Participating in Classroom in the Wild gave me the opportunity to experience what it's like to perform outdoor interviews featuring those who often work behind the scenes to maintain various habitats around us such as the US Forest Service. Working on a production alongside fellow passionate students allowed me to learn how to effectively collaborate to obtain adequate coverage in adverse weather conditions.
One of my most memorable experiences on our trip was when we rappelled down a 80ft cliff with camera equipment. It is important to understand how to safely navigate dangerous environments while in the field.
Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Sarah King (current MFA student and teaching assistant for the 2024 experience)
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I had the great fortune to be part of the Classroom in the Wild course led by Larry Engel during the week of March 6 - 12, 2022 in the Shenandoah National Forest. As an atypical student, a non-filmmaker in my mid-60’s, it exceeded all of my expectations for content, collaboration and fun.
The class was well-run, efficient, packed with information and experiences with a wide range of equipment. Larry is knowledgeable, experienced, supportive, generous, open and relaxed, and at the same time, very serious about his work and willing to share his knowledge with all.
From the start, he encouraged teamwork, and structured activities ranging from filmmaking tasks to rapelling to build a supportive learning environment. He included two talented student/assistants, Becky Lake and Sophia Nelson, who generously provided constant artistic and technical support, tirelessly responsive to any questions that we had.
The group of students that participated, from first year undergraduates, to graduate film students to a few older newbies like myself, were an eager and hungry bunch, open to the experience and willing to jump in to every task that was presented. I felt lucky to be among such an optimistic and committed crew.
I came away from the week with incipient skills camera, sound, lighting, composition and storytelling. But equally important was an understanding of the importance of being collaborative, creative, resourceful, improvisational, energetic, and endlessly curious.
I would highly recommend this course to a wide range of people, from beginners like myself, to more experienced filmmakers looking to broaden their experience and hone their skills.
Chris Snowber (architect)
