The Mechanics and Art of Being An Assistant Director
Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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John Ellis Great class! The anecdotes were as valuable as all the nuts-and-bolts info! All I would ask for the future is that maybe cover doing the forms by hand - for those of us who either can't afford the software, or like me, would rather learn the hand-written old school way, so the software makes deeper sense. Thanks! -
Christopher Von Grebe Totally amazing, kind of a tour de force of assistant directing from someone who is the real thing! -
Pam Freeman Feedback for Jason Roberts’ “The Mechanics and Art of Being an Assistant Director” Hi, As requested by Jason and Stage32 webinar feedback form, here is feedback from the webinar. Positive’s I really liked the two-part session, as this allowed for the participant to absorb material from the previous week. As I work seven days per week, the class time was convenient. Noticing that there were other participants from other countries, I think was a landmark event! Jason is very intense as a presenter, which I like, because he is very knowledgeable. He really filled up my buffer (as the saying goes), which I didn’t mind. I really enjoyed the handout materials, and it was good to receive a Handout packet for both weeks. I believe I have received value for the tuition paid. Thank you for your first-time experience delivering an online class! More Upcoming Positive’s Because I will probably be meeting you sometime in the not-so-distant future, I am not giving you any “not-so-positives.” Has Jason considered: • Teaching for other online institutions. Other teaching curricula ideas for Stage32 webinars: • Jurassic World: the Entire Filmmaking Process – where Jason would cover the initial stages, through Production and various department, to the Final version of the film. • The Making of an Action-Adventure Film – where Jason could differentiate this film genre from another genre, production-wise. • The Making of a Marvel Studios movie – what’s involved in bringing a Graphic Novel character from printed page onto the big screen. Jason’s active use of his Apple Airbook, has also prompted me to invest in an Apple notebook (hardware & software). I currently use a PC for my other client workflow, but working in the Entertainment field, I will need to have two different laptops. As computers was my first career, it’s been 31 years since I’ve last operated an Apple (Macintosh computers, MacBook). I can still learn. -
Heather Faris I highly recommend this class. Jason is an excellent communicator and generous professional with a wealth of knowledge that he graciously shared. He was thorough, specific, and inspiring. Thank you, Jason. -
Tom Coleman First off, thank you Jason for staying late! I really felt you should have had a three day class because there was so much great information to be covered. One of the things that I enjoy about these instructors are the stories they share about their own work experiences. The class was very helpful for anyone starting out on Movie Magic, and the insight of Jason on who they use it for productions is quite helpful. I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in becoming a Union AD. -
Dan McCurdy Five Star. -
Anthony Miller Antz As an Actor I found myself interested in crew work and becoming a 1st AD is my second passion next to Acting. I found Jason's class informative and interesting. I highly recommend Jason's class to everyone who wishes to be an AD. Thanks Jason from Australia
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60 Minutes With Jason Roberts (AD for Michael Bay, Alexander Payne, Angelina Jolie)
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How To Keep The Stakes High In Your Story With The Emmy-Nominated Writers Of THE HANDMAID'S TALE
Learn how you can keep the stakes high at all times in your screenplays from the Emmy-nominated writers of the critically acclaimed series THE HANDMAID'S TALE PLUS! You'll receive a downloadable copy of the pilot script for THE HANDMAID'S TALE! Do you ever wonder why you are so drawn to your favorite series and films? What is it about the story that hooks you and keeps you glued to the screen? What makes you fear for your favorite characters while hoping they accomplish their goals and defeat their foes? While there are a number of facets that make a story compelling - nuanced characters, solid world building, and sound story structure to name a few - there is one fundamental aspect of storytelling that keeps audiences engaged: maintaining high stakes. If you’ve ever heard the term “raise the stakes” you’re familiar with the notion of putting your characters in situations that provide the greatest risk if they do not accomplish their goal. While obvious examples of high stakes can be seen in most action films (i.e. defusing the bomb, saving the planet, winning the war), high stakes don’t need to be existential or life threatening; rather, the stakes are as big as their meaning to the characters. While the stakes can vary from story to story, it is critical that you, the writer, maintain high stakes for your characters no matter what you are writing. However, how can you create high stakes and maintain them throughout the course of your story? How can your characters face their stakes in a way that is meaningful and doesn’t feel cheap to the audience? How can you milk the conflict for as long as possible to draw out the tension? Here to answer all these questions and teach how to keep the stakes high in your writing are John Herrera and Nina Fiore, Emmy-nominated writers and producers on Hulu’s critically acclaimed series THE HANDMAID’S TALE. John and Nina are instrumental in keeping audiences engaged in the show and are excited to share their screenwriting knowledge with the Stage 32 community. John and Nina have also written on BLOOM, a new show for Netflix that will be coming soon - and on USA’s THE PURGE, Syfy’s NIGHTFLYERS, BLOOD DRIVE, ALPHAS, and EUREKA. PLUS! You will receive a copy of the pilot script for THE HANDMAID'S TALE. If you’re a screenwriter looking to tell an engaging story that will keep your audience begging for more, this webinar is a must!
Think Like an Entrepreneur - How to Be Profitable on a Sub EUR 1 Million Film in the European Market - With a Film Case Study
As an independent filmmaker or producer, you likely start working on a new endeavor for creative reasons—the chance to tell an amazing story, build worlds, create something of cultural value. Yet this is, of course, not the only element of filmmaking. Like it or not, your independent film is not just a creative endeavor; it’s also a business. You’re sourcing financing and bringing in investors, building a team, and creating a property that will (hopefully) ultimately make money not only in the present, but for years to come. In short, you’re not just a making a piece of art; you’re also running a business. To operate successfully in the world of independent film and continue to make films that you’re proud of, you need to be able to think like an entrepreneur and understand the dynamics and the relation between financing, distribution and recoupment of film investments. 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Understanding and executing this business model will open new doors to other productions around the world and serve to create a portfolio of proof that will serve as a calling card moving forward. David Zannoni is an international business specialist for Fintage House, the world's most respected company for revenue and rights protection for industry professionals and companies. David negotiates agreements for films and television series and is involved in business development and relationship management specifically in the US, Latin America and Europe. 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He will explain how to approach your film as an asset, how to see yourself as an entrepreneur, and how to see filmmaking as a business. David will then go over the continental circle of financing, distribution, and investment recoupment and will explain how risk mitigation works for European film projects. Next he will discuss managing revenue and rights, as well as managing recoupment as a whole. He will spend time delving into European film contracts, including distribution agreements, CAM agreements, and sales agency agreements. David will ultimately illustrate whether European films can be profitable and how, and analyze with you when a European film can be considered successful, whether it breaks even or finds profitability. Plus, David will show a case study of a real EUR1MM European film to illustrate how a film of this level can be profitable and exactly how the money flows through from beginning to end. 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10 Years Of Tricks Of The Trade In 90 Minutes: What They Don’t Teach You In Film School
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