Zack Lehman, Hill’s head of school, is now teaching a film course. After teaching this subject in his previous school, he said that the class is his first time teaching in 10 years. “I am looking forward to interacting with students as a teacher rather than the Head of School,” Lehman added. 

As discussed in his 2021 Chapel Talk, Lehman has always had a passion and a special interest in the subject of cinema. In recent months, however, he has gained a greater appreciation through teaching students – both physically and via Zoom. 

“This introductory level filming class teaches students about the fundamental skills of filmmaking and visual telling. Students must take this course for at least two semesters consecutively in order to complete this program,” Lehman said. “Students who learn the basic concepts about cinematography at the beginning of the course use these new skills they have acquired over the course of time.”

Lehman also said the primary objective of this class is to tell stories and express emotions via filming. In the course, students learn techniques suitable for today’s filmmaking by working individually or as a group. Furthermore, Brody Intern Nathan Taubkin is assisting the class. 

“In this class, students comprehend the correct use of light, camera settings and appropriate editing skills for the videos which they shoot. Mr. Lehman and I are focusing on the notion of collaboration. I emphasize the significance of collaborating with team members, and students can only develop their skills working together in accordance,” Taubkin said.

Furthermore, Taubkin added that there is no prerequisite for the class and that they already have nine students from different forms. Explaining that these students have made great progress, Mr. Taubkin said he is looking forward to the participation of new students.

Students who are in this class appreciate the program and what is being taught. Atticus Short ’24 is one of the students who are in this course. He said, “This class helped me to develop my skills based on my filming. I enjoy filming and I had a filming background about this area.”

Short also shared some information about the course curriculum: “At the beginning of the class, our teachers demonstrated how to use the professional cameras and film editing programs. Besides, we had quizzes and assignments about the basic principles of filmmaking based on what we have learned. After the first two weeks passed, we started to make our first filming project with a group of people. Right now we are working on a filming project and we have to describe the emotion which is laid in the poem in a certain amount of time.”

Short also mentioned, “The main focus of this class is to express certain emotions about events with cameras by shooting with appropriate angles. The video producer should communicate with the audience to tell his true feelings about the event.”

For those who have not experienced this before, Short said that they should not be afraid. He clarified that “starting from the beginning of the year our teachers help us to shoot professionally and the basics of the camera. In the lesson, we learn what needs to be done, from the simplest skill to creating professional work. This class does not only consist of recording footage with cameras, but also creating artworks that imply certain types of emotions.”