FILMMAKING: The Art of Cinematography
Age group: Teens/Seniors (Grades 7-12)
Class Size: 12 max
Every great film tells its story through the camera.
In this immersive two-day cinematography workshop, students will step behind the lens to explore how cinematographers shape the look, mood and emotion of a film. Guided by award winning cinematographer Tavis Pinnington, they'll discover how creative camera choices can transform a simple scene into powerful visual storytelling.
Through practical, hands-on exercises, students will learn the foundations of cinematography, including shot composition, camera movement, framing, lens choice, lighting and visual continuity. They'll explore how to work collaboratively with a director, think intentionally about every shot, and use the camera to guide an audience's attention and evoke emotion.
Designed for aspiring filmmakers looking to deepen their understanding of visual storytelling, this workshop offers a practical introduction to one of the most important roles on a film set. By the end of the two days, students will have developed a stronger understanding of the cinematographer's craft and gained the confidence to create more cinematic, intentional and visually engaging films.
Teacher: Tavis Pinnington
Tavis is an award winning cinematographer and photographer based in Naarm/Melbourne. His portfolio spans across feature films, short-form narratives, documentaries, and commercials. His films have been officially selected for film festivals including Westgate (MIFF 2025) Anak (MIFF 2022) Lakad (MIFF 2023) Nursery (Flickerfest 2024) The sun sets and once again the earth is upright (Nowness Asia) and A Long Drive (St Kilda FF 2025). Notably, Tavis has also earned awards from the ACS which include silver for feature films and bronze for dramatised documentaries.
His diverse skill is evident in his work for high-profile commercial brands such as Jarden, A-League, Vogue Phillipines, Adidas, Superdry, YD, 2XU, Champion and Lonsdale London.
Tavis is currently in pre-production for several projects including a feature film set in the Phillipines.
Dates: Tuesday 29 & Wednesday 30 September (2-day workshop)
Time: 10am-3pm both days
Age Group: Teens/Seniors (Grades 7-12)
Cost: $320 (incl GST)
What to bring: Please bring some lunch, snacks, a water bottle, as well as a notebook/digital version to write notes.