In this hands-on workshop students learn the skills they need to set up and operate Sony’s super35mm 4K camcorders such as the PMW-F55, PMW-F5, PXW-FS7, and PXW-FS5. This course is also an introduction to post-production workflows, archiving, and basic color grading techniques for Sony RAW and S-LOG.

Designed for current and prospective owner/operators of Sony 4K camcorders, the course includes both classroom instruction and myriad opportunities for hands-on experience in real-world shooting scenarios.

This is an ideal course for owner/operators, corporate production staff, freelancers, government/military personnel, and anyone who wears multiple hats in the production of high-end video. Emphasis is on developing an understanding of shooting modes, camera operation, cinematic depth of field, recording formats, lens choices, menu options, scene file creation, working with S-LOG & RAW, exposure techniques, white balancing, methods of focusing, audio recording, high-speed slow-motion, time-lapse, and other essential production techniques.

By the end of the week students will have gained comprehensive knowledge of Sony’s 4K camcorders and the confidence to operate these powerful cameras in a variety of production scenarios. In this workshop, students will also learn how to properly set up and operate tripods, sliders, and basic lighting and grip equipment. Note: Students are encouraged to bring their own camcorder and support gear if they choose, but it is not a requirement of the course.

Instructor: Doug Jensen

About Maine Media Workshops:
MMW is an international non-profit educational organization offering year-round workshops for photographers, filmmakers, and media artists. For over 35 years, students from across the country and around the world have been traveling to the harbor village of Rockport, Maine to attend courses at all levels, from absolute beginner and serious amateur to working professional. The school's curriculum honors historical forms and practices of image making while embracing new technologies and modes of creative expression. The MMW offers over 400 workshops and master classes in the fields of photography, filmmaking, and multimedia. Each year it attracts over 2,000 students, from professionals to beginners. Workshops range in length from a single weekend to a seven-week work-study program and a 12-week summer residency.

To sign up for this course, please do so directly with Maine Media Workshops.

This 6-day course is offered by Maine Media Workshops located in scenic Rockport, Maine. Unlike our camcorder-specific workshops, this unique course addresses the creative and the technical elements required for producing successful broadcast-quality training and promotional videos. It is ideal for the video professional who wants to be involved in all stages of the production process.

High-speed broadband Internet and affordable DVD/Blu-ray distribution have revolutionized how video can be used as a sales and training tool for today’s businesses. Utilizing the latest HD digital technology, tapeless XDCAM workflows and traditional production techniques, students learn how to efficiently create highly effective scripted broadcast-quality videos with minimal crew and affordable equipment.

The instructor for this course is director/cameraman Doug Jensen of Vortex Media who has written and produced literally hundreds of training and promotional videos for dozens of clients during is 33-year career. Topics covered include script writing, pre-production preparations, crew management, camera technology and operation, working with teleprompters, directing both professional and amateur talent, audio recording, basic lighting, post-production, and general advice on running a successful independent video production company.

Because this workshop addresses both the creative and technical elements required for producing successful broadcast-quality training and promotional videos, it is idealy suited for independent producers, corporate multimedia staffers, ENG/EFP professionals and event videographers who want to take advantage of this rapidly expanding sector of the production industry. The course combines formal classroom lectures with practical hands-on fieldwork as students get experience working in many production roles as the class works together to produce at least one entire instructional video from beginning to end.

Major Topics covered:

• The differences between training and promotional videos
• Elements of excellent videos
• Defining the video’s objectives
• Script formatting and content
• Finalizing a “shooting” script
• Script formatting and organization
• Evaluating your resources:  equipment, crew, budget, deadline
• Pre-production planning and scheduling
• Managing the production
• Hiring and working with professional talent
• Directing non-professional talent
• Choosing locations and other logistical considerations
• Camera and audio equipment selection
• Advantages throughout the workflow of XDCAM tapeless acquisition
• Camera prep, menu settings, and basic camcorder operation
• Setting exposure, focus, white balance, and other functions
• Mic selection, the pros & cons of mixers, and audio recording
• Basic lighting for interviews and head-shots
• The use of teleprompters, ear prompters, and other production tools
• Voice-over narration recording techniques
• Shooting tips and techniques that will save time in post
• Preparing for the edit
• Ingesting raw footage into the NLE
• Backing-up, archiving, and managing the raw footage
• Creating an FCP Project and setting up the Sequences
• Output/delivery considerations before post production begins
• Acquiring other elements:  Music, graphics, animation
• Advanced post-production workflow techniques for speed and efficiency
• Finalizing the production and getting approvals
• Exporting/compressing the finished video
• Archiving the project files for future use

Highlights from the 2012 course:

Instructor: Doug Jensen

About Maine Media Workshops:
MMW is an international non-profit educational organization offering year-round workshops for photographers, filmmakers, and media artists. For over 35 years, students from across the country and around the world have been traveling to the harbor village of Rockport, Maine to attend courses at all levels, from absolute beginner and serious amateur to working professional. The school's curriculum honors historical forms and practices of image making while embracing new technologies and modes of creative expression. The MMW offers over 400 workshops and master classes in the fields of photography, filmmaking, and multimedia. Each year it attracts over 2,000 students, from professionals to beginners. Workshops range in length from a single weekend to a seven-week work-study program and a 12-week summer residency.

To sign up for this course, please do so directly with Maine Media Workshops.

The production of corporate videos, documentaries, and TV news programs almost always requires the shooting of interviews and/or talking heads. This workshop is for camera operators, directors, and producers who are ready to move beyond simply illuminating their subjects -- and want to take their lighting and shooting skills to a higher level. The emphasis in this course is on using small crews (1-2 people) with minimal equipment to shoot interviews that have a high-end, news-magazine style.

This course is taught by Doug Jensen, a veteran freelance cameraman with over 33 years of experience shooting for most of the major network news magazine television programs, many reality shows, dozens of documentaries, and hundreds of corporate videos. Although the focus of this workshop is on interior setups, it also covers a variety of exterior and mixed lighting situations. Through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, students learn to use many different lighting techniques including using natural light, tungsten lights, fluorescent lights, and state-of-the art LED lights.

According to Doug, “Shooting great-looking interviews and head-shots requires much more than just using old-fashioned 3-point lighting techniques.” And with that philosophy in mind, this course thoroughly covers: choosing the best interview locations, dressing the set, how to determine the most effective camera and interviewee placement, creating a balanced composition, selecting an appropriate microphone, hiding microphones, using audio mixers, tips and tricks for obtaining shallow depth-of-field, slow zooming for dramatic effect, applying make-up, using lens filters, improving skin tones via creative white balance, how to determine and set the proper exposure, using zebras and peaking, understanding light meters and waveform monitors, programming custom Picture Profiles with the camera’s menu settings, asking interview questions that get exceptional sound-bites, techniques for directing professional and non-professional talent, and much more.

Anyone who is responsible for lighting and shooting interviews and talking heads will finish the week better equipped to obtain superior results regardless of any limitations of budget, time or equipment.

Highlights from the 2012 course:

Instructor: Doug Jensen

About Maine Media Workshops:
MMW is an international non-profit educational organization offering year-round workshops for photographers, filmmakers, and media artists. For over 35 years, students from across the country and around the world have been traveling to the harbor village of Rockport, Maine to attend courses at all levels, from absolute beginner and serious amateur to working professional. The school's curriculum honors historical forms and practices of image making while embracing new technologies and modes of creative expression. The MMW offers over 400 workshops and master classes in the fields of photography, filmmaking, and multimedia. Each year it attracts over 2,000 students, from professionals to beginners. Workshops range in length from a single weekend to a seven-week work-study program and a 12-week summer residency.

To sign up for this course, please do so directly with Maine Media Workshops.