The purpose of this course is to put into practice the theories
and concepts that were discussed in Media Messages. Applying aesthetic
and communication theories in the creation of mass media messages and receiving
on-going feedback from the audience (the instructor and other students)
provides an in-depth understanding of mass communication processes.
The class will operate as a workshop, discussing the theories
surrounding these audio-visual forms, examining current program-ming from
television, and creating our own media messages. Please note:
this is a producing and directing class; there will be no opportunity to
learn to operate the equipment. Instruction in equipment operation
will take place in COMM l112. Your grade will be based upon your
conceptualization of the programming and your ability to work with the
production crew to create the message.
Herbert Zettl, Sight, Sound, Motion (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company), 1990.
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
Because each class member will have regular group assignments
for both class exercises and graded productions, attendance is mandatory.
Only two unexcused absences will be allowed during normal class operations;
absences in excess of two will result in a lowering of your final class
grade. Illness or other excused causes for absence must be discussed
with the instructor in order to avoid penalty. No absences will be
allowed on in-studio production days. Failure to show up for a scheduled
in-studio production without prior notification to the professor will result
in an automatic failure for the course. Tardiness on in-studio production
days will automatically lower your participation grade.
PARTICIPATION:
Your participation grade will be determined by your willingness
to participate in all class activities including
clean-up. Of equal importance is work outside of class.
Since most of the work in this class will be done in groups, you are
expected to find time to meet with your group to prepare for the assigned
projects.
Your production log should be a diary that you keep on the production process and should include an entry for every production meeting. Entries should include a brief description of the production process, notes as to what failed and hat was successful in terms of group interaction, what could have been done differ-ently, and an evaluation of your part in the production process. Your entries should not only tell what was decided (i.e. “we decided to produce a sitcom script”), but how decisions were made (i.e. “we all submitted our ideas and then voted to produce a sitcom script”). You should conclude your log with a discussion of group interaction--what you have learned about working within a group and what you would do differently in the future. The production log is due April 28.
Since you will be working in groups, the process will most often
result in a product which will not bear the stamp of any one person.
Recognizing that you may have done things very differ-ently if you were
working alone, you may submit a critique paper for any of the productions
on which you are graded to note the problems you perceived and how you
would have corrected them had you had sole production responsibility.
You should go into depth not only on the process (how the production was
developed) but also and most importantly on the conception of the message.
This paper should be from two to three typewritten pages, and the depth
and sophistication of your analysis will determine how much your grade
for the project will be affected. If your critique shows insight
into the development of message and/or into the production process, it
may raise your grade as much as a letter. However, if it is poorly
written or the analysis is shallow, the paper's impact on your grade may
be much less.
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GRADES:
First Video Exercise.........................5%
Second Video Exercise & Editing.............10%
Audio Exercise..............................10%
Script for Series............................5%
Storyboard..................................10%
Exterior Production.........................20%
Interior Production.........................20%
Production Log..............................10%
Participation...............................10%
Jan. 13 (T)
Intro. to Course
Discussion of the Class Projects
Role of Producer and Director
Jan. 15 (R) Developing the Stories for the Series
Auditioning Characters
Writing Scripts
Creating Storyboards
Review: Zettl Ch. 6 and 7
Jan. 20 (T) Character blocking -
Interplay between Camera and Character
Review: Zettl Ch. 8 and 9
Blocking Exercise
Jan. 22 (R) First Video Exercise
Jan. 27 (T) Introduction to Lighting
Introduction to Microphones and Basic Audio
Review: Zettl Ch. 2 and 3
Jan. 29 (R) Moving Images and Continuity
Review: Zettl Ch. 14 and 15
Feb. 3 (T) Introduction to Editing
Feb. 5 (R) Second Video Exercise
Feb. 10 (T) Editing Exercises
Directing In-Studio Productions
Feb. 12 (R) Editing Exercises
Directing In-Studio Productions
Feb. 17 (T) Editing Exercises
Adding Sound to Your Visualization
Review: Zettl 16 and 17
Feb. 19 (R) Audio Exercises
Practice Productions with 1112
Feb. 24 (T) Audio Sweetening
Feb. 26 (R) Audio Exercise
Practice Productions with 1112
Mar. 3 (T) Construction of Interior Sets
Production Meetings
Mar. 5 (R) Audio Exercise
Practice Productions with 1112
Mar. 7-15 Spring Break - No Class
Mar. 17 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exerior Scenes
Mar. 19 (R) Group l - First In-Studio Production
Mar. 24 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exterior Scenes
Mar. 26 (R) Group 2 - First In-Studio Production
Mar. 31 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exterior Scenes
Apr. 2 (R) Group l - Second In-Studio Production
Apr. 7 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exterior Scenes
Apr. 9 (R) Group 2 - Second In-Studio Production
Apr. 14 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exterior Scenes
Apr. 16 (R) Group l - Third In-Studio Production
Apr. 21 (T) Planning and Shooting of Exterior Scenes
Apr. 23 (R) Group 2 - Third In-Studio Production
Apr. 28 (T) Wrap-Up and Evaluations
Production Log Due