With Michigan's film incentives bringing unprecedented numbers of movie-making possibilities to the area, maybe you've wondered how to get in on the action. The job of production assistant is a great way to check it out, and you can learn all about it in a boot-camp-style, 20-hour workshop led by filmmaker Rich Brauer.
The workshop meets August 9 through 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at
NMC's Parsons/Stulen Building on Aero Park Drive in Traverse City. The cost is $395 per participant.
"You'll learn the basics of working on a set including the players and their roles, 'film speak' (survival vocabulary), basic grip and lighting, and the role of the PA -- a little of everything," says Brauer, owner of
Brauer Productions, who has trained and mentored many students in his 30 years as an independent filmmaker based in Northern Michigan.
The camp also covers set operations and etiquette, offers a glimpse of the process through a director's eyes, and in the final day, you'll learn about the grip truck and equipment, do a Q & A with the instructional team, and receive a certificate of completion. Teachers may apply to receive (1.8) SB-CEUs.
Brauer's film credits include Escanaba in Da Moonlight, Mr. Art Critic, Frozen Stupid, Barn Red, That One Summer, Fitful, and many other short subjects, documentaries and commercials.
For more information or to register, go
here or call NMC Extended Education 231-995-1700.
Perhaps you need to get your groove back -- hone your workplace skills, embark on a new career, enter college for the first time or finish up where you left off. That's where
NMC's Bridge Program comes in. Begun as a pilot program in 1993, Bridge helps adult students navigate the often-overwhelming college-entrance processes – admissions, financial aid, housing, daycare, transportation – and uncover their personal, transferable and work-content skills. Fall classes begin Aug. 31. Schedule an appointment with Bridge Director Charlene Lutes at 231-995-1971.
Writer: Patty LaNoue Stearns
Sources: Maureen Carlson and Cari Noga, Northwestern Michigan College
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