Platypus Multimedia

Award-winning photojournalists and leaders in video journalism, Dirck Halstead and PF Bentley are synonymous with all that’s great in contemporary multimedia and their Platypus Workshop is both the best established and most highly acclaimed in the world.

Students will learn to use the Canon 7D camera and gain an expert's view on workflow while sharing the secrets and techniques that Halstead and Bentley have perfected to fully exploit the amazing potential of the 7D in editorial, corporate and film-making settings. Participants will learn sound recording, cinematic storytelling, the use of lenses, tripods, multimedia applications and get hands-on with Apple’s latest Final Cut Pro editing software in an action-packed, entertaining and informative nine days.

This workshop, with emphasis on high definition shooting, editing and multimedia storytelling, is unique in the industry and recognised by professionals the world over as the gold standard in Digital Video training.

Over 200 photojournalists have graduated from the Platypus Workshops and gone on to careers in TV documentary, internet-based video production, multimedia newspaper features and even full-length films, with one being nominated for an Oscar.

There are three ways to attend this workshop, as a shooter, as a producer or if you are in university, you may attend as a student producer. Both shooters and producers will gain from the experience with shooters learning the fine points of storytelling using the Canon 7D with wireless and on-camera mics from Sennheiser, tripods from Libec and editing on the Apple MacBook Pro loaded with the latest version of Final Cut Pro. The objective is the graduation piece documentary, that shooters will create, as they choose, in partnership with a producer or flying solo.

Meanwhile producers adopt their integral role attending classes, teaming up with shooters to produce the various course segments and collaborating with shooters to research stories, make arrangements, conduct interviews, get hands-on with field exercises and co-produce the final project, as a team, collaborating on editing as they would in a professional TV environment. Both shooter and producer lean how to achieve better results by working together with the producer providing the shooter with more time for picture, sound and story elements.

This is a course for professional journalists, serious amateurs or university students considering a career in journalism. Course size is strictly limited to 12 shooters and a maximum of 18 producers. Assignments will be self-generated. Cameras, mics, computers and software are provided, students should bring ideas and be prepared for long days. You’ll need to book your flights to and from Prague and arrange accommodation. We have special rates agreed with great local hotels, so check the details on our accommodation page and book early. If you have more questions about what you will need, please read the What do you need for a Prague Workshop article on the community page.