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, Narrative 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 high-definition video using 12 Canon XF100 cameras. Post-production is done in six Final Cut Studio editing suites with Apple computers 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.

Students also shoot 16mm film on five Bolex cameras and one Aaton XTR. Sound is recorded on six Zoom digital recorders, and there 24 ultra-compact 250-watt Lowel Pro-Lights, as well as several lighting packages with lights of up to 1000 watts, Chimera softboxes and Matthews grip equipment. Camera support includes tripods, Fig Rigs, a Shooter Scooter dolly and Porta-Jib crane.