OVERVIEW
In this course you will create 3 short films: an experimental, fiction, and nonfiction film. Your video projects need to penetrate the surface of your subject and discover the depth of human experience. Readings, workshops, assignments, screenings and critiques will help you understand the filmmaking process. The quality of your work will be dependent on your mastery of technical skills as well as the realization of your artistic vision.
OBJECTIVES
- Understand the process of making a short digital movie
- Create an experimental, short fiction, and documentary film
- Operate a camera (including setting manual exposure, white balance, and focus) and put footage onto a computer
- Write a short script
- Learn and use the language of cinema (shot sizes, composition, camera movements, audio, and lighting)
- Edit with beats, rhythm, reaction shots, intercutting, visual logic, and style
- Work in teams—the entire professional world is about working with other people in teams; projects will provide you with professional team-work skills that can be applied to all aspects of the professional world. This will be assessed through peer review of your team members in the creation of your film projects.
GRADING
PARTICIPATION, PROFESSIONALISM, QUIZZES & EXERCISES 20%
Participation in this course is a mandatory requirement. You are expected to assume an ACTIVE role in class. It is your responsibility to engage and participate in the entire duration of every class. Participation can include and is not limited to expression of original ideas in class discussions and throughout the production of your projects, constructive criticism during critiques, and asking questions. No question is elementary; I encourage you to ask questions.
Professionalism means that you communicate important information to your team members and professor at all times—not after the fact. It also means that you are committed and go out of your way to help get the projects done, even if that means you have to cover for someone else. In addition, it also means you must schedule work and personal business around scheduled shoots. Take note of the course calendar and address any conflicts in your schedule immediately.
There will be several reading quizzes to prove your knowledge of course content.
There will be several exercises to prove your knowledge of course content.
VLOG 15%
Create an online video journal/research blog using either Blogger or Word Press that you post to weekly. The posts can be, but do not have to be your own video. You should search the web for video you find relevant to your work, you’d like to share with the class, or video you find interesting and important to your stylistic development. Embed this video into your blog along with a paragraph describing why you found it interesting. The links to the class’s blogs will be made available through the course website. Your grade will be dependent on the number and quality of your posts.
EXPERIMENTAL 10%
As an individual, create a 1-2 minute experimental video. You can explore visual textures, composition, color, lighting, stop motion, audio, camera movement and effects. Use in-camera editing to create this film. Include a one-page artist statement about the film. This project will be critiqued in class.
FICTION 25%
In a team of 3-4, create a 3-5 minute short with multiple scenes (3-5 page script; 30-50 shots).
Each person will write a script and then pitch that script to the class. Teams will be selected and each team will choose one script to produce.
The script must reveal a character’s discovery, some form of revelation—however minor—that changes the character. That discovery requires a decision. The story must not be imitative—it must come from you—your life experiences and vision of the world. If any of these three elements are missing, then the project will not be considered for production.
Production Book must include:
- Names of each team member and their role on the film
- Vision or artist statement about the film
- Script
- Character descriptions and their objectives (what does each want) and casting needs
- Description of the discoveries and decisions in the script for your main character
- Scout out a location and draw floor plan of each scene, include blocking
notes as well as lighting plot (camera and lighting placements for each shot)
- Storyboard
- Shot list that includes:
- camera angle, shot size
- camera movement
- blocking (movement of performers) that tells the story visually
- Schedule of the shoot: noting cast and crew, scene to be shot, location, and times
- Release contracts for locations and performers
You cannot shoot until I have approved the Production Book.
When the project is completed, each person must write a self-evaluation of their work on the film as well as a peer evaluation of their teammates. Your grade will be dependent on your self and peer evaluations.
DOCUMENTARY 30%
In a team of 3-4 (switch team member responsibilities, so that you don’t repeat the same job you had in the fiction film), create a 7-10 minute documentary focusing on a single character’s story.
Each team will need to submit a Proposal that includes:
- Title
- Names of each team member and their role on the film with the rationale for that role (roles must be different than the fiction project role)
- Synopsis of story, including your main character and the emotional arc (pattern of change) of that character
- Style and approach of project
- List of possible interview questions
- Intended audience
- (To be added: Transcripts of interviews)
- (To be added: Script of the project)
- (To be added: Contracts for subjects and locations)
You cannot shoot until I have approved your Documentary Proposal.
Guidelines: You will need to find a subject who has a compelling story (conduct pre-interviews to discover possible subjects and story possibilities). The story needs to reveal a change in character. You will conduct formal interviews with your subjects and collect visual evidence to put into the project (photographs, shots of them doing things, documents). If you do not have the visual material to support the character’s story, then it can’t be done—film is a visual medium. First and foremost, you are telling a visual nonfiction story having the same kinds of character changes you would find in a fiction film.
After you have interviewed your subjects and logged additional footage (such as action shots of your character), transcribe the interviews. From this, choose the sections of the interview you want to use in your story. Get your other footage together (photos, documents, action footage) and write a script that includes the emotional content of your interview, the narration (which should contain the factual information), and the placement of your visual support materials. This script is important and mandatory for you to help find your story and weave it together. The director and producer are responsible for this script.
TEAMS
Filmmaking is about teamwork. Working in the professional world is about teamwork. If one person fails to do their job or does it poorly, the film will suffer. You will be graded on the quality of the specific tasks in the role you are assigned. You will perform different roles in the fiction and documentary projects. With that said, the film must get done, so if someone isn’t doing their work or fails to show up, you will need to cover for each other.
Teams of four must have the following assignments:
1) Producer/post-production supervisor. Work with the director and cinematographer on the production book. Working with the other producers, hold auditions; schedule actors and crew; draw up contracts; get location permissions; attain music rights; market the film; work with the other producers in the class and put together and announce a public screening; put together a festival package (with the director); working with the cinematographer (who will log shots) schedule re-shoots; write daily production and post-production reports—must be emailed to the entire team and the professor; make sure that DVDs and webfilm is delivered (one DVD per team member, one to professor; coordinate with other producers to create one DVD with all class movies on it).
2) Director. With the assistance of the producer and cinematographer, write the production book; Work with the cinematographer to develop the look of the film; check out equipment; direct the film; reshoot any shots or scenes requested by the producer; working with the editor, deliver a final cut of the film; create a festival package (work with the producer).
3) Editor/Boom op/Sound designer (boom operator during production; picture and sound editor; post-production sound design). Responsible for holding boom mic and getting good sound; edit rough cut; work with director on final cut; sound design; final sound mix; render and create a DVD and webfilm.
4) Cinematographer/assistant editor (lighting and camera op). Post-production color correction; light all scenes, operate camera on shoots; responsible for logging shots the day after each shoot; also responsible for color correction during post production; create website for film (coordinating with the director and producer with a festival package).
Teams of three must have the following assignments:
1) Director/Post-production supervisor. With the assistance of the producer/cinematographer, write the production book; work with the cinematographer to get the look of the film; check out equipment; direct the film; reshoot any shots or scenes requested by the producer; working with the editor, deliver a final cut of the film. With the producer, create a festival package.
2) Editor/Boom op/Sound designer (boom operator during production; picture and sound editor; post-production sound design). Responsible for holding boom mic and getting good sound; edit rough cut; work with director on final cut; sound design; final sound mix; render and create a DVD and webfilm.
3) Producer/Cinematographer (lighting and camera op). Working with the other producers, hold auditions; schedule actors and crew; draw up contracts; get location permissions; attain music rights; market the film; work with the other producers in the class and put together and announce a public screening; put together a festival package. Light all scenes, operate camera on shoots; responsible for logging shots the day after each shoot; working with the editor, conduct color correction during post production.
GRADING CRITERIA
A: exceptional performance in all areas, consistent and excellent progress in areas of concept development, technique and creativity close to a professional level. Reads the assigned readings and eager to share insights and ask questions. Exceptional critique performance, thorough understanding of course issues, completion of all work.
B: above average performance in all areas listed above - solutions are unique, noteworthy and beyond competent, but not consistently excellent. Reads the assigned readings and willing to share insights and ask questions.
C: average performance and acceptable progress in areas of concept development, technique, creativity and critique performance, understands basic course issues, completion of all work and acceptable attendance, does most of the readings and sometimes is willing to share insights and ask questions.
D: below average work and progress, does not attempt to further one’s level of technical abilities, poor development and research of project concepts, marginal creativity, very little critique interaction, poor understanding of course issues, not all assignments completed. You haven’t done the readings and you rarely participate in class.
F: failing performance and progress, fails to grasp course concepts, failure to complete assignments, poor attendance
Total is based on 100%
A 100-90 (Exceptional)
B 89-80 (Above Average)
C 79-70 (Average)
D 69-60 (Below Average)
F 59-50 (Failing)
**Your attendance will affect your final grade (refer to attendance portion of syllabus below). Based on your attendance, points will be deducted from your final percentage.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Roberts-Breslin. Jan. Making Media. Focal Press, 2008.
Artis, Anthony. The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide. Focal Press, 2007.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
External FireWire/USB2 drive to store your movie files for editing
Headphones that cup your ears for production and post-production (Office Depot or Walmart)—iPod headphones (earbuds) will NOT CUT IT! You need your ears covered. Remember, an audience will forgive a little bit of bad video, but they will never forgive bad sound.
You will also need miniDV tapes for recording, available at the book store, Office Depot, Walmart, or Radio Shack.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Equipment
The use of all school equipment, outside classroom exercises, will require a signed request and policy form. You are responsible for replacement and repair costs of all damaged or lost equipment.
Emails
Communication will occur through email. Be sure to check your email daily. You are responsible for emails sent by the professor.
Late Assignments
Plan ahead for this intensive class, there will be no late assignments accepted (unless I have given you permission beforehand).
Incompletes and withdrawals
Any request for an incomplete or withdrawal from the course needs to be substantiated by documentation of hardship: accident, illness, death.
Attendance
Attendance in this course is a mandatory requirement. You are expected to attend every class and stay for the entire duration. Tardiness, early departures, lack of being prepared, or lack of awareness or attention during class will count as absences--two incidents of any of previously stated will equal one absence and will accumulate and impact the final grade. A student may be absent from class two times during the semester without his or her final grade being affected. There are no excused absences beyond those two. Any further absences will result in a 10% deduction for every missed class-–upon the 5th absence the student will receive a failing grade.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the intended or unintended use of someone else's language and/or ideas without revealing the source of that material, leading the audience to believe that the work is original. So attribute all your sources. Minimum penalty for plagiarism is a zero on the assignment (and possible course failure); I will also follow College rules and report any instances of plagiarism to the administration.
Copyright
You must receive copyright permission for all non-public domain media used in your film projects. Public domain material can be found at www.publicdomain.org and www.creativecommons.org. Documentaries (but not fiction) may follow the “Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices.”
Accommodations
If you need course adaptation or accommodation because of a disability (physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.), please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. |