The CSA (Audiovisual Experimental Center) is a workshop for cine-audiovisual shooting, which was established during the academic year 2013-14, as part of the “Prosmart” master’s degree (in Prato), promoted by University of Florence in partnership with PIN (the University Center of Prato).

CSA is headed by the renowned Italian director Dr. Paolo Benvenuti and it is intended for students of Progeas (BA) and Prosmart (MA), hosted by the University Center of Prato. The overall workshop lasted about 300 hours. The final outcome are some professional quality documentaries, filmed by the students, under the leadership of Dr. Benvenuti. Based on the conviction that the main purpose of cinema is “to make visible what is not”, the short films shot document some of the craft activities which take place in Prato.

Some shooting equipment were available for the students and the workshop was articulated in different sections: in addition to the lessons of film documentary direction by Dr. Paolo Benvenuti, there were lessons of digital editing (software “Final Cut”) given by Dr. Mirco Rocchi and lessons of theory and history of film documentary given by Dr. Luigi Nepi. Therefore, students were provided with the theoretical, linguistic and practical knowledge, necessary to complete their works. At the end of this training course, the students were led by Dr. Grazia Vitelli along the post-production, mixing and finalization work (using “Première” software).

Since they illustrate and enhance with special care and effectiveness some specific production activities in Prato’s area, seven among the short documentaries filmed (see the filmography below), have been selected and delivered to the artists and craftsmen who contributed to the realization of the films. The delivery took place during an official ceremony, which was held January 9, 2015, at Auditorium Camera di Commercio di Prato, thus marking the beginning of an ongoing dialogue between the University and the artistic and productive manufacturing of the territory.

For further information: http://www.progeas.unifi.it/vp-140-laboratorio-didattico-csa.html

Filmography:

Mostodolce, by Andrea Ragghianti (2014, HD, colour, 7’28’’)

(about the first traditional brewery in Prato).

Neon, by Velesjana Rustemi (2014, HD, colour, 6’37”)

(about the work of Sergio Baldanzi, who realizes “old fashioned” neon light).

Anomalia, by Gabriele Masi (2014, HD, B/W, 4’40’’)

(about the creations by the artist Rudy Pulcinelli, whose style is based on the use of the seven main alphabets in the world).

La Filanda, by Tommaso Capecchi (2014, HD, colour, 5’25’’)

(about Gabriele Stanzani’s spinning company, which was born at the end of XVIII^th century and which is still using ancient machinery for the production of Italian fabrics).

Chapeau, by Irene Sonnati e Marco Fedele (2014, HD, colour, 6’53’’)

(about the work of Ilaria Innocenti who, since 2005, creates hats in her Atelier, located in Prato).

Centoscale, by Velesjana Rustemi (2014, HD, colour, 2’58”)

(about the creations by Ignazio Fresu, an artist who creates in Prato works and installations that testify the transformation of the objects surrounding us).

Nuovo Mondo, by Yingfang Cai e Agnese Polifroni (2014, HD, colour, 5’35’’)

(about the processing of the so called “Pesche di Prato”, the traditional Italian pastries, that Paolo Sacchetti has been making for years in the laboratory “Il Nuovo Mondo”, which is located in Prato).

Moreover, thanks to the regional funding obtained by Provincia di Prato through the POR (Operational Program) of the FSE (European Social Fund) 2007-2013, the PIN is now able to offer “MultiVisioni”, a free course of 600 hours (of which 180 internship) concerning image shooting and editing, for the production of television programs, documentaries and feature films.

For further information: http://www.poloprato.unifi.it/it/alta-formazione/offerta-formativa/multivisioni/home.html