Spring 2016 Timetable (subject to change)
Part I: Field Production - Class in Armoury 218 - meeting times 1p until 4:50p (combination of lecture and in-class activities - we use our allotted class time to work on assignments and get practice, practice, practice)
Week 1
Tuesday 12 January
Hello
and Introduction
- Stages of production
- Types of productions
- Production personnel
- Equipment overview and policies
- Types of shots
- In-class exercise - use your smart phones to collect the different types of shots
- DISCUSS STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT - due Tuesday, 19 January
- SELECT VOLUNTEERS FOR THURSDAY'S PRODUCTION DEMO
- In-class exercise - storyboard a scene from a piece of literature
Thursday, 14 January
- PRODUCTION DEMO (first hour)
- Camera lessons - groups will move from tripods, cameras and microphones
- In-class exercise - same groups go outside and get familiar with the camera and microphones
- What goes in the camera bag?
- Exposure Settings
- Audio Settings
- Do's and Don't's
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - VIDEO ALPHABET - SCREENING Tuesday 19 January
WEEKEND READING
Chapter 1 – The Television Production Process
- Section 1.1 What Television Production Is All About
- Section 1.2 Technical Production Systems
Chapter 4 – The Director in Preproduction
- Pages 67-70 about Storyboarding
- Section 7.1 – Working the Camera
- Section 7.2 - Picture Composition
Chapter
17 - Field Production and Big Remotes
- Section 17.1 – Field Production
- Section 17.2 – Covering Major Events
Week 2
Tuesday, 19 January
Storyboard Exercise DUE
Video Alphabet Exercise DUE - screen clips in class
- Video Composition and Rule of Thirds
- Shooting Interviews
- Camera movements, including hand-held
- In-class exercise - watch news packages and count shots - evaluate what you see
- In-class group discussion - how should video work be evaluated - write up your own grading rubric
- Video Portrait Ideas (this assignment is due Week 8, but start coming up with ideas now and make appointment with me in the next week to discuss your idea)
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - Lenses and Framing (use cameras and smart phones to get shots)
READING:
Chapter 5 – The Television Camera
· Section 5.1 – How Television Cameras Work
Chapter 6 – Lenses
· Section 6.1 - What Lenses Are
· Section 6.2 - What Lenses See
Thursday, 21 January
- Adobe Premiere Lessons - basic editing
- BEGIN EDITING EXERCISE - Due Tuesday 26 January - start the exercise while the lessons are still fresh in your head!
WEEKEND READING:
Chapter 12 - Video-Recording Procedures and Systems
· Section 12.1 – How Video Recording is Done
· Section 12.2 - Tapeless Video Recording Systems
Chapter 18 – Postproduction Editing: How it Works
· Section 18.1 How Nonlinear Editing Works
· Section 18.2 – Audio/Video Linkage
Chapter 19 – Editing Functions and Principles
· Section 19.1 – Continuity Editing
· Section 19.2 – Complexity Editing
Week 3
Tuesday, 26 January
Editing Exercise DUE – screening in class
- Interview audio and NATS, using sound
- Using microphones - wired and wireless
- Guest speaker - Ariel Mata, 9News producer and CU alum will join us
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - shoot interviews using the camera's shotgun mic, the wired hand mic microphone and the wireless mic to compare the difference in audio quality
READING:
Review Chapter 5 – The Television Camera
Review Chapter 6 - Lenses
Chapter 8 – Audio Sound Pickup
· Section 8.1 – How Microphones Hear
· Section 8.2 – How Microphones Work
Thursday, 28 January
- Sequences
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - go out and deliberately shoot poor shots - class screening
- Editing with music
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - In groups, shoot the 5-Shot Sequence Exercise and start editing (class screening next Tuesday)
WEEKEND
READING:
Review Chapter 7.2 – Picture Composition
Review Chapter 19 – Editing Functions and Principles
Chapter 10 – Lighting
· Section 10.1 - Lighting Instruments and Lighting Controls
· Section 10.2 – Light Intensity, Baselight Levels, Colour Temperature and Colour Mixing
Chapter 11 – Techniques of Television Lighting
· Section 11.1 - Lighting in the Studio
· Section 11.2 – Lighting in the Field
Chapter 16.2 – Single-camera and Digital Cinema Directing
Week 4
Tuesday, 2 February
5-Shot Sequence Exercise - class screening
- Lighting
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - using the lighting gear
- Natural transitions
- Matching Action
- Discuss Matching Action Exercise - due Thursday, 11 February (have footage by Tuesday next week)
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - get the most unusual angles - put the camera lens where eyes don't usually go
- From this date forward you can start collecting footage for your Video Portrait Exercise, have all your footage shot by Thursday 18 February
READING:
Review Chapter 10 – Lighting
Review
Chapter 11 – Techniques of Television Lighting
Review Chapter 19 – Editing Functions and Principles
Thursday, 4 February
- Lighting with guest speaker, Eric Kehe, 9News videographer
- Continue work on Matching Action and/or Video Portrait Exercise
Week 5
Tuesday, 9 February
Have Matching Action footage completed and available for class today
- Creating the TV Image
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - in groups, find 3 videos on the Internet that explain digital TV - share with class
- Remainder of class - edit Matching Action Exercise
READING:
Chapter 5 – The Television Camera
· Section 5.2 – How Digital Video Works
Thursday, 11 February
- Producing and Scripting
- The Proposal
- Focus Statements
- IN-CLASS EXERCISE - in groups, locate examples of PSA's on the Internet. Come up with your own topic and write a treatment for it with a focus statement and tag line. Pitch to the class and get feedback! Your group has the weekend available to get an early start on shooting the PSA.
WEEKEND READING:
Chapter 2 – The Producer in Pre-production
· Section 2.1 – What Producing Is All About
· Section 2.2 – Information Resources, Unions, and Ratings
Chapter 3 – The Script
· Section 3.1 – Basic Script Formats
· Section 3.2 – Dramatic Structure, Conflict, and Dramaturgy
Week 6
Tuesday, 16 February
PSA PROPOSAL, STORYBOARD AND SCRIPT DUE - give me a copy so you'll have one for your shoot
- PSA Shoot with final edit due Thursday, 18 February
Thursday, 18 February
PSA Exercise DUE - class screening
Footage for Video Portrait is due - you really need to have this footage now to start scripting
- PSA screening and feedback - IN-CLASS - go back over PSA and modify based on feedback
- Fast Package Editing
- Make sure you're moving forward with your Video Portrait Exercise - you'll need your script before you start editing - see me to get feedback for your script.
Week 7
Tuesday, 23 February
- Continue working on Video Portrait Exercise - by now you should be editing.
Thursday, 25 February
First cut of video portrait exercise DUE - class screening and feedback
- Edit revisions based on feedback
Week 8
Tuesday, 1 March
Final Video Portrait Exercise DUE - screening in class
- Review session
Thursday, 3 March
MIDTERM – covers everything so far
WEEKEND READINGS:
Review Chapter 7 – Camera Operation and Picture Composition
Chapter 13 – Switching, Or Instantaneous Editing
· Section 13.1 – How Switchers Work
· Section 13.2 – Special Purpose Switchers
Chapter 15 – Television Talent
· Section 15.1 – Television Performers and Actors
· Section 15.2 – How to Do Makeup and What to Wear
PART II: STUDIO PRODUCTION
MEET IN ATLAS
STUDIO Class hours – 1pm – 4:50pm LEVEL B-2 IN
ATLAS BUILDING
Week 9
Tuesday, 8 March
Introduction to the Studio
· Cameras and Microphones
· Video Switcher
· Character Generator
· Audio Board
* On-camera performance
· What to wear
· Make-up
· DISCUSS STUDIO INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT
READING:
Chapter 4 – The Director in Preproduction
· Section 4.1 – How a Director Prepares
· Section 4.2 – Communication and Scheduling
Chapter 16 – The Director in Production
· Section 16.1 – Multi-camera Control Room Directing
· Section 16.2 – Single-camera and Digital Cinema Directing
Thursday, 10 March
- Directing
- Practice directing mock interviews
- Write your directing cheat-sheets
WEEKEND READING:
Review Chapters 4, 13 & 16
Chapter 9 – Audio Sound Control
· Section 9.1 - Sound Controls and Recording
· Section 9.2 – Stereo, Surround Sound, and Sound Aesthetics
Chapter 14 - Design
· Section 14.1 - Designing and Using Television Graphics
· Section 14.2 - Scenery and Props
Week 10
Tuesday, 15 March
- Begin Studio Interview Exercise
Thursday, 17 March
- Finish Studio Interview Exercise
- Discuss News Break Exercise
Week 11 - Spring Break!!!!
Week 12
Tuesday, 29 March
- Finish Studio Interview Exercise
- Discuss News Break Exercise
Thursday, 31 March
- Begin News Break Exercise
Week 13
Tuesday, 5 April
- Continue News Break Exercise
Thursday, 7 April
- Finish News Break Exercise
- Pop Assignment!
- Discuss Final Project
Week 14
Tuesday, 12 April
- Groups work on Final Project Ideas (3 groups)
- Chroma Key
- Video Switcher Editing
Thursday, 14 April
- Begin Final Project
Week 15
Tuesday, 19 April
- Continue Final Project
Thursday, 21 April
- Continue Final Project
Week 16
Tuesday, 26 April
- Continue Final Project
Thursday, 28 April - Last Day of Class!!!
- Finish Final Project
- Hand out Take Home Final – due back by Monday, 2 May at 5pm!