Learn from an award-winning film and TV director who's worked with Warner Bros., Disney, CBS & Hallmark!

Get floor plans, storyboards, and a collection of over 20 tips on how to shoot faster and more efficiently!

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PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class is now available to watch on-demand; it is no longer live and the instructor is not available for personal questions, but we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.

As a film or TV director, mastering advanced shot coverage is crucial for creating dynamic, engaging scenes that stand out. Whether you're dealing with a continuous oner, a walk 'n talk sequence, action-packed fight scenes, or a visual effects-heavy moment, knowing how to cover these challenging scenes can make or break your project. This exclusive Stage 32 class will give you the skills you need to confidently plan and execute the most complex shots, ensuring that your vision comes to life on screen with clarity, style, and impact.

You may struggle when it comes to covering multi-person scenes or intricate sequences like car chases and VFX. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the logistics of capturing the action while keeping everything seamless and visually interesting. Perhaps you've already mastered basic shot coverage but find yourself stuck when faced with a three-person conversation or a scene where characters are constantly moving. This class is designed to help you break through those obstacles by offering practical solutions to these common challenges, along with over 20 tips and tricks for shooting faster and more effectively.

To help you on your journey for this exclusive Stage 32 4-part virtual class is Mark Rosman, an award-winning film and television director with an impressive career that spans beloved films like A Cinderella Story and The Perfect Man. With his wealth of experience in directing everything from family classics to action-packed TV episodes, Mark is uniquely qualified to show you how professional directors approach the most challenging scenes in film and television.

In this 4-Part Stage 32 virtual class, you’ll dive deep into advanced coverage techniques, starting with a quick review of the basics and then tackling complex setups like three-person scenes, walk 'n talks, oners, and more. You’ll also explore practical ways to handle scenes with moving cars, group dynamics, and VFX. By the end of this class, you'll walk away with a clear understanding of how to plan and shoot the most difficult scenes efficiently, along with valuable handouts that include floor plans, shot lists, and storyboards to guide you on your next project.

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class is now available to watch on-demand and no longer live, but we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.

PLUS! You will receive the following handouts:

• Floor Plans for Shooting Three People, Walk ‘n Talks, a Person Speaking in Front of a Group, People Around a Table, and Dialogue in Moving Cars
• Storyboard for a Bike, Car, and Visual Effect Chase Scene from Mark’s movie Time Toys
• Twenty Techniques to Shooting Faster

Testimonials for Mark's Previous Teaching:

"Really great presentation. Very clear and concise and full of practical information on how to get work.” -Kristen W

"Mark was transparent and articulate, bringing a wealth of experience to the table. I was thoroughly impressed with the webinar. Thank you, Stage 32!” -Liam P

Session 1: Moving Beyond the Basics of Coverage

• Quick Basics Review Then Onto the Challenges!

• Shooting Three People – The Deadly Triangle!

• Walk ‘n Talks: Variations and Different Ways to End Them

• The Oner: Shooting a Complex Scene in One Incredible Shot

• Simplifying Shooting One Person Speaking in Front of a Group

• Mastering Four or More People Around a Table

• Four or More People Moving or In Various Positions

• Covering Conversations in Moving Cars

• Q&A with Mark

Handout: Floor Plans for Shooting Three People, Walk ‘n Talks, a Person Speaking in Front of a Group, People around a Table, Dialog in Moving Cars

Assignment: Deconstructing a Scene: Watch a challenging scene from a movie and reverse engineer it by making a shot list and floor plan

Session 2: Kids, Animals, Water, Planes…oh my!

• Tricks to Shooting scenes with Minors and Non-Professional Actors

• Don’t Pet the Dog! – Special Ways of Shooting with Animals

• How to Shoot Intimate Scenes

• Dance Scenes and Shooting with Music

• Horror Scenes with On-Set Practical Effects

• Shooting with Airplanes

• Shooting on Water and Underwater

• Q&A with Mark

Handout: Storyboard for a Bike, Car, Visual Effect Chase Scene in Mark’s movie “Time Toys”

Assignment: Covering a Challenging Scene: Find a challenging script scene from a movie you haven’t seen, build your own shot list and floor plan, then compare it to the movie.

Session 3: Adding Style to Your Shots and Tricks on Shooting Faster 

• Applying Style to Coverage through Lens Choice, Camera Placement, Camera Movement, Composition

• Shooting Efficiently and Effectively: The Art of Reducing the Number of Shots, 

• 20 Techniques to Shooting Faster

• Multiple Cameras: Positioning the B Cam, Splitting Off B Cam vs Second Unit

• On-Set Tips For Cheating Angles, Cueing, Keeping Tight Eyelines, Tagging, and Varying Your Takes

• Q&A with Mark

Handout: Twenty Techniques to Shooting Faster

Assignment: Shoot Your Own Challenging Scene: Take the scene from assignment 2 or write or find another scripted challenging scene and shoot it with just your cell phone and friends.

Session 4: Mastering the Most Advanced Coverage - Action and VFX Scenes

• Preparing for Action Scenes: Meetings, Storyboarding, Previz

• Shooting Action on a Tight Budget

• Utilizing a Second Unit

• Shooting Sports

• Fight Scenes: The “Gap” and How to Avoid It

• Car Chases – Deconstructing a Section of the “French Connection” Car Chase 

• Visual Effects: Terms Every Director Should Know, Prepping for VFX, Shooting the Most Common Visual Effects

• Q&A with Mark

WHAT TO EXPECT

• This class is designed for those interested in learning about Shot Coverage.
• This class consists of 4 sessions roughly two hours in duration.

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class is now available to watch on-demand; it is no longer live and the instructor is not available for personal questions, but we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.

• Directors looking to level up their shot coverage techniques and handle more complex scenes with confidence.
• Filmmakers eager to master high-pressure scenarios like action sequences, multi-character dialogues, and VFX-heavy scenes.
• Anyone who wants to elevate their visual storytelling and learn time-saving strategies.
• Aspiring directors seeking hands-on guidance and practical tips for tackling even the most challenging setups on set.
• Filmmakers who want to add style and efficiency to their shot coverage, making their work stand out in today’s competitive industry.

Testimonials for Mark's Previous Teaching:

"Really great presentation. Very clear and concise and full of practical information on how to get work.” -Kristen W

"Mark was transparent and articulate, bringing a wealth of experience to the table. I was thoroughly impressed with the webinar. Thank you, Stage 32!” -Liam P