Looking to inspire your in-house team?
Need to improve your own creative or technical skills?
Want to use story and character more effectively in your video content?
We can help.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
In 1997, I left my work as a film editor at the BBC for 3 years of post-graduate study at THE NATIONAL FILM & TV SCHOOL.
It was the best education I ever received, challenging my perception of the world and my place in it, expanding my creative, technical and social skills and raising my expectations as to what I could use them for, lessons that I have carried with me over the last 20 years working in the screen industries.
Since 2005 I have applied my training and experience to developing inspiring critical and practice-based approaches to teaching and learning to help students to realise their own creative vision.
I have taught and developed courses at BA and MA level in a wide variety of higher education institutions including THE MET FILM SCHOOL, THE NATIONAL FILM & TV SCHOOL, BRUNEL UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES and BOOMSATSUMA BRISTOL. I have worked as contributing lecturer, co-tutor and lead tutor responsible for both academic and pastoral support, and at UWE as an external examiner and academic advisor (UWE MA DOCUMENTARY). I have also worked with agencies and corporates to nurture their in-house filmmaking talent. In that time, I have helped more than 150 students, aged 16-60, many of whom had English as a second language, to develop their ideas from concept to screen.
The combination teaching experience and commercial practice has enabled me to distil the fundamental connections between teaching, learning and creating into the content, structure and method of how I teach.
COURSE MODULES
This is the core structure to a documentary programme I have run in various forms for many different organisations and teaching institutions, tailoring the content by selecting modules according to their training needs and schedule.
The more practical based training takes more time, preferably run over a minimum of 3 weeks, while the full course is ideally run over 8 weeks.
INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENTARY
01 Screen Study 1 Day
THE HISTORY & EVOLUTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY FORM
02 Screen Study 1 Day
NARRATIVE, CHARACTER & PLACE
03 Screen Study 1 Day
THE SHORT FILM FORM
04 Screen Study 1 Day
FROM IDEA TO SCREEN : RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
with WORKSHOP ‘FINDING YOUR STORY’
PHOTOGRAPHY, LIGHTING & SOUND
Fundamentals of Documentary Practice
05 Screen Study 1 Day
THE PRINCIPLES OF PHOTOGRAPHY, LIGHTING & SOUND
06 Screen Practice 1 Day
KIT FAMILIARISATION: CAMERA & SOUND SET-UP
07 Screen Study & Practice 1 Day
THE FILMED INTERVIEW:
SOCIAL, HUMAN, PRACTICAL, AESTHETIC & TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
INTERVIEW WORKSHOP
08 Screen Study & Practice 1 Day
FILMING ACTUALITY WORKSHOP
09 Trust Workshop
FILMING & WORKING WITH STRANGERS
10 Screen Study 1 Day
THE POWER OF THE CUT : DOCUMENTARY EDITING
11 Screen Practice 2 Days
INTRODUCTION TO NON-LINEAR EDITING
12 Visual Poetry Workshop 1 Day
VISUAL STORY-TELLING ON LOCATION
13 Screen Practice 1 Day
VISUAL STORY-TELLING IN THE EDIT
ALCHEMY OF SOUND & IMAGE
14 Observational Workshop 1 Day
SHOOTING ACTUALITY : THE HEART OF DOCUMENTARY
15 Screen Study 1 Day
OBSERVATIONAL STORY IN THE EDIT
MAKING YOUR OWN FILM
16 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & PRE-PRODUCTION
1 WEEK
17 DOCUMENTARY SHOOT
2 WEEKS
18 EDIT
3 WEEKS
19 SCREENING, REVIEW & CRITICAL ANALYSIS 1 DAY
LIFE AS A FILMMAKER
20 Screen Study 1 Day
COMMERCIAL FILM DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING & DISTRIBUTION
STUDENT FEEDBACK
“The tutor has a great overall understanding of the filmmaking process. This has been the most structured and enjoyable teaching to date. It made me challenge myself more than before.”
— Emil Jensen, Met Film School, Documentary BA
"Sasha was dedicated, liberal and creative yet very demanding.”
— Asaf Machnes, Met Film School, Documentary BA
“Surpassed expectations. Sasha taught us an incredible amount.”
— Cosmo Feilding Mellen, Met Film School, Documentary BA
“Overall this course was a great experience. Everything was inspiring and I am very thankful for the opportunity I was given. After 3 years of studying video production, I think I really got a clear view of filmmaking and how the film industry works in general on this course for the first time.”
— Christina Sozou, Met Film School, Documentary MA
“My view of the world expanded. I really appreciate Sasha for his kindness and advice.”
— Kana Ohashi, Met Film School, Documentary MA
“The teaching was very profound. Sasha showed a lot of dedication to every single student and to every single project.”
— Nora Ganthaler, Met Film School, Documentary BA
“The level of our lead tutor cannot be improved: open minded, able to discuss and very constructive with suggestions. During the editing not all of my questions could be properly answered by other members of staff.”
— Ana Candela, Met Film School, Documentary MA
“The course was worth every penny. It helped me recognise my strengths and weaknesses, and realise my potential as an independent filmmaker. The tutor himself was the most inspiring. The way he communicates his vision and how he was able to see others is brilliant.”
— Mamita Settling, Met Film School, Documentary BA
We can tailor training to suit your needs and interests.
Let’s talk.
