Sydney 5 Month Film School Starts Thursday 27th February
This is a new Page with Fees and Important information. Please read
You will learn the following over 5 Months
- Screenwriting – How to Write a Screenplay.
- Casting – How to Cast a Movie
- Technical Training Camera Lights and Sound Training.
- Preproduction and Producing
- Shooting a 10 minute Movie ( Actual Real Shoot)
- Postproduction Editing the film – Colour Grading.
- Sound Design Mix & Music – Finished Film
- Business of Filmmaking. Finding your Film Distributor and Getting your film seen by the world.
- Plus Make a Film on the 5 Month Film School.
You will become a Film Director
Creating the Film Directors and Producers of Tomorrow
- Tuesday Nights 6pm - 9pm
- Great for Beginners or Emerging Filmmakers
- You will get Results guaranteed. First Credit
- We make a 12 Minute movie on the course
- Course Venue Wellington Street Chippendale
- Near Central Train Station Sydney
The Film Instructor - Taught by Filmmakers for Future Film Directors and Producers
Colm O'Murchu
Colm O’Murchu is a successful Indie Filmmaker and Director of three world-wide successfully released feature films and one documentary. He created and has run Australian Film Base since 1997 and helped filmmakers produce hundreds of short films. His mission is to help up and coming and emerging Filmmakers make their films successful and loves to help up and coming filmmakers make it in the film business.
TRAILER TABERNACLE 101 – COLM’S MOST RECENT FILM
Our Recent Film Tabernacle 101 Trailer Australian Film Central
Sydney Content Times & Dates Session by Session
1 Thursday Night 27th February 2025 – 6pm – 9pm Screenplay – Story Invention Workshop
Course Venue Wellington Street Chippendale ( Near Central Train Station Sydney)
In this session we create the Story for the Film Production. We show you exactly how to create a story that grabs the audience.
Learn How to write a great story & screenplay:
- How to get ideas for a story
- Story generating exercises.
- Working from character
- Building conflict
- Using scene outlines
- Working in pairs to come up with a short film concept.
2. Tuesday Night 4th March 2025 6pm – 9pm Story Invention Workshop
Scene outline exercise – writing a scene.
- Formatting your script – using Writer Duet free software to professionally format a script.
- Pitch Night Pitch your idea for your story.
- Workshop further the story with Objectives Obstacles and Story Structure.
- Voluntary homework: Write the First Draft of the Screenplay and Submit
3, Tuesday Night 11th March 2025 6pm – 9pm – Camera Training
How to use professional Cameras
You will learn how to operate a Professional Camera and shoot a scene.
- All Professional Film Equipment will be on site, and you will work with it.
- Tour of Camera Equipment and Lenses and Tripod
- Black Magic Camera and Lenses and Tripod
- Prime lenses – 13mm – 28 mm 36 mm 70 mm
- How to balance a Fluid Head Tripod
- How to focus effectively using a Focus Chart
- How to get the best F Stop
- How to frame a shot beautifully
- How to pan and tilt
The Session will end with shooting a scene with 3 different Camera Shots Camera Exercise One.
4. Tuesday Night 18th March 2025 6pm – 9pm Using Professional Location Sound Equipment and Lighting
Location Sound
- Using the Professional Sound Recorder.
- The Shotgun Microphone – The Windsock – The Foam Sock
- The Pistol Grip – The Boom Pole
- Wireless Transmitters and Receivers – Lapel Microphones
- Setting the right sound levels – How to record top class Professional Sound
Lighting and Gaffer Equipment
- The Film Lights: Dedos
- LED Lights x 3 – Amazing Lights and how they work.
- Gels – Spun – Reflectors
- How to do three-point lighting on a film set.
- Shoot a Scene from a Hollywood screenplay
6 Tuesday Night 1st April 2025 6pm – 9pm – Colm O’Murchu
- Review of Chosen Screenplay – Screenplay is chosen by a panel
- This will be the screenplay that we shoot and make into a 12 Minute Movie
- Advice on Which Gear to use personally and where to get it.
- On the Course we use our professional film equipment
- Shoot a Scene from a Hollywood screenplay
7 Tuesday Night 8th April 2025 6pm – 9.pm – Casting Setup and Your Plan for Your Own Personal Film
- Casting Tuition: How Casting Works out:
- Setting up a Casting using Star Now – placing an ad for your film Casting
- How to Direct the Visual Shot listing and Blocking. A Directors Skill
- Production Design and the Film Director.
8 Tuesday Night 15th April 6.pm – 9pm Production Management One
Prepare the Movie Shoot
As we are getting close to the shoot, the focus is now on how to produce the 10-minute film by producing it.
Producer Preparation –
- Casting Book the Actors for Casting Night
- The Shoot Schedule – The Script shall be broken down and set into 3 Shooting Days.
- Locations – How to lock down final locations.
- Location Scouting & Negotiation.
The Trial Shoot 8.3pm – 9.30pm. To go through the shoot organisation, we will shoot a one-page scene from a Hollywood Movie with two actors on site. This will be a fun exercise that will prepare you for the 3 days of shooting.
9 Tuesday Night 29th April 6pm – 9pm Casting Night with Film Director – Colm O’Murchu
Casting Night – Real Live Auditions with Real Actors – Fun
- Work on the Casting of Actors
- Set up the Lights and Camera and operate them.
- Use the Lapel Microphone on the actors auditioning.
- Every 10 minutes an actor is scheduled for the casting.
- Course participants get to direct the actors in the casting.
- Approximately 25 actors will attend.
You will learn an invaluable skill. You will know how to cast a film effectively by doing it for real. This is a favourite session, as one learns how to pick the best actors from the audition.
10 Tuesday Night 6th May 2025 – 6pm – 9pm – Directing Actors. – The Full Breakdown
Tonight’s focus is firmly placed on working with actors. Actor Blocking and how it will determine the shot-list.
- Top 10 Tips for working with actors on set.
- How to direct Actors effectively when you are starting out.
Part Two Rehearsals with the actual actors cast for the film.
Actors for the Short film will arrive at 7.30pm
- Costumes for the actors finalised.
- Rehearsals with the actors How to rehearse.
- Learn by rehearsing with the Actors.
11 Tuesday Night 13th May October 2025 6pm – 9pm
Shoot Preparations:
All Final Preparations for the Shoot:
Tonight, you will complete all the final preparations and the preproduction for the movie that you will shoot.
- Final Schedule organised.
- Final checklist for the following – Locations – Crew – Production Design
- Equipment Set Up.
- The Essential Crew– Itemised Director, DOP, Focus Puller, Clapper, Sound Recordist, Boom Swinger, Gaffer x 2, Grips, Continuity Production Co-ordinator.
- Rotations for the Shoot organised.
12 Tuesday Night 20th May 2025 6pm – 9pm
READY STEADY GO: Film Equipment Final Training Bootcamp
- Call Sheets and how they are prepared.
Final Bootcamp Practice with the camera, lighting, and sound equipment to ensure you are “set-ready” and the crew works as a well-oiled machine before the shoot.
The Three-Day Film Shoot – On Real Location Learn how to shoot a Movie by doing it for real.
13 Saturday 24th May 8am – 6pm On Location: Shoot Day One
You will direct a scene and you will work as a crew member on a real film with real actors on real locations. Every person revolves through the 10 Person Crew roles over the three shooting days. A designated time is allotted for each crew role. This will be from the film script you developed and the actors you cast.
Director & Crew Roles for the Film Shoot that you will do:
- Director
- DOP
- Focus Puller
- Clapper
- Sound Recordist
- Boom Swinger
- Gaffer
- Grips
- Continuity
- Make Up
14 Tuesday Night – 27th May 2025 6pm – 9pm Shoot Review and Preparation for Weekend Two Edit Session One
First Hour
- Review of shooting Day One.
- Prepare Shoot Day 2 & 3
Hour Two and Three
- Adobe Premier Pro Set up Preparation for Start of Postproduction
- How to Data Manage your Footage
- How to sync your audio and video
- Prepare to edit.
- Watch Rushes
15 Saturday 31st May – 8am – 6pm: Shoot Day Two on Location
2Today you will work as a crew member, as a Director and as a DOP on a real film. Every person revolves through the 10 Person Crew roles over the three shooting days. A designated time is allotted for each crew role. This is 100% hands-on practical.
Director & Crew Roles for the Film Shoot that you will do:
- Director
- DOP
- Focus Puller
- Clapper
- Sound Recordist
- Boom Swinger
- Gaffer
- Grips
- Continuity
- Make up.
16 Shoot Day Three – Sunday 1st June 8am – 6pm
The Film Shoot on location.
Today the Crew shoot on their own. You will work as a crew member on a real film. Every person revolves through the 10 Person Crew roles over the three shooting days. A designated time is allotted for each crew role. This is 100% hands-on practical.
17 Thursday 5th June – 6pm – 9pm Edit Class Two Learn How to Edit your Film. You learn to edit the movie, on Adobe Premiere Pro. We currently have a video tutorial series of 11 tutorials, only available to people on the 5 Month Filmmaking Course. One must use these tutorials with the editing course lessons and the footage from the film. This way you will edit the entire short film.
Editing a short film takes time and enthusiasm to complete outside of class time. Therefore, it is voluntary section of the course and also the edit itself is a voluntary to complete.
Allow 20 – 30 voluntary hours over a month, to complete an edit outside of course time.
The Three-Week challenge: Edit the entire Short Film 10 minutes long (Voluntary).
Please note that editing is a great skill to learn and there is so much work in the film and video business for talented editors. It also pays well.
You will need a laptop or Desktop computer with a minimum of 8GB of Ram and the Adobe Premiere Pro Software available from Adobe.
You learn to edit the movie, on Adobe Premier Pro. Editing continues the film.
You will learn how a film is edited and how to make the film look and sound professional.
- Edit the film.
- How to edit the material into a complete scene
- You edit the film on Adobe Premiere Pro
Please note that editing and colouring is a very valuable skill to learn. There is plenty of work for very good editors in the film business. Postproduction has the most jobs.
18 Tuesday 17th June 2025 6pm – 9pm Colm O’Murchu – Film Career and Opportunity
After your short Film is complete, how do you find the audience and how do you find work in the film business.
- Film Festivals and your strategy for entering.
- What is the best site for Film Festivals?
- Earning money on Stock Video Sites
- Where is the work in the film industry?
- Your plan for getting work in the film industry.
- Film Markets and how feature films are sold and make money.
19 Tuesday 24th June 6pm – 9pm Edit Night Three. Finish the post on the film.
- Colouring the film to make the film look great.
- Music and how to use Stock Sites to source your music.
- Adding music to your film
- Credits and Titles
- Preparing for Sound Mix
- Exporting your final Film.
- Sound Post and Music
20 Thursday Night 3rd July 2025 7pm – 9pm The Final Night Celebration Certificates and Screening of the Film
Screening of the complete finished film and Certificates and Indie Film Club
- Future Opportunities
- Screening of the Finished Completed Film
- 5 Month Film Making Certificate” Presentation.
- Photos of group.
- Social Mixer and Celebratio
- This session is for people who want to plan a Film Career
- Or You want to launch a Feature film get it mad
- And you want to know how to Distribute your Film
- This session can be taken at anytime during the 5 Months
- Usually once you book the session, it will happen within 2 weeks.
Do not wait till the 5 Month Film School in 2026. Enrol on the 2025 Five Month Film School.
Course Venue Wellington Street Chippendale ( Near Central Train Station Sydney)
Testimonials and Reviews - Former Students
Testimonial Taj Graduate 5 Month Film School
Absolutely loved the 5 month Short Film School. You learnt everything you need to be able to create your very own film! I went on to produce my very own short film 😁.
You get to work with professionals in the industry, alot of practicality on the ground, this course motivate to produce your own film , you get to experiment the now how , can’t recommend more !
How you Transform
You learn professional Filmmaking and you gain these skills over 5 Months on Tuesday Nights and some Saturdays
- Learn Screenwriting and Write a 10 Minute Screenplay
- Learn Film Directing and Direct
- Work on Make a Film over three full Shooting Days on Location
- You learn Film Editing and Edit a 10 Minute Movie
- You make friends and forge creative alliances
What you get
- You get the best Film Training off experienced filmmakers
- You get the Film Directors Certificate on successful graduation
- You get a Copy of the 10 Minute Film made on the 5 Month Film School
- You get to have a great time on Tuesday Nights and Saturdays
- You get to make friends and forge creative alliances
Creating the Film Directors and Producers of Tomorrow
Film School Film - Example 1
Film School Film Example 2
What is the Value Of the 5 Month Film School
Based on Feedback form Successful Former Graduates
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5 Month Filmmaking School Tuesday Nights and Some Saturdays Value 1Face to Face Sessions for Five Months where you learn Screenwriting, Film Directoing, Camera Operations, Location Sound and Editing
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Film Production where you work and direct on a 15 Minute Film Value 2This is where you work on a Film Production for Three Full Days of Shooting. You will do various crew roles including directing.
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Film Directors Certificate Value 3Always worth its weight in gold. You will receive the Film Directors Certificate on Graduation Night.
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One On One Coaching Session to plot out your Career or Film Production Value 4This is where we work with you to plan your Film Career moves or your Film Production Plan.
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People you meet on the 5 Month Film School Value 5Forging Creative Collaborations with people you meet on the course is one of the most valuable aspects of enrolment.
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Film Directors Credit on the Completed Film Value 6You will be credited as a Film Director on the Course Film Production. Every 5 Month Film School completes a 15 Minute Movie.
Last Minute Discount - Save $600 - Enrol Today
Option 1 Pay Only $3395
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$ 995 DEPOSIT WHEN ENROLLING
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$1500 PAYABLE Thursday 27th February
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$900 payable 2 weeks Later March 11th
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Save $600 on Full Price $3995
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You only pay $3395 Total Amount
Option 2 - Loan
5 MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS
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$759 Today on Enrolment
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$759 ONE MONTH LATER MARCH
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$759 ONE MONTH LATER APRIL
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$759 ONE MONTH LATER MAY
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$759 ONE MONTH LATER JUNE
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$400 MORE THAN OPTION 1