Simens packed a standard four-year film school curriculum into 16 intense hours spanning Saturday and Sunday.
: Simens emphasizes that "Hollywood is a business" rather than just art, focusing on how to shoot, produce, and sell feature films on limited budgets. dov simens wikipedia
Dov Simens died on March 3, 2021, from complications of pancreatic cancer at his home in Los Angeles. Following his death, the Hollywood Film Institute was continued by his longtime collaborator, producer Janet H. Wu. Simens packed a standard four-year film school curriculum
In the late 1980s, Simens established the , an alternative educational organization structured to challenge traditional four-year university film programs. Operating out of Los Angeles, California, HFI became the vehicle for his signature curriculum. The 2-Day Film School Following his death, the Hollywood Film Institute was
He has been the subject of controversy for his aggressive teaching style (he once famously threw a script at a student who asked about “character arcs”) and for statements that some consider sexist or ageist, though he has dismissed such criticisms as “taking the fun out of film.”
In 1986, Simens founded the (HFI), initially as a resource center for independent filmmakers. Dissatisfied with the slow pace and theoretical nature of traditional film schools, he developed a weekend crash course: “The Two-Day Film School.” The seminar, which he has taught personally thousands of times, distills the essentials of low-budget filmmaking into approximately 16 hours of instruction.
Don't write a $100 million sci-fi script if you only have $10,000. Write a compelling story that can be shot in one room. Structure of the 2-Day Film School
