GUEST SPEAKER: DR. BRIAN HU

Brian Hu is a film critic, teacher, and scholar. He completed his PhD in Cinema and Media Studies at UCLA and did his dissertation research in Hong Kong under a Fulbright fellowship. He is the author of hundreds of articles on film and the arts and his writing has appeared in edited volumes and journals as well as in the online magazine Asia Pacific Arts, which he co-edited from 2006 to 2011. His book Worldly Desires: Cosmopolitanism and Cinema in Hong Kong and Taiwan is forthcoming from Edinburgh University Press. He is currently an adjunct lecturer at the University of San Diego.

ARTICLE: Changing the World Through Cinema, SD Union Tribune

FEATURE: DIRECTOR HIRO MURAI

Hiro Murai (born 1982) is a Japanese-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His most notable works include internationally successful music videos for artists such as Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, Chet Faker, Flying Lotus, David Guetta, St. Vincent, The Shins, The Fray, Bloc Party and Queens of the Stone Age.[1] In 2013 he directed the short film Clapping for the Wrong Reasons. In 2016, he directed several episodes of the comedy-drama Atlanta, collaborating again with Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino. Murai moved to Los Angeles when he was nine years old and later graduated with a degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. After graduation, Murai turned to freelance work as the director of photography for numerous music videos, as well as VFX and storyboarding, most notably for Ace Norton. After some time Murai began to direct low budget films.

ARTICLE: Hiro Murai on the ‘Atlanta’ Finale and ‘This Is America’ Video

DESIGN + COMPOSITION

Learn the basics about the principles and elements of design to make your camera shots more interested in meaningful. All participants will have the chance to get their hands on equipment and work in pairs to practice shooting :)

ASSIGNMENT 2: COPYCAT

Students will participate in the recreation of a video that inspires them. Learn about what is important v. popular in media today and brainstorm ways to include these ideas, techniques and camera shots into your own work.