Rob's Web Log

Classes are forming now for the spring 2011 Cinenosin Film Academy. Finally, I have my own place, so for once, location is not a problem--we WILL have classes! Classes will meet in Houston on Cutten Road, north of Louetta Road. Please contact me as soon as possible so I can determine the best time(s) for everyone. Tuesday afternoon is the best time for me, but that is subject to change according to students needs. If more than 15 students register, I will divide into two sessions per week. Classes usually run 2 to 3 hours once per week. It's $95 to register, with monthly payments of $200, $200, and $100 for a total of $595. Thank you for your interest. I am really looking forward to this--I believe that it will be the best class yet!

2010 class signup is in progress. Classes are limited to 20 students and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need more information, please email your questions to 2010@cinenosin.com. Thanks!

As God's providence would have it, the show was not broadcast today. It seems the person who uploads the show is on their honeymoon. We rejoice in their new marriage! However, this is expected to delay the broadcast of the show by at least two weeks. In the mean time, they tell me you can hear the show on Sundays throughout the day on kafr.afr.com. Or, you can listen to my segment (the only real reason you wanted to tune in anyway, right?).

Saturday at 12:15 (CST) KAFR-FM 88.3, the American Family Radio affiliate in Conroe, Texas, will broadcast the new show "Inspire the Desire" produced by Buddy Gurganus. You can listen on the Internet at kafr.afr.net and select the "On Air" button. "Inspire the Desire" is a program to rebuild the culture to glorify God in the arts. The show this week (1/17/09) will feature my interview with John Moore, the writer, producer, and director of "The Widow's Might." This important film is the winner of the $101,000 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival award. Tune in next week (1/24/09) to hear my interview with Stephen Kendrick, producer of the winner of the Feature Film at SAICFF, "Fireproof" and "Facing the Giants." Please tune in and listen, and let me know your thoughts. Thank you! His blessings, Rob

Finally, real filmmaking instructional videos from a veteran Christian filmmaker. This set of nine DVDs include in-depth coverage of how to write and create a blockbuster movie from script to screen.

The DVD sessions included are:
DVD101 - Teambuilding and Christian Filmmaking - This DVD contains two sessions. The first session introduces the sessions and ends with a class project for those working in a group. The second session discusses what makes a film and what distinguishes a Christian film. (For further discussions on the theological aspects of film, we recommend the excellent filmmaking resources available from Vision Forum.)

DVD102 - Digital Storytelling - On this DVD students learn the important aspects of how to tell a story in film, and how to turn their ideas into a script.

DVD103 - Scriptwriting - How to turn your story into a script. Includes bonus material.

DVD104 - Aesthetics - Here, we study the artistic elements of film, and their meaning.

DVD105 - Sound - The sound of a film is, in some ways, more important than the images. This DVD discusses theory and practice of sound for film.

DVD106 - Lighting - Cinematography is the art and science of painting with light, and capturing that painting on film. On this DVD, students learn the basics of the science and art of lighting for film.

DVD107 - Camera and Motion - In this session we look straight into the lens and never blink. The craft of the filmmaker is to capture the story in light and motion using the camera. This DVD gives students a deeper look into the important aspects of camera technology, technique, and motion.

DVD108 - Production Process - This session we review the steps in our filmmaking journey, and look deeper into those steps.

DVD109 - Editing and Post Production - Once the story is written, planned, and captured to film, the real story of the film then reemerges in the editing room. A better understanding of the goals of editing will make students make better films.
Other bonuses:

•   The Cinenosin Film Academy Certified Christian Filmmaker certificate is available for those who study all the DVD sessions and pass the written exam and meet the other requirements.
•   The DVDs can be watched over and over with no extra charge.
•   The license for the DVDs covers the entire immediate family.
•   Students can learn at their own pace.
•   Email support is available with a one business day turn around (under normal circumstances).
•   See our website for more details.

Earlier we announced that we would start to release Christian filmmaking sessions digitally on the Internet. That is still our intention, but with one important change: the sessions will instead be released on DVD. There were just too many technological and logistical problems attempting to deliver live, online sessions with current technology. Actually, we believe the DVD releases have several advantages for everyone:

• The sessions cost $25 each; the session DVDs are the same price. Some of the shorter sessions are combined onto a single DVD, thus saving students money.
• The Certified Christian Filmmaker certificate is still available for those who study all the DVD sessions and pass the written exam and meet the other requirements.
• The DVDs can be watched over and over with no extra charge.
• The license for the DVDs covers the entire immediate family. The sessions were going to be charged on a per-seat basis. This is especially helpful to families with more than one person interested in Christian filmmaking.
• Students are not tied down to a specific day and time.
• Students can learn at their own pace.
• Email support is available with a one business day turn around (under normal circumstances).
• Online support is available on a weekly basis.
• Students receive a much higher quality image without requiring a broadband Internet connection.

The Cinenosin Film Academy released previews of the Light, and Camera sessions of the academy sessions. These are sessions 7 and 8 of the 12 total sessions required for Certified Christian Filmmaker (CCF). The sessions range from 45 to 90 minutes. The preview sessions use DivX compression to deliver the 90 minutes sessions in under 250 MB each. Users may download a free DivX player from www.divx.com.

Use the following links to watch the previews:
http://www.cinenosin.com/downloads/Cinenosin%20Light.divx
http://www.cinenosin.com/downloads/Cinenosin%20Camera.divx

Please watch and send your comments to previewBL@cinenosin.com. Specifically, we need your comments:

Congratulations to us4him for winning the $275 Trailer Competition! See the cinenosin.com website watch it. Yes, it would have been nice to have more entries, but I understand--we are just starting out. If you started an entry, we would be blessed if you would take the time to finish and upload it. We are getting closer to release every week. We currently have eleven sessions taped, and have two almost finished editing. I may be somewhat biased, but I think they are turning out great. Lord willing, we will start the sessions on the Internet in May 2008. Please send me an email and let me know what days and times are best for you. We have also set the price for each session at $25. A while back, I took some guitar lessons. They cost $30 for 1/2 hour! This is $25 for 1 to 2 hours. We really want students to meet in groups. We also recommend that the group leader collect $10 per session for the group. This money would be used to buy books and other tools that would be used collectively. Right now, we are in need of group leaders. Remember, we will discount your tuition by 20% for each person in your group. Thanks in advance. Blessings again for us4him. Until next time, with knowledge, seek truth!

We finished the first semester of the classroom academy. I am pleased with the hard work and progress of the students. Not everyone made it all the way through, but the world now has four new Certified Christian Filmmakers to contend with! They wrote some very positive comments about the training they received that I will post later. All glory goes to God only.
Right now, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all you who are working on entries into the Cinenosin Film Academy $275 Trailer Competition. There can only be one first. It may or may not take first place in winning the prize, but the following is the first trailer to be posted. Thanks guys!
I was recently asked to judge a film festival here in Magnolia, Texas. The academy was pleased to give free sessions to the first, second, and third place winners of the film festival. I have decided to also give free sessions to the first, second, and third place winners in the Cinenosin Film Academy $275 Trailer Competition. Get those cameras rolling! Please take some time in the next few weeks to make an entry to help support the academy, and possibly win $275 and free sessions. In the mean time, please accept my heartfelt wishes for you and your family to have a Christmas season blessed with the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and a new year filled with the joy that comes only in living in Him.
In His Name,
Rob

God has blessed me beyond my abilities to comprehend. That is a true statement at any time, but lately I have been blessed even more. Through the generous support of a friend, I was able to attend the San Antonio Independent Christian Academy and Festival. Last year I was not able to attend the festival, so it was an extra special treat this year. At the academy, the symposium on Disney reminded us that we need to be working diligently toward producing our utmost quality for His highest calling. The festival was also a tremendous blessing. I was especially blessed to meet with so many Christian filmmakers there. During the academy, they took a poll. One of the questions asked if the attendees of the San Antonio Academy would be interested in more training throughout the year. The answer was a whopping 98% yes. OK, OK, I'm working as fast as I can!

The students and friends of the Cinenosin academy and I completed our first made-for-Internet film. Granted, we have much room for improvement, but the film has been a great success with over 1,300 views in just two weeks. I was even invited to talk about it on a popular Christian radio talk show in Detroit. That was an exciting experience! I want to express a heartfelt thank you to all who participated in making the film and who have supported it by watching it and sharing it with friends and family. Until next time, with knowledge, seek truth!

Finally, the mail list is up and running (at least that is what I just spent the last four hours trying to accomplish!)  The response from the press release is very encouraging.  We added many new email list subscribers: interest in the Cinenosin Film Academy is mounting.  Understandably, one question on everyone's mind, is "How much?"  Until we get closer to launch, it is impossible to say with absolute certainty.  However, I have a goal of keeping the "per hour" cost on-par with the San Antonio academy.  That academy is approximately 25 hours, and costs $395.  This works out to about $16 per hour.  The Cinenosin Film Academy is planing to meet for about two hours or so per session.  (The sessions will be held on a weekly basis.)  There will be about 15 sessions for the Certified Christian Filmmaker.  This adds up to around $500 for the semester.  The Associate Christian Filmmaker will be slightly higher.  Figure on around $1,200 tuition, and about another $300 or so for books and media.  Again, these figures are subject to change, but I anticipate the actual amounts to be close.  Before you complain that it is too much, keep in mind the following:

• The online aspect of the training is new, but what you will be learning has already been taught in a classroom setting.
• This is about as complete a filmmaking course as is available anywhere on-line.
• The Cinenosin Film Academy is distinctly Christian.
• The final project is a hands-on project to enter in the SAICFF competition--you could win back your tuition!
• Before starting in this undertaking, I was an engineer for 20 years.  I understand what it takes to launch a successful project.
  
• Our first family business, Fitly Joined Together, LLC., is a Gold-Star Award Winner from the Better Business Bureau and is "A" rated on Angie's List.
• Los Angeles Film School teaches anti-Christian filmmaking for a mere $38,210 per year.
  
• New York Film Academy is $17,000 per semester.

I am so humbled and blessed. Today, the "hit" counter for the Cinenosin Film Academy website surpassed the 10,000 mark. I had no idea it would be so popular! I am beginning to realize the pent-up need for a Christ-centered film academy is greater than I ever anticipated. I am working as hard as possible to ensure the training is as thorough as possible. I added a link on the link page for like-minded webmasters to use to link to the Cinenosin website. Please use this, even in your blog pages and every where else. The more that a website is linked by other websites, the higher the ranking for search engines. This week we start writing scripts in earnest. Please pray for God's guidance and wisdom in our efforts. We thank you for your support. Until next time, with knowledge, seek truth!

Wow, I just realized the last blog was over a week ago. We have started taping the film school. Needless to say, it has kept me very busy. So far, we have two sessions in the can. We also built a camera dolly. We taped the building process and have started editing an instructional video of How to Build a Camera Dolly. Lord willing, we will have it on the website by the end of the month. In class, we already used the dolly to film a Cinenosin Film Academy trailer. Which reminds me to remind everyone to start your entries for the $275 Trailer Competition. Speaking of video uploads, I would like to invite everyone to see my video on GodTube. Thank you for your prayers and support. Until next time, with knowledge, seek truth!

The Cinenosin Trailer Competition is off and running. Please see the Trailer Competition page for the rules. Basically, make a short, 1 to 5 minute video about the Cinenosin Film Academy and upload it to GodTube with certain tags. Then tell all your friends to go look at it and make comments. The more (positive) comments, the better chance you have at winning the $275 Grand Prize and scholarship!
The success of this film academy will be largely from God's blessing, and from "word of mouth" advertising. Please, get involved--tell all your friends about the academy. Your word of mouth (email forwarding, text messaging, chatting, etc.) testimony is critical to this undertaking. Thank you for your support! Until next time...with knowledge, seek truth!

This week I have been busy with the final touches to the companion guide for the academy. I created an "org chart" of a basic film crew. It should help clarify the relationships between the various people involved in film making. Also, I want to welcome Rob Oakley to the production team. He will be taping and editing the classroom sessions, and working with me in assembling the sessions into cohesive online lessons. Along with these talents, he is a very talented photo editor. Lastly, I uploaded a video to GodTube.com. Please take a look and add your comments. Until next time...with knowledge, seek truth!

A new month, a new Christian web film academy! I am excited and humbled the Lord has chosen me to start this new venture. The fields for salvation are white for the harvest. The need is plenty, but the laborers are few. The laborers in the field of Christian filmmakers are even fewer. The need to reach the lost is as great as ever. Film is a very effective medium for spreading the Truth. The need for training up Christian filmmakers is the greatest it has ever been. Please join with us in prayer that God's will be done for His glory. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be glorified in all we do. If you are led to join our efforts, please pray the Lord show His will in the following needs:

1. Some subjects can be taught through distance learning with each student working alone. Filmmaking is a collaborative process and works more effectively with a group learning together. The program would be enhanced with experienced filmmakers in each geographical area to help lead and mentor the groups. Pray the Lord sends students and mentors.
2. Pray for me as I prepare the lessons: that they are wise, clear, concise, and professional.
3. Even though the tuition is a fraction of other film academies, there will be some students who will struggle to pay. Pray for sponsors for needy students, and for equipment grants for the learning groups, and for our operating expenses.