Instructor:                           Joe Murphy            

Office:                                213A EDH

Phone:                                262-2298

Office Hours:                     Mon.& Wed., 1:00-3:00; Tues.-11:00-2:00, Thurs.-11:00-12:30 or by appointment                                    

Email:                                [email protected]

Course Web Address: http://faculty.rcoe.appstate.edu/murphyjr/video/video.htm

CREDIT HOURS:   3                                Rm. 113A EDH                               Tues.-Thurs.   9:30-10:45 pm

DESCRIPTION:

Introduction to the technical and creative skills needed to produce successful video programs.   Application of these skills to the production in the field of single-camera video programs.   Emphasis will be placed on using the medium creatively to express ideas and feelings in a variety of forms.   Students will learn by creating short videos and by critiquing their own and others work.

GOAL:

At the completion of the course, each student will be able to respond in a more critical manner to any type of video viewed, and will be able to use the video medium to communicate creatively with others.

OBJECTIVES:

At the completion of the course, each student will be able to:

1.   Develop an idea appropriate to the video medium, and plan, produce and edit a short video program that successfully communicates the idea or feeling to an audience.

2.   Analyze and critique video programs in terms of both form and content and the relationship between form and content.

3.   Set-up and correctly interconnect mini-DV, VHS, and DVD equipment and computers for: recording with a camcorder, recording a program off-air, dubbing a tape from one format to another, editing a tape using either Final Cut Express or Final Cut Pro software, and downloading a tape from the camera to the computer and from the computer to the camera.

4.   Use the computer to create a DVD and to send videos over the web. 

TEXT: Entire text, Video 101, is online and costs $2 per student for a license to use it for this class. Web address for text is:

http://www.video101course.com/index.html

PROJECTS AND EVALUATION :

Completing assigned projects and bringing them to class for discussion on the date assigned is a very important part of the learning process in this course. One letter grade will be deducted from your grade for an assignment for every class meeting that it is late.

Equipment Test

Students will pair off to test each others knowledge of how to connect and use cameras, headphones, tripods, microphones, monitors, computers and DVD recorders & VCR's. (5% of final grade)

Video #1

In assigned groups of three or four shoot a simple sequence of at least eleven and no more than fifteen interesting images that convey a person or persons' anger at being cheated. There should be one image for each of the following camera techniques: zoom from an establishing wide shot to a meaningful close up of the subject; Pan with someone who is walking or moving; wide angle view of someone or something from very close to the subject; close-up of the subject done with a telephoto lens so depth of field is very narrow; subject reflected in glass or mirror; dolly in or out on subject; zoom out on a subject approaching the camera; shoot a moving subject within a static frame; move camera with subject who is moving; extreme low angle and extreme high angle shot of subject. (5% of final grade)

Video #2 & 3

Work in assigned groups of three or four to create a short video (2-3 min.) that will be uploaded to the web.    Script or shooting plan must allow for some shooting and editing during class time since one period of class time will be devoted to both production and post-production . It is expected that some footage and some editing may have to be done outside of class but the class time is meant to provide an opportunity for group members to work together and get help from the instructor and/or other class members as needed. Each group member will be expected to have very specific production and post-production jobs to perform on each of the videos.    Each group member is responsible for making sure the video is uploaded to the web and a DVD is burned to bring to class to show on the due date. When videos are turned in each group member will be expected to submit a complete description of what they did to help complete the video and when they provided this help. Each person's grade for the project will depend upon this description of how much was done to help.

Video # 2--Must be exactly 20 shots and must be about a relationship with a person we never see.   (10% of final grade)

Video # 3--Must take place entirely in an assigned room in the student union and must include at least one and no more than three shots of me.   Video must also include at least one shot and no more than six from a tape of stock footage that each group will be given. (10% of final grade)

Written Test on readings from Video 101. (20% of final grade)

Final Video

Each student will write a treatment and script for a five to ten minute video. (10% of final grade) Any subject and genre desired may be selected, but you must be able to produce the video yourself within the time and resource constraints of this class. Stock or archival footage may be used but may not represent more than half of the finished project. Subject selected should allow for field production to create interesting visuals that go beyond interviews. If you turned the sound off and had no idea what the video is about then it is not a good video. Each final video must be uploaded to the web and also converted to a DVD for viewing in class. DVD is the only format that will be used to view final videos. (20% of final grade)

Class Attendance and Participation

Much of the learning in this class is the result of production experiences and viewing and critiquing in the class. If you miss class you can not make up what you missed. As a result each student will be expected to attend class regularly and actively participate in class discussions and production activities. (20% of final grade)