The Signal School · mass media, journalism & screen
Film & TV Production
From script to screen: the shot, the light, the cut, and the hundred quiet decisions between them.
Why shots mean what they mean — framing, movement, screen direction, and the rules you keep until you can break them.
Syllabus · 2 units · ~12 hours
Unit I — The Frame
Shot sizes and what each one is for · Headroom, lead room, and the rule of thirds · The 180-degree line and screen direction
Unit II — The Moving Camera
Pan, tilt, dolly, and when movement earns its place · Coverage: masters, singles, and inserts · Shooting for the edit
Controlling what the camera sees — focal length, depth of field, three-point light, and exposure you chose on purpose.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~24 hours
Unit I — The Lens
Focal length and perspective · Aperture, depth of field, and focus pulling · Sensor sizes and what they change
Unit II — Light
Hard and soft sources · Three-point lighting and when to abandon it · Color temperature and mixing sources · Shaping with flags, diffusion, and bounce
Unit III — Exposure and Look
Metering, waveforms, and false color · Dynamic range and protecting highlights · Building a look that serves the story
Where the film is actually made — selecting, joining, and timing shots so the seams disappear.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~22 hours
Unit I — Why a Cut Works
Continuity and the invisible cut · Cutting on action, look, and sound · The reaction shot: editing is about faces
Unit II — Scene Craft
Building a dialogue scene from coverage · Rhythm and where the frame breathes · Montage and compressing time
Unit III — The Whole Film
Assembly, rough cut, fine cut, lock · Killing scenes that work but do not belong · Notes: taking them without losing the film
The craft of making a shoot happen — breakdowns, stripboards, money, and solving the day's problem before lunch.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~20 hours
Unit I — From Script to Plan
Script breakdown: every element on paper · Scheduling: company moves cost the most · The budget top sheet and where money hides
Unit II — The Shoot
Call sheets and the chain of communication · Locations, permits, and insurance · Safety on set: the non-negotiables
Unit III — After the Wrap
Post-production workflow and deliverables · Festivals, distribution, and rights · The wrap report: what you learned
Field production for true stories — access, observational shooting, the interview setup, and duty to subjects.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~28 hours
Unit I — Access and Trust
Finding subjects and earning consent · Release forms and what they do not cover · The filmmaker's presence changes the room
Unit II — Shooting the Real
Observational coverage: anticipating, not directing · The sit-down interview: light, eyeline, silence · Gathering the b-roll you will beg for later
Unit III — The Edit as Argument
Finding structure in unscripted footage · Fair representation and selective truth · Screening for subjects before release