Don Tingle Studio & Gallery - Studio 251

Welcome to my studio. 

 I'm open every Saturday noon to 4pm (during the Flying Monkey Artists Market), for workshops & by appointment.  My studio is host to the Alabama Filmmakers Co-op (aka Film Co-op) Our website is:    (www.filmcoop.org).  We post our schedule on the Flying Monkey and Lowe Mill Calendars. I can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it address.

The focus of my studio is amateur moviemaking. I am commited to the idea that we all have stories to tell and thanks to the new generation of cameras and computers, we can all tell those stories in short films that can be shared with friends or submitted for on-line or festival competitions and reach a world wide audience.  

Here I am, as Associate Producer and Behind the Scenes Videographer, on the Ghost Bridge outside Florence during the filming of "The Man in the Maze" - a Film by former workshop member, Florence based Filmmaker, Mitesh Patel

In addition to filmmaking:

I make the Shady Jay Cajon - a style of drum that originates from Peru as a traditional folk instrument.  I also display paintings in various media. Read more below.

Please feel free to call or e-mail me at any time if you have questions about upcoming activities at my studio.

Rocket City Short Film Festival  

The Film Co-op presents the Rocket City Short Film Festival - October 22 in the Flying Monkey Theater.  We are now accepting entries.  All entries are due by Oct. 1.  Entries are judged by an independent panel for "Juried Awards" and we provide a cash prize for the Audience Favorite.  Two categories: Youth (17 and yunger) and Adult (18 and older).  Check www.filmcoop.org for entry forms or stop by my studio and find them on the table outside.

Film Co-op Monthly Filmmaking Workshop:

We meet each month to discuss techniques, equipment and issues related to ultra low budget filmmaking. When possible, we have special guests including professional actors and screenwriters come talk about their craft. The meeting is on the FIRST Sunday of each month from 2 to 4 pm. Free & Open to the public. If you have a movie making topic of interest to you, please let me know and we'll arrange a workshop on that topic. 

Note: if the first weekend of a month includes a holiday  (Sat, Sun of Mon) then we move the meeting to the 2nd Sunday.  Please check the Flying Monkey or Lowe Mill calendars if you are uncertain on meeting date.

Movie Makers Workshops:

I travel extensively presenting workshops on various aspects of filmmaking. If you are interested in having one presented with your film festival or other community event, please contact me.

I can provide workshops on:

a) Introduction to Filmmaking - a 3 hour presentation that covers all 3 phases of filmmaking: Pre-production (story, script, casting, planning, etc); Production (shooting, lighting, sound, directing, producing...); and Post Production (editing, effects, music, publishing...)

b) Script Development - a 2 hours workshop/presentation focusing on short film story development, structure and script writing.

c) Collaborative Screen Writing Workshop - a carefully selected group of about a dozen people gather to conceive, structure and fleshout a short story in script form in one afternoon.  I've only done this workshop twice and both resulted in good stories and a great creative afternoon.  Requires 4 hours minimum.

d) Editing the Short Film - a 3 hour workshop that focuses on the editing process.  We discuss essentials of editing such as when and why to cut from one shot to the next.  Because I focus on beginning filmmaking, I then proceed to show how to edit using Apple's free iMovie program.

e) Focused Workshops - The technical areas of Production where beginning filmmakers and videographers can learn to improve their craft.  Each topic consists of approx 2 hours of presentation, discussion and demonstration. 

-  Lighting - single vs 3point lighting for moviemaking,

-  Camera - how to use the manual features of your camera,

-  Composition - framing, blocking, light and shadow, directing the viewers eye,

- Camera Movement - handheld, tripods, monopods, dollies, sliders, cranes: homemade vs manufactured,

-  Story Structure - expanded from the script writing workshops, discussion of Acts, Sequences, Scenes and Shots with examples from popular films

Recent Workshops have been presented at/for:

Mississippi International Film Festival, Jackson, MS, Roger Ebert's Film Festival, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, IL, Tupelo Film Festival, Tupelo, MS, Oxford Film Festival, Oxford, MS, UNA/George Lindsey Film Festival, Florence, AL, Southern Shorts Film Festival, Athens, AL, Gadsden Public Library, Youth programs, Gadsden, AL, Girls Inc., Huntsville, AL, Mac Resources, Apple Computer Dealer, Huntsville, AL

Shady Jay Cajones (Box Drums) 

A Cajon is a Box Drum based on a traditional folk instrument from Peru.  The Shady Jay Cajon is made of quality materials obtained from local suppliers and handcrafted in my garage.  I make 4 sizes, I call them:

$90.00     Baby Shady - small 16" height

$100.00   Shady Jay - the standard 18"

$125.00   Big Shady - 21" tall and fuller body for more volume

$150.00   Jumbo Jay - a Whopping 24" tall and really big sound

And two Types:

String Cajon - most Shady Jay Cajones have guitar strings to add a snare drum sound 

Standard Cajon - No strings.  Otherwise identical. ($10 off the above prices)

Playing the Cajon is like having an entire drum set in one box. And they are the easiest drum to play. Each drum is hand made to give that beautiful traditional Cajon sound. They are great for practice in dorm room, bedroom, or small apartment. They are perfect for performances in small venues such as coffee shops, churches, at the Flying Monkey, or at a drum circle. Perfect accompaniment for guitar or other acoustic instruments. Each drum is hand finished to bring out the characteristic beauty of the various woods, they're attractive enough to sit proudly in your living room or den. Stop by and try one.

Art Gallery:

Paintings in Water Color and Oil, representational and abstract. I paint in several media and work in stained glass when time permits. Stop my during the Artist's Market and have a look. I also display paintings that I have gathered from monkey and area friends. I prefer to display them in my studio so the public can see works by many of my favorite artists.

Don Tingle Studio & Gallery

2211 Seminole Dr. Studio #251
Huntsville, AL. 35805

256.457.5371

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