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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
* Are the films any good? JUDGE FOR YOURSELF IN OUR SCREENING ROOM.
* I'm in SAG. Is that a problem? NO. WE HELP YOU WITH ALL SAG CONTRACTS. WE USUALLY TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO USE THE SAG SHORT FILM AGREEMENT. THE SKILLS YOU LEARN WILL APPLY TO YOUR NEXT FILM--YOUR FEATURE FILM.
* Do you offer a payment plan? YES. TEN, SIX, AND TWO MONTH INSTALLMENT PLANS. WE ALSO ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS. PLEASE SEE 'TUITION PAGE' FOR MORE INFORMATION.
* Are there any other fees above and beyond the tuition cost? YES. YOU MUST PURCHASE A 4 GIGABYTE SDHC CARD FOR THE CAMERA (~$25.00), A 500 GIGABYTE EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE FOR EDITING (~$150.00), AND MOST STUDENTS ALLOCATE APPROXIMATELY $50 - $100 FOR COSTUMES, MAKEUP, PROPS, ETC. IF NECESSARY FOR YOUR PARTICULAR FILM.
* Is there a prop/costume shop nearby? YES, THERE IS A PARTY CITY IN PORT CHESTER THAT HAS BASIC HALLOWEEN TYPE MAKEUP, WIGS, ETC. IF YOUR NEEDS ARE VERY SPECIALIZED, YOU MAY NEED TO SHOP ELSEWHERE ON YOUR OWN. NOTE: WE HAVE A SMALL MAKEUP/SPECIAL EFFECTS KIT ON PREMISES.
* Are the other actors any good? YES. WE MAKE SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF ACTORS REMAINS HIGH THROUGH EITHER AN AUDITION AND/OR AN ANALYSIS OF THEIR EXPERIENCE TO DATE. ALSO, EACH SCRIPT IS TAILOR WRITTEN FOR THE ACTORS IN THE CLASS--TO ACCENTUATE THE STRENGTHS OF EACH ACTOR. TRUST US--IT IS REALLY COOL WHEN YOU SEE THE PROCESS IN ACTION.
* I am a beginner and don't have much experience: NO PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE THE TALENT AND THE DRIVE, AND ARE READY TO MOVE AT A FAST PACE WITH YOUR OTHER CLASSMATES, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU ABOARD.
* I am an experienced actor. Is this worth my time? YES. THE CLASS MOVES AT A FAST PACE, AND YOU ARE GUARANTEED TO LEARN FAR MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED. THIS COURSE WILL HELP YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER, AND HELP MOVE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. AND, ALL STUDENTS *MUST* FINISH THEIR FILMS, SO YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET THE FOOTAGE FROM EACH FILM FOR YOUR REEL.
* I am an experience director. Is this worth my time? YES. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE MUCH ACTING. THIS WILL REALLY INTRODUCE YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA. FURTHER, WE HAVE HAD FILMMAKERS TAKE OUR COURSE WHO HAVE ALREADY SHOT FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS AND DOCUMENTARIES. WHY? BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY LEARN HOW TO DO IN OUR UNIQUE COURSE.
* What about feature films? Do you ever work on those with students? YES. FIRST, EACH STUDENT IN THE SHORT FILM PROGRAM WILL WORK ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FEATURE FILM DURING THE COURSE. SECOND, FOR THOSE INTERESTED, WE ALSO OFFER A FEATURE FILM PROGRAM: 8 - 12 STUDENTS, BUT INSTEAD OF WORKING ON INDIVIDUAL SHORT FILMS, ALL STUDENTS COLLABORATE ON ONE LOW-BUDGET FEATURE FILM IN WHICH ALL PARTICIPANTS PLAY A SUBSTANTIAL SPEAKING ROLE AND HALF OF THE TUITION BECOMES THE FILM'S PRODUCTION BUDGET. WE CO-WRITE, CO-DIRECT, CO-PRODUCE, AND CO-EDIT THE FILM. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
* What type of equipment will we learn on? WE HAVE TWO CANON HIGH DEFINITION HF100 CAMERAS(*); A PROFESSIONAL 4-LAMP LOWELL LIGHTING PACKAGE INCLUDING SOFTBOX; BOOM AND BOOM MICROPHONE WITH CABLES; SENNHEISER WIRELESS LAVALIER MICROPHONES; FINAL CUT STUDIO 2 (FINAL CUT PRO, MOTION, DVD STUDIO PRO, SOUNDTRACK PRO); MAKEUP KIT---EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BECOME AN ACTOR WHO KNOWS HOW TO MAKE FILMS. (*)NOTE: DON'T EXPECT HUGE MONSTER CAMERAS. WE ARE NOT A TRADITIONAL FILM SCHOOL: WE ARE NOT TRYING TO IMPRESS YOU WITH THE EQUIPMENT; WE ARE SHOWING YOU HOW TO MAKE HIGH QUALITY FILMS ON VERY LOW BUDGETS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR HF100 CAMERAS ARE THE VERY SAME CAMERAS WE USE TO SHOOT OUR TALK-SHOW, "BEFORE THE BIG BREAK". TRUST US: THESE CAMERAS ARE AWESOME, AND THEY DO WHAT WE (AND YOU) NEED THEM TO DO. WANT TO SEE THE CAMERAS IN ACTION? VISIT OUR OUR SCREENING ROOM.
* Where are classes held? MOST CLASSES ARE HELD AT THE LOCO DAWN FILMS PRODUCTION OFFICES IN PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK, A QUICK AND RELAXING 40-MINUTE TRAIN RIDE FROM MANHATTAN. TICKETS ARE ABOUT $13 ROUND TRIP.
* Why is the course taught in Port Chester? FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. FIRST, THAT'S WHERE OUR PRODUCTION OFFICE IS. SECOND, WE HAVE PRE-APPROVAL FROM A WHOLE BUNCH OF LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND TOWN, SO WE CAN GET RIGHT DOWN TO SHOOTING. INSTEAD OF WASTING TIME TRYING TO NEGOTIATE PERMISSION AT NEW LOCATIONS EVERY TIME A NEW CLASS STARTS, STUDENTS CAN SIMPLY PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE THEY WANT TO SHOOT. THIRD, WE DON'T NEED TO SECURE FILM PERMITS LIKE WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IN MANHATTAN. FINALLY, IT ALLOWS US TO KEEP THE COSTS DOWN SINCE WE DON'T HAVE TO RENT ADDITIONAL FACILITIES IN MANHATTAN--IF WE TAUGHT THE CLASS IN MANHATTAN, THE TUITION WOULD BE WELL OVER $4000 PER STUDENT. CHECK OUT OUR LOCATION LIST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER: PORT CHESTER IS CLOSER TO MANHATTAN THAN A WHOLE LOT OF LOCATIONS IN BROOKLYN AND QUEENS. IT'S REALLY QUITE CLOSE.
* What is Loco Dawn Films? LOCO DAWN FILMS IS MONROE MANN'S PRODUCTION COMPANY. VISIT WWW.LOCODAWN.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.
* Who teaches the classes? MOST CLASSES TAUGHT BY MONROE MANN HIMSELF. GUEST LECTURERS MAY STOP BY FOR CERTAIN CLASSES.
* Is the only time commitment on Saturdays? NO, THERE IS A FURTHER COMMITMENT FOR THE EDITING. EDITING USUALLY DOES NOT HAPPEN ON THE SATURDAYS WHEN WE TEACH CLASS. THEREFORE, PLAN TO COME BACK TO THE SCHOOL 2 - 4 MORE TIMES AFTER YOU WRAP YOUR FILM TO EDIT YOUR FILM, EITHER DURING THE WEEK, OR ON WEEKENDS.
* So I have to edit by myself? NO, YOU EDIT WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR GUIDING YOU. IF YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO EDIT AND HAVE FINAL CUT PRO, YOU MAY EDIT ON YOUR OWN EDITING SUITE. IF YOU ARE NEW TO EDITING, YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL SIT WITH YOU AND EDIT YOUR FIRST SCENE WITH YOU, AND THEN BE THERE WHEN YOU NEED HIM AS YOU COMPLETE YOU FILM. AS YOU NEAR THE END OF YOUR ROUGH CUT, YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL BE THERE TO HELP WILL ANY ADVANCED EDITING YOU MAY REQUIRE, AND WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO FINE TUNE YOUR ROUGH CUT INTO A FINAL CUT.
* What if I can't make all classes? WE KNOW STUDENTS ARE BUSY SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE EVERY STUDENT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF ALL STUDENTS CAN REARRANGE SCHEDULES TO ALLOW US TO HAVE ONE CLASS ON A SUNDAY, OR ON A MONDAY, WE WILL. BEFORE YOU DECIDE YOUR SCHEDULE WON'T WORK, CALL US AND SEE IF WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT.
NOTE: All details are subject to change and refinement.
If interested in enrolling, contact us today for more information!
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