Visual Storytelling and Editing

Overview

As the UK's lead organisation for film and the moving image, The BFI have developed a specialist course designed to help marketers improve their visual storytelling techniques. 

In this practical one-day course, hosted at the world-famous BFI Southbank cinema, we’ll show you how advanced cinematography and editing principles can help you craft impactful visual stories.  

With the guidance and feedback of an expert film educator, you’ll work individually and in groups across exercises that apply advanced visual storytelling techniques to composition, colour grading and sound mixing. 

You will be capturing footage around the iconic Southbank riverside location and with expert guidance, you will edit your content using Adobe Premiere Pro on iMac computers. You will need to bring a DSLR camera or smartphone with you to use for filming. If you would prefer to edit on a personal laptop, please bring it with you with an Adobe Premiere Pro license installed.

By the end of the course, you will have a practical understanding of proven visual storytelling ‘film school’ techniques that will improve the way you communicate with target audiences. 

Who should attend?

This course is suitable for marketing and content producers with existing filming and editing experience who are looking for expert guidance on advanced visual storytelling techniques, editing skills or to improve their understanding of cinematography.  

The BFI also offer two virtual courses - a practical 2-day - intermediate level course Filmmaking and Video Production for Marketers and an introductory principles level course Filmmaking Storytelling Fundamentals.

Learning outcomes

• Understand professional filmmaking theory and visual storytelling principles: drawing from conceptual ideas around editing and storytelling from Walter Murch, André Bazin and Alfred Hitchcock
• Gain hands on experience with film language: understanding the interpretation of shot types and camera angles to enhance storytelling
• Experience shooting various shot types and camera angles
• Understand decision making processes within editing to tell stories effectively in different genres, story conventions and moods
• Work with Adobe Premiere Pro and learn advanced colour grading, effects, transitions and sound design/mixing
• Gain hands on experience with sound design and understand the impact of sound and music on storytelling
• Bespoke guidance and advice from an expert film educator on how to develop as a filmmaker, videographer or editor