Q:Reflect upon your experience in class.  Did anything come as a revelation to you?  Did you learn something new technically; about the camera, or film craft in general?

Coming to university after gaining some experience in a production house has really lead me to look at the class differently. I was not as intrigued as I was when I first held the camera back then, but at the same time the class taught me to be a student again.

I almost forgotten all the basics of filmmaking having to constantly shoot on multiple occasion. It was refreshing to learn the basics of the camera all over again. Simple things like composition, rule of thirds, lighting and other stuff that I took for granted because of a great team back home. The class has brought me to have a second look at the basics, and understand the fundamentals of what creates a great shot.

By understanding the fundamentals of the films, I get to learn to ways to composite a shot different from my usual way of filming as well. What i found most interesting so far was the class exercise when filming light on the subject, learning what is a key light all over again. One practice that I didn’t realize was important was the direction of light touching hitting the face. A common practice that is usually done by filmmakers is identifying the source of light from the room, then build your lighting up from there. It was interesting to learn how different angles of the face project different levels of contrast, especially in the shadow area. It’s incredible to understand how a simple adjustment in lighting can impact the film and its appearance.

Although this did not come as a revelation to me, it was definitely a good reminder that the basics are disciplines that should be carried in every filmmakers toolkit. I am excited to learn more in the coming weeks.