BFI Film Academy 5: Amy Curtis on What She’s Learnt So Far…

Amy Curtis is one of the participants on our fifth BFI Film Academy. Here, she shares her experiences so far…

Having never made a film before, I was really excited to start the production of our short film. Within the group there was a mixture of non-experienced and experienced filmmakers and a variety of preferred roles however the set atmosphere remained professional and controlled as we noted the importance of communication and listening to each other.

My first role on set was Production Designer, this consisted of dressing the set and being aware of continuity. I referred back to continuity photos taken on previous shoot days and took my own to make sure any props or actors moved were put back in the original positions. This is my desired career role so I really enjoyed the experience. Although my main interest is in production design I also trialled being a boom operator, gaffer and cinematographer. I found each area experienced on set really interesting and gained valuable knowledge from each role.

The role I wanted to learn more about was camera operating and with the assistance of John (one of the workshop leaders), I gained experience in framing, panning, tilting, focus pulling, re-adjusting the ISO, switching lenses and altering a tripod. I also found the camera to be the most rewarding area as I could replay what I had just filmed to see if it was usable. Overall, I loved the whole aspect of being on a set and cannot wait to be on more in the future and put into practice my knowledge and confidence acquired from the BFI Film Academy.

Find out more about our BFI Film Academy, head here.

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