Filmmaking

Animal stories and action movies are perennial box office attractions. Who are the men and women who work with the animals and take the hard knocks? This program gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the exciting (and dangerous) worlds of animal training and stunt performing. (27 minutes)

Archival footage, photos, and recordings are indispensable staples of the film industry. This program introduces the researchers who sift the riches of stock footage houses, photo archives, and sound effect libraries to find the perfect images and sounds. (27 minutes)

From animal trainers and makeup artists to computer-generated special effects technicians and film laboratory specialists, this captivating series provides an overview of exciting careers in movie and TV show production. Offering something for everyone, these programs can help students see themselves in the big picture. 12-part series, 27 minutes each.

This program captures more than a century of moviemaking, from the pioneering work of the Lumiere brothers and the early silent classics to recent box office hits and modern masterpieces of world cinema. (27 minutes)

Morphing creatures, mind-bending action scenes, destruction on a galactic scale... how do they do that? This program spotlights computer-generated animation and compositing, the technological wizardry behind sensational special effects that early filmmakers could only dream of. (27 minutes)

Help students build their shooting, lighting, and recording skills with this detailed guide to professional-quality video production. This program focuses on the real-world techniques of producer Bill Cote, a 25-year veteran of the television industry, who uses footage from a recently wrapped film to demonstrate proper equipment operation. Divided into four main chapters covering pre-production, camera work, lighting, and audio recording, the program explains shooting schedules, shot lists, storyboards, camera exposure, shutter speed, lenses, filters, three-point lighting, time code and logs, shotgun mics, lapel mics, mic levels, audio ambience, and much more. (58 minutes)

For those who want to see what it's like to film from a dolly, a Steadicam, and even a helicopter, this program is ideal. Filmmakers give a detailed description of an assortment of cutting-edge cameras and related equipment and demonstrate how these tools are used. (27 minutes)

Until the film is processed, even the world's best shooting is only celluloid in a can. This program makes a fascinating visit to a laboratory to illustrate how mechanical and chemical processes turn those miles and miles of film into a finished product. (27 minutes)

By transforming actors into memorable characters, makeup specialists, wig dressers, and wardrobe designers help bring the movies to life. This program takes a look at these highly skilled professionals who are in demand whenever the cameras roll. (27 minutes)

High-tech motion control cinematography coupled with virtual studio software makes combining live action with computer graphics, miniatures, stock imagery, or other live-action sequences much easier. This program demonstrates how it's done. (27 minutes)

Aside from taking an audience's breath away, special effects are often used simply for logistical reasons, such as when an actor or actress is unavailable for a shoot and must be woven into the scene later. In this program, experts in the field of special effects discuss how they create images that range from the spectacular to the invisible. Postproduction specialists discuss and demonstrate techniques of overlaying computer animation and digitizing 35mm and 65mm film. The cinematic applications of prosthetics, animatronics, and pyrotechnics are also closely examined. Contains nudity. (52 minutes)

This program provides a succinct overview of the commercial applications of photography, the graphic arts, and desktop publishing, along with the careers associated with them. Demonstrations of equipment and software, plus definitions of industry jargon, demystify these fascinating fields, while discussions on a diverse range of topics such as how a camera functions and how DTP technology has revolutionized the publishing industry provide technical insights. Concepting and design are touched upon as well. A Meridian Production. (13 minutes)

That's a wrap!" Even after the last of the filming is over, a movie is still far from finished. This program goes inside the editing suite, to see how the film is spliced to create the visual narrative and how the musical score and sound effects are added. (27 minutes)"

Before a single scene is shot, a lot must be done to get a movie off the ground. In this program, veteran producers talk about how they choose a screenplay, get financial backing, and conceptualize the finished product. (27 minutes)

In this era of communications, the technologies used to record and reproduce sounds and images are highly diversified and constantly being improved. This program introduces three of these techniques: computer graphics, or computer-assisted animation; laser discs, capable of storing vast quantities of sound data without altering their quality; and holography, also based on the laser beam, which captures images of objects in three dimensions. (23 minutes)