The Art of Cinematography & Lighting
Date & Time
Description
In this immersive 2-day workshop director/cinematographer Greg Winter and gaffer/key grip Dan Miller teach the aesthetics of cinematography and lighting through in-depth analysis and hands-on application to illustrate how various key elements impact a film’s texture and look, and guide the storytelling.
The workshop covers the cinematic elements of pictorial aesthetics (line, shape, direction, size, texture, color, value, picture plane space, positive space, negative space, proportion, rhythm, and perspective) along with the framing and duration of the shot. Mr. Winter provides examples from independent cinema, as well as Hollywood and European films, and discusses notable directors of photography and their signature techniques of their craft.
Also covered:
- Professional lighting vocabulary and techniques, and how they affect the mood of a shot
- Lighting equipment functionality with hands-on demonstrations using tungsten, HMI, Kino Flo, and LED lights
- Basic grip gear; tricks and tips for efficiently moving on to the next setup
The workshop is designed for directors and cinematographers who have at least basic video production experience, plus makers of short films or a first feature who want to hone their skills beyond basic framing and three-point lighting. There is a lunch break each session.
Copresented with Tasty Lighting Supply.
Tuition
Instructors
Greg Winter
Greg has worked as a cinematographer for more than 30 years. His first feature film, Detective Fiction, directed by Patrick Coyle, was admitted to the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and subsequently distributed on the Sundance Channel and the Independent Film Channel. In 2004 Greg was the cinematographer for the independent project, Justice, a feature film directed by John Shulman and Jean-Marie Almonor, which was nominated for a 2005 NAACP Image Award and distributed to Black STARZ. The film was also used as a voter registration tool around the United States.
Cinematography credits include Test Tube for director Ann Sorenson (2005); Shared Sacrifice: Rock County in War(2007), which focused on the experiences and impressions of Rock County residents during World War II; “The Egg Timer” (short, 2008) directed by Emily Haddad; The Jingle Dress (2013) directed by William Eigen; Robert in the Bedroom (2014) directed by Cynthia Uhrich; Domestics (2016) directed by John Shulman and Jean-Marie Almonor; Nina of the Woods (2016) directed by Charlie Griak; “Oh My Stars” (short, 2018) directed by Cynthia Uhrich; and “Blues for the Blues” (short, 2024) directed by Craig Laurence Rice. He is currently working on the documentary Patrick Scully: The Dance is Not Over with director Mark Wojahn.
In addition to FilmNorth, Greg teaches at the University of St. Thomas and University of Northwestern-St. Paul. He also served for 20 years on the Minnesota Film & TV Board.
Dan Miller
Dan is a longtime freelance lighting technician, who has worked in the grip and electric lighting departments for movies, commercials, and sporting and special events. Dan previously worked at the local ABC affiliate in Cedar Rapids, IA, directing the morning and noon news. After moving to the Twin Cities, Dan spent five years at a small ad agency shooting broadcast spots, corporate video, and business theater work. Since going freelance, Dan has been able to build a résumé that includes national ad campaigns, Super Bowl shows, and lighting the stage for President Obama.
Class Registration Guidelines & Cancellation Policy
- Space is assigned on a first-come basis. Registrations must include payment in full. Registrations are accepted after registration deadlines if space is available.
- If minimum enrollment has not been reached by 7 days prior to the start date of a class, FilmNorth may cancel it, in which case registrants will immediately be notified and receive a full refund within 2 business days. A check will be issued for registrations that were paid in cash. In lieu of a refund, students have the option of applying their tuition to another class scheduled in the same calendar year.
- For those needing to cancel a registration at least 7 days prior to the first class session, 100% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. For registration cancellations received less than 7 days prior to the first class session, 50% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. As of 5:00 pm the day prior to the first class session, no refunds or credits/exchanges will be given (Friday at 5:00 pm for Sunday classes).
- Tuition is not prorated for missed class sessions.
- By registering for this class you are agreeing to our Community Values Statement.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding this class, please send us an email or call (651) 644-1912 ext. 2.