Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2016

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

IN 1994, THEN HEAD OF THE FRIENDS OF GIRLS GRAMMAR COMMITTEE, LADY MAUREEN SCHUBERT, SUGGESTED THE FRIENDS COULD PROVIDE A SCHOLARSHIP FOR AN OUTSTANDING YEAR 11 ARTS STUDENT TO ATTEND AN EXTENSION SUMMER COURSE OF HER CHOOSING, RELATED TO HER FUTURE STUDY IN THE ARTS.

pulled out the dolly and some tracks. I had a turn filming on it, and even learned how to shoot a dolly zoom — a shot made famous by Alfred Hitchcock. After lunch I was shown how to light a green screen, then I edited the footage on Adobe Premiere Pro — editing software I can use in senior visual art. For the final two hours we discussed several editing techniques, such as the 180° rule and audio overlap, by analysing Orvon’s most recent project and watching snippets of National Treasure and Runaway Jury . We ended the day by talking about copyright and screen resolution. The whole experience was incredibly worthwhile, and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity. I felt like a sponge, soaking up all the information, and truly valued the one-on-one time I had with a professional. It was wonderful to be able to ask all sorts of questions, simple or complicated, and be given instant and detailed answers. The knowledge I gained will definitely assist my studies in the years to follow. I feel much more comfortable operating cameras, have learnt so much about lighting and editing, and have been given an insight into a subject area I am seriously considering studying at university. I am so grateful I was awarded the Friends of Girls Grammar Bursary. It has been an exciting and enlightening experience.

Many of these students have gone on to study and to forge careers in the arts world, playing in symphony orchestras, working in theatre and more. While the Friends group was disbanded several years ago, the Bursary remains and in 2015 was awarded to Elena Dias-Jayasinha (12G) to attend a tailored short course at the Queensland School of Film and Television (QSFT). Elena reflects on her experience: Upon arriving at QSFT I met with my instructor Orvon. We started the day discussing the film industry, jobs within the industry and where the creative power lies within a production team. Then I was taught about scriptwriting including how to correctly format scripts, communicate ideas through storyboarding and what people look for in scripts. For example, size is important, as each page should roughly be one minute of film. We then moved onto filming where I was taught how to use various settings and the effects of these settings. I also took photos to observe the differences between a long lens and a wide-angle lens. We then discussed tripods and I learnt that fluid ones are best for filmography. One of the highlights of the day was learning how to use lights. Orvon showed me three-point lighting, then we fiddled around with gels and turning off the key, back and fill lights to see the effects on-camera. We also went outside and he taught me how to control light by bouncing it off other surfaces. Before lunch, we quickly

GRAMMAR GAZETTE