Adventure Filmmakers’ Seminar 2006
Thursday, November 2, to Wednesday, November 8
Overview
Two days of intense and interactive seminars with our seminar leaders Richard Else and Keith Partridge (along with cameo appearances by special guests) lead into the two days of the festival weekend. Attendance at the festival is an integral and mandatory part of this program, in order to provide examples and content for group discussion and exploration. As the festival comes to a close, participants have three more days to work on their own projects, with our resource people constantly available to consult and brainstorm with you at critical points in development.
Photos: top — Richard Else, Durham Media Academy; middle and bottom — Keith Partridge
Detailed Schedule
Thursday, November 2
Morning Session
Introduction to course
Session 1 — Anatomy of success
An examination of previously completed and broadcast films: their production history, strengths and weaknesses. What can we learn from them and how might they shape our own future work?
An opportunity to analyse a small number of broadcast program to see what made them successful. Whilst the emphasis will be on structure; story telling, acquisition and post production, in some instances we’ll have an insight into how they were pitched and sold to broadcasters.
Afternoon Session
Session 2 — The Perfect Pitch, Part 1: Four examples for course participants to work on
Is there such a thing as the perfect pitch? What are the qualities of the best pitches you’ve seen (or done!) How do you gain and hold commissioners’ interest and work successfully with co-production partners? How is the commissioning process evolving?
This will be a practical session where we’ll also be asking participants to either adopt one of our four stories or to offer one of their own, work on it overnight and pitch it to the group tomorrow.
Additionally we’ll be discussing what materials are most useful in supporting a pitch and how you turn “interest” into that elusive “firm offer” for your next project.
Friday, November 3
Morning Session
Session 3 — The Perfect Pitch, Part 2: Pitching to the group — editorial and presentation skills
Hone your pitching skills through the experience of pitching to the group. We’ll provide real-time feedback on how to make the most of the pitch; what elements of the story to highlight; on the strengths and weaknesses of the project as presented; and on the call to action that clinches the deal.
Afternoon Session
Workshop 1 — A chance for participants to undertake development work on their own project and receive feedback from the course resource people
In an industry that is concerned with communication, many of us have to work in isolation — often not sure if we are maximising the successful potential of our project. This is an opportunity for course participants to discuss, in confidence, their own work and receive feedback on specific examples of it. These sessions can be based around any aspect of the production process on your next project, e.g., story development, structure, acquisition, and post production elements.
Saturday, November 4
Banff Mountain Film Festival: an opportunity to view, examine, and analyze a broad range of adventure films, and to network with filmmakers, film festival directors, distributors and broadcasters.
Sunday, November 5
Banff Mountain Film Festival continued.
Monday, November 6
Morning Session
Session 4 — Acquisition: Getting the best out of the technology and making the most of what you’ve got
Both Keith Partridge and Richard Else are key players in developing and implementing a variety of new technologies in broadcast production. They will present an overview of the available technologies with an emphasis on low-cost but high-quality solutions for acquisition. With no sign of a slow-down in these technologies, we’ll highlight the advantages they offer but also give some cautionary advice about the pitfalls. Course participants are invited to bring examples of their own work to this session
Afternoon Session
Workshop 2 — A chance for participants to work on their own projects in consultation with our resource people
A further opportunity for course participants to discuss and develop aspects of their own work — with a chance to build upon earlier advice and upon lessons learned from films shown during the Mountain Film Festival.
Tuesday, November 7
Morning Session
Session 5 — Structure, script, narration, and powerful story telling
It can be argued that these elements are the Holy Grail of successful program making. Yet while we can often recognise such elements in other people’s work, how do we continually improve them in our own work and choose the techniques appropriate for any particular project? Using examples of previous films from the Banff Festival together with participants’ own work, we’ll analyse what turns a good film into an award-winning one.
Afternoon Session
Workshop 3 — A chance for participants to work on their own projects in consultation with the group
It is envisaged that this final workshop session will involve a number of specific case studies based on course participants’ own experience.
Whether you’ve struggled to achieve the perfect dub or wanted to know how to improve the feel of your images, this session will allow you to gain from everyone’s experience and share your own.
Wednesday, November 8
Morning Session
Session 6 — Post Production: an analysis of the suite of solutions that is available and how to use them for maximum effect
The post production process has been transformed by the arrival of desktop editing systems — perhaps most importantly, but not limited to, Apple’s Final Cut Studio. Today individual program makers can not only cut their films but finish them with dubbing, effects, graphics, and grading packages that only a few years ago were the preserve of high end facilities houses and producers with large budgets. We’ll be investigating the skills needed to get the most out of these packages.
Afternoon Session
Session 7 — Open session: a summing up of the course and strategies for success
An opportunity to review the main elements of the course and how to translate these into more successful program making. A review of the opportunities now available to experienced adventure filmmakers and how to capitalise on them.
Just the FAQs!
| What? | The adventure filmmakers’ seminar at the Banff Mountain Film Festival |
| Who? | Resource people are network and distribution decision-makers and successful independent filmmakers. The sessions are designed for filmmakers, directors, and producers. |
| When? | November 2 – 8, 2006 |
| Where? | TransCanada PipeLine Pavilion, The Banff Centre |
| How Many? | A maximum of 35 participants |
| How Much? | For the 7-day program, $1300 single room, $1100 shared room (Canadian funds). This fee includes all sessions, meals (from breakfast on November 2 to dinner on November 8) and accommodation (arriving November 1 and departing November 9), plus Banff Mountain Film Festival pass. All seminar participants are invited to the Festival Opening Reception and the Festival Wrap Party. Special rates apply for 2006 Banff Mountain Film Festival finalists — see the registration form for details. |