Orientation to the Film Industry
April 7 (Sat) - 10am-3pm
Maggie Thomas - Orientation to the Film Industry
The Orientation to the Film Industry workshop is required for Certificate students to take.This workshop will introduce applicants to the hierarchy of a film crew environmnent as well as the principals of proper set etiquette.
The video shown in the workshop visits the set of Shattered City a TV movie of the week filmed in Halifax in 2003. It is about the Halifax Explosion, so it has a sizeable crew, with stunts and special effects, work on water and much more.
Crew members talk about their jobs, what they like about them and how they feel their own jobs contribute to the overall making of a film, the telling of a story. The pyramidal structure of a film crew, the various teams, and how these all interrelate are shown. Complicated organizational aspects of putting it all altogether and safety issues in the work place are covered as well
A hand book accompanies the workshop. ALthough the video concentrates on on-set crew, the handbook covers off set as well.
This is an accredited workshop through IATSE 849
Prerequisite:
None
This is a free workshop but you must register for it to attend. Email Cat at info@nbfilmcoop.com to register.
Background on the Instructor
Maggie began developing workshops when she was a wardrobe set supervisor in Toronto. Her reasoning was that when new people joined her on the set she did not want to have to teach them the basics or worry about how they were conducting themselves on set or with the actors.
In 1988 she changed careers within the industry and took a course to become Script Supervisor. Then, in 1989 she moved to Nova Scotia where the film industry was beginning to take off. In the early days of the union local, it became obvious that there was a need to train new people in the industry because new people on set were an embarrassment to the union and even a safety hazard.
At the least the union wanted to instil a sense of professionalism amongst all its members. So, with the help of many, but principally Bob Petre from Newfoundland, who was doing the same thing over on the island, Maggie developed a Set Etiquette Workshop.
Four years ago the Executive of IATSE Local 849 agreed that it was important to make the workshop more approachable and entertaining. As a result a video was produced that visited a set and showed a crew at work.
Maggie continues to work in the industry as a Script Supervisor. Most recently she worked on Poor Boy's Game, a boxing story set in Halifax and Pushing Up Daisies a black comedy also set in Nova Soctia about an unusual funeral director and a love affair.
