Documentary Program

Documentary Filmmaking Certificate

Best Hands-on Program in the Country

One of the very best hands-on filmmaking programs in the country is right here in Northern Arizona. At the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking (ZGI) you will be working on your first film within the first three weeks of the first semester. You will make eight collaborative short films and write and direct your own twenty minute thesis film in the first year of study! That is more than you will do at most of the Big Name schools in FOUR years! And your (in-state) tuition will be approximately $5,000! Which is about ONE-TENTH the cost at any of the Big Name schools.

Documentaries are no longer simply dry material for the intellectual. Becoming much more popular for their entertainment value and still holding on to the cause of making a difference or simply exposing an unfamiliar world to a larger audience, filmmakers have never had a better chance at theatrical distribution. The recent success of “Undefeated,” “Hell and Back” and many other great doc films are forging the way and audiences are loving it.

Professional Mentorship

At the Zaki Gordon Institute the film curriculum focuses on all aspects of movie making from concept to distribution. Learning from a small group of filmmakers and professionals in the film industry gives students the mentorship they need through the entire learning process. The state-of-the-art facilities and equipment are designed to support the film program and provide all students with an incredible amount of hands-on experience.

Many students continue their filmmaking education by attending both the narrative and documentary programs over a two-year period.

FALL – the First Semester

Students will produce and edit eight short films, focusing on a different assignment each cycle. They will work with professional screenwriter, Dan Gordon, to outline and write the treatment for their thesis short film.

Day 1

With a screenwriter, students will watch a film from one of eight styles of documentary filmmaking. The film will be analyzed to reveal writing tricks used by the screenwriter to move the audience through the story. That night, the student will go home and write a treatment that will use one of the writing tricks learned that day in class.

Day 2
The class will be divided into groups of four. Each group will consist of a director, producer, camera and sound person. The students rotate to serve in each of these capacities. As a group, students select a treatment and go into pre-production. They secure locations, subjects, props, wardrobe and they will shot list the scene.

Day 3
Each group will shoot their selected treatment with equipment provided by the school.

Day 4
Their instructor analyzes all raw footage for screen direction, coverage, lighting, interview technique, and composition.

Day 5
The raw footage is edited into a complete scene and the final cut is reviewed.

ZGI Master Workshops

Students attend two intensive workshops on the topics of Screenwriting and Interview Techniques.

SPRING – the Second Semester

The Spring semester is all about production. Students direct their short thesis films and manage the entire pre- and post-production process. The final edit of each film will debut at the ZGI Shorts Film Festival in May. Students are also required to work as crew on two of their classmate’s thesis films.

ZGI Master Workshops
Students attend two intensive workshops; Managing Post-production and Guerrilla Filmmaking.

Total Credit Hours: 40

Cost
The Digital Filmmaking Certificate is a little over $12,000 for the full year, including tuition, equipment and lab fees. For Arizona residents, the cost is roughly $5,000 for the full year