Please note: We were given twelve months of access to Online Christian Filmmakers Academy from Family Gravity Media, a division of Families For Christ Ministries, Inc., in exchange for this review.
In our biz (that’s the Christian music mission biz), a person needs to make videos…and ours stink. That is why we were excited to take film classes from Online Christian Filmmakers Academy.
The classes are taught by father-son duo Ken and Zack Lawrence. They have experience working in, oh, practically every aspect of filmmaking ever invented–okay, maybe not every aspect, but pretty close. Already, there are three points in their favor:
- Father-son team (I love it when parents work with their children instead of everyone going their separate ways…but I’m biased, since that’s what we do with our kids.)
- Christian
- Experienced in the filmmaking world, not just experienced at reading filmmaking books and teaching filmmaking classes.
About the program:
The program has five modules. Each one contains video lessons, (of course, duh, because it’s a video course), quizzes, docs, interviews, and templates. This is what you’ll be studying:
- The Camera–six lessons on how the bugger works, with an emphasis on using a DSLR…which we don’t have, so we’re working through this course with some cell phones and a cheapo video camera from an online Black Friday sale many years ago.
- Cinematography and Lighting–ten lessons about how to work with different lighting
- Sound–six lessons about sound. If you’ve ever recorded anything, you know the sound doesn’t always come through. That’s what the post production lessons are about.
- Pre-production–five lessons about prepping for your film. Don’t skip these steps!
- Production–six lessons about getting down and dirty on the set. This also includes a section on budgeting, which is crucial to bringing your film to life.
As the program grows, new content is added. In fact, the profs mention that they look different in various videos because they have updated some modules as needed. It’s nice to know they’re keeping up with technology, isn’t it?
About access:
You know what’s great? Anyone in your home can use the course for one fee. My older four girls are doing the course together (slowly–see below), and my ten-year-old is doing it on his own, since he isn’t part of the girls’ production studio. He’s not a girl, see. (I’m watching with everyone, whenever I can squeeze in close enough to see the screen.)
They have a full year to do it at whatever pace they want, whenever they want…or whenever I say Hey! Film class time! Family learning at its finest.
Notes for my fellow roadschoolers:
This program absolutely 100 percent requires consistently good internet access, unless I’m an idiot, which is a possibility. It also requires a working computer–duh. We have been struggling with both lately, so class is slow moving. I know internet access is a struggle for many of you out there. Also, assembling a bunch of kids around a video on the computer is not possible at, say, the library–you need earphones or a place you can be loud.
Remember, though, you have a year to access the course. Surely during that time you’ll have a chance or several to find a good internet connection. Even if, you know, you’re fleeing from the remnants of a typhoon, like we did today, that doesn’t last forever. In a few days you’ll be someplace else, hopefully with time and access to learn how to do some post-production sound for that Fleeing the Typhoon video your kids just shot.
A discount:
The class is $299. The Lawrences have offered a $100 discount to you swell people (Swell!? Did I say swell?!) if you use the coupon code FALLCREW16 by November 30.
Read what other Homeschool Review Crew reviewers have to say by clicking on the banner below:
Facebook page for the hands-on film camp: www.facebook.com/christianfilmmakerscamp
Facebook page for the Online Christian Filmmakers Academy: www.facebook.com/ChristianFilmmakersAcademy
