
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
FILM SOCIETY CINEMA
Upcoming Classes & Workshops
Download the current SFFS Education calendar (pdf)
Most classes are held at the San Francisco Film Centre (39 Mesa Street in the San Francisco Presidio) or the Ninth Street Independent Film Center (145 Ninth Street). Please read the Classes & Workshops FAQs before enrolling.
To begin exploring class and workshop offerings, click on one of the categories listed below:
Most classes are held at the San Francisco Film Centre (39 Mesa Street in the San Francisco Presidio) or the Ninth Street Independent Film Center (145 Ninth Street). Please read the Classes & Workshops FAQs before enrolling.
To begin exploring class and workshop offerings, click on one of the categories listed below:
Script Consulting
Instructor:
Lisa Rosenberg
Highly experienced story analysts offer comprehensive single-reads and critiques of completed screenplay drafts.
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TBA
TBA
SFFS member
$450 general
SFFS member
$450 general
Find Your Story: Narrative
Instructor:
Lisa Rosenberg
This workshop will help you shape a raw idea into a fleshed-out story ready to be developed in screenplay form.
Read more...
Read more...
Friday, June 1, 6:00-10:00 pm; Saturday, June 2, 1:00-5:00 pm; Sunday, June 3, 1:00-5:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
Level II: The Challenge of the Second Act
Instructor:
Lisa Rosenberg
This class takes students through Act II, the major journey of the story.
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Read more...
Mondays, June 4-July 30, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
Level I: Launch Your Screenplay
Instructor:
Lisa Rosenberg
This class introduces the art of storytelling for the screen through lecture, discussion, film clips, writing exercises and writing workshops.
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Read more...
Tuesdays, June 5-July 31, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
Adaptation
Instructor:
Natasha V.
We’ve all read or heard something and thought, “Wow! That would make a great movie!” But what’s really involved in adapting another person’s life, work or writing to the screen? This course answers that question and helps adapters rough out a draft of their script.
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Saturdays, June 9-July 28, 11:00am-2:00pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
$465 SFFS member
$495 general
Grant Writing Essentials
Instructor:
Michele Turnure-Salleo
Learn how to craft an effective grant proposal for your project that can be adapted for multiple applications.
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Read more...
TBA
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Craft of Producing: Conceptualizing and Budgeting Documentaries
Instructor:
David Winton
Having a concise budget is essential for any business plan if you’re going to raise money for a movie project. Breaking down the screenplay is essential for figuring out not only the who, where and when, but how much.
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Read more...
Wednesday, June 6, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
SFFS Fiscal Sponsorship Orientation
Instructor:
Michele Turnure-Salleo
Whether you’re a filmmaker with a seed of an idea or heading into production, fiscal sponsorship can help you access funds from foundations and donors.
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Tuesday, June 19, 7:00–8:30 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
FREE SFFS member
FREE general
FREE SFFS member
FREE general
Social Media Strategy
Instructor:
Michael A. Behrens
A realistic, affordable social media strategy is a must for filmmakers. This class will help you develop a practical outline for your cause-related film that measures, motivates and moves your audience to take action.
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Read more...
Thursday, July 19, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Working with the Film Commission
Instructor:
Christine Munday
Christine Munday, Filming Supervisor at the San Francisco Film Commission, will detail the resources the Film Office offers.
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Read more...
Wednesday, August 1, 7:00-10:00pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$60 general
$50 SFFS member
$60 general
Film Festival Marketing and Publicity 101
Instructor:
Hilary Hart, Aurora Guerrero
You’ve just finished your film. Now what? Better yet, you’ve just decided to make a film, what should you do now and moving forward to prepare for your future publicity and marketing campaigns?
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Read more...
Wednesday, August 8, 7:00-10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Shooting and Conducting Documentary Interviews: Beginners
Instructor:
Jorg Fockele, Amir Jaffer
This class will introduce students with no or minimal production and interviewing experience to the techniques and technologies behind preparing, conducting and filming great interviews.
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Saturday, June 23, 10:00–6:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
Shooting and Conducting Documentary Interviews: Advanced
Instructor:
Jorg Fockele, Amir Jaffer
This class will train students in the techniques and technologies of preparing, conducting and filming great interviews, including research, preproduction, interview techniques, choice of camera, lenses and lighting as well as considerations for post production.
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Read more...
Sunday, June 24, 10:00–6:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
Structuring the Character-Driven Documentary
Instructor:
Karen Everett
Acquisition executives from HBO, PBS and Sundance want story-driven films that deliver an engaging narrative. Whether you are a novice making your first nonfiction film or a seasoned veteran, this two-day seminar will reveal the essential narrative building blocks that will attract funders.
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Read more...
Saturday–Sunday, July 28-29, 9:00am–5:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
Producing and Directing Documentary Film
Instructor:
David Brown
How do you turn a captivating idea into a viable documentary film? This intensive two-day workshop covers crucial issues of producing and directing a documentary.
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Read more...
Saturday–Sunday, August 18-19, 10:00 am–6:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
$190 SFFS member
$220 general
Navigating Creative Financing and Digital Distribution
Instructor:
Christopher Horton
Join Sundance Institute’s Chris Horton, Associate Director, #ArtistServices as he gives an overview on the current state of crowdfunding and digital distribution.
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Read more...
TBA
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Craft of Producing: Preproduction and Planning
Instructor:
Brook Holston
This class will cover the development and preparations that go into getting ready for production.
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Read more...
Wednesday, June 13, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
The Craft and Theory of Sound
Instructor:
Dan Olmsted
We tend to think of films as something we watch, but we, of course, hear them too. Sound can significantly influence how we see a movie, in ways both obvious and subtle.
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Read more...
Thursday, June 14, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Aesthetics of Editing
Instructor:
Richard Levien
This class investigates the many competing issues that editors must keep in mind when cutting a film.
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Read more...
Monday, June 18, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Understanding HD Workflows 101
Instructor:
Ben Zweig
Join editor Ben Zweig for an in-depth exploration of HD workflows.
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Read more...
Wednesday, June 27, 7:00-10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Low Budget Music Video Production
Instructor:
Jorg Fockele
This workshop focuses on music video-making on a low budget.
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Read more...
Saturday, June 30, 10:00-6:00pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
Shooting HD with Digital SLR Cameras
Instructor:
Matt Notaro
Learn how to manage beautiful moving images affordably and take control of a new and potentially industry-changing technology.
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Read more...
Tuesday, July 10, 7:00–10:00pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Using Archival Footage
Instructor:
Stephen Parr
This class, led by Oddball Film+Video Director Stephen Parr, examines how to effectively source and utilize stock footage in your project.
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Wednesday, July 11, 7:00-10:00pm
OddBall Film Archive
$16 SFFS member
$20 general
$16 SFFS member
$20 general
Photoshop for Video Editors
Instructor:
Sade Huron
This workshop includes exercises and lecture on combining still and moving images. You will learn basic to advanced Photoshop techniques and creating custom menus for DVD authoring.
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Read more...
Thursday, July 12, 7:00-10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Craft of Producing: In Production
Instructor:
Banker White
How do you know when you’re ready for production? What are some of the pitfalls of production, and what can you do to prevent them?
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Read more...
Wednesday, July 18, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Craft of Producing: Post Production
Instructor:
Christie Herring
Documentary post-production will be looked at from the producer’s point of view.
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Read more...
Wednesday, July 25, 7:00–10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
Digital Video Intensive
Instructor:
Jason Wolos
Don’t just capture footage—create memorable high-quality images no matter which camera you use.
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Read more...
Saturday, August 4, 10:00-6:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
Your First Movie
Instructor:
Jason Wolos, Dawn Rich
Getting a film made is challenging, and preparing yourself for the endeavor is no easy task. Learning from those who have gone before you is the best way to avoid artistic, technical and financial traps.
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Saturday, August 11, 10:00-5:00 pm
Ninth Street Independent Film Center
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
$170 SFFS member
$200 general
Eastern European Cinema
Instructor:
Jim Morton
Join film historian Jim Morton as he looks back on the films of the GDR. The evening will include clips from several rarely screened films.
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Read more...
Monday, June 11, 7:00-10:00 pm
Roxie Theater
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
French New Wave (1957–69)
Instructor:
Daniel Vitaglione
Contemporary moviemaking is greatly indebted to the French New Wave.
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Read more...
Monday, July 16, 7:00–10:00 pm
Roxie Theater
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
Sexy, Violent and Bizarre: The Japanese B-Movie Tradition
Instructor:
Aaron Kerner
While film critics and fans alike lavish praise upon canonical figures like Kurosawa and Ozu, the tradition of B-Movies in Japan should not be casually dismissed. Without the pretense of Japan’s prestige cinema this “alternative” tradition tends to celebrate excessive visual imagery with little regard for narrative.
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Monday, August 13, 7:00-10:00 pm
The Little Roxie
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
$15 SFFS member
$20 general
Inside the Design
Instructor:
Richard Beggs
Join Richard Beggs in his Presidio studio for an intimate two-hour class that takes you inside the craft of sound design.
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Read more...
TBA
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
The Politics of the Cutting Room Floor
Instructor:
Curtiss Clayton
Film editors often face challenges that go beyond the creative issues involved in shaping a film. The politics of the cutting room can have a huge effect on the success or failure of any movie, from indie projects to star-driven blockbusters.
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Thursday, June 21, 7:00-10:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$25 SFFS member
$35 general
$25 SFFS member
$35 general
Les Blank on Documentary
Instructor:
Les Blank
Join legendary documentary filmmaker Les Blank, Burden of Dreams 1982, Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe 1980, In Heaven There is no Beer 1984, for an in-depth discussion on the art of documentary cinematography and visual story telling.
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Read more...
Friday, August 24, 1:00-3:00 pm
San Francisco Film Centre
$50 SFFS member
$70 general
$50 SFFS member
$70 general








