, this course covers the full spectrum of single-camera production. Let’s break down the weekly schedule and what you’ll gain along the way.

🎬 Course Overview

This course immerses students in the art and craft of single-camera video production, blending practical exercises with creative exploration. You’ll work with industry-standard equipment like the Canon EOS SL3 Rebel, edit with DaVinci Resolve, and experiment with lighting, sound, and green screen techniques. The curriculum also delves into the future of filmmaking, including AI integration and smartphone cinematography, preparing you for a dynamic industry as of fall 2025.

🎬 Weekly Breakdown

- Week 1: Kick off with the five stages of production (development, pre-production, production, post-production, distribution) and the concept of perpetuity. Learn framing, composition, shot sizes, aspect ratios, and the essentials of building a film crew, including production insurance.

- Week 2: Distinguish producer vs. director roles, explore above-the-line and below-the-line positions, and master camera angles. Dive into casting talent and filmmaking “rules” like the rule of thirds and 180-degree rule.

- Week 3: Break down scripts, create schedules and budgets for a short film, storyboard your vision, and get an introduction to editing basics.

- Week 4: Hands-on with the Canon EOS SL3 Rebel and tripod, direct a scene, and learn the difference between master shots and coverage.

- Week 5: Manage post-production workflows, start editing with DaVinci Resolve, and explore basic cuts, transitions, and effects.

- Week 6: Capture an independent video of a sandwich being made, learn scene lighting basics, edit in class, and experiment with cinematic lighting.

- Week 7: Unleash creativity with colored lighting and simulate genres using different lighting and color schemes.

- Week 8: Tackle advanced lighting and recreate a scene, followed by a midterm exam and screening of Gravity.

- Week 9: Introduce experimental film with screenings of F Is for Fake and Eraserhead, then watch Children of Men.

- Week 10: Explore sound for film, conduct a capture sound exercise, and screen Wall-E.

- Week 11: Learn to record interviews, master interview lighting, record and edit your own interviews.

- Week 12: Create a promo reel, learn marketing strategies for your work, and practice hard vs. soft lighting.

- Week 13: Investigate the future of filmmaking with AI tools, screen Nosedive and Joan Is Awful from Black Mirror, capture video and edit with a smartphone.

- Week 14: Thanksgiving—no class, enjoy the break!

- Week 15: Dive into green screen filming, use scene extensions and LED walls (volume filming), and capture/edit a green screen video.

- Week 16: Screen The Social Dilemma, learn documentary storytelling, shoot and edit a short documentary, and complete the final exam and camera test.

🎬 Why Take This Course?

This course is perfect for beginners and intermediate learners eager to break into video production. You’ll gain practical skills—operating cameras, editing software, and lighting setups while exploring creative and technical frontiers like AI and green screen technology. Screenings of films like Gravity, Children of Men, and Wall-E provide inspiration, while hands-on projects (sandwich video, interviews, documentaries) build a portfolio. By the end, you’ll be equipped to tell stories with confidence in a rapidly evolving industry.

🎬 What to Expect

Expect a mix of lectures, hands-on labs, and screenings, with opportunities to collaborate and critique. You’ll leave with tangible skills, a reel, and a deeper understanding of filmmaking’s past, present, and future.

Single Camera Video Production is your gateway to mastering the craft of visual storytelling. Whether you dream of directing, producing, or editing, this course offers the tools and inspiration to turn your vision into reality. Enroll today and start your cinematic journey!