Filmmaking for Scientists 2015
Samer Alasaad-Angelone, Azmi Baumann, Nicole Schnyder /
Date: 21 - 25 September 2015 & 11 December 2015, 09:00 - 17:00
max. Participants: 20
Location: UZH, Irchel Campus, Y 15 K 92 & Zoo Zurich
Credit points: 2.0
Costs : free
Priority: none

Course description
A major challenge for us scientists is to communicate complex concepts and detailed content in ways that are appropriate for the wide audience. Films are powerful tools of scientific communication, but the technical skills for filming and editing, as well as developing a strong narrative, lie outside our training as academic scientists. In this course you will learn about camera, audio, lighting equipment, and how to use film editing software, together with how to write, design and carry out the basics of making a documentary. This practice-focused course will include filming a short documentary film in Zoo Zurich.

Course schedule:

• Camera and lighting
21 September, 9:00-12:30 theory & 13:30-17:00 practice, room: Y15 K92

• Screenwriting and storyboard
22 September, 9:00-12:30 theory & 13:30-17:00 practice, room Y15 K92

• Film editing
23 September, 9:00-12:30 theory & 13:30-17:00 practice, room Y15 K92

• Filming a short documentary film
24 September, 9:00-17:00 Practice, Zoo Zurich

• Editing the short documentary film
25 September, 9:00-12:30 Practice, room Y15 K92

• Discussing the preparations of the screenwriting and storyboard of the individual projects
25 September, 13:30-17:00, room Y15 K92

• Individual project presentation (optional)
11 December, 13:30-17:00, room to be announced

Individual performance and assessment:
In order to obtain the ECTS point, you are required to actively participate in the theory and practice during the course days, including filming a documentary in Zoo Zurich. At the end of our course, optionally, you are giving the possibility to prepare your own (i) video-CV, (ii) research group-presentation, or (iii) short documentary film about a scientific study.

Used tools:
Canon & GoPro cameras, different lighting material and editing software Premiere Pro & iMovie '11. All these tools will be provided by Zurich University and CC Media LTD.
Important: Please bring your own laptop to the course!

Note:
Aiming to support your own projects (optional), two canon cameras will be available during the period between the end of course and projects’ presentation. Also two computers with editing software will be available (Location: Y11-J-05 or Y25-G-66) during the same period.

Course tutors:
Samer Alasaad-Angelone, Azmi Baumann, Nicole Schnyder



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