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Filmmaker's Master Class with Milos Forman
Taught by: Milos Forman

Description

E-Seminar Description

Developed with Columbia University Film School, this e-seminar provides lessons on filmmaking from Oscar-winning director Milos Forman. With an emphasis on scriptwriting and casting, Forman advises film students based on his thirty years of experience as a director. He discusses the development of films such as Loves of a Blonde (1965), One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), and The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and also answers questions from film students. Forman shares both personal and professional stories about the evolution to his approach—from his experience as a film student in communist Czechoslovakia to working with actors such as Jack Nicholas, Tom Hulce, and Courtney Love. Learn lessons in the craft of filmmaking from one of the most successful foreign filmmakers in America.

E-Seminar Length:	3-5 hours
Start Date:	Anytime
Credits:	Not-for-Credit
Prerequisites:	None
Moderator:	None
Columbia Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni:	FREE

Interested in this e-seminar? Go to the e-seminar now*. Note: Columbia students, faculty, staff, and alumni will need to use their University Network ID (UNI) to access e-seminars.

E-Seminar Objectives | Outline | Instructor's Background | Recommended Reading | Technical Requirements

E-Seminar Objectives

•	Learn Forman's approach to reading and selecting scripts, to choosing writers, and molding the script.
•	Understand the importance of screen tests and readings to casting.
•	Examine the director's relationship to producers, cinematographers, and actors.
•	Discover how Forman's personal experiences influenced his approach to filmmaking.

Outline
1. Introduction
2. Biography
3. Development
4. Casting
5. Directing
6. Reflections
7. Conclusion

Instructor's Background

Milos Forman, born in Caslav, Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic) in 1932, is one of a few foreign filmmakers to enjoy Hollywood success. He attended the prestigious Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in Prague, and his early films made him a leader of the Czech New Wave. His first feature film, Black Peter (1963), won an award at the Locarno International Film Festival. After emigrating to the United States in 1968, he did not return to his country until the 1980s to film Amadeus (1984). His body of work includes The Firemen's Ball (1967), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Hair (1979), Valmont (1989), The People vs. Larry Flint (1996), and Man on the Moon (1999).

Recommended Reading
Forman, Milos, and Jan Novak. Turnaround: A Memoir. New York: Villard, 1994.

Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. New York: Penguin, 1977.

Steinem, Gloria. "Hollywood Cleans Up Hustler." The New York Times, January 7, 1997.

Technical Requirements
You will need to use a computer with Internet access to complete this course. We recommend the following minimum configurations:

IBM-COMPATIBLE PC
Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, or NT
64 MB of RAM (128 recommended)
Monitor: 800x600 resolution recommended
Connection: Internet service and 56K modem minimum
Browser: Internet Explorer 4 or above (Internet Explorer 5 strongly recommended) or Netscape 4.7 or above
Sound Card (if you can hear audio you have a sound card)
Plug-ins: RealPlayer 7 or later; Flash Player 5 or later; Acrobat Reader 5 or later
(all plug-ins are free)

MACINTOSH
MAC OS 8.6 or higher
64 MB of RAM (128 recommended)
Monitor: 800x600 resolution recommended
Connection: Internet service and 56K modem minimum
Browser: Internet Explorer 5 or above or Netscape 4.7 or above
Sound Card (if you can hear audio you have a sound card)
Plug-ins: RealPlayer 7 or later; Flash Player 5 or later; Acrobat Reader 5 or later
(all plug-ins are free)

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