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Digital Arts
Besant Hill School offers courses in photography, video, bookmaking, and publishing using industry-standard equipment and software. Digital Arts classes secure a strong foundation for students to build their own style. Students interested in pursuing college degrees in Digital Arts are prepared with the skills needed to deliver university quality work. With 520 acres, the campus is full of perfect landscapes to shoot photos and video, and the digital media equipment is updated frequently to ensure students have exposure to gear relevant to the professional industry. Our students deliver incredible work, much of it is used on our website!
Digital Arts
Besant Hill School offers courses in photography, video, bookmaking, and publishing using industry-standard equipment and software. Digital Arts classes secure a strong foundation for students to build their own style. Students interested in pursuing college degrees in Digital Arts are prepared with the skills needed to deliver university quality work. With 520 acres, the campus is full of perfect landscapes to shoot photos and video, and the digital media equipment is updated frequently to ensure students have exposure to gear relevant to the professional industry. Our students deliver incredible work, much of it is used on our website!
Digital Arts
Besant Hill School offers courses in photography, video, bookmaking, and publishing using industry-standard equipment and software. Digital Arts classes secure a strong foundation for students to build their own style. Students interested in pursuing college degrees in Digital Arts are prepared with the skills needed to deliver university quality work. With 520 acres, the campus is full of perfect landscapes to shoot photos and video, and the digital media equipment is updated frequently to ensure students have exposure to gear relevant to the professional industry. Our students deliver incredible work, much of it is used on our website!
Photography
Photography students cultivate a range of technical skills as well as best practices in image making. Throughout the course, students will practice landscapes, portraiture, and self portraits. During this practice students will be building their photographic toolkit. Honing in on compositional techniques, uses of shutter speed, aperture/depth of field, and ISO, students should leave the course feeling comfortable with a manual device. The culmination of their work is an individualized photographic series. Each student will define their own project parameters, create and curate a body of work under an umbrella theme. Such projects have ranged from minimalistic images of the body to flying shoes.
Photography
Photography students cultivate a range of technical skills as well as best practices in image making. Throughout the course, students will practice landscapes, portraiture, and self portraits. During this practice students will be building their photographic toolkit. Honing in on compositional techniques, uses of shutter speed, aperture/depth of field, and ISO, students should leave the course feeling comfortable with a manual device. The culmination of their work is an individualized photographic series. Each student will define their own project parameters, create and curate a body of work under an umbrella theme. Such projects have ranged from minimalistic images of the body to flying shoes.
Video & Film Production
While there is often a desire among students to create short, YouTube-like content, we encourage them to produce personal projects with greater depth. Screenplays move into the production phase. Students work together and participate in a range of capacities in the filmmaking process, which includes operating a camera, directing, acting in their own and each other’s films, and learning more advanced editing techniques. Advanced students finish screenplays and move into the production phase. Once production is complete, students showcase their films during school assemblies, and many will submit their works to the Ojai Young Filmmakers Competition. This annual competition is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from, and to celebrate the work of, young filmmakers beyond our campus.
Video & Film Production
While there is often a desire among students to create short, YouTube-like content, we encourage them to produce personal projects with greater depth. Screenplays move into the production phase. Students work together and participate in a range of capacities in the filmmaking process, which includes operating a camera, directing, acting in their own and each other’s films, and learning more advanced editing techniques. Advanced students finish screenplays and move into the production phase. Once production is complete, students showcase their films during school assemblies, and many will submit their works to the Ojai Young Filmmakers Competition. This annual competition is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from, and to celebrate the work of, young filmmakers beyond our campus.
Video & Film Production
While there is often a desire among students to create short, YouTube-like content, we encourage them to produce personal projects with greater depth. Screenplays move into the production phase. Students work together and participate in a range of capacities in the filmmaking process, which includes operating a camera, directing, acting in their own and each other’s films, and learning more advanced editing techniques. Advanced students finish screenplays and move into the production phase. Once production is complete, students showcase their films during school assemblies, and many will submit their works to the Ojai Young Filmmakers Competition. This annual competition is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from, and to celebrate the work of, young filmmakers beyond our campus.
Bookmaking & Publishing
Bookmaking and Publishing is designed with the intention of giving students a foundation for graphic design with the specific intention of producing print media. Students will learn how to produce a visually pleasing design, and they will produce a range of different printed products. Posters, postcards, booklets, holiday cards, the school yearbook, and an art magazine are all examples of media that will be designed and produced by students. Each student will sharpen their technical and visual skills in producing a range of smaller products, and eventually producing an individual zine of their own design.
Bookmaking & Publishing
Bookmaking and Publishing is designed with the intention of giving students a foundation for graphic design with the specific intention of producing print media. Students will learn how to produce a visually pleasing design, and they will produce a range of different printed products. Posters, postcards, booklets, holiday cards, the school yearbook, and an art magazine are all examples of media that will be designed and produced by students. Each student will sharpen their technical and visual skills in producing a range of smaller products, and eventually producing an individual zine of their own design.
Claire Lowndes
Director of Academics & Advanced Studio Arts Teacher
“The Besant Hill School community provides a collaborative, inspiring environment for students to embrace their passions and unlock unimaginable potential.”
Dan Call
Arts Chair & Performing Arts Teacher
“I love the fact that we actually live our motto; Aún Aprendo is in everything we do with our entire community. We encourage each other to try new things, and mistakes are never failures, because we are all still learning.”
Nicole Hawkins
Digital Arts Teacher
“I believe that learning fuels life and curiosity fuels learning. Besant Hill’s mission and environment encourage students and teachers of distinct backgrounds to learn, explore and create together.”
Edward Carr
Music Teacher
“I’ve always considered music an opportunity to check one’s troubles at the door, be immersed in the moment, then emerge refreshed, and with new perspective. It’s my goal as a teacher of music to provide students with the skills to avail themselves of the opportunity to reproduce this experience for a lifetime of artistic fulfillment, satisfaction, and joy.”
Sally Chung
Studio Arts Teacher
“Every one of us is a creative being and cultivating that discovery is at the heart of what I teach.”
Besant Hill School of Happy Valley
8585 Ojai Santa Paula Rd
Ojai, CA 93023
contact@besanthill.org
Tel: (805) 646-4343
Fax: (805) 646-4371
