By virtue of a Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Learning grant, FilmNorth offered a series of intensive, one-day filmmaking classes in the summer of 2017 designed for individuals of diverse communities typically underrepresented in the motion picture film industry as defined by the Sundance Institute: people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and women.
The series consisted of six classes taught by professional artists who have extensive teaching backgrounds and who are members of underrepresented communities. All classes provided opportunities for hands-on experiences in various aspects of visual storytelling. The classes were designed for beginning to intermediate level students and could also be attended by others seeking to tell the stories of people within these communities.
Classes were held at FilmNorth’s media arts center in St. Paul, which features state-of-the-art projection and sound equipment in all classrooms and provides the latest editing software for audio and video production. The goal of this master class series is to provide participants with a well-rounded education in the art of filmmaking and strengthen inclusion of diverse voices and visions by offering connections with industry leaders.
Price per class: $100 (regular) and $50 (low-income*). Some scholarships were available to individuals experiencing financial hardship.
*Household of one with a total annual income of $25,000 or less; household of two or more with a total annual income of $45,000 or less.
2017 CLASSES
BASICS OF SCREENWRITING
Instructor: David Grant
Saturday, June 10, 10 am–6 pm
THE SCREEN & THE FEMALE GAZE
Instructor: Jila Nikpay
Saturday, June 17, 9 am–6 pm
CINEMA PRODUCTION INTENSIVE – FOCUS ON SOCIAL MESSAGE
Instructor: Pam Colby
Saturday, July 8, 9:30 am–6 pm
VISUAL STORYTELLING & STORYBOARD
Instructor: Carlos Merino
Saturday, July 22, 9 am–5 pm
INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY WORKSHOP
Instructor: Allison Herrera
Saturday, July 29, 9 am–6 pm
PRESENCE OF THE PAST: HISTORY DOCUMENTARIES
Instructor: Daniel Pierce Bergin
Saturday, August 5, 10 am–6 pm
This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
