Photography Videography and Film Production Training Course

Participants can produce correctly exposed, focused and stable moving images in changing conditions.

• Exposure triangle decisions made against creative and technical requirements
• Histogram and zebra patterns used to protect critical highlight detail
• Focus modes selected for static interviews, movement and unpredictable action
• Shutter angle and shutter speed controlled for natural motion rendering
• Neutral-density filters used to retain chosen apertures in daylight
• Tripod, monopod and handheld support selected for purposeful camera movement

Participants can compose still images that communicate subject, setting and intended message.

• Rule of thirds, symmetry and negative space applied deliberately
• Foreground, midground and background arranged to create visual depth
• Leading lines and framing devices used to direct viewer attention
• Wide, medium and close photographs planned as a coherent sequence
• Perspective changes achieved through camera position rather than digital zoom
• Decisive moment timing used for events, action and human interaction

Participants can frame shots and sequences that retain spatial clarity during editing.

• Headroom, look room and lead room controlled in interview shots
• The 180-degree rule maintained across dialogue and action coverage
• Shot size progression used to establish, explain and emphasise action
• Eyeline matches planned between interviewer, subject and camera positions
• Screen direction preserved through movement, entrances and exits
• Cutaways captured to conceal edits and clarify narrative detail

Participants can design practical lighting setups for interviews and documentary locations.

• Three-point lighting configured with key, fill and back light
• Soft and hard light selected to suit subject and message
• Available window light shaped using diffusion, bounce and negative fill
• Colour temperature matched between practicals, daylight and LED fixtures
• Interview backgrounds separated through distance, depth and motivated light
• Lighting safety checks applied to stands, cables, heat and power

Participants can record intelligible dialogue and useful ambient sound for factual productions.

• Lavalier, shotgun and handheld microphones matched to recording conditions
• Microphone placement set for clear speech and minimal clothing noise
• Gain staging controlled through preamp levels, peaks and headroom
• Closed-back headphone monitoring used throughout interview and location recording
• Room tone and wild tracks captured for post-production sound edits
• Wind, traffic and reverberation reduced through positioning and shielding

Participants can turn a communications brief into a focused visual story concept.

• Audience, purpose and desired response defined before production decisions
• Single-message discipline applied to short factual film concepts
• Treatment structure sets premise, contributors, visual approach and intended ending
• Story arc built through setup, development, turning point and resolution
• Character, evidence and place combined to make abstract issues visible
• Editorial angle tested against available access, time and visual evidence

Participants can produce a workable pre-production pack for a small photo or film assignment.

• Creative brief translated into treatment, storyboard and shot list
• Call sheets specify schedule, contacts, locations, roles and equipment
• Location recce identifies light, sound, access and power constraints
• Production budgets distinguish crew, equipment, travel, permits and contingency
• Release forms documented for contributors, locations and identifiable minors
• Risk assessment records hazards, controls, emergency contacts and escalation routes

Participants can plan, light, record and direct credible on-camera interviews.

• Open questions designed to elicit specific experiences and evidence
• Interview briefing establishes purpose, consent, comfort and confidentiality boundaries
• Two-camera coverage planned without breaking eyelines or screen direction
• Active listening prompts clarification, examples and complete spoken responses
• Interview pacing managed through pauses, follow-ups and topic transitions
• Contributor welfare protected during sensitive, traumatic or high-risk interviews

Participants can capture purposeful supporting footage that supports a planned edit.

• Five-shot method captures wide, medium, close, over-shoulder and detail coverage
• Action sequences filmed with beginning, middle and ending visual beats
• B-roll linked to interview claims, locations, processes and emotional cues
• Event coverage prioritises key speakers, audience response and contextual details
• Continuity notes record wardrobe, props, actions and camera positions
• Reaction shots and cutaways gathered without disrupting authentic activity

Participants can select, correct and prepare a consistent set of publication-ready photographs.

• Contact sheets used to compare technical quality, expression and narrative value
• Star ratings and colour labels organise selects for stakeholder review
• RAW adjustments correct exposure, white balance, contrast and shadow detail
• Crop ratios chosen for print, web, portrait and social placements
• Caption writing records names, action, location, date and contextual accuracy
• Metadata fields preserve copyright, creator credit and usage information

Participants can organise production media and create an efficient non-linear editing project.

• Folder structure separates camera originals, audio, graphics, exports and project files
• File naming convention supports retrieval by date, subject, location and version
• Media backup follows the 3-2-1 rule before cards are reformatted
• Proxy workflows enable editing when source files exceed computer capacity
• Footage logged with markers, notes, keywords and transcript references
• Sequences configured for frame rate, resolution, aspect ratio and audio settings

Participants can assemble a coherent first cut from interviews, B-roll and natural sound.

• Paper edit maps selected interview statements into narrative order
• Radio edit establishes message, pace and factual logic before visuals
• J-cuts and L-cuts create continuity between speech and supporting imagery
• B-roll placement illustrates claims without repeating obvious visual information
• Pacing adjusted through shot duration, pauses and purposeful transitions
• Rough-cut review tests clarity, credibility, rhythm and missing coverage

Participants can clean, balance and mix audio for clear factual video delivery.

• Dialogue editing removes false starts, distractions and unnecessary pauses
• Room tone fills gaps created by interview edits and visual cuts
• Equalisation improves speech clarity while retaining natural vocal character
• Noise reduction applied cautiously to avoid metallic or artificial dialogue
• Music cues selected for rights status, mood, duration and voiceover space
• Audio levels checked against loudness targets and speaker monitoring

Participants can correct footage and maintain a consistent visual treatment across scenes.

• Primary correction balances exposure, contrast, white balance and saturation
• Waveform monitors verify luminance levels beyond subjective screen appearance
• Vectorscopes assess skin-tone hue and excessive colour saturation
• Shot matching aligns cameras, lighting changes and mixed shooting conditions
• Secondary corrections isolate faces, skies, backgrounds and distracting colours
• Rec. 709 viewing assumptions checked before standard-definition video export

Participants can add clear titles, graphics and access features without obscuring the story.

• Lower thirds identify contributors with consistent hierarchy and screen placement
• Title safe and action safe areas protect essential screen information
• On-screen text written for readability, brevity and sufficient display duration
• Charts and maps simplified to communicate one defensible visual message
• Captions prepared with accurate timing, speaker identification and sound descriptions
• Audio description considerations identified during scripting and visual editing

Participants can make defensible editorial and legal decisions for factual visual content.

• Informed consent distinguished from informal permission to film or photograph
• Copyright ownership checked for music, archive, graphics and commissioned material
• Fair dealing assessed cautiously against purpose, amount and source material
• Safeguarding protocols applied when filming children or vulnerable adults
• Image manipulation boundaries defined for journalism, advocacy and corporate communications
• Editorial verification confirms names, dates, claims, captions and contextual accuracy

Participants can coordinate a small production team through clear roles and decisions.

• Crew roles assigned across producer, director, camera, sound and editor
• Production meetings confirm creative intent, schedule, risks and decision authority
• Run sheets manage arrivals, setup, filming windows, breaks and wrap
• Equipment manifests track issue, return, condition and replacement requirements
• Client approvals scheduled at treatment, rough-cut and final-delivery stages
• Change requests assessed for scope, cost, timing and editorial impact

Participants can prepare quality-controlled video and photo assets for specified channels.

• Master file retained at highest approved resolution and bit depth
• Aspect ratios planned for widescreen, square, portrait and vertical placements
• Export presets selected for web streaming, presentation and broadcast handover
• Compression artefacts checked in gradients, movement, text and fine detail
• Thumbnail frames selected to communicate subject and encourage viewing
• Quality-control checklist verifies picture, sound, captions, credits and metadata

Participants can run a structured review process that improves content without losing editorial focus.

• Review criteria separate factual accuracy, message, brand and technical quality
• Time-coded feedback consolidates comments into clear, actionable edit decisions
• Version control distinguishes internal drafts, approval copies and release masters
• Conflicting stakeholder comments resolved against brief, audience and evidence
• Approval records document sign-off authority, conditions and publication restrictions
• Post-project review captures lessons for future planning, production and editing

Participants can present visual work and production proposals in a professional format.

• Showreel selections demonstrate range, role, technical skill and editorial judgement
• Case study summaries explain brief, approach, constraints and measurable outputs
• Production proposals define concept, deliverables, schedule, crew and budget assumptions
• Creative references communicate tone, visual treatment and audience expectations
• Portfolio captions identify responsibilities without overstating individual contribution
• Client pitch questions clarify stakeholders, approvals, access and success criteria

Participants can produce, peer-review and present a completed short factual film with supporting production documentation.

• Capstone brief converted into a focused treatment and production plan
• Shot list, interview plan and risk controls finalised before filming
• Camera, lighting and sound choices justified against the intended story
• Edited narrative combines verified interviews, purposeful B-roll and natural sound
• Final colour, audio, captions and titles checked against delivery requirements
• Peer review and presentation explain editorial choices, constraints and improvements