As an adjunct instructor at Yavapai College, Shawn teaches a credit course in 'Directing Actors' to a group of very talented young directors at the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking at Yavapai College, Sedona, Arizona. This year's class was held September 17 and 18, 2011!
Doing one of his favorite things, Shawn instructs directing students at Zaki Gordon, October 2009.
"The only thing better than just being in Sedona, is teaching in Sedona!"
FROM THE 2011 SEPTEMBER SEMINAR AT ZAKI GORDON INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING!
*"10 out of 10, Amazing! Genuis work! Very helpful."
*"I can't think of any way this workshop could be improved. I learned more than I could have imagined I would about directing actors. I love the passion of the instructor. It is inspiring."
*"Excellent. I feel like I understand now what it means to be a director, and that is what I came here to learn."
*"10 out of 10. I feel like I will be able to put these skills to use."
*"50 out of 50. Amazing. Pretty much perfect. Thank you so much!"
*"It was fabulous! I learned alot. The instructor was very enthusiastic, and the information was great for both directors and actors."
*"Awesome! I loved the class. It was great. So much detail. Thanks!"
*"I learned a great deal and had a lot of fun! Shawn was a great instructor with captivating enthusiasm."
*Very fun. very informative. Very structured. I enjoyed it very much and loved every word. "
FROM THE 2010 SEPTEMBER SEMINAR AT ZAKI GORDON INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING!
*"I really enjoyed this course and by the end of the two days found that I really understood the material and will use it while working on set."
*"As a student director being able to have a coach in this new situation was invaluable. The flow chart so simplifies the analysis."
*"You are an absolute professional in what you do and it shows in what was produced with the directors and the actors".
*"Thank you so much for such inspiring moments in your company."
AND FROM 2009...
*"Great workshop, loads of fun. Very fast, tons of information gone through. Great to experiment and watch classmates experiment. A large amount of personal freedom and growth as students."
*"Thank you for all your insight. I really appreciated your patience and the one on one attention we each got. I am leaving here feeling much more confident in my abilities. You showed me the huge parallels between life and scenes. The flow chart you offered will be a tool I use for a long time. To have the ability to classify scenes in such a way is very helpful. Thanks again. "
* "I really enjoyed this seminar. It was very informative and I learned a lot. It was exciting to see the actor’s performances improve after you informed the directors on what needed to be changed. I can’t think of anything that needs to be changed. I learned a lot and will do my best to apply this knowledge to my projects."
FROM THE 2008 OCTOBER SEMINAR AT ZAKI GORDON INSTITUTE FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING!
* "...Great teaching. One of the best classes I've taken at Zaki Gordon. Shawn is a fantastic instructor and I appreciate all his work over the last two days."
* "I, for the first time, was able to identify what is in front of me. Clarity is what I got from the class, and more inportant I feel more confident in approacing the craft." "
* "Shawn is a powerhouse of information, expertise and brilliance."
* "Great class. great speaker... I really think this workshop improved the way directors speak and communicate with actors."
* "Very informative and eye opening new perspective on getting the job done. The importance of time and necessity of short hand. I responded very well to the scene evaluation-breakdown techniques."
" I FEEL VERY PREPARED NOW."
Many talented artists aspire to direct film and television. Yet, the principal training is in the area of creating images and in technically accomplishing the director's artistic vision.
The director who knows how to communicate to actors on a set and how to get fine performances from them will have a more productive shoot - and a far better experience in the editing room.
Shawn Nelson working with Directing Seminar participant at the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking at the Sedona Center for Arts and Technology, Sedona, Arizona, November 2009. The two-day seminar for film directing students covers Dramatic Theory, Acting Technique for Camera, and hands-on experience with actors in a professional environment.
At the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking at the Sedona Institute for Arts and Technology directors and students of filmmaking have had the opportunity to work with Shawn Nelson - 'hands-on' with actors in a production environment - learning 'what to say and when to say it' while film rolls. Here is what some of them had to say about the experience:
"Thank you very much for taking the time to come out and open our eyes to a wonderful philosophy about acting, I feel that this information is priceless as a Director, and in obtaining it I have obtained a new boost of confidence in working with actors and getting the performance I need."
"I find myself rethinking everything I thought I knew about acting."
"Great for directors and actors to understand script and what's needed in a performance on camera."
"Good all-around filmmakers info - even for writing, etc. I also feel all the participants have grown just in two days. Many positive comments from all. Thank you!"
Working together - hands-on - gaining valuable technique and philosophy for directing a winning performance - and building confidence!
In the Directing Actors Master Class at Filmmakers Alliance in Los Angeles, Shawn works with up-and coming-directors on the craft of getting a great performance from actors in the shooting environment. Here is one of the comments:
"Shawn Nelson's two-day directing class was perfect preparation for me as a first-time director. The first day was learning the principles for directing actors, and the second day was an invaluable practical experience applying those principles. Shawn is positive, upbeat, and sensitive to all the fears that a new director has. " Brian Godowa Writer-Director, Cruel Logic
"At FILMMAKERS ALLIANCE, we work extensively with Shawn Nelson, who never fails to take our directors to the next level. He gives them the tools to get the most out of their actors and put the most into their projects. I have personally benefitted enormously from his amazing energy, ideas and techniques, which serves all aspects of directing and maximizes the potential of any project. Shawn's approach is clean, clear and effective...great energy, great ideas, great results!"
JACQUES TELEMACQUE Co-Founder, Filmmakers Alliance
COMMENTS FROM THE FILMMAKERS ALLIANCE SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS
* Much more helpful, in a practical on-set way, than film school. Thanks.
* The anti 'conflict' approach, though new, was easy to conceptualize and incorporate into the work. It made sense! Finally, fresh and right on!!!
* "I have been studying acting and performing in plays, etc., but in Shawn's seminar I felt I truly understood the difference between film acting and theatre acting. I found it very useful for my acting and my directing."
* " I can't wait to use the teachings more as I feel we broke down the very essence of good acting and in some ways it seems so simple. In Shawn's seminar I feel I gained the confidence and knowledge to speak to these actors and help them give an honest, focused performance - to strip down their performance... This knowledge is immense and I would like to attend more acting and directing workshops with him."
"It was also quite liberating for my directing style. Freedom to take control and not feel guilty about it. I feel freer to get what I need... Glad to know you don't need a clever way of asking what you want."
"It reinforced the pragmatic approach to directing in its emphasis on getting the performance in spite of the clutter of various abstract acting and directing theories. It was a good recreation of the pressures of the set by having all the others watching you work and Shawn standing right there critiquing you as you went."
"Now I can say I know what I am doing, thanks to you!"
