The course covers all the basic video making skills.

Participants shouldn’t be put off by technology as I will endeavour to run a class that is all inclusive and covers a wide range of skills.

Participants will need to bring their own recording devices whether it’s their basic cell phone, ipad, stills camera with movie mode, or basic camcorders.

They should also bring a computer and hard drive with them preferably with a basic editing system down loaded eg., Imovie for MAC OS or Windows, or  Adobe Moviemaker.

However for those technically challenged (as many are in the editing area) we will still be able to support and accommodate you; even if you work in small groups sharing skills. Those with good editing skills can help out those with less expertise - video making is, after all a team effort. The same might apply to camera work.

In the first few days I would propose giving introductory advice on basic camera technique, lighting, sound, editing etc before letting the class loose on filming various fun exercises to give them confidence to create a short video of their own.

I might even drop in a few surprises for you. I want this to be fun!

Max has been involved in television production for over 50 years; first as a cine cameraman in news, and documentaries. Then as a prolific director of photography on many early New Zealand TV drama productions.

In 1987, he fulfilled a lifelong passion for wildlife by joining TVNZ’s Natural History Unit in Dunedin. Since then he has filmed in many of the world’s wildlife hot spots for broadcasters such as National Geographic, and Discovery Channel. In 1991, Max wintered over in Antarctica for 11 months to film and direct documentaries on the Emperor Penguin and winter life at New Zealand’s Scott Base.  He went on to film many natural history documentaries around the Polar Regions as well as the Pacific, Australia, North and South America. He has now also written a bestselling book on his polar filming experiences: A Life of Extremes: The Life and Times of a Polar Filmmaker and has taught film at Otago University over the past 18 months.