Asheville School of Film Offers Filmmaking 101

The Asheville School of Film’s inaugural class, Youth Summer Filmmaking Experience, was definite success!  

For 2 weeks, from August 3 to August 14th, students met five days a week for a thorough overview of the filmmaking process.  The culmination of the hands-on instruction was the production of a short high definition digital film, which premiered at the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company on Merrimon Ave. Saturday August 15th, at 9:30 am for friends and family.

Students ranged in age from 13 to 17, and came with various backgrounds, interests, and experience levels. As a group, the class decided to produce a “mockumentary”- which is a comedic fictionalized film shot in the style of a documentary.  Though it appears serious at first glance, the subject matter is often interpreted as absurd, and therefore quite laughable.  

Many novice filmmakers will report that comedy is one of the most difficult genres to capture on film.  This may be true in some cases, but the students at Asheville School of Film were quite accomplished with their project!  Their film, entitled “Fix It In Post”, gives us a glimpse into the world of filmmaking itself.  The documentarian interviews and follows a range of crew involved with the production of a Martial Arts drama, including a controlling director, incompetent crew grip, over-confident actress, and spend-happy producer.  The result is an entertaining short film, aided in part by very talented local Asheville actors!

What’s next for the Asheville School of Film?  The next film class will begin Wednesday October 7th, from 6:30 – 9:30 pm, and will be held weekly each Wednesday for 8 weeks, plus a couple of additional shooting days TBD.  The class, Filmmaking 101, will be a more detailed hands-on introduction to the filmmaking process while producing a short digital film.  Students will learn about the various aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production, and will gain experience in different crew positions.  This course will be open to all ages, but is ideal for those over 16 yr or age.  The final film project will also be premiered on a large screen at a local theater for friends and family.

Past this course the Asheville School of Film plans to host a number of specialized weekend seminars and filmmaking training sessions for those needing detailed training, either for incorporating into their current career or for those seeking a film industry job.  Screenwriting, Sound Recording, and Shooting on Celluloid Film, are a few of the specialized classes that will be offered by experienced professionals in the future.  Not sure how to get started in the film industry?  There will additionally be a course offered on how to become a Production Assistant.

Please check out ashevilleschooloffilm.weebly.com or email ashevilleschooloffilm@gmail.com for more information, questions, or to start the registration process.  You can additionally stay in touch with Facebook, Twitter, or call Toll Free 1-844-AVL-FILM (285-3456).   Let’s make movies in the mountains- at the Asheville School of Film!