Unit 1

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Welcome to Coffee Break Film School, your short and sweet overview of every part of the filmmaking process! To start off, we’re giving you a first look into each important step in getting a movie made.
  • How are screenplays structured?
  • What kind of equipment does a filmset need?
  • How do you shoot, light, and mic the actors?
  • And how do you go about putting it all together?

By the end of the unit, we’ll have all these questions answered, and more.

For educators, check out our Coffee Break Film School Instructor’s Guide, available here:
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Basic Structure of a Screenplay

This series of videos covers the fundamental concepts of a compelling story....


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Production/Gripology

The world of film and video production is filled with a weird and wonderful array of oddly and sometimes inappropriately...


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Shot Types

Shot descriptions are the very basic language of cinematography. This section of videos covers both scene framings and character framings–the...


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Introduction to Lighting

This set of videos covers the fundamental aspects of light quality, terminology, temperature and source color....


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Operating a Boom Mic

Capturing good sound on set is crucial; this set of videos covers correct boom technique. Follow the simple steps outlined...


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Introduction to Editing

There are many courses on how to perform edits using different non-linear editing software packages, but here we focus in...


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Shooting Visual Effects

This set of videos outlines color preparation and set survey techniques, specifically geared towards 3D camera tracking in post-production....


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Cinematic Documentary Storytelling

Cinematic Storytelling is part of our DNA and understanding how to unlock its secrets is key to transforming an idea...


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Getting Cinematic Images in Imperfect Locations

If you have access to a stunning location, then it’s easy to create a cinematic shot. However, most of the...


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How to Capture Good Audio in the Field

For a lot of video professionals (or photographers moving to video) audio is the most confusing and scary part of...


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The Signal in the Noise

As CEO of Editstock — an online service that provides uncut footage for people to practice editing with — Misha...


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Storyboarding Your Next Video

There are many variables to consider when you are involved in a video production. The best way to know in...