The Workshops
For Students:
Virtual and Augmented Reality
With Brave Williams
Create experiences that aren’t quite real, but sure look it. Virtual reality and augmented reality are cutting edge approaches in the digital media world, and New England School of Communications instructor Brave Williams will run you through the basics.
Photographing People
With Kaitlin Mullen
Work with real models to learn the ins and outs of taking pictures of people. Kaitlin is a pro at lifestyle photography and you’ll learn how to put your subjects at ease and overcome your own anxiety as well. You'll be shooting for much of this session, so come ready to learn and shoot!
Video 101
With Jack Rohner
Get shooting! You don’t need fancy gear to start producing the kind of films and videos that make the world notice, and Jack Rohner will show you how to capture the action in a way that will hook your audiences, whether it’s with a smartphone or video camera. You’ll get some slick moves down just in time to craft your entry for the Maine Student Film & Video Festival!
GoPro Filmmaking
With david martinez
GoPros are the ultimate film tool - they fit anywhere, they’re perfect for on-the-move scenes and they can take the action. Learn how to shoot creative action shots with a professional filmmaker who knows how to put these mighty little cameras to use.
Steadicam 101
With steve vachon
Float your camera smoothly through a crowd or glide along with the action as your film takes shape. Steve is a pro with a Steadicam, and you’ll not only get a chance to try it out, you’ll also see what our mini-Steadicams look like with your smartphone. You’ll leave this session ready to say goodbye to shaky footage.
From the Field
With Shannon Moss
Learn how news reporters work on location, and get some experience telling stories in front of the camera. You’ll work in teams to tell “real-life” stories for a television audience in this fun, action-packed session that’ll give you the hands on experience to build confidence and wow your audience with plenty of pro advice from Shannon!
Recording Audio
With NESCom Staff
Get some studio time with audio experts from the New England School of Communications. Learn where to place mics for music and film, and get a handle on coming up with sound experiences that will take your work to the next level.
Telling Stories in Sound
With Lucy soucek
Learn how to make your audio story come alive! We will explore how to produce descriptive audio stories using everyday soundscapes as our playground. Learn brainstorming, recording and editing techniques along the way and leave with your own project to go!
Your First Film
With peter logue
Got an idea for a short film? Or maybe you want an idea and some tips to get started? Maine filmmaker Peter Logue will show you how to get your project up and running, and show you the ropes of working with actors and directing. Then you’ll get your hands on cameras as you learn to shoot the first scene of your story.
Editing 101 with Adobe Premiere CC
With Rebecca Conley
Get the basics of editing with pro-level software. Whether you find free software online or go with a more sophisticated option, this session will get you rolling in moving your work from camera to screen.
The Art of the Kill
With Corey Norman
You’ll learn how to dissect several famous kills from popular horror films, and then build shots to help "sell" the kills on screen, before re-creating a kill or two in our session. Don’t wear your best clothes for this session - lots of fake blood around!
Light It Up!
With Nick Woodward
Be the master of light and darkness - without using magic! Proper lighting can help tell your story, guide what catches the viewer’s attention and set a mood. You’ll use some very affordable gear to get started and you might even leave with a lighting setup of your own!
Grip 101
With Jack Rohner
What's a C-stand and why is it so important? How can we use it safely and to help us spark creativity while making money? Learn the basics of being useful, efficient, and staying out of trouble on set - just the kind of skills to make new friends and a buck or two!
Location Sound for Film/TV
With Justin LaCroix
Capture quality sound for video through location planning, boom operating and recording techniques. We will be using boom mics to follow dialogue in a reality scenario and also learn how to hide a lavalier mic properly. Syncing sound with video and set etiquette will also be discussed.
Advanced Editing
With Rebecca Conley
Already got some editing experience with Adobe Premiere? Maine Public pro Rebecca will show you how to get to the next level in this session for students with experience. Learn masking, color adjusting and much more! Experience required.
Live Truck Production
With Nick Godfrey
Learn about live TV production from Maine Public’s remote truck, the headquarters for that brain-testing show, High School Quiz Show: Maine. We’ll talk about live events from setting up the equipment to going over what it’s like during a live production inside the truck.
Shoot That Story!
With Kylee Hamm and Nevaeh Schuchardt
These two student film producers will lead you on a journey to telling stories through video. Whether you’re interested in short films or journalism, Kylee and Nevaeh will show you how to use any camera to frame compelling shots and win over audiences!
Making the Camera Work for You
With Brett Plymale
Learn how camera movements can create the feel and set the tone of your cinematic and documentary projects. We’ll be using a dolly, slider and jib to capture directed scenes as well as learning effective handheld techniques for getting the most out of a live action setting.
Shooting With Drones for TV and the Web
With Brian Bechard
Get the basics of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle laws and best practices for using aerial systems for photography and video. You'll review some drone reels and learn how different techniques impact the viewer. Some students will get a hands on experience with a drone, including piloting a brief flight and recording footage.
Get Started with Screenwriting
With Corey Norman
It’s all about the writing! Sure, cameras, lights, and audio is essential, but you wouldn’t get far without a well crafted story. Corey Norman is the director, writer, producer, editor, and oh yeah, founder of Bonfire Films. He has produced music videos, scripted award winning horror films, and his work has screened around the country. You’ll get the chance to workshop your story idea and leave ready to start producing the script for your latest film!
2D Digital Animation
With Brandon Soards
Learn how to use Adobe Animate and alternative free software to create animations akin to classic Disney and Studio Ghibli films. Students will create frame-by-frame animations and learn the once secretive technique known as rotoscoping.
Inspiration to Interview: Producing the Documentary
With Erin Murphy
Students will learn how to find a potential documentary subject, plan and schedule an interview, and how to shoot that interview. Students will practice using cameras, working with natural light, and recording sound.
Motion Graphics with After Effects
With Rebecca Conley
Adobe’s After Effects motion graphics software is the next step once you’ve got the basic of editing down, and you’ll learn how to make type, images and graphics come to life for the opening credits of that next film project you’ve got planned.
Podcasting 101
With Jon Graham
Join technical wiz and podcasting expert Jon Graham to create a short podcast! This fun series will explore what a podcast is, how to tell a story with sound, how to conduct an interview, how to use interesting sound recording equipment, and how sound editing works.
One Camera, One Location
With Kris Bridges
Learn the basics of filming the single camera scene. We’ll use a green screen, lights and one camera - along with some great acting by our participants - to tell a story in one shot. Learn how to turn a simple scene into something out of this world, and maybe, leave with a green screen of your own!
3D Animation
With Brandon Soards
Learn the basics of 3D Animation using Cinema4D, most known for its use in broadcast motion graphics such as with Fox, CBS, BBC and Marvel. Students will get a crash course in basic modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering. They can then apply these same concepts to free alternative software for their at-home projects.
Stop Motion Animation
With Brandon Soards
Tell stories and craft animations frame-by-frame with this film technique that creates captivating motion from individual moments. Forget about getting bogged down with gear - you can tell your story with minimal equipment and a lot of creativity.
For Educators:
Ideas for the Digital Media Classroom
With TBA
Whether you’re just starting a video production program or you’re an experienced educator, this session is designed to provide you with a variety of video based projects and ideas that you can use in your own classroom. We’ll talk about project ideas, lesson plans, resources for royalty free audio, unique (and inexpensive) equipment as well as tips and tricks. We’ll talk about how we can expand student video journalism opportunities in Maine.
Responding to Student Films
With Corey Norman
In the field of video production, teachers must assess their students on not only the technical side of video production, but only on the creative side as well. This workshop will explore a variety of rubrics to better help educators clearly define the perimeters for a successful project.
Video Production in the Classroom
With Steve vachon
Steve Vachon is a video production instructor at Husson University’s New England School of Communications. He’ll host a working conversation about teaching with multimedia, sharing project ideas, approaches to engaging students, and helping them revise their work so they get to the next level.