Video 1 (061/661) Section 1: Tues 4pm-7pm
Spring 2010
The School of Design at The University of Pennsylvania
Addams Hall Room 206/207 (DVLab)
Instructor: Ellen Reynolds
Office Hours by Appt: Fridays 10am-12; 2-6pm
Email:
The course provides students with the introductory skills and concepts needed to create short works using digital video technologies. Students will learn the basics of cinematography and editing through demonstrations, focused assignments and readings, designed to facilitate the use of the medium for artistic inquiry, cultural expression, and narrative storytelling. Class meetings integrate lecture, discussion, screening of clips, software and technique demos, hands-on group work, and follow up critique of submitted projects.
Projects / Exercises include:
Two Video Exercises
Matched Action Sequence
Dialogue Scene
Three Main Projects
Evocation of a Place
Effects in the Service of Meaning
Short Visual Narrative
Two Written Responses
Analysis of Sound in a Scene
Analysis of the Traditional Three Act Structure as Applied to Film
Video work will be submitted as an uncompressed Quicktime Movie on DVD-R or as an electronic, uncompressed Quicktime file to DVLab WS01>Reynolds 1> Project Submissions. Work will be evaluated on both technical and conceptual bases. Students will be expected to attend every class, to ask for help or feedback when needed, to complete every assignment on time, and to participate in discussions and class exercises. Failure to meet any of these requirements will impact your grade.
Jan 19 Intro to Class, Assignments, Equipment, Loan Agreements, Policies and
Evaluation Criteria.
Workflow overview
Screen “Visions of Light”
Assignment:
Purchase SDHC Memory Card and Reader
Reading: “Basic Video Camera and Shooting Primer”
Jan 26 Video Production Timeline and Terminology
Introduction to the Panasonic HDC-HS300 AVCHD camera
In Class Shooting “The Scavenger Hunt”
Screen Past Work
Assignment:
Check out camera and use it until you feel comfortable with all menu
and manual control settings, insure that you are recording to your own memory card.
Reading: The Five C’s of Cinematography: “Camera Angles”
Feb 2 Intro to Assignment 1: “Evocation of a Place”
Location Scouting, Permissions, and the Role of Light
Use of the tripod and handheld technique
The Marriage of Sound and Image
Creating Emotion
Assignments:
Download Permission Form (if needed)
Begin Location Scouting and Shooting Place video.
Footage DUE on personal SDHC memory card in class Feb 9th. Bring
Card reader as well to Feb 9th Class.
Reading: The Five C’s of Cinematography: “Composition ”
Feb 9 Discuss Reading.
Intro to DVLab Workflow and Final Cut Pro: Log and Transfer, File
Types, Setting up a Project, Basic Assemblage, Adding Sound, Editing
to Music. Exporting QT Movie and using the Network to move files to WS01.
Log and Transfer from Video Cards, practice basic editing
Assignment:
Edit Assignment 1: “Evocation of a Place”.
Edited video due in folder on Workstation 1 prior to class on Feb 16th.
Reading: “Production Process”
Feb 16 Exporting for the Web: Workflows, Formats, Strategies
Review / Critique Evocation of “Evocation of a Place” videos.
Feb 23 Finish Screening Place Videos.
The Matched Action Technique / Trim Function
In-class exercise, edit using provided Matched Action footage.
Assignments:
Video Exercise: “The Matched Action Sequence”. DUE March 2nd
prior to class.
Reading: “On the Importance of Film Editing”
March 2 Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound
Screening: The Cutting Edge “Role of Sound”
Assignment:
Reading: “Sound in the Cinema”
Written Analysis: The Role of Sound in a Scene DUE March 16thvia
email attachment to .
Recommended Screening: “The Conversation” (Coppola)
March 9 Spring Break
March 16Discuss reading
Intro to “Effects in the Service of Meaning”
In Class Demo: Layers, Filters, Motion, Bluescreen
Using Archival Materials
Screen Examples
Assignment:
Begin to shoot and Edit “Effects” Assignment. Project DUE on March 30th.
March 23DV Clinic – Work in Class, BLUESCREEN will be set up for student’s use.
Assignment:
Complete Editing on “Effects” project (NOTE: Due to time constraints, the completed Effects Project will not be screened in class but will be playing all week on the Plasma Screen in the Addams Hall Lobby)
Reading: Tharp, Twyla. “Your Creative DNA”
March 30Effects Project due to Project Submissions folder on WS01.
Intro to Narrative Structure and Narrative Project.
Screening “The Pity Card”; prior student work
Assignment:
Prepare a Summary for a short three act narrative to be pitched during the next class.
Written Analysis: “The Three Act Structure” DUE April 6th.
Recommended Screening: “Run Lola Run” (Twyker).
Reading: “Synopses, Story, Pitch”
April 6In Class Selection of Narrative projects / groups.
The Script Breakdown: Scenes, Acts and Arc
The construction and Application of Style
From Summary to Outline to Storyboard to Shot List
Assignment:
Meet with Group, Begin production process
Reserve Equipment
Download Outline, Storyboard, and Shot List forms
Turn in Production Outline via email attachment before class April 13th. Reading: Lumet “Style”; “From Idea to Cinematic Story”; “Scene Analysis, Collaboration, Directing”
April 13Mics and Audio Recording: Possibilities and Strategies Recording and Editing Dialogue
Lighting for Video.
Editing Example: Before and After (Laird Edge)
Assignment:
Shoot footage for Narrative Projects. Projects DUE for in class screening on April 27th.
Reading: ”Don’t Be Intimidated by Rules, Embrace Them!”; “Editing Principles”; “Cutting and Editing”
April 20In Class time to work on Narrative Projects. DV Clinic.
April 27Last Class. In Class Screening of Narrative Projects.
May 3-11Individually Scheduled Meetings and Final Exam
End of Semester Screening : Date TBD
May 11thLast Day to re-submit any project for a new review / grade.
Notes:
There is no required text or lab fee for this course.
All reading are available in Course Folder. Remote access to Course Folder: will need to enter a Penn Design name and password which you will set up in the first week of class and which will be good for the duration of the semester. Internal (from inside Addams) access: Go > Connect to Server > smb://juno.design.upenn.edu/courses/FNAR061
If you have any questions at all it is incumbent upon you to seek out help
from the instructor.
Equipment is available via the Addams Hall equipment cage, located in the basement.
Failure to observe equipment cage policies may result in a suspension of your
borrowing privileges. Should this occur, you will still be responsible for fulfilling class assignments.
The DVLab facility does not have the responsibility to maintain the security of your
files – please do not erase source files from disk until project is complete. Use an external Hard Drive for backup when possible.
It is strongly suggested that you purchase your own Firewire drive. Recommended
drives are FW400/800 having a disk speed of 7200rpms. See “Resources” for a specific recommendation.
Files that are not placed into the appropriate folders on DVLab workstations will be
placed in a folder titled “Misc”.
This syllabus, it’s assignments and related calendar are subject to reasonable change and adaptation with the understanding that the changes are not punitive in nature and do not significantly interfere with the successful completion of course objectives.
Grading:
Video Projects: 20% each
Related Written materials: 20% total
Technical Assignments: 10%
Class Attendance, Participation, Effort: 10%
Students submitting assignments late can expect the grade to be lowered one letter
grade per week the assignment is late. You will have until the last day of finals to resubmit any project or paper originally turned in ON TIME for a complete re-evaluation and change of grade.
Resources:
Video Camera Panasonic HDC-HS300
33529325.html?tag=mncol;psum
SDHC 8G Class 6 Flash Memory Card and Card reader
S5W/dp/B0010Z294O/ref=pd_cp_e_2
Firewire Drive Options:
OWC On-The-Go Pro
250GB 7200RPM Triple Interface FW800/FW400/USB 2.0 & 1.1 Storage Solution
G-Tech Glyph Technologies Porta-Gig 320GB FW800/ USB2.0
Recommended Text: Brenneis, Lisa. FCP6.