Practicum in Documentary Filmmaking

This exclusive course will give students hands-on experience in the production of a feature-length documentary that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an original stage musical in San Antonio.

L.A.-based producer Scott Browning, in collaboration with various theater organizations in the city, will begin workshopping a musical in spring 2026 entitled “A Library Tale.” It is a children’s musical that centers on the valiant and comic efforts of the library staff and child patrons to save the library from being shut down by an over-zealous building inspector.

Once finished, the film will have a red-carpet premiere in San Antonio, and be submitted to various film festivals to achieve wider exposure with the hope it will be picked up by an established distributor such as Netflix to reach a national and international audience.

The practicum will cover five essential skills in documentary filmmaking: Camera, Lighting, Audio, Editing, and Interview Techniques

The documentary will treat viewers to the nuts-and-bolts process of creating and staging the musical from the ground up. We’ll see the key creative team at work as they polish the book and songs, hold auditions for the cast, design the set, props, and lighting, and endeavor to keep the production on track for its debut before a live audience.

Students will learn through direct involvement in the production by interviewing key creative contributors, filming casting sessions and rehearsals, documenting the design of sets and costumes, filming the musical as it is performed before a live audience, and learning how it all fits together in the editing process.

The practicum will be led by Scott Browning who holds an MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California. He worked for over a decade in feature film production and is currently producing a documentary TV series filmed entirely in Texas that explores the vibrant art and food scenes in local communities. www.artistsandchefs.com

Students will receive hands-on training in five essential skills:

CAMERA

Key Settings such as aperture and frame rate.

Shot Composition.

Camera Movements.

Working with natural vs. artificial light.

LIGHTING

Functions of the key light, fill light, and back light.

Uses of practical and motivational lighting.

Use of filters and diffusion.

Techniques and challenges of natural lighting.

AUDIO

Microphone types and uses.

Setting up the recording environment.

Proper microphone placement.

Recording settings and equipment.

EDITING

Classic editing techniques.

Clip bin management.

Use of sound and visual effects.

Editing’s impact on narrative and pacing.

INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

Research and preparation.

Building rapport with the subject.

Best interview practices.

Handling sensitive topics.

In addition to receiving credit as members of the production crew in the finished documentary, students will learn valuable teamwork skills that are essential to successful filmmaking, while also being exposed to the wider arts community in San Antonio and its key players.