Part Time Evening Classes & Weekend Workshops
Whether you're interested in film production, digital video, documentary, screenwriting, film history, editing, animation & effects, directing, producing or audio for film you'll find a home at the Seattle Film Institute.
Courses are carefully designed so that you can take classes in a specific subject, complete a certificate program in filmmaking, or choose a shorter certificate in a specific area of interest such as film production, documentary, or screenwriting. Class times are arranged on weekday evenings, and weekend days, so students can often take multiple classes in different areas of interest at the same time.
Our new Filmmaking Certificate Program with 540 contact hours of classes gives students the opportunity to earn a certificate at their own pace and allows all those who complete the program access to the Seattle Film Institute internship program. The Master Certificate is similar to the certificate earned by those enrolled in the full-time program.
Request More Info
Ready to Register?
Click Here to download the registration form, or go to the individual description page for the courses, below, where you will be able to sign up on-line.
Privacy Policy:
For those registering for classes, we are committed to respecting your privacy and the security of your personal information and we do not release any information gathered in the enrollment process to any non-Seattle Film Institute entity.
Hands On Filmmaking
The Best Way to Learn
Filmmaking is to Make Films
Testing the Film and Digital cameras: Students operate Digital Video and Arri S 16mm cameras in the Tools of Production course.There’s no better way to become a filmmaker than to make films. In our production classes, students have the opportunity to work in film, digital video and HD. Students work both on individual projects and on crews. And best of all, every production class results in finished work ranging from narrative work to documentaries.
Fundamentals of Filmmaking is the start-off class for the rest of the narrative production program followed by Tools of Production and The Production Project (either film or digital video) and culminating with Editing with Final Cut Pro. For documentary filmmakers, Fundamentals of Filmmaking is followed by Documentary Production.
All production classes are included in the core requirements for the Filmmaking Certificate Program.
Courses have been carefully designed so that you can take courses in a specific area of interest, complete a certificate program in filmmaking or choose a shorter certificate program in a specific area of interest such as film production, documentary, or screenwriting. Class times are arranged so students can take multiple classes in different areas of interest at the same time.
The Filmmaking Certificate Program with 540 contact hours gives students the opportunity to earn a certificate at their own pace and allows all those who complete the program access to the Seattle Film Institute internship program. The Master Certificate is similar in scope to the certificate earned by those enrolled in the full-time 40 week immersion program.
This Certificate Program also allows for a student to choose more specialization than the 40 Week Total Immersion program, while still retaining its breadth of approach.
For more details on the individual Hands on Film, Digital Video, and Documentary classes, check out the descriptions below:
Fundamentals of Filmmaking
Introduction to Film, HD, & Documentary Production
FOF-A: Thursdays, April 19 - June 7, 2012
FOF-B: Thursdays, Oct. 18 - Dec. 13, 2012 (no class 11/22)
Instructor: Tyler Brazil
8 Sessions: 7:00-10:00 PM
Tuition: $545 24 Clock Hrs.
The Fundamentals of Filmmaking is the gateway for all production classes at the Seattle Film Institute.
This class provides students with a practical and comprehensive grounding in film and HD production including lighting, camera, composition and editing. Students have the remarkable opportunity to work in both film and digital video, which provides the crucial foundation for an understanding of the entire production process. Students also receive a hands-on overview of editing with Final Cut Pro. Students complete projects in both digital video and Super-8 Film.
These projects give students experience in the complete production process including scripts and storyboards, shooting, and editing. Class time is devoted to technical knowledge, film analysis, and screening and critiques of student work. This class provides the foundation for the entire spectrum of filmmaking including narrative, documentaries, music videos, business videos, personal and experimental work, and projects for the web. Thus, Fundamentals of Filmmaking can serve as a stand-alone introduction to the basics of film production, or as a required prerequisite for all other production classes at the Seattle Film Institute. Tuition includes the text and use of cameras and editing equipment. Additional film costs and refundable equipment deposit are the responsibility of the student.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
The Tools of Production
Lighting, Camera & Pre-Production for Film, HD, & Documentary
TOP-B: Thursdays, Jan. 5 - Feb. 23, 2012
TOP-A: Thursdays, June 21 - Aug. 9, 2012
TOP-B: Thursdays, Jan. 3 - Feb. 21, 2013
Instructor: Tyler Brazil 8 Sessions - 8 Thursdays – 7:00pm-10:00pm and (plus one optional weekend day session for sunlight shooting demo depending on time of year and weather) Tuition: $545; Lab Fee: $50.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Filmmaking
The Tools of Production provides the fundamental groundwork for both the practical and creative sides of 16mm film and digital video production. During class, students will set up and shoot scenes paying particular attention to the expressive aspects of lighting and camera technique as well as the proper use of equipment and the standardized protocol of crew filmmaking. Students become familiar with both camera operation and professional lighting and audio equipment.
Weekly class sessions cover camera operation for film and digital video cameras, the use of light meters, detailed lighting instruction, and an overview of location audio recording. During the class, students also begin pre-production planning on their projects.
The lab fee covers all film, equipment use and processing costs.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
16mm Film Production & Documentary
Making the 16mm Film Production & Documentary
FMP-B: Thursdays, March 8 - April 26, 2012
FMP-A: Thursdays, Aug. 23 - Oct. 11, 2012
FMP-B: Thursdays, March 7 - April 25, 2013
Instructor: Steven Bradford
Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $545.00 Lab Fee: $215.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
Prerequisite: Tools of Production
Dramatic Film: SFI students on the set of "Big Bogey" a 16mm Film Students in The Film Production Process shoot their own non-sync 16mm film, HD, or Documentary project. The class is divided into groups of 5-7 people. Each group takes full responsibility for their project, and some students may choose to work on more than one. In narrative film, students write scripts, prepare shot lists and storyboards, cast actors, scout and secure locations, and finally shoot their project.
Class sessions also cover budgeting, permit procedures, casting, art direction, and advanced production skills. Students involved in shooting a documentary will deal with each step of the process, from choosing a topic to distribution. The class deals with fundamental techniques involving research, planning, story development, and interview techniques. All footage is carefully analyzed and critiqued in class.
Access to the camera and lighting package, and film and processing costs are included in the lab fee. Other costs associated with production and the refundable equipment deposit are the student’s responsibility.
This course is meant to be taken after the Tools of Production course. Though that course leads directly into The Film Production Process course, students do not have to have taken the Tools of Production course immediately prior to this one in the schedule. It is fine to have taken Tools of Production, or its predecessor course, Hands on Film I, in a past year.
*"Non-sync" means that though there is no dialogue synced with the picture, the film still has full music, sound effects and narration.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
The Digital Video Production Process
The Digital Video Project
Instructor: Chris Julian
8 Sessions: 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $545.00
Lab Fee: $215.00
Prerequisite: Tools of Production (TOP)
Students in Digital Video Production shoot their own digital video film. The class is divided into groups of 5-7 people. Each group takes full responsibility for their projects as they write the scripts, prepare storyboards, cast actors, scout and secure locations, and finally shoot their project. Weekly class sessions cover scripting, shot lists and storyboards, budgeting, location scouting, permit procedures, casting, art direction, and advanced production skills. All footage is carefully analyzed and critiqued in class. Access to the camera and lighting package is included in the lab fee. Other costs associated with production and the refundable equipment deposit are the student's responsibility.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Editing with Final Cut Pro
The Art and Technique of Editing
EFC-A: Saturday, Oct. 20 and Wednesdays, Oct. 24 - Dec. 12, 2012
EFC-B: Saturday, May 4 and Wednesdays, May 8 - June 19, 2013
Instructor: TBA 8 Sessions –One Saturday, 8:00am-5:00pm & 7 Wednesdays,7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $625.00 Lab Fee: $95.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
Editing with Final Cut Pro provides an intensive grounding in operating Final Cut Pro as well as providing a comprehensive framework in editing theory. This class can be taken as a stand-alone introduction to editing and will take a project from raw footage through to the final edit.
Students either edit projects completed in “The Production Process” or other SFI classes, or they may use material provided by the Seattle Film Institute. In addition to picture editing, students work with the basics of audio editing and sound design.
By the end of the class, projects will be completely edited with a full sound track. Students will be provided with a DVD of all work completed during the class. Lab fee covers film/video transfers and access to equipment outside of class hours.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Digital Video Classes
Seattle Film Institute offers the following classes in Digital Video Production:
Introduction to Digital Video Production - 3 wks
Tools of Production - 8 wks
HD Work-flow Explained - 1 Day session
Introduction to Final Cut Pro - 3 wk or 1 day session
Editing With Final Cut Pro - 8 wks
Video for the World Wide Web -- 1 day session
Video for the World Wide Web
Single day Session, 9 AM to 5 PM
Instructor: Krk Nordenstrom -- Tuition: $195
Youtube, Vimeo, Revver, Veoh and a host of other web video sites have made syndicating one’s own content via the internet amazingly simple. This course will cover the basic video formats utilized on the web as well as basic syndication utilities that allow anyone
to post their video on the web.
Documentary Program
During the intensive four part Documentary Program, students work together to produce, direct, and edit a documentary. Every step of the process from choosing a topic to distribution is dealt with.
During pre-production, fundamental techniques involving research, planning, story development, and interview techniques are covered.
Next, students embark on the production phase -- they shoot on location, exercising new skills in camera, lighting, and sound recording techniques.
In post-production students concentrate on both the creative side of editing and the hands-on world of nonlinear editing using Final Cut Pro.
This program thoroughly examines what it takes to get your own documentary off the ground from grant writing to budgeting. By the end of the program, you’ll have a DVD copy of the documentary project produced in class and a set of skills to help you confidently embark on your next project.
Please Note—The Documentary Program consists of the four eight-week classes listed below:
1: Fundamentals of Filmmaking
Click for more enrollment and tuition info
2: The Tools of Production
Click for more enrollment and tuition info
3: Documentary Video Production
Tuition: $545; Lab Fee: $100.00 Instructor: Krk Nordenstrom
In Documentary Video Production, students complete pre-production on their project(s), and shoot their documentary. Each week, students review the footage they have shot and plan the next shoot. The structure of the class takes into account the fluid nature of documentary production and provides a structure for dealing with unanticipated issues. By the end of the class, students have acquired the material that will be edited during the final stage of the program.
Use the button below to enroll:
4: Editing with Final Cut Pro
Click for more enrollment and tuition Info
OR:
Download the Register for classes form
OR:
Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Editing and Post Production
Final Cut Pro Editing Lab: Final Cut Pro Lab using MacsOften called the "invisible art", editing is the unique craft of the filmmaking arts. Our classes encompass all aspects of the post production process, including picture, audio, and visual effects. In our editing lab, students use Apple Macintosh computers with Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro and DVD Studio software to create their programs.
Introduction to Final Cut Pro
FCP-C: Tuesdays, July 24 - Aug. 7, 2012, 7 - 10pm
FCP-D: Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, 8am - 5pm
Instructor: TBA
Tuition: $225 ($200.00 in combination with either The Creative Side of Editing or Introduction to Digital Video)
Final Cut Pro 7 is among the most popular, effective, and accessible of the nonlinear editing programs currently available for those working in digital video. This class covers the specific workings of the editing program. You’ll learn how to deal with basic transitions (hard cuts, dissolves, and wipes), how to trim and change your edits, how to work with audio (together and independent of the visuals), and how to work with titling and basic graphics. This class will give you a general grounding in nonlinear digital editing and in the specifics of Final Cut Pro.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
The Creative Side of Editing
CSE-A: Saturday, April 28, 2012, 10am - 4pm
CSE-B: Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, 10am - 4pm
Instructor: Tim O'Hara
Tuition: $145.00
This intensive one-day seminar focuses on both the art and craft of editing. How do cuts work, both physiologically and emotionally? What makes a good edit, and why? How does editing play into the language of cinema? How do filmmakers utilize and play upon the expectations of their audience? We will study editing aesthetics and theories as well as the practical techniques, approaches and workflows that an editor employs to structure scenes, sequences and entire films. Equal attention is paid to both narrative (fictional) film and documentary film editing styles and methods. Take this course by itself or in conjunction with Introduction to Final Cut Pro and/or Introduction to Digital Video.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Film History
SFI's classes are for filmmakers and film fans alike. Whether you want a sweeping overview from epics to indies, or to examine the works of a single director, we have a course for you.
The Language of Film
LOF3: Tuesdays, Oct. 23 - Dec. 11, 2012
Instructor: Lance Rhoades
8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $295.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
The Language of Film is a course on the fundamentals of film analysis. Individual classes are dedicated to the study of basic elements of film composition (including editing, cinematography, set design, color, and sound) and the ways in which each contributes to a film’s meaning. The course introduces some of the major theories in cinema studies, including recent trends influenced by developments in the way films are produced and distributed. Each class combines lecture, group discussion, and extensive clip analysis.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Great Directors: Werner Herzog
LOF2: Wednesdays, July 11 - Aug. 29, 2012
Instructor: Lance Rhoades 8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $295.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
“The most important filmmaker alive” — François Truffaut
Writer, director, producer and performer Werner Herzog has, throughout his prolific career, explored the furthest reaches of every continent, and the furthest reaches of sanity. He is equally comfortable working in fictional and non-fictional films — and even more so ignoring the distinction. Not surprisingly, the stories behind the making of his films are frequently more astonishing than the films themselves.
This course surveys the style, the ideas, and the motivations of the director of Into the Abyss, Rescue Dawn, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo, Grizzly Man, and many other fascinating films.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Great Directors: Orson Welles
Instructor: Lance Rhoades
8 Sessions: 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $295.00
“A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.”
—Orson Welles
Before his first feature film, Orson Welles made waves in theater and radio with shocking and audacious productions, including a voodoo Macbeth featuring Haitian witch doctors and a Halloween broadcast of War of the Worlds that caused nationwide panic.
Soon afterwards, he took Hollywood by storm by taking on William Randolph Hearst, one of the world’s most powerful media moguls, making in the process what many consider to be the greatest film of all time — Citizen Kane. Although studios would never let him have the same freedom or budget again, Welles continued to make exceptional films, such as The Magnificent Ambersons, The Lady from Shanghai, Othello, Touch of Evil, The Trial, Chimes at Midnight, and F for Fake. Welles also continued to make outrageous but insightful statements about the film industry and about himself. This course is a comprehensive survey of the works and the words of one of cinema’s true giants.
Or phone (206) 568-4387 to enroll by phone.
Film Noir
LOF4: Wednesdays, Jan. 9 - Feb. 27, 2013
Instructor: Lance Rhoades
8 Sessions - 7 - 10pm
Tuition: $295.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
Characterized by shadowy scenes in mysterious and corrupt urban underworlds, where unwitting tough guys fall for devious femme fatales, Film Noir is one of the great American film styles. This course explores the rich history of Film Noir (and the closely related Gangster and Detective Film) from its heyday as B-movie entertainment in the 1940s, through its critical acclaim in the 1950s and 60s, to its resurgence and revision over the last thirty years.
We will discuss several classics, including The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity, and trace the Noir elements found in relatively recent films such as Red Rock West and The Last Seduction.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
How to Get Ahead in Advertising: A Class on “Mad Men”
LOF4: Wednesdays, Jan. 11 – Feb. 29, 2012
Instructor: Lance Rhoades
8 Sessions: 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $295.00
Since the cable television series began in 2007, Mad Men has garnered a devoted following and dozens of awards—and for good reason. Behind all the drinking, smoking, and carousing of the characters, and the slick mid-century modern décor of the fictional advertising agency of Sterling Cooper, lies a well-made, well-written dramatization of the people and machinery behind the shaping and manipulation of consumer culture.
The show also provides glimpses into the political and social climate of the early 1960s, one of the most turbulent and transitional periods in American history. This class, which will take place during the long break between Season Five and the presumed final season, is part appreciation of the show’s design and part investigation into issues that lie beneath.
Or call (206) 568-4387 to enroll by phone.
Romantic Comedy
LOF1: Wednesdays, April 11 - May 30, 2012
Instructor: Lance Rhoades
8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $295.00 - 24 Clock Hrs.
Welcome in spring — or at least the anticipation of it — with love and laughter in the movies! They are silly, formulaic, and unrealistic. They are also among the most enduring and beloved films in any genre. No matter the label or the type: boy meets girl, screwball, chick flicks, bromance, or mumblecore, RomCom is about guilty pleasure and innocent fun.
So what lies deeper? This course is a study in the language of cinematic romance and the meanings it carries.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Documentary Film - A History
Instructor: Lance Rhoades 8 Sessions: 7:00-10:00pm Tuition: $295.00 
More than any other type of film, documentary aims to deliver reality in a raw, direct manner—to expose and inform more than to create. Documentaries can range from ordinary slices of life to the exotic, from education to propaganda, and from glossy productions to gritty DIY assemblages of found footage. Many challenge the very meaning of documenting. This course offers an introduction to various trends in documentary filmmaking, seen through a sampling of its long history and tremendous diversity, from the earliest days of cinema to the age of video.
Or call (206) 568-4387 to sign up by phone.
On Site Video Training
SFI can tailor an on site class in video production to meet your organization's needs in everything from digital video editing, to camera and lighting, to web delivery / media compression, and beyond.
Our instructors have designed and taught courses for many different student levels, including corporate, government and non-profit arenas. We can custom deliver production courses for one to a dozen, at your site or our facility.
An exciting new offering are our team building workshops.
These sessions are for anyone in your organization--no prior video experience required. Participants work together to create their own video from scratch in just one day. This fun activity builds teams and creates connections across departments, giving employees a chance to get to know each other in a novel way. It is ideal for annual retreat activities. Our instructors have already guided hundreds of people through this exciting new team building exercise.
Call for more details: (206) 568-4387
Or email info@seattlefilminstitute.com
Screenwriting
"With a good script,
a good director can produce a masterpiece; with the same script a medicore director can make a passable film. But with a bad script, even a good director can't possibly make a good film."
-- Akira Kuroswa, Writer: Roshomon, The Seven Samurai, Ran.
It's no exaggeration to say that the script is at the heart of every emotional, creative, and practical decision that's made in the filmmaking process. An understanding of screenwriting is crucial to the filmmaking experience, no matter where a student's career ultimately goes.
Nuts and Bolts of Screenwriting
Screenwriting I
SCN1-A: Mondays, April 23 - June 18, 2012 (no class 5/28) SCN1-B: Mondays, Oct. 29 - Dec. 17, 2012
Instructor: David Trees
8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm Tuition: $545.00
24 Clock Hrs.
Nuts and Bolts of Screenwriting lays the groundwork for screenplay writing by providing students with a total immersion in script structure and the craft of writing for the screen. The class will read, view, and discuss four feature-length screenplays. As we examine scripts of vastly different styles, students will begin work on their own feature-length ideas, exploring the concept and creating the foundation for a story. This class offers an in-depth study of creating characters for the screen and students will write short descriptive biographies of their own story’s characters. Tuition includes access to the scripts used in class. The first course in a four course sequence in which students can finish a complete feature length screenplay.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Structure and Process of Screenwriting
Screenwriting II
SCN2-B: Tues Jan. 3, then Mondays Jan 9 - Feb 20
SCN2-A: Mondays June 25 - Aug. 20, 2012 (no class 7/2)
SCN2-B: Mondays Jan. 7 - March 4, 2013 (no class 2/18)
Instructor: David Trees 8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $545.00 24 Clock Hrs.
Prerequisite: Nuts & Bolts of Screenwriting
In Structure and Process, students develop the basic storyline for their screenplay while receiving further in-depth instruction in screenwriting and story structure. Topics covered during this class include creating story, structuring the plot and subplots, plot points, ingredients to construct effective opening pages, and detailed instruction on how to build dramatic scenes.
By the end of the 8-week session, students will have completed their story outline and will have finished writing the first act of their screenplay. Second of a four course sequence.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Screenwriting: Creating the First Feature-Length Draft
Screenwriting III
SCN3-A: Mondays, Aug. 27 - Oct. 22, 2012 (no class 9/3)
SCN3-B: Mondays, March 11 - April 29, 2013
Instructor: David Trees 8 Sessions - 7 - 10pm Tuition: $545.00 24 Clock Hrs.
Prerequisite: Structure & Process of Screenwriting - II
In Creating the First Draft, students finish writing their screenplays from Screenwriting II. This course deals with the overall structure of screenplays from the individual scene to the rhythms of the complete piece. In addition, several classes will focus on effective dialogue, humor, and adding suspense and “twists” to the story.
Class time includes reading student work, viewing and analyzing scenes on video, lecture and plenty of discussion and analysis. Students are expected to complete an entire draft of their script by the end of the class.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Rewriting & the Business of Screenwriting
Screenwriting IV
SCN4-B: Mondays, May 7 - July 2, 2012 (no class 5/28)
SCN4-A: Mondays, Oct. 29 - Dec. 17, 2012
Instructor: Staff 8 Sessions - 7:00-10:00pm
Tuition: $545.00 24 Clock Hrs.
The act of Rewriting is an absolutely critical part of the overall writing process. Students engage in the rigorous process of creating a second draft as they reach a new plateau in terms of skill and ability. Class time is devoted to detailed analysis of student work and the issues involved in creating and sustaining professional caliber work.
This class also deals with the Business of Screenwriting. Students focus on developing an overall strategy for the sale of a screenplay from registering a script to finding an agent. They also develop script treatments, beat sheets, proposal letters, and pitch story ideas.
Fourth course in a four course sequence in which students can finish a complete feature length screenplay.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Seminars
Seminars are shorter courses that focus on one specific aspect of film production or business. Usually just one session led by an industry expert, and conducted either on a weekend, or as an evening session.
Intro to 3D Video Production
One Day Workshop
Instructor: Steven Bradford Tuition: $145 
3-D isn't just for big budget action pictures. In this class we'll learn techniques for making simple 3-D videos using your own home gear, get some hands on time with specialized 3-D Video cameras, and learn how to edit and view 3-D videos -- even how to put them up on YouTube. Steve Bradford, who first started shooting 3-D video professionally twenty years ago, and has done stereo 3-S camera work for clients ranging from KISS to NASA, will teach the course.
Introduction to Digital Video
DVI-B: Tuesdays, June 12 - 26, 2012, 7 - 10pm Instructor: Tyler Brazil 3 Sessions; 7-10pm Tuition: $195
Introduction to Digital Video
gives you everything you need to know to get started shooting in the world of digital video production, with an emphasis on the small HD formats. Learn what the buttons and knobs on your camcorder do, and how to use manual functions (iris, focus, shutter, white balance), and when to use auto functions to shoot like a pro. This “hands-on” workshop covers the fundamentals of digital video camera operation and composition, simple stabilization handheld techniques, and how to use external microphones to get better sound. In addition it will cover basic strategies and techniques in lighting. If you have your own digital video camera or DSLR, please bring it to the workshop (optional).
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
The HD Workflow Explained
One Day Workshop
Instructor: Krk Nordenstrom
Tuition: $195
High Definition Video is rapidly overtaking film origination in high end production as the cost of acquisition and editing gear decreases. Yet the landscape of HD video is a quagmire of file formats, compression schemes and acquisition methods. This workshop will explore the myriad formats of HD video, allowing filmmakers to make educated and cost effective choices regarding acquisition and delivery methods when shooting and finishing in HD.
OR:
Download the Register for classes form
OR:
Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Sound Recording and Audio Design
Sound forms a backbone that supports a film from beginning to end, knitting it together, smoothing over rough spots and enhancing moods. Sound is probably the most economical path to making a film feel fully textured and alive. Investigate our latest sound courses!
Introduction to Audio Post Production
Mike and sound software gui
APP-B: Wednesdays, Oct. 26 – Dec. 7, 2011, 7-10pm
Instructor: Dennis Schweitzer
Tuition: $545
This class is designed to give the student a comprehensive introduction to the captivating world of audio post production.
The class will begin with setting up a proper timeline for an audio project, information about track grouping and separation, and how to apply effects and third-party plug-ins. The class will reveal how clever editing and track layering can resolve many issues without the latest, fanciest version of Pro Tools. After completing an edit and mix, the class will then look into other editing platforms such as Sony Vegas, Adobe Audition, and Final Cut Pro, and discuss individual advantages and disadvantages of each. Additionally, students will be instructed in recording, editing, and mixing Foley effects, as well as ADR.
Introduction to On-Location Sound Recording
Sound Recording Boot Camp
SRD-B: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, 9am-5pm
Instructor: Dennis Schweitzer
Tuition: $195
This one-day class covers the basic aspects of recording quality sound on location.
It will start with an overview of several different types of microphones, such as wireless and shotgun microphones with different pick-up patterns for different applications. The workshop will look at recording capabilities of various digital cameras, such as the Panasonic HVX200 and the Canon EOS 5D, and discuss several types of audio set-ups. The class will cover the use of field mixers such as the Sound Devices 442 for control of levels, monitoring, phantom power, and recording multiple channels. In addition, techniques will be explored for placing wireless microphones onto actors and avoiding unwanted background noise.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
The Art of Directing
Working with Actors
DIR-A: Tuesdays, April 24 - June 12, 2012 DIR-B: Tuesdays, Oct. 23 - Dec. 11, 2012 8 Sessions 7 - 10pm Instructors: Staff Tuition: $545
The Art of Directing concentrates on two crucial areas of the directing process — working with actors and the technical aspects of blocking the action on the set. The first four sessions concentrate on the relationship between the actor and director. How does a director handle casting? What tools does a director need to communicate effectively? How does a director work with actors to achieve or obtain the desired emotion or dramatic action? This part of the class focuses on the tools and methods that allow a director to work with actors to bring a script to life. The next four sessions approach the issue of directing from the perspective of a director who is working with actors to obtain powerful performances and at the same time dealing with an incredibly long list of issues that can intrude on an actors’ comfort level — lighting, set design, lens selection, and the reality that the film is shot out of chronological order. Directing is a complex craft and the combined perspective of Stephanie Shine and Alec Carlin provide a set of tools so students can successfully take on the challenge.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Producing
The Evolution and Flow of Production
PRD-A: Wednesdays, April 25 - June 13, 2012
PRD-B: Wednesdays, Oct. 24 - Dec. 12, 2012
8 Sessions 7 - 10pm
Instructor: Staff
Tuition: $545.00
You have a great idea. Or a great script. It could be a great movie, only . . . how the heck do you get it made? And then, what do you do with it? This intensive 8-session seminar will answer those questions by providing a nuts-and-bolts “how to” on producing a film, from A to Z. The course focuses on producing independent features and shorts in both the narrative and documentary genres (with an overview of television production as well). The emphasis is on how to get your project made quickly and inexpensively, but with high production values that will give your film a chance to succeed in a very competitive marketplace. Each 3-hour class will cover one essential aspect of successful production: development; funding; rights and licensing; budgeting/accounting; pre-production, principal photography, post-production; and marketing. You will learn, from a Hollywood insider who has produced independent features, documentaries, and hundreds of hours of television programming, the “tricks of the trade,” including how to make a movie that looks like it was made for several million for less than $600K; how to reel in top-level talent to headline a low-budget feature, and working the film festival circuit and other ways to achieve distribution and revenue. Participants in the seminar will be provided with templates for all the essential production documents, including budgets, production schedules, contracts, legal forms, business plans, online and printed resources, and much, much more. The course is geared to aspiring producers as well as directors and writers who want to learn how to take their project from an idea to a finished product.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Animation and Effects
Seattle Film Institute offers classes in 3-D digital animation featuring Maya and also provides classes in After Effects.
Intermediate After Effects
After Effects Two Day Workshop
IAFX-A: Tuesdays, April 24 - May 1, 2012, 7 - 10pm
IAFX-B: Tuesdays, Nov. 13 - 20, 2012, 7 - 10pm
Instructor: Denise Weir Tuition: $225
$50 discount available for SFI alumni and current students! Call 206 568 4387 for details.
Adobe After Effects is the industry standard for motion graphics for video and film. Students will learn the basics of animating and adding effects to to video and graphical elements, to create sophisticated motion and title effects.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Introduction to After Effects
After Effects One Day Workshop
AFX-A: Saturday, April 21, 2012, 9am-5pm AFX-B: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, 9am-5pm Instructor: Denise Weir Tuition: $195
Adobe After Effects is the industry standard for motion graphics for video and film. Students will be introduced to the user interface and basic tool set in addition to learning the basics of animating and adding effects to to video and graphical elements, to create sophisticated motion and title effects.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
3-D Digital Animation I
Introduction to Maya
DAN1-A: Tuesdays, April 24 - June 12, 2012
DAN1-B: Tuesdays, Oct. 23 - Dec. 11, 2012
8 Sessions; 7-10pm
Instructor Denise Weir
Tuition: $895
Maya is one of the most widely used 3-D animation programs in the world. This course is an introduction to using Maya software or creating digital 3-D animations. Students are taught basic techniques in modeling, shading and texturing, and in 3-D lighting and camera setups. Each student will produce a 3-D animation short by the end of the class session.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
3-D Digital Animation II
DAN2-A Tuesdays, July 10 - Aug. 28, 2012
DAN2-B Tuesdays, Jan. 8 - Feb. 26, 2013
8 Sessions, 7 - 10pm
Instructor: Denise Weir
Tuition: $895
Prerequisite: 3-D Digital Animation
This class focuses on more advanced animation, modeling and optimization features. A continuation of 3-D Digital Animation I, this course covers more advance 3-D techniques using Maya software. Rigging models, working with deformers and morphs, animating walk cycles, and advanced texturing will be introduced. Students will work individually and in teams to create 3-D animation shorts .
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387
Intro to Green Screen Compositing
One Day Workshop
Instructor: Steven Bradford
Tuition: $145
Most editing programs now make it easy for anyone to composite one image behind another image shot against a green screen or blue screen. In this class, student will learn how to build and light a green screen, and the best techniques for achieving a believable composite. We'll cover everything from what paints and fabrics to use, to how to make shadows fall on virtual objects convincingly.
OR: Download the Register for classes form
OR: Register by phone: (206) 568-4387