UCSC/FILM + DIGITAL MEDIA DEPARTMENT
FILM 170B • FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION

SPRING 2005

MONDAY + WEDNESDAY 3:30-6:00pm
WEDNESDAY 6:00-7:30pm
Communications Studio A
     
 

Professor: Irene Gustafson
[831] 459 1498 / Comm 125
click here to email
Office Hours: Tuesday 12-2pm and by appt

 
 

[syllabus last updated: 19 March 2005]

      
 
 


  In this class we will work with digital video to develop media production skills. Students will work in groups and individually. Collaboration during production is encouraged and expected as part of the course. The course will combine hands-on demonstrations, readings, discussion, and critique. A large portion of our class time is dedicated to technical workshops introducing you to the available equipment and software. You are expected to take notes. Your attendance in class is essential. There is no time to schedule a review of missed material. Weekly screenings and discussion of film and video work, both historical and contemporary, are scheduled to enrich our understanding of the different languages and practices of media making.
 

  Lab sessions are Wednesday 6:00-7:30pm in Communications 130. Attendance is mandatory. This is a time to get more hands-on help with the equipment. For the most part, these sessions will be structured around your questions and needs.
 

  COSTS:
There is a $15 lab fee for the course.
Each student will be responsible for the cost of materials to complete the required projects. Typically, this includes several VHS tapes, several mini DV tapes, and a portable Hard Drive [$200-500]
   
  MATERIALS:
You are responsible for providing your own tape stock [mini DV, VHS] and digital media storage [CD, External Hard Drive]. Please use Panasonic tapes.
   
 

There is not a required text for this class although there will be tech handouts from time to time. Final Cut Pro tutorials and Help Menus are on all of the Communications Building editing stations. You may want to buy a Final Cut Pro textbook.

Suggested:

Final Cut Pro HD for Mac OS X : Visual QuickPro Guide [Visual Quickpro Guide]
by Lisa Brenneis


Apple Pro Training Series : Final Cut Pro HD [Apple Pro Training]
by Diana Weynand
   
  REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING CREDIT
   
     
  • Attendance + Participation 10% [ongoing: attendance + participation in critique]
  • Assignment #1: Camera Test/"The Fall" [groups of 4] 5% [due Wed 4.6.05]
  • Assignment #2: Long Take 20% [due Mon 4.18.05]
  • Assignment #3: Narrative 30% [due Mon 5.9.05]
  • 1 page treatment for Assignment #4 our final evaluation and/or grade in the class will be based on the following:  5% [due Mon 5.23.05]
  • Assignment #4: Personal or Observational Documentary 30% [due TBA]
     
  •ALL PROJECTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS/mini-DV/CUED
   
  • Students must complete each of the assignments in order to pass the class.
• Late assignments will not be accepted so please plan your time and commitments carefully. Any emergency situation or special condition should be discussed with the Instructor.
• Incompletes for the course are NOT routinely given. Please assess your time commitments early in the term. An Incomplete will make you ineligible to proceed into another FILM production class until the "I" has been cleared the following Quarter.
 
   
  SCHEDULE
    jump to week:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
     
 




1.

......M March 28th

Introductions, Admissions, Discussion of Goals & Expectations, Syllabus
Equipment Checkout orientation, Tour of facilities

......W March 30th
Introduction to Video: terms, concepts, buttons and knobs


LAB SECTION:

   

2.

......M April 4th

Cinematography, Videography
Aesthetic strategies, Composition, Visual Language


......W April 6th

Cinematography, Videography
Aesthetic strategies, Composition, Visual Language

Introduction to Final Cut Pro/ video and the digital domain



LAB SECTION:

Canon GL1, tripods
SHOOT CAMERA TEST/"The Fall" ASSIGNMENT #1 [you must bring a mini-DV tape to class]

 
 

 

 

 

3.

......M April 11th
Final Cut Pro Workshop with Zach Davis
Communications Comouter Lab [Comm 11]

FCP handout 1[keyboard shortcuts]
FCP handout 2 [tool palette]


......W April 13th

Final Cut Pro Workshop with Zach Davis
Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]

FCP handout 1[audio frequency]
FCP handout 2 [audio filters]

LAB SECTION:

Final Cut Pro Workshop with Zach Davis
Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]
   

4.

......M April 18th

ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE: LONG TAKE [A-L]
Screening and critique


......W April 20th

ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE: LONG TAKE [M-Z]
Screening and critique

LAB SECTION:

Lighting: equipment, strategies, terminology
   

5.

......M April 25th

Interactive Workshop with Filmmakers Saul Landau and Haskell Wexler


......W April 27th

Sound: Microphones, Recording strategies, Sound Design, Sound + Image
Screening: Playtime [excerpts, France, 1967, Jacques Tati], cartoons


LAB SECTION:

Microphones, cables, listening exercises
   

6.

......M May 2nd

Pre-Production: treatments, scripts, forms, etc.
Narrative strategies

......W May 4th
Final Cut Pro Workshop: soundtrack strategies, advanced editing
Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]


LAB SECTION:

Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]

 
   

7.

......M May 9th

ASSIGNMENT #3 DUE: NARRATIVE [M-Z]
Screening and critique

 

......W May 11th

ASSIGNMENT #3 DUE: NARRATIVE [A-L]
Screening and critique


LAB SECTION:

Screening and critique [if needed]
   

8.

......M May 16th

Documentary: Modes. Languages of realism
“Personal” Documentary
Screening: Sherman’s March [USA, Ross McElwee, 1986]

......W May 18th

Documentary: Modes. Languages of realism
“Observational” Documentary
Screening: History of New York [USA, Jem Cohen, 1998 ]
Salesman [USA, Maysles/Zwerin, 1968]

LAB SECTION: screening
   

9.

......M May 23rd

• DUE: 1 page treatment for Assignment #4

Mis-en-scene, props, objects

......W May 25th

INDIVIDUAL MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR


LAB SECTION: NO LAB
   

10.

......M May 30th

NO CLASS • HOLIDAY

......W June 1st

INDIVIDUAL MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR
    FINAL SCREENING: JUNE 8TH, 12-5PM, STUDIO A
   

 

R E S O U R C E S

SLUGFILM [checkout, reservation, facilities]:

http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/


PETER HAZARD, operations manager: pahazard@ucsc.edu 459.2348
MAURICE TURRIETA, checkout manager: turrieta@ucsc.edu 459 4062
ZACH DAVIS, support technician: zdavis@ucsc.edu 459.3512

 

DRIVEWORKS, local hard drive supplier, Scotts Valley 831.438.4000 call for UCSC prices
Hwy 17 N to Mt Herman Rd Exit, then RT into driveway 10 yds after Scotts Valley Dr intersection


Final Cut Pro Internet Resources:
http://www.dvguys.com
http://www.2-pop.com