Students at the Pinnacle

Posted on January 24, 2020 by cstallings

I will be adding some pictures we have snapped over the last couple of years in some future posts just to show the NOVA Cinema students hard at work/play. However, I wanted to start with this one because it really says so much in just one shot. It is a still frame from a couple seconds of video shot by former student Jake Simpson while working with some of our current students (Eugene Rose, Anthony Peznola, Qiyanna Evans, Ashley Kelly, Bryan Dover, Cheryl Anne Fries, and Malcolm Tatman) while filming out in South Dakota this past October. We will give you more of the behind-the-scenes story (and pictures) in future posts but this one shot at night shows the determination of these incredible students as they filmed all day long in harsh ever-changing weather elements (two separate freak snow storms) and scaling several hills/mountains up and down (with equipment) in slippery footing and clay-baked earth just to get to and from “set” each day. They were excellent professionals and this one picture shows their determination to make it to the top…literally and figuratively!!!

New equipment awaits our first Cinema degree seekers

Posted on June 13, 2017 by cstallings

The new updated college catalog references the new AFA in Cinema (though it does state “pending” until we get final approval through state accredidation). With the launch of this new degree, we are also putting some new resources into supporting it, which means some new equipment has been added.

Though we love our RED Epic camera, we also now have a Sony FS7 camera (with lens) for the class to gain exposure (bad pun) on a second cinema camera.

Sony is one of the companies I like and trust almost as well as RED. In addition, when I took a class of film students on a trip to DC Camera rental house in Fairfax less than two years ago, one of the items we previewed was the FS7 and the students really wanted one – so, I listened.

Speaking of what the students want, I have also heard a lot of chatter about more movement in their productions so we added some nice dolly track and centipede wheels to our already impressive Matthews Round D Round dolly (for that uneven ground), as well as, we now have a Ronin-M gimbal for some fluid and smooth movement (just please don’t overdo it).

And for use with the Ronin-M, we also added a Canon C100 (mark ii) and two new zoom lenses.

Again, we want you to have the best experience possible as a film student at NOVA Woodbridge.

Let us know if you have any questions.

cstallings@nvcc.edu or babrown@nvcc.edu

Filming Time

Posted on April 13, 2016 by cstallings

The students in PHT 131 (Video II) have been very busy lately with their end of the semester film shoots. They wrapped the shoot for their narrative piece (a short film based on a script from a London screenplay artist) two weeks ago and that has entered post production. In addition, this past weekend, they shot a music video for artist Cameron Pierson of Ohio, who is signed to a label with our local Potomac Records (see location still above).

See her Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/cameronpiersonlive/

Then, the class filmed yesterday with the assistance of the Video I class (PHT 130) for a commercial for Hometowne Auto & Tire:

https://www.facebook.com/hometowneautorepair/?fref=ts

We will soon post all three videos to this blog site once all post production has been completed. We will also post more stills from the shoots but here are some pictures from the set of the music video for “Down,” by Cameron Pierson with special guest Lyrion Neely.

[Pictures courtesy of Jason Pierson]

Filmmaking Student Stays Focus at NOVA Woodbridge

Posted on October 19, 2015 by cstallings

Watch as student Meghan Oney is viewed through the lens of the RED Epic camera though the reflection of the camera operator is seen as he racks focus.

Woodbridge Film Program Visits Woodbridge High School

Posted on May 6, 2015 by cstallings

WHS Visit

05/05/15

Jonathan Balsamo (pictured above) and Chris Stallings had the pleasure of visiting students at Woodbridge High School and discussing some aspects of the film program at the Woodbridge campus of NOVA.

You can see the RED Epic camera pictured here in the photo. Students can learn to work on this cinema camera.

For a sampling of some of the classes offered here on campus, please refer to the “About” section of this blog site. In addition, please feel free to contact Chris Stallings (cstallings@nvcc.edu) with any further questions about what is offered.

NOVA Woodbridge Film Program 2014 Promo Video

Posted on November 7, 2014 by cstallings

Here is our promotional video from September’s film shoot.

We tried to give it a Film Noir feeling and actually added grain to the final grading and converted it to black and white to stay with the era.

(Watch it in HD if the settings do not default to it)

Spring class registration starts next week, so I hope potential students will be interested in our classes here at Woodbridge.

NOVA Promo Video 2014 New Post Production Stills

Posted on October 15, 2014 by cstallings

Here are some stills taken from the actual shoot rather than the behind-the-scenes. We should be wrapping up post-production soon and posting the video for all to see.

Enjoy…

Behind the Scenes Stills

Posted on October 1, 2014 by cstallings

As we work on the post production of our latest promotional video for NOVA Woodbridge, I wish to share some stills from student Megan Robertson.

You get a chance to see our two wonderful actors, Shea Davies and Rick Kain, as they prepare for their roles and, then, make the parts come alive. They were both sensational in their talent but, also, both very professional.

You will also see our wonderful makeup artist, Tiffany Roop, of TDR Artistry as she preps our actors.

I would also like to thank Sabrina Chandler of Center Stage LLC in Occoquan, Virginia, for working with us on the wardrobe. She is an excellent resource for those in the area in need of wardrobe.

Most of all, in these photos you will see a collaboration of students and faculty members working together to make art. You can also see the set construction of the detective’s office, including the light reflecting his name through the glass of the door. And the fake windows were used as our main lighting source, with the exception of a mood setting practical lamp on the table of his desk.

Some of the photos show the set while the house lights are on and others give more of an idea of the richness (though simplicity) of the lighting design.

Enjoy a look behind the scenes while you wait for the final product to come alive in post production.