Cinematographer's Preparation
Jim Denault, ASC
Lessons
Class Introduction
06:20 2What Are the Basics to Know?
28:35 3Prepare to Get the Job
39:18 4How to Do the Meeting
14:32 5After You Get the Job: Talk to the Line Producer
08:46 6Create Style Concepts & Break Down the Script
23:55 7Learn the Director's Priorities
15:01 8Essential Documents
12:06Class Description
Cinematographers need to do more than simply, “show up and shoot.” Preparing to film is a complex, considered, and artistic task and Cinematographer's Preparation with Jim Denault, ASC will teach you how to strategize and achieve the most creative, productive shoot possible.
Most filmmakers are in the dark about what cinematographic preparation truly entails. This class will give you with a step-by-step guide to preparing to shoot a whole range of narrative material – from the simplest moments to the most complex series of scenes. Jim will show how to break-down and analyze a script from an aesthetic, technical, and practical point-of-view.
You’ll learn how to:
- Analyze a script aesthetically and technically
- Evaluate and provide for the practical needs of a scene
- Achieve maximum subjective effect within your shooting "strategy"
- You’ll learn precise, effective, artistic, and technical approaches to shooting, which can be applied across all forms of filmmaking and length of material.
Working cinematographers, camera operators, and filmmakers will develop new skills for efficiently and beautifully conveying the artistic essence of their material.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Zuhair Lokhandwala
Great class! Highly recommend to those starting out who are unclear about the process of getting the first job, meeting the director and keeping things organized so you feel more in control and have good clarity when you're at the shoot finally Thank you Jim!
Ludovic
This class is perfect for anyone who does not have years of experience as cinematographer ; it teaches everything a DP should do in pre-production, and is often not taught in film schools ! I'm freshly graduated and thus I don't have that much experience of pre-prod as DP, but this gave me everything I needed to know. It's also one of the few class of the genre online, and it's a fantastic one, thank you so much !
Christopher Lamb
There is nothing more valuable than learning from people that continue to work in their field. This course is priceless. To get into the processes and thoughts of a successful working Cinematographer -- there aren't words. Everyday I'm on set I think about the necessity of mentorship and this is the closest thing to that. Thank You Jim for agreeing to share your processes and techniques and to Mentor us in this digital age. Thank you CreativeLive for hosting this class and making it available.
Student Work
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