We are excited to share class assignments that correlates with our Advanced Film Editing Workshop with Stephen Mark, A.C.E.. Sign up for a free school account today and get a one-month free trial with access to all our lessons and the ability to invite an unlimited number of students.
At EditMentor, we believe that hands-on learning is a crucial element to any film, video, or media classes. Our gamified approach gives students the opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning. But once students complete the lessons within EditMentor, we want the learning to continue. That is why we created this three-part class assignment! These class assignments are great for upperclass high school students, as well as college students. And you can adjust each assignment for your specific class and their skill level.
Award-Winning Short Film, Authentic
The class assignments focus on the short film, Authentic, which is the main film used throughout our Advanced Film Editing Workshop course. The film is a Tribeca audience award-winning short that is now streaming on HBO.
The story of Authentic explores cultural appropriation, authenticity, and contradiction. Nicolás, a Mexican immigrant, is a dishwasher at a fine dining restaurant in New York. When his head chef challenges him to find handmade tortillas for a surprise addition to that evening’s dinner menu, Nicolás jumps at the opportunity to prove himself, embarking on a journey that ultimately tests the limits of his ambition.
The raw footage download link (18 scenes, 19.46GB) is available in the first lesson of the Advanced Film Editing Workshop. Watch the trailer below.
Summary of Class Assignments
Assignment #1 – The Story
In the first class assignment, students are asked to work in groups to analyze and evaluate the screenplay for Authentic, then deliver an effective presentation sharing their findings. Read the full the script here.
Reading a screenplay is a crucial part of the editing process, as it gives the editor insight into what to look for when evaluating footage and determining where to place each and every cut. This will ensure students have a solid foundation of the story before they begin editing the film.
Assignment #2 – The Edit
The second assignment allows the students the opportunity to have hands-on practice editing footage from the professional, award-winning short film, Authentic. Teachers can assign the students to edit one scene, multiple scenes, or the entire film. With a clear story structure, a variety of shot coverage, and challenges like building a montage and understanding subtext, this film gives students the opportunity to put their creative and technical editing skills to work.
Assignment #3 – Classmates Review of Edits
When assigning a large group of students the same film to edit, it can be difficult to screen every cut in class in a productive way. Class screenings can take up a large amount of time due to varying lengths of cuts and discussions. Also, students’ interest wanes after seeing the same footage multiple times in a row. The students who screen first get more productive feedback compared to those screened at the end of the class.
Instead, the final assignment asks the class to review each other’s edits, of either a scene or the entire edit of Authentic, in a one-on-one fashion. This assignment allows the students the chance to see how their peers have creatively approached their edit, while also working on their communication skills by providing thoughtful and constructive feedback. Then after the students receive the feedback on their cut, have them review the notes given to them and determine how they will productively use it in their final edits.
Assignments Include:
- Overview
- Learning Objectives
- Materials and Resources List
- EditMentor Lesson Prerequisites
- Teacher Instructions
- Grading Rubrics
- Student Step-by-Step Instructions
- Supporting Materials
The documents are hosted on Google Drive, giving you ability to download the files and adjust for your classroom needs.
Advanced Film Editing Workshop with Stephen Mark, A.C.E.
These class assignments goes hand-and-hand with our Advanced Film Editing Workshop. The course is taught by Stephen Mark, A.C.E., the talented editor of The X-Files, Deadwood, and Hell on Wheels.
Stephen shares his tried-and-true method for selecting performances, building scenes and montages, and reviewing work with others. Throughout the course, students interact with challenges that will teach them how to identify key story moments, build intrigue with their edit, and create empathetic characters.
The course includes 13 lessons, 150 interactive challenges, and more than two hours of videos, that range from topics like what makes a story, continuity, key moments and reading lined scripts. Plus, you’ll have access to download the raw footage from Authentic. Watch the trailer for the course below.
Paid education accounts have access to the Advanced Film Editing Workshop! Sign up for a free school account today and get a one-month free trial! The free trial gives you access to all our lessons and the ability to invite an unlimited number of students.
