In-person. 9 sessions: Mondays, April 15-June 17 (no class May 27), 6:30-9:30 pm

This course is designed for students with little or no previous production experience and a keen interest in developing their skills in moving image arts. In addition to providing hands-on experience through production exercises and projects, the course places considerable emphasis on visual literacy and the application of film language. This includes the basics of storytelling, cinematography, lighting techniques, directing, and audio recording. Students work together to create cinematic scenes, covering the basic crew positions, and having the option of acting on-camera. Basic nonlinear editing with Adobe Premiere Pro CC is demonstrated and practiced to complete class projects. For the final four sessions bring a hard drive or 32GB USB flash drive, plus headphones or earbuds.

The knowledge communicated is well structured and the hands on experience we learned in this class gives us many insight about the whole process of filmmaking. —Spring 2023 student

NOTE: this in-person course is held at FilmNorth, 550 Vandalia Street, Suite 120, Saint Paul, MN 55114. FilmNorth is following CDC’s current COVID-19 variant guidance for Ramsey County:

• People may choose to mask at any time. Masks are recommended for those who are unvaccinated, immunocompromised, or at high-risk for complications associated with COVID-19 variants.
• People with any COVID-19 symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should stay home.

Tuition: $390 regular | $310 member | $250 low-income

Pam Colby has worked in television and film for over thirty years. Her most recent narrative short, Perennial (2022), premiered at the Roze Filmdagen–Amsterdam Film Festival and the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. It has been a finalist in twelve international online festivals and has won two Best of Fest awards. Pam’s feature-length documentary Not in My Lifetime (2018) won the Audience Choice Award for Best Minnesota Made Documentary Feature at the 2018 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Her love of storytelling led her to the Moth Storytelling competition where her GrandSLAM-winning story was featured on National Public Radio. Pam works as a freelance producer and director and has taught both narrative and documentary classes at FilmNorth since 2013.  

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 FilmNorth class you are agreeing to our Community Values Statement.