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top
to bottom:
Steve
Frierberg, Instructor 4 week Filmmaking course,
BArt Weiss, Instructor Final Cut Pro, David
H. Lyman, Founder and Director of Workshops,
and Bestor Cram, Instructor Documentary Camera.
Sally
Fay Cottingham, Actors in Residence Program,
and Hilary Weisman, Instructor Young Filmmakers
Program. Both of Boston.
Rich
Martini, Instructor for Actors for the Camera,
and CharlesTuthill, Instructor Actors in Residence.
Students
in Bestor Cram’s Documentary Camera Class set
up for a mock doc shoot. (l-r) Don Bernier,
Phoebe Ferguson and Kristana Textor.
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What could be finer than taking
an intensive course in film, television, video or
even photographic in the lovely town of Rockport,
Maine in the summer? The International Film & Television
Workshops offer an array of 1 - 4 week classes for
people of all levels in film, TV, video, and photography.
They offer what David Lyman, Director and Founder,
calls The Transformational Experience.
Less than a mile from the ocean,
the campus is a hotbed of activity from May to October.
Now in their 28th year, the WorkShops are internationally
known for week-long programs using industry standard
equipment. Classes are taught by well-known industry
professionals who take time out of their schedules
to teach and critique. While not cheap (nearly $1000
a week), if prorated with the amount of material and
experience you walk away with, it is a bargain. The
cost includes all meals and accommodations. Where
else can people who work full time go to get so much
training and come home with a renewed sense of purpose
and an expanded skill set in such a short time? The
campus also houses Rockport College offering AA and
MFA degree programs, and the Maine Photographic Workshops.
Director Lyman is a distinguished
man with gray hair, and glasses. Tall and thin, he
radiates energy and enthusiasm. Monday mornings is
his creativity speech to a hall of eager students.
Designed to be an enlightening reality check for the
week ahead, Lyman explores the concept of stretching
creativity. He outlines the peaks and valleys of creative
people’s lives. He said"bitch and moan Wednesday”
is normal, but, gets better. Lyman explains"The Transformational
Process” the Workshops are designed to promote. And
transforming isn’t all fun and games. It’s hard work
from 9 am to midnight every day for a week of striving
and focusing and pushing oneself past the creative"Zone”,
something Lyman equates to"A State of Anxiety” far
from the bottom of the spectrum,"Boredom”, which is
knowing a subject too well too long. Lyman asks students
to drop all expectations and let the magic happen.
In July, I attended the week class"Documentary
Camera”. Instructor Bestor Cram, the celebrated Boston
documentary filmmaker, got the task of creating a
team from 12 complete strangers. Everyone went head
first into revealing personal things about themselves,
which had the intended effect of making us all, feel
close. One less experienced student said they nursed
increased anxiety and insecurity (all self-created)
whether they could"cut the mustard” in the first couple
of days.
Cram asked us to think about what
makes a good documentary through the camera’s eye.
Good relationships is a key factor between both subjects
and crew. We explored aspects of the documentary process:
the corporate mindset to keep camera work safe, the
overly narrative documentary trend, the taking risks
advantage, how lighting and staging of shots affect
the viewer’s perception and enhance the message, the
pitfalls of"focus groups” to decide content, and what
is the consequence of the work we are doing. Cram’s
style is knowledgeable, critical, jovial, and perceptive.
He knew what each member of the class needed and encouraged
each to go beyond their comfort zone into new territory.
Cram broke us up into six pairs:
one with more experience with one with less. My partner
had professional documentary experience. Technical
work included knowledge of the Canon XL1 Mini DV digital
camera (lightweight, but auto focus is unreliable),
and the Beta Cam (at 30 lb, it made me consider weight
training might be in order). We toted light boxes,
boom mikes, and shot both field and studio situations.
Each day we created a 2-minute piece
on a variety of topics: intimate portrayal of ourselves,
unusual sense of place, portrait, and group project.
The class chose a theme"Twilight”. Monday and Tuesday
some felt like a fish out of water, unable to think
of anything interesting to say, playing it safe with
the camera. Some wondered if the class would be challenging
enough. By Tuesday the mood had worsened to extreme
crankiness and borderline hostility/anger. A late
the night before at the local watering hole didn’t
help. This was Lyman’s"valley”. Wednesday was a new
day; while Jesse and Mark were mopey their shoot didn’t
go as planned, some were upbeat. Mornings are dedicated
to critiquing the previous day’s piece and learning
theory. Cram joked that all my projects were music
videos. Our final project, interviewing 2 elderly
ladies at a senior day care center, was our best work.
Cram said it showed a sense of maturity that the shots
and interview were not sentimental or maudlin, that
these rather old ladies were happy and contented with
their experience.
Our class was a wonderful mix of
varying experience with participants hailing from
Singapore, The Netherlands, Canada, California, Iowa,
Utah, and the Northeast. Studio work included lighting
for an interview, and videotaping with the young actors
class performing"real life” scripts so teams of 3
could follow the action. The WorkShops’ reward is
the process of discovery for the teacher and the students.
A real sense of accomplishment prevailed.
The days are long at the WorkShops.
Meals are a chance to eat good chow (vegetarian is
available), and chat with classmates about the day’s
experiences. Friday is a lobster feast that provides
the perfect opportunity to preview the week’s work.
It is to step out of your daily life for 7 days and
immerse yourself in the filmmaking process on all
levels. One still camera student told me her class
of professional photographers urged a classmate to
stay who felt too amateur for the group. In my class
everyone was challenged to go beyond what they knew.
Jesse, professional cameraman in LA, learned how much
he knew from sharing his knowledge with classmates.
Rick, editor from Toronto, overcame fear of failure
to begin his first documentary. Phoebe from NY is
going to make her New Orleans documentary regardless
of rocking the boat. Kristana from Iowa found new
perspectives on her camera work for PBS. Everyone
left with a new sense of commitment and understanding.
Cram spent the last few hours discussing career options,
how to get into the industry and how to move forward
for those wanting more than their careers allowed.
The International Film & Television Workshops get
top marks for coming through with what’s promised.
You will return positively changed.
Contact The Maine Photographic Workshops,
The International Film & Television Workshops, and
the Rockport College at PO Box 200, 2 Central Street,
Rockport, ME 04856. Phone: 877-577-7700. On the web
at www.theworkshops.com. Email: info@filmworkshops.com.
Erika Hahn
is a freelance journalist and photographer. She works
on The Boston Underground Film Festival and The Woods
Hole Film Festival. She plans to attend graduate school
at Emerson College in the fall. Contact Erika at ehahn@capecod.net
