David E. Elkins, SOC

Professional Resume



 

 


North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking, 1997 - Present
Winston-Salem, NC

Interim Dean, September 2006 – May 2007

  • Manage and oversee the School of Filmmaking personnel and budget

  • Oversee all educational programs and curricular development

  • Promote the school locally and nationally

  • Work with the Chief Academic Officer and University Administrative Manager to recruit and maintain a diverse and professional faculty and staff

  • Work with Assistant Deans, faculty and staff to provide a smoothly functioning support system for the students and educational programs

  • Work with Assistant Deans, faculty and staff to administer the policies established for the school

  • Work with the Director of Academic Programs to recruit a student body of the highest caliber

  • Work with the Production Coordinator and Head of Post Production to oversee 200+ student films each year

  • Supervise the planning and maintenance of all School of Filmmaking facilities

  • Represent the School of Filmmaking effectively to the senior administration and the other schools at NCSA

  • Oversee the planning and maintenance of all School of Filmmaking facilities

  • Promote creative collaborations with the Schools of Dance, Drama, Design and Production, Music, and the divisions of Undergraduate Academic and Graduate Programs and Student Life

Assistant Dean, January 2004-Present

  • Responsible for student affairs, academic and socialization performance and directing students with disability issues to the proper resources.

  • Dean’s representative at weekly Production and Post Production meetings. 

  • Principal liaison between the Office of the Dean and the Production Office.

  • Assist the director of Academic Programs in the discipline selection process for second year students.

  • Responsible for the design and implementation of all production related forms used by the school.

  • Assist the Director of Administration in the updating of policies and procedures in the school’s Student Handbook and Safety Handbook.

  • Work with the dean to enforce and refine existing policies and regulations, including the handling of all student disciplinary matters.

  • Serve as Webmaster for the School of Filmmaking internal website.

Filmmaker-in-Residence: Cinematography, September 1997-Present

  • Teach introductory film production class to freshman class; course involves introduction to basic film and video equipment, production techniques, safety and the fundamentals of cinematography.

  • Teach advanced cinematography class to cinematography majors; course includes instruction on the setup and use of the advanced 16mm film camera that will be used for their thesis film along with instruction on the job responsibilities of each member of a professional motion picture camera department.

  • Advisor/Mentor to approximately 10-15 students each school year.  As advisor I meet with the students on a regular basis to discuss their progress in the program. Mentoring involves working directly with cinematography majors in the preparation and shooting of their third and fourth year film projects.

  • Taught professional camera workshops on the setup and use of Panavision 35mm Motion Picture Camera

 Department Chair, Cinematography, January 1999-September 2006, September 2007-Present

  • Attend meetings with the dean on behalf of the cinematography faculty. 

  • Coordinate monthly departmental meetings.

  • Develop cinematography curriculum along with other faculty input.

  • Recommend new equipment purchases for the cinematography department.



 

Columbia College-Hollywood,1988 - 1995
Los Angeles, CA

President, 1994-1995

  • Manage and oversee the college's personnel and budget

  • Oversee all educational programs and curricular development

  • Promote the school locally and nationally

  • Responsible for management and administration of technical college offering Bachelors and Associates degrees in film and television production. 

  • Chaired all meetings of the Board of Trustees. 

  • Presided over graduations, awards banquets and other official ceremonies.

  • Officially represented the college at conferences and conventions. 

  • Communicated with other institutions of higher learning. 

  • Coordinated and supervised the preparation of self-evaluation reports for both state and federal accreditation agencies.

  • Established new policies and procedures for the school's equipment department.  Implemented the change of operating hours and equipment check out times to better serve the students.

 Instructor, Cinematography, 1988-1995

  • Taught introductory cinematography class; course was a basic introduction cameras, lenses, film stock, filters, light meters, f-stops, composition and lighting. 

  • Designed and taught an assistant camera course which was an in-depth discussion of the job responsibilities and duties of an assistant cameraman on any film crew.

  • Initiated and negotiated for the acquisition of professional camera equipment for demonstration and use by the students.



 

Connecticut Film Industry Training Program, July - August 2008
Middletown, CT

  • Taught camera workshop, which was an intensive two-week workshop covering all aspects of the job of Director of Photography, Camera Operator, First Assistant Cameraman, Second Assistant Cameraman and Loader.  Topics included camera prep and set-up, loading and labeling film magazines, following focus, slating shots, marking actors, filling out camera reports and inventory forms, and much more.   Hands-on work using the Panavision
    Panaflex Gold Camera.  Course also consisted of two days of a mock production on location and in the studio.



 

Boston Film & Video Foundation, July 1997, June-July 1998, July-August 2000, June-July 2001
Boston, MA

  • Taught basic cinematography workshop, which was an introductory, course covering the basics of cinematography and filmmaking.  Topics included film stocks, film formats, cameras, lenses, magazines, exposure, basic composition, basic lighting and film crew positions and responsibilities. 

  • Taught camera assistant workshop, which was an intensive two-day workshop covering all aspects of the job of first and second assistant cameraman.  Topics included camera prep and set-up, loading and labeling film magazines, following focus, slating shots, marking actors, filling out camera reports and inventory forms, and much more.



 

Panavision, Inc., 1992-1993
Tarzana, CA

  • Assisted in the teaching of a workshop on the setup and use of the Panavision 35mm motion picture camera system; course included instruction on setting up the camera, loading and threading film and troubleshooting problems.

 Panavision – Hollywood, 1991
Hollywood, CA

  •  Assisted in the teaching of a basic second camera assistant course; course included instruction on basic set procedures, filling in camera department paperwork and loading film into the Panavision cameras.



 

Freelance Professional Motion Picture Camera Operator & Assistant Cameraman,
1985 - Present

  • Camera operator and first assistant cameraman on over one hundred twenty five 16mm and 35mm productions; productions included industrial and educational films, documentaries, public service announcements, commercials, music videos, television series and feature films.
     

  • As camera operator worked closely with the director and director of photography to provide the proper composition for each shot. Worked closely with the first assistant cameraman and dolly grip during rehearsals to coordinate any focus or zoom changes and dolly moves required for the shot.
     

  • As assistant cameraman I coordinated the ordering, preparation and testing of all camera equipment prior to filming.   Responsibilities also included set-up and maintenance of all camera equipment during filming, supervision of the operation of the camera department and additional camera crew members during production and working directly with camera rental companies regarding the ordering of equipment needed for filming.  

Working knowledge of the following professional 16mm and 35mm camera systems: Aaton XTR-Prod, Arriflex l6S, Arriflex 16M, Arriflex 16BL, Arriflex 16SR2, Arriflex 16SR3, Arriflex 35-3, Arriflex 35BL, Arriflex 535, Cinema Products CP16, Eclair ACL, Eclair NPR, Leonetti Ultracam, Moviecam Compact, Moviecam SuperAmerica, Panavision Panaflex 16, Panavision GII, Panavision Golden, Panavision Platinum, Panavision Panastar, Panavision Panaflex-X

Click here for a complete list of my production credits
 



 

 PUBLICATIONS

The Camera Assistant's Manual, First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Editions, 1991-Present
Focal Press, Boston, MA

The Camera Assistant’s Manual, Japanese Edition, 2004
Focal Press & The Japanese Society of Cinematographers

The Camera Assistant's Manual, Spanish Edition, 1993
Focal Press & Escuela de Cine y Video

Camera Terms and Concepts, 1993             
Focal Press, Boston, MA

Contributing writer to the Professional Cameraman’s Handbook, Fourth Edition, 1993
Focal Press, Boston, MA

Contributing writer to Student Filmmaker Magazine, November 2006, March 2007 and May 2007  Editions.

Training Tomorrows Professional Filmmakers, January-June 2002 Issue Operating Cameraman Magazine, Society of Camera Operators, Toluca Lake, CA.
 



 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

International Cinematographers Guild (I.A.T.S.E. Local 600)

Society of Camera Operators  (S.O.C.)
 
Professional references available upon request.



 

HONORS and AWARDS

Excellence in Teaching Award, 2001
North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking
Winston-Salem, NC 

Doctor of Humane Letters (Honorary), 1994
Columbia College – Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA 

Most Distinguished Alumni, 1991
Columbia College – Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA 

Instructor of the Year, 1989
Columbia College – Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA
 



 

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Motion Picture Production, Cum Laude, 1985
Columbia College – Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA 

Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, 1976
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT
 



 


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©2008  David E. Elkins
Last revised - July 2008