Hands-on Directing: Film/TV | London

To provide key information and hands-on experience of directing drama for the screen. Students will gain an understanding of screen grammar and techniques for directing actors in the time frame of a shoot.

Tutor:	Patrick Tucker	Venue:	St George's Church, Bloomsbury Way London WC1A 2HR
Date:	Saturday/Sunday 6/7 November	Duration:	2 day weekend
Time:	10:00am - 6:00pm	Price:	£250 + 17.5% VAT

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Everyone wants to be a director. If you can create a 'look' for your film, your career will rocket.

But why do so many British feature films, especially those by first-time directors, fail to achieve this important artistic success? When the technique needed for visually pleasing single-camera direction is so basic, why do so many directors fail to make the right choices? And when actors can add so much to a production, why don't directors take the time to ensure that their actors perform to the best of their abilities?

This intensive seminar teaches you the secrets of maximising performance from the cast while realising the importance of the ultimate audience - the camera. Learn how to direct on-time and on-budget, get the results you want and keep the producers happy. Single camera shooting techniques are explored in depth. Students will be given a number of exercises to undertake, including the opportunity to participate in directing a short dramatic scene which will be critiqued by Patrick Tucker.

Tucker illustrates his points throughout with handouts and examples from Film and Television. There will be practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises using a professional digital camera.

Day One: The Grammar Of Directing

Shooting techniques
Roots and reasons for selecting a camera style
The grammar of single camera placement
Style: approaching the script in an individual way
Shooting script: developing your visual shorthand
Planning: reading and analysing the script
Turning Points: finding the key dramatic moments
Storyboarding versus the scene sheet
Screen geometry and grammar
The 'Line': what it is and how to avoid crossing it
Lenses: eyelines, hitting the mark, blocking, the 'look'
The frame: the 'hot' area, acting in the frame
Long, medium and close-up acting

Day 2: Working With The Camera

The Camera: the audience and camera movement
Directing the actor's voice: creating screen intensity
The Edit: shooting coverage, thinking in advance
Shooting tips: save money and create a special 'look'
Etiquette: organising the shoot and actors professionally
Crew: maximising human resources
The Showreel: a director's resume
Video Clips: examples of good and bad directing
Directing Actors: communicate effectively with talent
Career opportunities
Picture composition
High definition video

Anyone seeking to improve their directing skills.

Patrick Tucker is an internationally acclaimed stage and screen director with over 150 screen drama credits (including one feature film), over 100 stage credits and the founder of the innovative Original Shakespeare Company. He is the author of seven books, including the award-winning Secrets of Screen Acting (now in its 2nd edition) and T he Actor's Survival Handbook, and is into his 10th year of presenting "Workshops for Raindance."

Hear Patrick in action on podcast.

"The hands-on experience that I got in this class was very helpful. I am a writer by profession but after taking this course would like to try my hand at directing. And I feel I can really do it." - Sarah Gavin, Writer

"I truly enjoyed the Hands On Directing class. It helped me with my ambition to make my own films and really expanded my ideas in the many group discussion. I have taken a few filmmaking courses before and to be honest Raindance was the best! I still have a lot to learn about filmmaking and from now on I will turn to Raindance for all my future teachings." - Antonio Mendes, Director

“Patrick Tucker is a brilliant teacher. He is passionate, a great communicator, funny, highly experienced and intelligent. The content of the course has been invaluable since.” - Esther Baker, directed her first short film “The Rains of Fear” following the course

"I attended the hands on directing course last weekend and I just thought I'd let you know how good it was. You probably already know this, but I feel the need to confirm! I was probably an exception to others on the course in that I do not work in the industry and have no prior experience apart from being an avid film watcher, but I thought it was excellent and inspriring. Patrick Tucker was brilliant at the helm and made the whole subject accessible for anyone, including people like myself with very little hands on experience but with a few ideas in mind. He made it informative, exciting and a fine helping of humour along the way. I never looked at my watch the whole time I was in there. Good format, good range of topics covered and also its changed my attitude as well. I went on the course thinking "well, even if I wanted to do something, no-one would approach me or listen becuase I dont work in the industry", but after the 2 days its made me think about putting some ideas of mine into practise and that maybe there isnt such a brick wall as other have told me there is." - Ian Crossley