Film workshops headed by Hollywood professionals

By Daniel Martin, News Writing Student

Once again OCCC will be the site of the summer film workshops. Registration for the Oklahoma Film Institute will last until July 2.

There is no prerequisite, said OFI Production Manager Greg Mellott, also a Film and Video Production professor. He said anyone with an interest in various aspects of film would be interested in the workshops.

“This is the best chance for students from all ages and backgrounds to gain authentic Hollywood experience in today’s busy entertainment industry,” Mellott said. “The main principal of this program is that it is not limited to film students or intended for any specific person.”

Students can sign up for one week or the full three weeks at a cost of $575 per week with a registration fee of $100. The workshops are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 7 through 25.

The three-week program is composed of one-week workshops, each concentrating on specific filming techniques, methods and tricks of the business, Mellott said.

Week one of the program will focus on “pre-production.” During this week, students will learn different aspects of film, ranging from how to create a shooting schedule and budget to seeking proper locations, props and costumes.

During the second week or the “production” period, participants will learn to produce feature-length films, Mellott said.

They will have the opportunity to shoot a real movie with real equipment, sit in the director chair, manage their crew and experience the life of movie making.

Week three or “post-production” is a period where students learn picture and sound editing, which is done with a professional AVID non-linear editing computer program.

“Other than working for a major studio, there is no experience quite like making your movie at OFI,” Mellott said. “The AVID editing system is the largest in the mid-continent area and gives students the chance to work with the most sophisticated equipment Hollywood has to offer.”

By the end of these workshops, participants will be able to try their hands at a variety of film jobs including direction, camera, sound, production, lighting and grip operations.

Students will have wrapped up their film projects by editing, cleaning and putting the final pieces of their movie together.

Students will spend most of their time on a real film set with the industry’s most high-tech digital equipment.

Participants will work side by side with experienced Hollywood professionals like Mellott and Gray Fredrickson, who have helped produce movies such as “Jackie Chan’s First Strike,” “American Soldiers,” “A Day in Iraq,” and “The Godfather” trilogy.

Mellott said former OFI students have gone on to do great things in Hollywood, such as working on hit television shows like “24” and “Lost.” Some are producing feature-length movies and others are on the sets of Los Angeles’ renowned independent films.

“The OFI summer program does not teach textbook theory,” said former OFI student Mark Hammer, who is now working for Lions Gate Entertainment, a major Hollywood studio. “Instead, it totally immerses you in the industry.

“It was a great experience all around,” he said. “The three-week program has cemented my desire of working in the film industry.”

For more information, contact the Oklahoma Film Institute by phone at 405-682-1611, ext. 7100, or by e-mail at ofi@occc.edu.

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