NOVA Woodbridge Promotional Video

Here you go…

Here is the promotional video that was created for AMC theaters that debuts today (make sure you chose to watch in HD to take advantage of the intended quality).

Since we also had the actors and equipment and time, we did a quickly shot series of three “behind the scenes” videos of our actors pretending to be characters that were actors.  Do you follow?

It all helps set up the promotional video.

Check back for future versions of the promotional video as we will put at least one extended version of the promo and one special edition version too.  We will be posting them in the video section of this blog too.

We would like to create more of these in the future, so check back to this site often and remember you could be a part of the excitement by taking film classes at community college prices.  Yes, we love an underdog!

Promo Video to be Premiered this Friday

The promotional video we completed for the NOVA Woodbridge film program finally has a release date for the theaters.  It will start to play at the local Woodbridge, VA theaters this Friday, December 6th.

We are excited for the opportunity for our actors to be appear on the big screen and give our great program some new publicity.

We will also be launching both a Facebook and Twitter account as well and posting the promotional video, as well as, the behind the scenes videos on these social network sites.

I will, also, be releasing an extended version of the video as well, so check back when you can.

And don’t forget we are in open enrollment now for spring 2014 classes so come to NOVA Woodbridge and experience the magic of our new film program.

Tease from the NOVA Promo Video

As we inch closer to the release of our promotional video for the NOVA Woodbridge film program, here are some of the stills a student took while on set:

Audio Guys Rojit and Jesus prep for audiobefore the mess Dressing a set from this…big setup2 …to this…big shot2 …to create this!directors meet2 Faculty members discuss the shot eric makeup2 Theatre director Eric Trumball in makeupgroup shot1 Some of our students and faculty last shot Bryan Brown applauds last shotpractice2 Our actors rehearsered camera4 Using a RED Epic camerascript breakdown2Kelly Cochran breaks down the script

Watch New Student Videos

The main purpose of this blog is to display the talent and hard work of our current students, as well as, demonstrate to future students some of the things they could expect in our film/video courses.

As such, some new student videos have been uploaded to the video page of this site.  Though I would love to add more, I can only host seven videos in the manner in which I do it.  I have included three student videos from the fall 2012 PHT 130 class and the class documentary.  In addition, below – embedded here-, you can view music videos completed by the PHT 130 class in both the fall 2012 and spring 2012 classes and the one completed by the Filmmaking Club in summer 2012:

Fall 2012 Music Video (Eyes Closed)

Spring 2012 Music Video (Dangerous Girl)

Summer 2012 Music Video (Good Life)

 

It’s Been Awhile

Just an update of the busy semester that has been:

The campus theatre department just wrapped on their production of “Bus Stop.”  It was a fun time with some notable acting talent.  Hats off to Dr. Eric Trumball for his creative direction.

PHT 130 students finished principal photography on their class music video project.  We enter post production now and everyone is anxious to see the final outcome.  Also, these same students are working on their final video projects and their class documentary.  They are keeping busy but, hopefully, getting a great experience in the process.

Kelly Cochran, English faculty, is leading her dramatic writing students through the steps needed to write a script.  One lucky student will have his or her work created into a short movie in the spring by the students in the PHT 131 (Video II) class.  We are excited about this collaborative process.  I will just have to contain my enthusiasm until the semester starts.

The Filmmaking Club has been working on their own projects, both as individuals and an entire group.  They finished auditions this past week for the main roles of their group project.  I won’t reveal any plot details until the production is completed.  Just keep checking back to find out the status on this project.

And what about Professor Bryan Brown, you may ask?  He has been involved in just about everything to do with film on this campus. In fact, he has planned a big event for November 30th, but you will have to read the other blog post to find out what he has cooking…

New Course Offerings and New Program

Good news, there is finally a General Studies degree with an emphasis on film studies (pending final approval).  Now you can explore more of the film classes offered here on the Woodbridge campus of NOVA.

Also, an actual degree in film and media study/production is still in the works and we hope to have something done over this year.  We will keep you posted.

Until then, please know you can enroll in the General Studies degree with an emphasis on film studies and take some of the courses mentioned in this blog, including PHT 130 and PHT 131 for film/video production and there will be a new course offered next fall (2013) for digital editing (PHT 274).  The course will not only delve deeper in editing techniques but we will explore motion graphics and color correction.

PHT 274 will be the course for all those interested in getting involved in post-production.

Summer Filmmaking Project (Take 2)

While I have an opportunity, I just wanted to thank some folks who helped the members of the Filmmaking Club with this project:

Our dancers: Lara Kenney, Jenna Owen, Nyeem Braxton, Andrew Buning, Paola Gil, Mike Sherman, Mariah Dillard (and thank you to Lexie Heller and Corine Dillard for acting assistance).

Tutors (helped with acting and behind-the-scenes work): Heather Jackling, Salma Roshdi, Ahmed Roshdi, Terri Miller, Kavya Kothapalli, Piero Franco, Angel Le, Truc Nguyen, Lucky Giron, Cara Brower and Bibiana Cornejo De La Mora.

Thank you to the makeup artists of TDR Artistry.  Additional makeup by Lara Kenney and Rosa Rivas.

Thank you to the campus facilities department (Tony Harbert) for the use of the genertaor and other allowances.

Thank you to the campus police for their continued partnership.

Thank you to Eric Trumball for the use of the campus theatre and other props.

An extra special thank you to Wendy Gazzelli of the Filmmaking Club and her daughters, Megan and Alyssa, for their assistance throughout the production with many odd tasks, errands, and requests.

If I left someone off this list, it was not intention.  However, when there are not many funds to go around to hire personnel for these tasks, it is great to see a campus pull together to help each other.

Summer Filmmaking Project (Take 1)

It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to post her eon the blog but that is because I have been involved in another filmmaking project here on the Woodbridge campus.

I was working with the Filmmaking Club to create another music video for the band WorstKase Scenario.

It did not begin as an endeavor to make a music video but it is an example of the way things snowball.  We received new Canon 7D cameras in the spring and I wished to test them out well in real-world situations.  So, I got the idea I would do another project, as to not waste the time spent on testing this equipment.  I partnered with Dave Bausch again and decided to do a no-budget music video.  Then, in order to really test the cameras, we wanted to put them through different situations and the idea (somewhere, somehow) of spoofing 1980s music videos became the foundation for this project.  And, finally, the Filmmaking Club was invited along to participate.  So, what began as a simple little task became another full-blown project.

However, I will confess that the cameras got quite a workout and the original test was accomplished but it has cost me a lot of time, money, and stress on what should have never been such an ordeal.  But the students got to see real world conditions, decisions, and all of us got to network further in the industry.

We completed our two weeks of shoots this past Friday and post-production will be strating soon.  Hopefully, we will have a finished product in the coming weeks.

In addition, I will be using this production experience to post a few blog entries about the experience so prospective students have an idea of what it is like in the trenches of filmmaking on no budget.

Special Thanks for a Wonderful Experience

I just wanted to send a special list of those individuals I wish to recognize and thank for the completion of this special video project we piloted in the spring 2012 semester of PHT 130 (Video I) here on the Woodbridge campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

First of all, I want to give a very special THANK YOU to all of the students in my class who worked very hard on this project (in alphabetical order):

Carl “Doc” Bentley, Kelly Coe, Joeseph Emerson, Eddie Gomez, Kat Hemphill, Sarah Hicks, Anthony Hyter, Meghan Oney, Lorraine Pino, Isidro Ramirez, Selestino Rodriguez, Danny Salzberg, Allan Setash, Darious Thomas.

Special thanks to Eddie for the rough edit of the music video.  Also a special thanks to those of my students who also acted: Selestino and Darious.  And to the students on set who worked so hard: Allan, Eddie, Doc, Kelly, Kat, Meghan, Lorraine, Isidro, and Danny.

Thank you to our other actors:

Shea Davies ( a professional actress from NYC made the trip to help the cause) – fish vendor

Kim Irwin (one of our own students) – flower vendor

America Twiggs (daughter of one of our campus tutors, Kellee Twiggs) – little girl

Jack Mourad (auditioned for the part) – little boy

And thank you to these individuals who were the extras (in order of appearance): Paul Martin (NOVA student – who knew how great of an actor he would be); Broc Pulley (NOVA student and former PHT 130 student – talented filmmaker in his own right); Dennis Sullivan (one of NOVA Woodbridge’s excellent counselors AND a former student in PHT 130); Mitch Gibson (NOVA student and a great looking fisherman); Megan Gazzelli (NOVA student and a member of the NOVA Woodbridge Filmmaking Club); Wendy Gazzelli (NOVA student and also a member of our Filmmaking Club); Kathryn Nordan Lynch (NOVA student and a Woodbridge tutor); and Bharti (NOVA Student and a new, undiscovered talent).

I also wish to thank Tim’s Rivershore resturant, including our contact, Amy Riggleman, for the use of the restaurant and its property for the actual film shoot.  The food is delicious, so if you have not made a trip there, do it quickly before the summer is done.

Thank you to John Ruffino and the board of the NVCC Educational Foundation for approving a small grant to assist in the payment of 522 productions for their dedicated partnership.

And, of course, thank you very much to 522 Productions for agreeing to volunteer their time, their staff, their equipment, and their knowledge to the completion of this project.  They agreed to work at cost (probably at even less) just to help the cause with the actual film shoot and the color correction of the final edit.  Each student enjoyed the experience!

We hope each of you viewing the vdieo also enjoys the hard work and passes it along to someone else so they can continue to enroll here at NOVA Woodbridge and build the demand for our film classes and increase our film course offerings.

Drum Roll Please….

The music video that was created for the song Dangerous Girl by WorstKase Scenario is finally completed and uploaded to thsi site.  Please view it and the accompanying documentary on the video page of this blog site.

The students from the PHT 130 class worked very hard to finish both projects and to hone their skills they learned in class throughout the spring semester.  they also had the opportunity to work with 522 Productions on the shoot, learning from industry professionals.  We are very thankful to 522 Productions for their time, generosity, and patience.

We would love to hear comments on the video as we continue to prmote this class to prospective students who are considering taking the course in the future.

We also understand there are some minor mistakes in the music video but please know we were on an extremely limited budget and schedule (we did the entire shoot in one long day).  However, I am very satisfied with the professional quality of the completed work and I am extremely proud of all of the students from the spring 2012 PHT 130 course.

There are many others to thank for their time and I will do so in a separate post but I wanted to get this video on-line.  We will eventually load it on YouTube, as well as, the personal Web site of the band and the site of the band’s label.

We will let you know all of those details later.