Week 4 (Summer 2009)

Video and Filmmakers Club met tonight for a video camera lab. Club Leader Michael Alexander brought in a "procorder"(professional camcorder) to show eight students in attendance how to use it. They executed four shots - still, pull out, pull in, and pan - and then watched their work in playback mode.

After a lot of hands-on work, the meeting concluded with a long brainstorming session. The club has decided to shoot a horror film on the premises of Cabrini Connections. Each club member will star in the movie (they've already decided on roles) and direct a scene. A script will be collectively written next week and shooting will take place on September 14th.

Lastly, Video and Filmmakers Club was paid a surprise visit by CBS 2 Chicago! Footage of the club was taken and several students were interviewed. Look for the piece on Cabrini Connections to air tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 10 PM CST!

Week 3 (Summer 2009)

Video and Filmmakers Club met on Monday for a photography lab. Students learned about framing, aspect ratio, camera angles, and other elements of filmmaking before using digital cameras to practice an array of shots, such as...

Medium shot of Jon'nita

Medium close-up of Melissa

Low angle shot of Charles

Everyone seemed to enjoy the introductory lesson, but they are really looking forward to next week's lab with real HD video cameras!

Week 2 (Summer 2009)

Video and Filmmakers Club met last night to discuss documentary composition. Club Leader Michael Alexander showed clips from several films, including Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?, and our very own Cabrini Green, 'This is What I Know': Our Lives, Our Truths, Our Stories, an award-winning film created by Cabrini Connections students and volunteers. We discussed effective strategies for documentary filmmaking and how we may apply elements from the films watched in our own work.

Next week there will be a photography lab. Ultimately, videos are just a long string of individuals images, so that is where we will start! Students will work on framing, camera angles, and more. The club, current in week two of its six week summer session, plans to make a short film about Cabrini Connections to be shown at the first nights of tutoring on Wednesday, September 16, and Thursday, September 17. Thanks for following our progress as this new version of the film club gets off the ground. Please stay tuned!

Week 1 (Summer 2009)

9th grader Charles Hill is here to give us a recap of Week 1:

The video club just started Monday, August 10. The video club's first day will always be tedious work, getting started and planning such ideas. As for now Michael has shown the group the basics in learning the video camera, editing, and watching how to interview people. I have learned a lot of what we will be doing. I predict that the video club will be very spectacular at Cabrini Connections.