This year, PALC students can choose to enroll in Drama 12: Film and Television (DFT 12). Students will learn many new skills, beginning with a review of film making techniques in order to better understand the structure and expression of ideas in a drama. From how a shot affects us emotionally to how actors test for a new role, DFT 12 provides interesting, topical, and important experiences to students. Students will watch a number of films during this course in order to better learn how film communicates  to an audience.

For example, the class will learn how storyboards are used to specify all the shots that are needed in a scene using storyboards used to film the crop dusting scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s film, North by Northwest. Students will then try storyboarding a simple scene themselves. Throughout the course, students will have a chance to see some of the best work in film and television on screen, in class, with opportunities for critical discussion of film techniques and dramatic ideas.

Group work will be a key component of the course, for discussion and reaction to the presentation of ideas in film and television and for working together on a final project. After learning the “grammar” of film, students will work together on ideas for a short production shot on digital video.

 A student blog will provide a place for interaction among the class and both teacher and student comment on course materials and projects.

The course will meet weekly on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Pearson Adult Learning Centre, beginning in September and ending in June of 2012 (a full year course).

If you are interested in enrolling, come to a registration (or re-registration if you are a former student) session this September. Check registration information here.