April 2018 – Frank Gatto and Associates

The Top 10 Ten Film Schools In The World

Posted on April 12, 2018 by J3551CA

Illuminating The Way With The Top 10 Ten Film Schools In The World

Becoming a professional lighting technical or director requires many years of experience that can only be gained by working on set. But in order to succeed in this highly competitive sector, you would also benefit from a qualification from one of the many respected film and cinematography schools in the world.

To become competent in the skilled art of lighting, you need to understand how to use illumination to add depth and ambiance, as well as how lighting works with cameras and on-set production as a whole.

Cinematography Classes

Cinematography is the art of storytelling in film and video. It encompasses much more than just the way the cameras are used and covers every aspect of production including lighting. Many great lighting directors have studied the art of cinematography in detail and are able to use this knowledge to create the perfect lighting configuration for the cameras to work with.

If you are considering a career in cinematography and set lighting, these are the top 10 schools in the world that offer the lucky few the opportunity to study the craft in detail:

The National Film and Television School, London

The NFTS offers the only specialist 2-year Cinematography course in the UK and is considered to be one of the best film schools in the world. With extensive facilities and access to Britain’s thriving movie and TV industries, BFTS is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to study at a Masters level.

Wesleyan University, Connecticut

Not one of the most well-known schools in the US, the Wesleyan’s Film Studies program is giving bigger schools a run for their money. Film department founder Jeanine Basinger makes her film majors learn to write, direct and edit a movie by hand, thus teaching them every single aspect of how to make great movies.

Columbia University School of the Arts

With Oscar winners and established directors working as professors, this Ivy League university is considered one of the foremost film schools in America. With James Schamus heading up Focus Features and Milos Forman, Barbara De Fina and Mira Nair on the staff, students have a rare opportunity to learn from the best.

The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

FAMU is the fifth-oldest film school in the world and one of the most prestigious. Offering classes in both Czech and English, it draws foreigners looking to study there from all over the world.

California Institute of the Arts

CalArts was founded by Walt Disney and now occupies 11 acres’ worth of square footage,30 miles north of Los Angeles. It is famous for training animation talent, but also offers a class in dramatic narrative, documentary and experimental live action.

University of California Los Angeles

UCLA has prestigious alumni that include the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and Alexander Payne, and producer Peter Guber is a member of the teaching staff. The school is one of the most prestigious in the world and is moving towards specializing in “humanistic storytelling and global diversity”, setting it apart from the competition.

New York University Tisch School of the Arts

The Tisch School is highly acclaimed and has previously proved a direct route to the top for gritty artists like Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Graduates of the school also have the opportunity to compete for a $200,000 prize to complete a debut feature film – a bonus that none of the other schools offer.

Beijing Film Academy, China

The Beijing Film Academy is China’s most elite school for film direction, production, and writing. Only accepting around 500 applicants every year, it is incredibly difficult to get into and was once the old stomping ground of directors Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige.

University of Southern California

USC probably has more graduates working in the industry than any other school in the world and has a huge amount of the support. Regularly contributors include such luminaries as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis, meaning it is able to offer state of the art facilities to all of its students.

American Film Institute

As well as being the most selective film school in America, it is also the best. It is a smaller school than UCLA and USC, and most of its “fellows” are in their mid-twenties and upwards, but for first class, specialist tuition, the AFI teaches on the finer points of directing, producing and writing to some of the finest new talents in the world.

With over 30 years experience behind us, and working with some of the most talented lighting technicians in the country, Frank Gatto & Associates have all the skill you need to light your next event.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Show Your Best Side – Why Lighting Matters On Camera

Posted on April 12, 2018 by J3551CA

The correct lighting is essential for producing first class, highly usable footage. Whether you are making a movie or recording a live event, the lighting that you use makes all the difference. It enhances the way the performance looks and the way it makes the audience feel. It can create the illusion of depth by using a combination of highlights and shadows, that help the viewer to really capture the essence of the footage, as well as giving them the best seats in the house.

Specially designed lighting will ensure that you have the right level of exposure throughout and will ensure that your audience is able to see everything that is unfolding before their eyes. Outdoor events, as well as indoor lighting, can all be dramatically enhanced to give maximum impact when you use the services of a qualified lighting specialist on set.

Lighting is not only useful for ensuring that every aspect of the production is easy to see, a professional lighting expert can also use tricks and illusions to create mood and feeling. Using the right combination of light placement and “hard” or “soft” light sources, a lighting director will be able to unsettle the audience for dramatic moments or lift the mood with glorious onscreen images. “Hard” lighting creates sharp and distinctive shadows to accentuate tension and drama, while “soft” lighting adds warmth and ambiance.

Good Lighting Is The Key To Successful Video Footage

Carefully crafted lighting will increase the sharpness of the action and be the difference between a good video, and one that looks really poor quality on screen.

Badly lit footage will also need far more work in the editing suite. Footage that is too dark will need to be re-shot, adding extra time and expense to your schedule, and in some cases, can even mean missing out on parts of the action. Using the wrong lighting can lead to unnecessary costs and a longer production time, which could have been prevented.

The lighting design helps to set the mood for any movie scene or television pieces, as it conveys the plot and creates the right atmosphere. The key to using the right lighting is to enhance and engage with the basic concepts of the “Three Point Lighting” system. This system consists of three different lights, which are placed in front and behind the object to ensure maximum exposure.

The Key Light is placed next to the camera and shines directly onto the object.

The Fill Light is opposite the Key Light and is used to fill in shadows and leaving the object well lit.

The Back Light is placed behind the object and gives it more depth.

This is the standard method of lighting that is used in all kinds of productions, from small-scale videos to live events that are watched all around the world. Once you have the mastered the basics, there are many more ways to enhance the look of on-screen action to capture the most perfect cinematic moments.

Here at Frank Gatto & Associates, we have over 30 years experience of designing the ultimate lighting configuration to enhance every type of TV or movie shot. Call us today at 561-368-0101 to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Lighting Engineers – Just What Is It That They Do?

Posted on April 12, 2018 by J3551CA

Being able to control the lighting in film or television is very important, and it can often take an entire team of lighting designers and engineers to get every shot just right. Their skills enable them to create lighting effects that change the viewer’s perception of the mood or the piece and the overall feel of the footage.

A lighting engineer will be on hand throughout filming to ensure that the lighting is just right at all times, and is just as important as any other member of the cast or crew.

Lighting Engineers – A Shining Light On Set

The lighting engineer is responsible for controlling all of the lighting and visuals that appear onstage by operating a lighting board. They, and their fellow technicians are also responsible for rigging lights, hanging lights and moving equipment from place to place.

They oversee the transportation of the lighting equipment from one location to another – from a studio setting to an outside broadcast, for example – and make sure that everything is in excellent working order before filming begins.

A professional lighting company will only work with experienced and talented lighting engineers to ensure that the Producers vision is brought to life. By working alongside them, they can create lighting designs that enhance the on-screen action.

An efficient lighting team is crucial to any successful production. Lighting teams will work at live and pre-recorded media events such as concerts, television shows, movies and public events.

Taking Direction

Usually, the lighting team will be directed by the production director who will explain from the outset exactly what it is he wants from the lighting. It will be the job of the lighting engineers to bring that vision to life.

During the production, the lighting engineer may sit at the lighting board and set different lighting effects in action at pre-determined cues. Often, series and sequences of effects are configured with computer programming, so the process involved a lot more skill than just simply knowing where to shine a light.

Depending on the type of production they are working on, lighting engineers may need to navigate their way around live events that can often be unpredictable and challenging affairs. The key to great lighting is plenty of forward planning combined with the ability to adapt to any situation that unfolds in front of them.

Many lighting engineers start their careers by working backstage at local theaters or arenas. This way they get to understand how lighting effects every aspect of the audience’s enjoyment of the performance. Hard work definitely pays off in this industry, and those who are dedicated can have a long and highly regarded career ahead of them.

Frank Gatto Lighting Engineers

Our engineers routinely work with some of the biggest names in entertainment including HBO, ABC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, Fox, Showtime, Telemundo, and Univision. They can also be found working on the set of College Gameday, NFL Countdown, World Series, Ultimate Fighting Championships and many more major sporting and television events.

With over 30 years experience, Frank and his team are able to design truly stunning special event lighting for network television, corporate industrials, award ceremonies, sporting events and much more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

Frank Gatto Lighting Has Your Event Covered

Posted on April 12, 2018 by J3551CA

No matter what the occasion, Frank Gatto & Associates offer 30 years of expertise to capture your event in the very best light possible. From large outdoor sporting events to intimate indoor ceremonies, the team is on hand to design and create the perfect lighting.

Covering all of the USA and the Caribbean, the team at Frank Gatto will ensure that every aspect of your lighting requirements is completely covered before the big day itself. From the initial design to the transportation of equipment, everything will be carefully crafted to ensure that your audiences never misses a moment.

Lighting Design And Planning

Our Lighting Director will be able to create stunning visual enhancement for multi-camera productions. Working closely with the director and the rest of the production team, we will deliver the type of pictures that they are hoping to see.

A lighting plan will be devised that sets out exactly what the lighting needs to achieve, by taking our directions from working from a cue list and complete plan of the set. From here, we can design the most effective and awe-inspiring lighting for your entire production. Our light desk operators will create a program that knows exactly when to move and change for maximum impact.

We will also undertake comprehensive risk assessments that will include all aspects of the rig, scale drawings of all lamps and their positions, and what lighting gels and circuits to use and when.

Set Up And Construction

Our “Gaffers” are responsible for all the practical aspects of your lighting and location requirements. They work closely with our Lighting Director to realize the creative vision for the production and will be involved during the pre-production stages to assess exactly how much crew and equipment will be required for filming.

Having studied the lighting plan, our Gaffers will brief the rest of their crew and advise them of all relevant health and safety requirements. Having carried out a detailed risk assessment, they will then be charged with overseeing the setup and construction of lighting rigs and lamps, as well as the operation of the lighting board.

Transportation

Because we are experts in our field, we can advise on the best types of light to use for every kind of occasion, and will personally ensure that they reach your event or set in full working order. We work alongside specialist contractors who transport lighting rigs and equipment on a regular basis, to ensure that they are ready to be installed and illuminated on arrival. Our team can also provide fast and efficient load-ins and load-outs, meaning that there is less time spent setting up, and more time spent filming.

Maintenance And Care

We want our lighting equipment to be perfect for every occasion which is why we only supply the very best technical specifications available to us. All of our equipment is regularly tested and fully maintained to ensure our lighting services are second to none. We never work with faulty or underpowered pieces of kit, and our risk assessments cover every aspect of any set, event or outdoor broadcast that we work on.

Frank Gatto – Working Together To Achieve Perfection

Because we understand that great television and video requires a wide range of talent, we work in collaboration with other members of the technical team and crew on every occasion. In the preparation stages, we will meet with the producer, director and other department heads in order to be able to understand their vision and requirements. Our team is able to integrate and assist with all other members of the crew as necessary, and you will never find us to be anything less than friendly, helpful and professional with everyone we work with. If we could help with your next event, call us today on 561-368-0101.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds. If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.