Film & Video Production Facilities

Students in the first-year film course (FILM 110) at Queen's do a video production exercise in groups as part of that course. More intensive production work starts at the second year level for students doing a Major in Film and Media, with the Fundamentals of Production course (FILM 250).

After FILM 250, production credits are an optional component of the program. There are full-credit third-year courses covering production and theory of Animation, Documentary and Experimental film. Also at third year is Screenwriting (FILM 312*). Fourth year courses cover Interactive Digital Video (FILM 410*) and Advanced Special Topics (FILM 450*/451*). There is also the option to apply to complete a film or video project as an undergraduate thesis in fourth year.

Most shooting is done on digital tape using 13 Canon XH-A1 high-definition HDV cameras. Post-production is done in five Apple computer Final Cut Studio editing suites with Sony HDV decks and high definition monitors. Students can also use their own computers. See also a note on the history of the hardware and software we have used for Non-Linear Editing.

New in the equipment room for 2007-08 were 24 ultra-compact 250-watt Lowel Pro-Lights, as well as Chimera softboxes, a Porta-Jib crane, new Matthews grip equipment, and Porta-Brace backpack cases for all the cameras.

Students also shoot 16mm film on five Bolex cameras and one Aaton XTR. Sound is recorded on two Tascam portable DAT recorders and six Zoom digital recorders, and there are several lighting packages with lights of 250 - 1000 watts.