Rome International Film School

RIFS is offering a special intensive summer course in PRODUCTION DESIGN, taught by Hollywood PD John Muto ("Home Alone", "River's Edge", "Species", "Night of the Comet" among others) - it will run over two weekends in June (4th/5th and 11th/12th) here at RIFS in Rome. Places are limited. Please write [email protected] to sign up.

moments from recent student films

RIFS students will be shooting 8 short films throughout the month of April and are casting for quite a number of roles, of all ages, genders, and for both Italian and English speaking parts. If you're interested please send a message and if you know someone else who might be have them get in touch. Best is to email us at [email protected] - Thanks!
Gli studenti di RIFS stanno girando 8 corti durante tutto il mese di aprile e stanno cercando attori/attrici di tutti eta' e tipi per diversi ruoli sia in italiano che in inglese. Se siete interessati o conoscete qualcuno che potrebbe interessarsi, per favore scrivete a noi qui su FB o ancora meglio al nostro email [email protected]. Grazie!

A few images from recent films made by students at RIFS.

Sir Sidney Poitier: Hollywood trailblazer dies aged 94

hate to also add this sad news as another great talent leaves us. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59907931

Sir Sidney Poitier: Hollywood trailblazer dies aged 94 The Hollywood star was the first black man to win a best actor Oscar, and also a respected humanitarian.

Peter Bogdanovich, Oscar-Nominated Director and Champion of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Dies at 82

Sorry for this news. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/peter-bogdanovich-dead-last-picture-show-1235070769/

Peter Bogdanovich, Oscar-Nominated Director and Champion of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Dies at 82 He made a splash early in his career with 'The Last Picture Show,' 'What's Up, Doc?' and 'Paper Moon' and served as a surrogate film professor for a generation.

Proud to be a partner of the Rome Independent Film Festival, now in its 20th year.

Larry Jackson, film producer, exhibitor, marketing whiz, distributor and former studio executive spoke to us at RIFS via zoom about his experience working with Orson Welles, and helping movies get made and released such as "Silence of the Lambs", "Stranger than Paradise", "Mystic Pizza", "The Other Side of the Wind", "Bugs Bunny Superstar", "The Stuntman", and 'Being There".

Our students will be shooting their films, here in Rome, beginning in early November. Actors interested in being considered should let us know! Both native English and Italian speaking actors and actresses, of all ages, are encouraged to let us know. Ten films will be made. A wide range of character types needed. Thanks!

Grateful and pleased to have French director/writer Jerome Enrico talk to our students today after screening his wonderful film "Paulette".

Yesterday, RIFS was thrilled to welcome director Tom De Cillo ("Box of Moonlight", "Living in Oblivion", "Delirious") to speak with school director Carl Haber and the RIFS students from Los Angeles to Rome via Zoom.

Valerio De Berardinis giving practical training in cinematography in his first lesson of the new year.

Thrilled to announce our school now has a new home, at Via di Monte Testaccio 34A, in the classic, exciting neighborhood of Testaccio in central Rome. Look forward to re-opening and welcoming a fantastic, talented new group of international students shortly!

We begin our exciting, in-person one-year filmmaking program on September 10th. There are a couple of places left for EU students (those not needing a visa to attend) - and we are giving special consideration for special students. Write us at [email protected] for details. A great opportunity to study and MAKE FILMS in Rome!!

Just a handful of places are left for the one year program starting in September. Write us now if you want to apply to come to beautiful Rome, study with the award-winning faculty at RIFS and MAKE FILMS with fellow international students! [email protected]

congratulations to our former student Paulina Castro for winning two (more) Emmy Awards!!!

Study film - Make films - in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. www.romefilmschool.org

A few moments from Alex Witek's film "Montelobos", currently in post-production.

RIFS is happy to announce that we are currently accepting applications for our one-year program that will resume in September, here in Rome. Students applying, who are accepted and commit to the program by Feb 15th can take advantage of reduced tuition fees for early admission.

Meanwhile, we continue with our exciting online courses throughout the spring, and a new round begins soon, with Online 'Quarantine' Film-making, Adapting Literature to the Screen, Cult Movies, and more.

Write to us here or email [email protected] for details.

Michael Apted, 'Coal Miner's Daughter' Director and 'Seven Up' Documentarian, Dies at 79 | Hollywood Reporter

RIP Michael Apted https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-apted-dead-coal-miners-daughter-director-seven-up-documentarian-was-79-1292671

Michael Apted, 'Coal Miner's Daughter' Director and 'Seven Up' Documentarian, Dies at 79 | Hollywood Reporter Michael Apted, 'Coal Miner's Daughter' Director and 'Seven Up' Documentarian, Dies at 79 12:10 PM PST 1/8/2021 by Mike Barnes FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Columbia Pictures/Photofest Michael Apted His body of work also included 'Gorky Park,' 'Gorillas in the Mist, 'The World Is Not Enough' and 'Nell.'....

RIFS presents its Spring term line up of many ONLINE COURSES in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, film-making, production and film studies. Check out the schedule and courses offered on our website - http://www.romefilmschool.org/programs_menu/ - the courses begin running from January -- sign up for one or multiple courses by writing us here or at [email protected]

More pictures from one of our amazing films in production -->>

RIFS' online 'quarantine' film-making course is in full swing - films are being made in Edmonton, Canada - Mexico City - the Arizona desert - and northern Wisconsin - by our talented students. Here are some images from the shoots:

RIFS presents its Spring term line up of many ONLINE COURSES in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, filmmaking, production and film studies. Check out the schedule and courses offered on our website - http://www.romefilmschool.org/programs_menu/ - and sign up for one or multiple courses by writing us here or at [email protected]

SIGN UP NOW for our course in SCREEN STORY DEVELOPMENT

(8 sessions) Nov 16 – Dec 9, Mondays & Wednesdays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

An advanced course in screenwriting, this class focuses on the way a writer can find ideas, settle on those that are most intriguing, and then develop them into original screenplays. This class serves to help students find their voices, understand how to develop original material, and then, importantly, how to pitch and convince others to help produce or become involved in the film project.

Write us for info here on FB, or email to [email protected]

Screenwriters: Sign up for our advanced course in screenwriting: Screenplay Story Development - this class focuses on the way a writer can find ideas, settle on those that are most intriguing, and then develop them into original screenplays. Find your voice, learn how to develop original material, and then, a major plus, how to pitch and convince others to help produce or become involved in your project. It runs November 16-December 9 ONLINE. Write us for info here or at [email protected]

if you have some screenwriting training and want to develop your craft, you might want to sign up for our online course that begins next Monday and runs for four weeks, twice a week, where in that period you will write a 20-30 page script based on a short story. Write us for details... here - or at [email protected]

Make a short film wherever you are with our supervision, signing up for our Online Filmmaking course: it begins October 13th and runs each Tuesday until December 8th, meeting on Zoom at 4:30-7pm Rome time (CET).
Over the weeks, we will guide you with your story ideas, script, pre-production, and creative/directorial preparation, then once you shoot, we will help with editing choices and completion. For some of you it may provide the boost and discipline needed to make that film you've been thinking about, whether it be documentary, fiction or anything else... If you have a smart phone or a camera, basic editing and shooting skills, a good idea and the resources to pull it together, sign up! Make a film this fall!

Lighting Seminar

some work of students of cinematography instructor Klaus Fuxjager. Sign up for his valuable online course that begins Sept 25. https://lightingseminar.com/

lightingseminar.com

Jiří Menzel: a daring, defiant beacon of European cinema

Enormous sadness - goodbye to Jiri Menzel.

theguardian.com The Czech director’s films reflected a difficult, grisly era but were infused with an irresistible wit and romance, most memorably in Closely Observed Trains

Beginning September 14 RIFS starts its slate of online courses. Please write us at [email protected] to sign up for one or more of these:

FUNDAMENTALS OF SCREENWRITING – Carl Haber

(10 sessions) Sept 14 – Oct 14, Mondays & Wednesdays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

This class offers comprehensive training in the craft of screenwriting: the language of film, the opening pages of your script, developing characters through behaviour, writing effective dialogue, writing action, crafting better scenes, many tools of the craft, the appropriate use of research and the survival skills needed as a screenwriter.

DIRECTING FOR THE SCREEN – Carl Haber

(8 sessions) Sept 15 – Oct 8, Tuesdays & Thursdays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

This class focuses on the evolution of the director’s role in cinema and TV, the current expectations and responsibilities of the director (and others) in the production of film or TV, and the tools a director needs – a major focus is on the technique of script analysis, and the process a director uses to prepare and rehearse with actors and make choices in staging, blocking and shooting scenes, to arrive at a coherent vision of the material and execute it.

PRINCIPLES OF CINEMATOGRAPHY – Klaus Fuxjager

(8 sessions) Sept 25 – Nov 13, Fridays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

This course addresses the artistic, technical & professional aspects of the cinematographer’s work in film & TV, the fundamentals of photography and the additional aspects involved in capturing moving images. It examines the history of cinematography and trends over the past century of filmmaking, and focuses on the current tastes and state of technology. We pay particular attention to the use of film language and how to develop a style across genres. Cinematographic tools like lighting, composition, camera movement, choice of lenses, work flow and formats are analysed, bearing in mind their main purpose of creating emotions and serving the story. Finally, we address the professional responsibilities of the DP during the making of a film: in prep, on set and in post, working in collaboration with the producer, director, crew, art director and editor.

QUARANTINE FILM PRODUCTION – Carl Haber

(9 sessions) Oct 13 – Dec 8, Tuesdays 4:30pm -6:30pm (CET)

In this course the instructors will consult, advise and guide students in the production of short films made by the students on their own, beginning with script development and writing, pre-production, shooting and post. At the end of the term students should have a quality short film they have made – in spite of limitations – to add to their portfolio.

VISUALIZATION FOR DIRECTORS – Stephen Natanson

(8 sessions) Oct 15 – Dec 3, Thursdays, 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

This course, using many examples, studies the many options a director and his or her team have when deciding how to stage and shoot a given scene, depending on the tone of the film, the genre, and the stylistic choices involved.

ADAPTING LITERATURE TO THE SCREEN – Carl Haber

(8 sessions) Oct 19 – Nov 11, Mondays & Wednesdays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

This course is a follow-up to the fundamentals of screenwriting class, where students use what they learned in that prior class to now adapt a short story into a 25-30 page screenplay, beginning with interpreting the material, creating a beat sheet/outline, then a treatment, then the actual screenplay, with consultations every step of the way.

SCREEN STORY DEVELOPMENT – Carl Haber

(8 sessions) Nov 16 – Dec 9, Mondays & Wednesdays 4:30pm – 7pm (CET)

Another advanced course in screenwriting, this class focuses on the way a writer can find ideas, settle on those that are most intriguing, and then develop them into original screenplays. As opposed to the craft-oriented courses previously taught in this term, this class now serves to help students find their voices, understand how to develop original material, and then, importantly, how to pitch and convince others to help produce or become involved in the film project.

IPHONE FILMMAKING – Valerio De Berardinis (in Italian language)

(10 sessions) Sept 25 – Nov 27, Fridays 1:30-4pm (CET)

Aimed primarily at younger students (but not exclusively), and offered in Italian language, this class will run at a time that will best serve young Italian students looking to learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, making use of the things they already own, rather than relying on sophisticated and expensive gear. Now, with high quality cameras in our phones, and digital editing platforms on our laptops and tablets, anyone can make a film. This course however helps students produce work that is superior, beginning with focusing on story, then photography and editing, so that students – during this class – can produce a work of their own in whatever circumstances they find themselves.

Fees for these courses can be found on our tuition fee page on our website - romefilmschool.org