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Tag: film education

Deb's FILM & INK Tips & Tales

Deb’s FILM & INK Newsletter… come ‘n join!

I’m back online (finally!) and bring with me a bit of news:

My FILM & INK blog has been converted and expanded into a FILM & INK Tips & Tales Newsletter. Come and enjoy some film production stories and nuggets of advice for working professionals and for teens just starting out:

Deb’s FILM & INK Tips & Tales Newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/00970e39a325/debpatzfilmandink

Like the blog, the newsletter complements my books, Film Production Management 101 (for managers and coordinators) and Write! Shoot! Edit! (for teens). With your input, I plan to tweak the newsletter as needed so it addresses your needs, educates, entertains and celebrates your successes.

Come and join FILM & INK! I look forward to connecting with you there! In the meantime, here’s the “Call Sheet Joke” from the inaugural issue:

Gladys and Santa as PMs

Cheers & a good shoot to you,
Deb

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Deborah (Deb) Patz is the author of Write! Shoot! Edit! for teens and Film Production Management 101 for the industry – both books are published worldwide by MWP. She’s also part of the editorial board for Prism International and is new to figuring out this newsletter thing, but believes in lifelong learning… so that’s a good thing!

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
Feb. 1, 2020 – DM Youth Expo – North Vancouver, BC
Feb. 19, 2020 – I Read Canadian Day (more info to come)
July 26-30, 2020 – UFVA (University Film & Video Association) Conference, Tallahassee, FL

WHERE TO FIND DEB’S BOOKS?
Paperback or eBook: AmazonBarnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, direct from the publisher (MWP) and from plenty of other great bookstores worldwide.

Inspiration at the Movies: Moana

“Is there something you want to hear?”
– Gramma Tala (Moana, 2016)

I love Gramma’s question. It reminds me of the essential role that the student plays in the learning process. The teacher may share information, but if the learner is not ready to receive, tha tinfo won’t be received and learned. Not only do we need the right teachers, we need them at the right time… and when that teacher comes into our life (whether in the school classroom or somewhere else in our lives), we need to open ourselves up to the teaching.

Such wise words. Thanks, Gramma.

Cheers & a fabulous learning journey to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deb Patz is the author of “Film Production Management 101” and the upcoming “Write! Shoot! Edit! A Complete Guide to Filmmaking for Teens” both published by MWP Books. She’s still learning everyday, and love it!

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
Jun.3-7 – Guest instructor – PEI Screenwriter’s Bootcamp, Charlottetown, PEI
Jun. TBA – Book launch for “Write! Shoot! Edit!”
Jul.30-Aug.3 – UFVA Conference, Los Angeles, CA

3 More Things I Learned About Filmmaking from… the Opera

1. We Love To See The Same Story Again and Again
We get excited that the opera we saw a couple of years ago comes back to town and off we go to see it again – even though we know the story from previous viewings, and re-read the story before the curtain rises. Operas, fairy tales, myths… we love to see these stories play out over and over again. It is the journey of the familiar tale, the anticipation of the magical moments seen or heard before, and the exciting possibility of new magical moments and insights that bring us back. As filmmakers, what are the magical moments that will give our films a lasting re-viewable quality?

2. It May Take A While To Find the Audience
La Bohème had a weak reception to its first audience… yet it went on to become one of the greatest and most popular operas of all time. Even then, there was great pressure on opening night for a sign of the future (financial and critical) success of an artistic work. Yet a poor reception doesn’t necessarily mean give up on it – opera or film. Just keep trying to find the right audience to make the connection.

3. Education Can Take You Only So Far
In vocal music class, the only acceptable stances for singing were sitting (with your back straight) on the front of your chair, or standing… yet at the opera, characters die in bed for extended periods of time singing arias at full volume from a distinctly – although modified – prone position! There were no beds and couches in vocal music class to lie down on in order to practice this obviously required position for singing in the “real” operatic world. You just have to adapt what you learned to make it work.

Cheers & an operatic shoot to you,
Deb

Teaching “The Biz”

We say “the biz” or “the business” when we mean to say “the film industry” or “show business”. Funny how we shorten it to refer only the “business” portion instead of the “film” or “show” portion when we are so proud that it’s a creative industry! Just goes to show you how important business activities are in this creative industry.

Look at the credits and you’ll see Producers, Executive Producers, Line Producers, Production Managers, Production Supervisors, Associate Producers, Production Coordinators, and more. All business folk covering different business aspects of the production. My book Film Production Management 101 was written to cover the business logistics side of the industry primarily for the PM and PC.

Because it’s hard to emulate real-life business situations in a school setting, I’ve just written a course outline based on my book including recommended activities and assignments to dynamically learn how to manage the logistics of production. I mean, how do you simulate the issues that arise when cost reporting a real production with real money being spent while in a school setting with equipment and labour already donated? Having designed and taught numerous seminars, courses and workshops over the years, I’m sure this course outline will help those in “the biz” of film education design and teach essential business skills for the next generation of filmmakers.

If you’re in the business of teaching film skills, download the course outline for free at MWP Books:

Film Production Management 101 – Course Outline
http://www.mwp.com/filmschool/database/resources/PM101/PM101-Course-Outline-2012.doc

Cheers & a good shoot (or cost report!) to you,
Deb