Cinema student, Amy Fox (Grip/Electric Team Leader), and other seniors will lead a grip/electric workshop next Friday, February 16th from 2-6 pm. The purpose of the workship is to allow all students to get more hands on with our equipment. In addition, students will go through the grip truck layout and organization. It is highly recommended that all grades attend. It is not necessary to come for the whole time, but please come in for as long as you can (preferably at the beginning). As we approach Spring/Summer productions, it is vital that everyone regardless of their intended track, know how to use, operate and identify this equipment. Please join us if your summer track is production…and if not, still show up and learn the basics!

We were lucky to have VCU adjunct professor, Charlie Harris, visit us once again to teach a workshop on lighting instruments and setting up lights. Students also had the opportunity to practice loading film into magazines.

The 20^th French Film Festival will be held March 26^th-April 1^st! Co-academic sponsors, VCU and UR will kick off the celebration with 3-day symposium on French Film: Art, Science & Technology at Work for Humanity. Go to http://frenchfilmfestival.us/ for more info!

The VCU French Film Festival provides our students with access to the top filmmakers in France with master workshops and seminars.

This week students attended a workshop taught by VCU Cinema adjunct and working professional, Charlie Harris. Charlie Harris has been working in the industry since 1986 and has worked on projects including The Blindside, John Adams and Cold Mountain.

Students learned about camera movement, different positions on  a set, tools, cranes and jibs.

It was a hands on workshop and students had the opportunity to gain hands on experience by practicing building jibs, laying track, operating the camera and using the dolly.

VCU Cinema alumni and working professional, Charlie Schneider visited students to give a lecture on what it is like to work in the film industry. Charlie has worked on many projects since graduating from the VCU Cinema program including Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film, Lincoln.

Schneider told students about the hierarchy of crews on a film set, safety, rigging cables, lighting unions, and working in the real world.

After the lecture, students worked on creating short scenes and applied what they learned in the lecture to light the scenes with VCU’s high-end lighting equipment.

Charlie then gave a workshop on operating VCU’s grip truck where a number of students were able to get certified.