All workshops are held at Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave) unless otherwise specified.
Students MUST register and pay the tuition in advance. To register, call Studio Director Dave
Hanagan at 206-329-2629.
Film Forum classes and workshops are designed to instruct filmmakers on both the mechanical skills
required in current filmmaking technology and the artistic application of tools to explore the
critical and emotional range of the cinematic experience. Classes and workshops are taught by
working artists: filmmakers, writers, producers and editors.
Explore filmmaking by doing it. We do not want you to make a commitment you are uncomfortable with;
we offer a wide range of classes and workshops that can be taken at whatever pace you prefer.
Whether you are new to the art and plan to plunge into filmmaking as a career or you have purchased
your own equipment and wish to drop in on a few certifications to learn more, our classes are for
you. NWFF's curriculum offers a complete education in nearly all aspects of filmmaking.
Multi-session classes meet weekly and offer in-depth, hands-on experience with filmmaking tools,
while one-day workshops offer both insightful lectures and practical techniques on current
filmmaking topics.
Financially strapped students interested in attending classes are invited to volunteer for NWFF.
Volunteers gain free access to workshops in exchange for time spent doing volunteer chores. For more
information, contact volunteer@nwfilmforum.org.
- Multi-Session Classes
- One-day Workshops
- Equipment Certifications
- Workshops for Kids
- Events
- Annual Curriculum
- Instructor Bios
Multi-Session Classes
Basic Videography
Two Sessions two choose from:
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 20 & 21, 10am-4pm
Saturday & Sunday, Dec. 6 & 7, 10am-4pm,
Instructor: Erik Vilinskas
Tuition: $250 WigglyWorld Members / $280 General Public
Max Attendance: 8
Learn how composition, lighting, and depth of field interact to create memorable images.
This class will cover basic videography skills and provide the opportunity to operate the Northwest
Film Forum's Canon GL1, Panasonic AG-DVX100, and HVX200. We will discuss the differences between
video and film and the benefits and pitfalls of some of the more popular video formats currently in
use. We will also address the basics of lighting for video, as well as how to record good field
audio using a shotgun microphone and boom. Hands-on sessions will demystify the buttons and menu
functions common to most consumer and professional video cameras. This class will give you a solid
foundation for your video projects, whether you plan to use the Film Forum's cameras or your own.
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Feature Filmmaking for the Guerillas: A Comprehensive Overview of Low-Budget Production and Distribution
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11 & 12, 10am-4pm
Instructor: Jon Moritsugu
Tuition: $225 WigglyWorld Members / $255 General Public
Max Attendance: 12
Join acclaimed director Jon Moritsugu (FAME WHORE, SCUMROCK, MOD F*** EXPLOSION, TERMINAL
USA) as he offers a comprehensive crash course in low budget filmmaking. Instead of feeling under
the gun, learn from an expert how to approach a production creatively within the constraints of a
low/very low budget. The class will cover creating a feature film from pre-production through
production and into releasing the finished movie. The entire process will be distilled down to its
most important components, focusing primarily on guerilla techniques, do-it-yourself approaches, and
quick and low-cost solutions to common roadblocks. Classes will consist of lectures, viewing film
clips and plenty of hand-outs, covering pre-production (including scriptwriting, finding producers,
financing, scheduling and budgeting), production (shotlists, storyboards, shooting quickly, handling
disasters, and the director's responsibilities), post-production (editing, sound design and
mastering), and what to do with your film after it's finished (festivals, markets, distribution and
promotion). This class is ideal for first time filmmakers and experienced directors who want more
perspective before leaping into a feature film production.
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Optical Printing and Direct Animation
Four Saturdays, Nov. 1, 8, 15 & 22, 12-3pm
Instructor: Jon Behrens
Tuition: $100 WigglyWorld Members / $130 General Public
Max Attendance: 8
In this very hands-on class, filmmakers will learn direct animation techniques like
painting, bleaching, scratching and dying 16mm celluloid film stock and then learn how to create
magic using NWFF's JK Optical Printer-an age old and nearly forgotten device used to re-photograph
motion picture film with dazzling results by learning basic and not so basic optical printer skills.
At the end of four weekends students will have contributed to the making of a short experimental
film that will be very colorful and beautiful.
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Beginning Editing with Final Cut Pro
Two Sessions to choose from:
Three Tuesdays, Nov. 11, 18, & 25, 6-9pm
Three Mondays, Oct. 6, 13 & 20, 6-9pm,
Instructor: Dina Guttmann or J. Cody Lucido
Tuition: $250 WigglyWorld Members / $280 General Public
Max Attendance: 5
Learn the basics of non-linear editing with Final Cut Pro. Covers settings, basic
principles, effects, titles, sound and printing to video with hands-on experience for each student.
This class is for students who intend to work in digital video productions who want to know some of
the basic skills of editing in a non-linear environment. Prior experience in non-linear editing is
not required, but basic computer skills are necessary. Time is available in NWFF¹s edit suite for
students to work between classes.
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After Effects Basics
Three Tuesdays, Oct. 7, 14 & 21, 6:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Trent Woolford
Tuition: $250 WigglyWorld Members / $280 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
AfterEffects is a powerful animation and compositing tool, with a wide range of
applications. Commonly used for film, television and multimedia, this program can be difficult to
crack at first. Once the basics are mastered, it offers a rich and nearly unlimited range of
creative possibilities. We¹ll be learning from the ground up how to animate typography, as well as
combine and manipulate footage and other elements to create effects and motion graphics.
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Editing Theory: Hands On
Three Mondays, Sept 8, 15 & 22, 6:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Dina Guttmann
Tuition: $250 WigglyWorld Members / $280 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Final Cut Pro
What any good editor will tell you is that the tools are the least important part of editing. As a
friend says, "Driving across country in a Peugeot would be swell, but a Pinto will do." What is
important? Understanding how edit decisions effect the story, texture and message of a film. Take
this class to explore editing theory by examining footage cut by some of the greats, watching a live
professional editor at work and cutting video to see first hand how a scene changes depending on how
it's put together.
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Introduction to Flash
Four Wednesdays, Oct. 8, 15, 22 & 29, 6:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Bryan Schaeffer
Tuition: $290 WigglyWorld Members / $320 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
Prerequiste: Basic knowledge of Photoshop and a vector-based drawing program (Illustrator,
Freehand)
Flash is the premiere software for animating different media formats-photography, line art, sound
and video-for the web. Learn the basic skills of Flash's robust animation tools to incorporate in
the interactive environment of a website. With hands-on learning in class and between class
assignments, you'll learn how to create animations starting from storyboards and a project plan,
navigate the Flash environment, determine the best production methods, and put into motion your most
creative ideas. During the class, students will each develop individual projects under the guidance
of the instructor, and by the end of this introduction, you will feel comfortable with Flash's
comprehensive set of tools to really begin exploring new realms of animation and interactivity.
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One-Day Workshops
Navigating the Festival Maze
Wednesday, Oct 15, 6:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Amy Lillard Dee and Beth Barrett
Tuition: $30 WigglyWorld Members / $40 General Public
Max Attendance: 15
Learn what it takes to safely and effectively navigate the worldwide film festival circuit and maximize your profile while minimizing your costs. In addition, you'll learn to rank your film as well as ranking film festivals; learn what a publicist does and how much one should cost; go through a typical press kit and learn what production notes really are; and find out what it takes to make someone else pay your way. You will also learn the inner workings of festivals such as Slamdance, Sundance, and Seattle as well as international festivals such as Toronto, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Cannes.
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Script Supervision and Continuity
Saturday, Sep. 27, 12-4pm
Instructor: Andy Spletzer
Tuition: $40 WigglyWorld Members / $50 General Public
Max Attendance: 10
The Script Supervisor is the on-set representative of the editor, there to make sure the coverage is complete, the continuity is spotless, and that every shot is slated properly and will cut together. This workshop is perfect for directors who want to think about editing, editors who want to know what happens on-set, and anyone who wants to work as a Script Supervisor. There will be samples of Script Supervisor notes, production reports, and practical exercises.
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All About Art Direction
Two Wednesdays, Nov. 12 & 19, 6:30-9:30pm
Instructor: Curtis Taylor
Tuition: $30 WigglyWorld Members / $40 General Public
Max Attendance: 12
Learn about the job of an art director on an indie film shoot. Whether your are a film director who has never worked with an art director or have an interest in pursuing work in the art department on film productions, this afternoon workshop is for you. As a film-and-theater artist working on productions of all shapes and sizes, Curtis has extensive experience at building outlandish sets, making convincing props and adding a bit of good taste to productions all over Seattle. Curtis will describe what an art director can do, how a director/producer can make effective use of a good art director, and explain some of the concepts and terminology so that you and your art director will know how to speak the same language. You'll get the idea of how to budget for your grand set schemes, and how to best stretch your dollar when your grand schemes get too ambitious.
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HARDCORE: The Screwball Comedy
Saturday, Nov. 8, 10am-7pm
Instructor: Steven Schardt
Tuition: $15 WigglyWorld Members / $20 General Public
Max Attendance: 50
One sitting, one presentation, four films, eight hours; HARDCORE! A new quarterly program that introduces or reacquaints moviegoers to particular genres, or subgenres, of film by through a lecture followed by an all out screening marathon of that genre. First up, The Screwball Comedy.
Drawing on a number of screwball comedies from the late 1930s and early 1940s, philosopher and film scholar Stanley Cavell defines in his book Pursuits of Happiness a new subgenre of film, which he calls the Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage. In this nine hour (including screenings), one-day class we'll present the key themes that unite these Hollywood classics together - particularly feminism, liberty and marriage - and then screen four of the seven films treated in the book - The Lady Eve, The Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday, and Adam's Rib in a marathon screening session worthy of the name HARDCORE. Discussion to follow.
Pursuits of Happiness is recommended, not required, reading. Bring a brown bag lunch.
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Working with Actors - A Workshop for Directors
Saturday, Oct. 25, 12-3pm
Instructor: Peter Wick
Tuition: $30 WigglyWorld Members / $40 General Public
Max Attendance: 12
Communication between Director and Actor is essential to the collaborative process of filmmaking, yet so many Directors scratch their heads wondering what is going on in the mind of the Actor. This workshop will unravel some of the mystery underlying an Actor's performance, and how a Director can nurture and draw out the best an Actor has to give. Class will include short clips from a handful of films, a discussion of the "Schools" of acting that today's Actors bring to the set, comments and preferences from the experiences of working Actors, and a short sample script put on its feet on camera at the end of the session, with input from class participants.
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Filmmaking Workshops for Kids
Movie Making with Sock Puppets
Sunday, Sept. 28, 12am-3pm
Instructor: Clyde Peterson & Forrest Baum
Tuition: $30 WigglyWorld Members / $30 General Public
Max Attendance: 10
Recommended for ages 8-12
Unleash your imagination with what you find in the back of your sock drawer! In this class, kids will spend the first part making sock puppets. Then, the students will work together to decide upon a story and create a short movie starring their puppets. After the class each participant will receive a DVD of the finished film. Students should bring a few socks to use, which will be cut into and glued on. Also, feel free to bring scraps of fabric, yarn and buttons to adorn the puppets with.
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Presidential Portraits
Saturday, Oct 18, 12-3pm
Instructor: SJ Chiro
Tuition: $30 WigglyWorld Members / $30 General Public
Max Attendance: 10
Recommended for ages 8-12
Calling all fledgling historians and Ken Burns wannabes for a documentary filmmaking workshop. Using still images and their own drawings, kids will make a two-minute film portrait of the U.S. President of their choosing. Subject matter is strictly kids' choice, with almost endless possibilities: chronicle the exquisite fatness of William Howard Taft, examine the perpetual 5 o'clock shadow of Richard Nixon, make a "silent" film about Calvin Coolidge, or anything else that strikes your fancy. It's up to you! Finished films will be shown during commercial breaks at Northwest Film Forum's Election Night Coverage, and considered for inclusion in Children's Film Festival Seattle 2009.
For more details about the screening of Young Mr. Lincoln, see the cinemas section.
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Certifications
Panasonic DVX100 Camera
Four sessions to choose from:
Tuesday, Sep. 23, 6:30pm
Monday, Oct. 27, 6:30pm
Monday, Nov. 24, 6:30pm
Monday, Dec. 15, 6:30pm,
Instructor: Dave Hanagan
Tuition: $25 WigglyWorld Members / $35 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
Get trained on NWFF's Panasonic 24p digital camera, the most glamorous camera in town! This certification is required for anyone interested in using our DVX100 without having prior experience on the camera. Learn how to take full advantage of the camera's features: XLR audio inputs, 24 or 30 frame progressive acquisition, time-lapse interval recording and cine-like gamma control.
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Panasonic HVX200 Camera
Two sessions to choose from:
Monday, Nov. 3, 6:30pm
Monday, Dec. 1, 6:30pm
Instructor: Dave Hanagan or Ben Kasulke
Tuition: $25 WigglyWorld Members / $35 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
Prerequiste: students must first take the DVX100 certification or have prior experience with the DVX100
Similar in feel to the DVX100, the HVX shoots in a wide variety of frame rates and it offers the revolutionary P2 solid-state memory cards. This workshop will continue where the DVX leaves off, and cover advanced camera features, menu settings, and workflow recording in HD using the P2 cards. After attending this certification, members will have access to rent NWFF's HVX200 camera.
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Self-Serve Film Transfer
Three sessions to choose from:
Monday, Oct. 20, 6:30pm
Monday, Nov. 17, 6:30pm
Monday, Dec. 8, 6:30pm,
Instructor: Dave Hanagan
Tuition: $25 WigglyWorld Members / $35 General Public
Max Attendance: 6
Learn how to transfer your own 16mm and Super-8 movies to digital video using NWFF's Sup'd-Up-Bad-Ass-Optical-Printer-From-Hell. This certification class is required to use our low-cost, flicker-free, rock-solid-registration telecine. After being taught the basics, participants will be able to sign up and use the optical printer for the room's filmmaker-friendly rate of $5/hour.
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TYPICAL ANNUAL CLASS LIST
Screenwriting
Screenwriting I: Birth of the First Draft
Screenwriting II: Writing is Rewriting
Production
Basic 16mm Filmmaking
Basic Videograph
Sound Recording for Film/Video
Experiments in Animation
Optical Printer Basics
Feature Filmmaking for the Guerillas
Lighting for Film and Video
Intermediate Cinematography
Editing
Beginning Editing with Final Cut Pro
After Effects Basics
Beginning Flash Animation
Editing Theories: Hands On
Introduction to DVD Studio Pro
Filmmaking 101 Seminar
Producers Nuts and Bolts
Film and Video Distribution
Hand-processing B/W & Color
The Gory Details
Grant Writing for Artists
Business Sense For Filmmakers
Script Supervision and Continuity
Camera Assistant Basics
High Definition From Start to Finish
Panasonic HVX200
Panasonic DVX100
Panasonic HVX200
Self Serve Film Transfer
Animation Stand
Steadicam
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Jon Behrens began to make films as a teenager in the late seventies. Since the age of 16 Behrens has made well over 100 films of various lengths and subject matters and approaches, from documents of the early punk rock scene to poetic film experiments in which the celluloid film stock itself has been manipulated. Behrens has screened his films in cities throughout the world and has been called the Northwest's most prolific filmmaker. In addition to filmmaking Jon Behrens has taught workshops and classes on experimental film at Northwest Film Forum and Cornish School of the Arts. Jon Behrens lives and works in Seattle
Dave Hanagan is a Seattle filmmaker and the current Studio Director of the Northwest Film Forum. He has many years of filmmaking experience. You may have seen his most popular work on ABC's Reality TV, hip-hop public access shows in Atlanta, Georgia, or downloaded from the internet.
Bryan Schaeffer is the owner of Design Revelations, a conceptually driven graphic design company that provides services in print, web, illustration, presentation design and motion graphics. Prior to founding Design Revelations in 2001, Bryan Schaeffer has worked for Architectural Firms and Ad Agencies in the Seattle/Tacoma region. Mr. Schaeffer's graphic design experience covers a wide range from detailed product illustration to user interface design with particularly strong expertise in multimedia for live events. Mr. Schaeffer is a 1990 Graduate of Pacific Lutheran University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. He has completed a scholarship Art Director course at the Seattle School of Visual Concepts in 2001. Mr. Schaeffer currently resides in Seattle, WA with his wife Anne and their identical twin girls where he makes frequent trips to recreate in the Cascades.
Trent began his broadcast career in 1991 as a cameraman for intercollegiate football and basketball games. At the same time, he also worked for a PBS station, acting as a floor director, cameraman and technical director for various live broadcasts. After fulfilling an internship at KIRO-TV in Seattle, Trent signed on with Piranha Productions as its first employee, responsible for camerawork, editing and motion graphics for television. Over the next nine years, Trent continued with hands on production work as well as managing the growing production department and becoming V.P. of Production at Piranha. In 2002, he joined ELN Communications, where he stayed for the next two years. Trent jumped into freelance production in 2004, working with the Seattle Seahawks and continued his relationship with Piranha Productions.
Writer/director Jon Moritsugu has made over a dozen independently-financed films including 6 features ranging in budget from $5,000 to $360,000. His most recent movie, SCUMROCK, was shot for under $5,000 using a consumer Hi8 camcorder. It won "Best Feature" Award at both the New York AND Chicago Underground Film Festivals and was selected by The Village Voice Film Critics Poll as "Best of the Year." Moritsugu has been making and self-distributing his work since the late-80's and has taught filmmaking at San Francisco State University, UC Berkeley, Film Arts Foundation, and University of Hawaii. www.jonmoritsugu.com
Andy Spletzer helped start The Stranger in 1991, where he writes the column "Blow Up" about the local film production and exhibition scene. Over the last several years he has worked as a Script Supervisor on 7 feature films and several more shorts and music videos. His hobbies include playing in the dirt and watching Unsolved Mysteries.