The Association of Italian American Educators (AIAE) sponsored a Continuing Education Certificate Workshop entitled “The Art and Technique of Filmmaking” held at Hofstra University, with instructor Prof. Carlo Mignano. The 23 workshop attendees participated in an eye-opening presentation that changed the way they look at movies, and will change the quality of their own videos in ways they could not imagine. Each attendee received a CTLE Certificate.

Prof. Mignano explored why you like or dislike a certain film or parts of it. Unless one is a filmmaker or has been trained in the art of cinema, when assessing the value of a film, he or she cannot do more than experience an instinctive reaction of admiration or repulsion. If asked why, most likely they will not be able to articulate how they reached their conclusion.

In order to understand one’s reaction, one has to be aware of the elements of structure that make up a movie and of the aesthetic criteria against which he or she should critique a film. Professor Carlo Mignano methodically dissected the technical and aesthetic choices that contribute to the quality of a movie; revealed the phenomena that compel one to say, “Wow!” or to ask, “ What is that?” and demystified the factors that trigger our instinct to react positively or negatively to a film, or any work of art for that matter.

Cav. Josephine A. Maietta, AIAE President stated “The workshop was an overwhelming success; the participants expressed their desire to have more sessions; and Prof. Mignano promised to come back and continue to unveil with them the mysteries of the movies.”