USC School of Cinematic Arts

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An intensive and extremely ‘hands-on’ camera and lighting class for emerging cinematographers, producers, directors, editors and writers from all over the world.     

The most unique feature of this popular and dynamic class is the weekly cinematography assignment for which each student will serve as the Director of Photography on a series of scenes shot on a myriad of the most contemporary equipment in the professional industry---including 16mm, super-16 and 35mm film cameras, as well as the newest XD Cam and High Definition digital cameras. 

       Students will also be provided with a thorough training on professional lighting and grip equipment throughout the summer weeks as well as have complete access for their productions to the large sound stages in the new USC School of Cinematic Arts complex.  Once completed, these student-lead and -crewed projects will be projected in state-of-the-art film and digital screening rooms on USC campus as well as at professional facilities in Los Angeles.

       In addition to having unprecedented access to equipment and facilities, students in this course will also learn and practice the fundamental truth---that a cinematographer’s job is a holistically hybrid field of endeavor that requires both a confident execution of technical crafts as well as a willingness to explore and execute one’s own artistic sensibilities.                       

  The more technical aspects of cinematography covered in this class will include crew management, building up and breaking down film & digital cameras, the similarities and distinctions of film & digital formats, lighting equipment and strategies, camera operation, how to plan and “make” the day’s shot list, setting exposure with both light meters and monitor control, color correction, lens characteristics & options and how to utilize the wide variety of moving camera options and gear.

       On the creative side of a cinematographer’s role, the students will practice their own ‘envisioning’ and then production of the key aesthetic elements under her/his command, including the designing of the color, contrast, shot selection and camera movement in these scenes to-be-shot on a weekly basis.  As inspiration for their exercising these creative options, this student will also study how powerful a role the script and art direction play in cinematographer’s design process.

       As the USC School of Cinematic Arts is centered in the film capital of the world, another key component of this course is the series of Tuesday morning guided field trips that will transport the students to wide range of essential cinematography destinations throughout Los Angeles.

Recent summer sessions have toured such facilities as: 

• The Kodak Company
• Deluxe Labs, Panavision
• EFILM, HD Expo
• Mole-Richardson
• Arc Light Cinemas
• The LA County Museum of Art

        Come and join us for the 2012 Edition of The Film and Digital Cinematography Class, a passionate and joyous 6-week journey into the art and craft of making motion pictures with cameras, lights and an empowered imagination.  It will be an intensive summer filmmaking immersion into cinematography that you won’t soon forget, and you’ll even leave with your own Director of Photography reel to prove it!

About your Instructor:

Filmmaker and Educator Erick Yates Green began his career as an archaeological architect working in Israel and Jordan for the 5 years following his studies in architecture at The School of Design at North Carolina State University.  While in the Middle East, Erick also worked as a documentarian, photographing a series of portraits of children in Jerusalem and an essay about village life in the Northern Galilee.  He then returned to produce photographic projects in his native North Carolina, before enrolling in the graduate studies at USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles where he obtained an MFA in Film/TV Production.  Early professional work in film/television industry included crewing in lighting and camera departments on television productions and on large and small feature films in the Los Angeles area, where he had the honor of assisting, among others, the visionary artist and cinematographer, Conrad L. Hall, ASC.  Since becoming a cinematographer himself,  he has shot many short films, documentaries and four feature films including Love Philosophy, Prospect, Straight Out of Compton, and the Indian Bollywood film entitled Banana Brothers.  Most recently Erick shot two dramatic films, As Maltratadas and The Abused, in Lisbon, Portugal based upon the true story of the kidnapping of immigrant women who are lured to Europe by the promise of a better life.  He has recently produced, directed and served as cinematographer for a series of documentaries in NC including: The Mayor Who Stood Up, The New Country Doctor and The Time of Their Lives.

This 6 unit Summer Program class is comprised of the following two School of Cinematic Arts courses:

CNTV- 325  Film & Digital Cinematography - 3 units

CTPR- 428 Summer Program Film & Digital Cinematography - 3 units