During this intensive workshop students will be introduced to the lineage of documentary filmmaking and guided through the steps to take to create successful documentary projects. Students progressively build on skills, while being introduced to different approaches, styles and filmmaking techniques. On selected weekends, students will have short classes focusing on specific topics. The goal of the class is to give students a chance to explore different styles of documentary in a practical hands-on way, so they may develop a range of skills and a personal style. In addition, each student will finish the workshop with a story, treatment, pitch, budget, script and a short film. Students will leave this class with a clear idea and a plan for the next steps in their documentary career, as well as a completed documentary in hand.

Dates and Times - Topics: Evening classes are 6-9:30pm Times of Weekend Classes

Students will be expected to spend time outside of class working on their projects and in viewing many documentary films. Students will use professional digital cameras and Final Cut Pro to edit their work. Class limit: 12

Ben Saboonchian
Ben Saboonchian, a documentary writer-director for KIRO Television, CBS News/Seattle, has written, produced, directed and edited hour-long prime-time documentaries for 28 years. His work has received numerous awards. "When the Salmon Runs Dry" was given the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award in 1993. In 2002, Saboonchian was the recipient of the coveted Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton for his documentary, "Why the Orcas of Puget Sound are Dying." In 2003, Saboonchian’s "War of the Woods" received First Place from the National Headliner Awards; Saboonchian received another National Headliner Award (Third Place) in 2005 for, "The Troubled Waters of Puget Sound." And in 2004, "The Epic Journey," an examination of the Lewis & Clark expedition in the Northwest, received the regional Edward R. Murrow Award for documentary. For his body of work, 44 documentaries in all, Saboonchian has won a total of 67 awards, including 9 national awards, 16 regional Emmys, 5 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and 25 other first place awards in regional competitions. Some of his work has been showcased in film festivals and workshops around the country, including the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival in Leavenworth, Washington; the Siskiyou Environmental Film Festival in Ashland, Oregon, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Workshop on Race and Journalism in New York City. In addition to his documentary work, Saboonchian has been teaching a class in Documentary Production at the University of Washington Extension for 15 years.