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Documentary Filmmaking Certificate

Documentary Filmmaking Certificate

If you have an idea for a documentary and want to turn your dream into reality, this intensive, 6-week course will provide the grounding you need to transform your initial concept into a gripping factual film. With hands-on training from practising documentary professionals, you will gain all the skills you need and make your own collaborative documentary ready to pitch and package to the industry.

You'll work with broadcast quality digital cameras and learn and develop your skills in cinematography and sound. Hone your editing skills with Adobe Premiere Pro before you pitch your final project to a panel of documentary industry professionals.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Duration: 6 weeks, full-time
Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (plus additional hours incl. evenings and weekends)

Make your own collaborative documentary in 6 weeks! Join our intensive six-week Documentary Filmmaking Certificate course to gain practical skills, documentary filmmaking experience and industry understanding to develop your own documentaries.

If you’ve got an idea for a documentary and want to know how to develop your idea into a gripping narrative then our Documentary Filmmaking provides the perfect grounding. We teach you documentary research methodologies and how to apply them to your productions to get them started. Throughout the course you will receive hands-on training by practising documentary professionals, equipping you with sought-after, industry relevant skills. You also gain an understanding of the different sectors of the documentary industry and how to effectively pitch and package your work to an industry panel.

Over the six weeks you:

  • Develop new and existing cinematography and sound abilities
  • Experience working with broadcast-quality digital cameras
  • Learn editing skills using Adobe Premiere Pro
  • Practise pitching your final projects to a panel of documentary industry professionals

Working in small groups with excellent tutor-to-student ratios ensures that you benefit from the close-knit nurturing environment that we strive for at London Film Academy. Regular group feedback sessions, mentoring and technical support enhance your learning and your individual project needs.

All final documentary film projects are screened in our cinema.

Course Goals

  • Gain a thorough understanding of the basics of documentary filmmaking, including the UK film market, budgeting and funding
  • Learn pitching skills to successfully promote your documentary idea or completed project
  • Gain the ability to develop an idea into a treatment, using the research and storytelling tools taught on the course
  • Complete a five-minute Documentary short film
  • Learn technical skills on digital camera operating, sound recording/mixing and lighting
  • Learn basic Adobe Premiere Pro skills
  • Knowledge of Documentary short film development, production and post production

While on the course and for one month after you will receive complementary membership with LFA networking Filmmaker's Club

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

To book your place on this course please:
Apply online or 
Apply by post, print out the application form and post to London Film Academy, 52A Walham Grove, London, SW6 1QR, email admissions@londonfilmacademy.com or fax to 0207 381 6116. As soon as we've received your application we’ll send you a confirmation email containing payment details. Please check your ‘Junk Mail’ folder if you appear to have not received this email.

ENTRY CRITERIA

  • Our Six-Week Documentary Filmmaking Certificate course is open enrolment and there are no entry requirements.
  • All applicants must be fluent in English: English Language Level: Upper Intermediate
  • Minimum age 18

VISA REQUIREMENTS
You can check if you need a visa by visiting the UK IMMIGRATION VISA (UKVI) website. You can also check with the British Embassy or Consulate in your own country or, if there is not one where you live, in a neighbouring country.

Visa applications can be a lengthy process and therefore it is advisable to apply well in advance of your planned trip.

SHORT TERM STUDY VISA
For students studying on a course of 6 months or less (i.e. LFA Certificates, Foundations and Specialised courses)

NB: Do not travel to the UK if you wish to study without first obtaining the correct student visa. If you enter the UK under a short-term study visa or the incorrect student visa, you will not be able to switch this to the relevant visa without first returning to your home country.

London Film Academy has been reviewed by QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education) for Educational Oversight.

 

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To apply online please click on the course date below.

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All my success relates back to Panico. Not only do you have access to advice from experienced tutors, but from Panico Club members.

Jamie Payne, Director, Foundation graduate

Going through all of the aspects of filmmaking in my one year at LFA has been a positive stepping stone into the professional world. This course helped me select Directing as a career path for the future.

Mehreen Hasan, Filmmaking Diploma

LFA introduced me to filmmaking and it was the beginning of a beautiful journey.

Christine Cheung, Filmmaking Foundation

The Filmmaking Certificate course was, without doubt, the highlight of my year. Thank you to all the staff at LFA for a fantastic month where I had a great time, I made new friends and I learned a lot.

Aaron Williams, Filmmaking Certificate

To produce work of such high quality in such a short space of time is astounding. I would hotly recommend the LFA to anyone thinking of a film career.

Michael Ayers, Actor

I learned everything from directing actors and lighting a scene to how to operate cameras – it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Carlos Zoyzaya, Filmmaking Certificate

Filmmaking Foundation taught me the basics from which to get started and allowed me to meet lots of useful people 

Brendan McGinty, Lighting Cameraman

Building on what I learned at LFA, I have had a feature script optioned in LA plus a TV series optioned in the UK and greenlit by a broadcaster.

John Lubas, Scriptwriter, LFA Graduate

After studying on the Filmmaking Foundation, I joined LFA's Filmmakers Club and made a short film ‘Jetpack Willy’, which went on to receive complete funding from Film 4 and launched my career.

 

David Palmer, Filmmaking Foundation

No one was ever hired in the film industry on the basis of a paper qualification, making it in this competitive industry is a question of skills and contacts and that’s exactly what we give our students at the LFA.

Lou Spain LFA consultant, Independent Producer