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

SPRING 2010

MONDAY + WEDNESDAY 9:00-11:30am COMM 130
WEDNESDAY 11:30am-1:00pm
 
 
 

Professor: Irene Gustafson
[831] 459 1498 / Comm 125
click here to email
Office Hours: Tuesday 10-11am and by appt

 
 

[syllabus last updated: 24 May 2010]

      
 
 


  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.
   
 

  COSTS:
Please be aware that there is a course materials fee of $190.00 for the course.
You are responsible for providing your own media storage, including backup media storage for tapeless media in case of primary hard drive failure. For tapeless flash-based video production, you are strongly encouraged to maintain two identical hard drives. Technical specifications will be discussed during the first week of class.
   
 

MATERIALS:
You are responsible for providing your own digital media storage. A Hard drive is required for film editing.
Information at:
http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/production_support/?page_id=2167


Your hard drive must be Firewire 800. Please, no USB drives
There is some required for this and there will be tech handouts from time to time. Readings are available as PDF files from the course website. 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. There are many good ones out there.
   
   
  REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING CREDIT
   
  • Attendance + Participation 10% [ongoing: attendance + participation in critique]
  • Assignment #1: Camera Test/in class shoot[groups of 4] 5% [due Wed 4.7.10]
  • Assignment #2: Long Take 20% [due Mon 4.19.10]
  • Assignment #3: Narrative 30% [due Mon 5.10.10]
  • 1 page treatment for Assignment #4 our final evaluation and/or grade in the class will be based on the following:  5% [due Mon 5.24.10]
  • Assignment #4: Personal or Observational Documentary 30% [due 6.8.10]
     
  •ALL PROJECTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS
   
  • Attendance is mandatory; punctuality is required. 3 unexcused absences or excessive lateness will result in a NO PASS.
• All assignments must be completed and turned in on time. All assignments must be completed and turned in to receive credit in the class
• Active and thoughtful participation in class discussion and critique is required.
• Careful and conscientious handling of equipment/facilities is expected
• Incompletes for the course are not routinely given. Please assess your time commitments early in the quarter. Problems meeting deadlines, scheduling conflicts, and/or a busy course load are not compelling reasons for an incomplete. An incomplete will make you ineligible to proceed into another production class until the “I” has been cleared.
 
   
  SCHEDULE
    jump to week:
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1.

......M March 29th
Introductions, Admissions, Discussion of Goals & Expectations, Syllabus
Equipment Checkout orientation, Tour of facilities


......W April 1st
Orientation with FDM Production Staff
Introduction to Digital Video: terms, concepts, buttons and knobs

Reading: Video and Hi-Def [pdf]

Monaco, How to Read a Film [pdf]

 
   

2.

......M April 5th
Cinematography, Videography
Aesthetic strategies, Composition, Visual Language

Panasonic HMC 150

Reading: Bresson, Notes on the Cinematographer 1 [pdf]


......W April 7th
Aesthetic strategies, Composition, Visual Language
Introduction to Final Cut Pro/ video and the digital domain

Reading: Bresson, Notes on the Cinematographer 2 [pdf file]

LAB SECTION:

SHOOT CAMERA TEST/ASSIGNMENT #1

 
 

 

 

 

3.

......M April 12th
Final Cut Pro Workshop
Communications Comouter Lab [Comm 11]

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


......W April 14th

Final Cut Pro Workshop
Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]

Reading: MacDougall, When Less is Less [pdf]

 
   

4.

......M April 19th

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


......W April 21st

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

5.

......M April 26th

Lighting
Narrative Strategies—work shopping stories

Reading: Bresson, Notes on the Cinematographer 3 [pdf]


......W April 28th

Sound: Microphones, Recording strategies, Sound Design, Sound + Image
Reading: Sound Recording Systems [pdf]


LAB SECTION:
Lighting: equipment, strategies, terminology
Microphones, cables, listening exercises
   

6.

......M May 3rd

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

Reading: Basic Scene Lighting [pdf]

......W May 5th
Final Cut Pro Workshop: soundtrack strategies, advanced editing
Communications Computer Lab [Comm 11]

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

FCP handout 2 [audio filters]


LAB SECTION:

Lighting: equipment, strategies, terminology
Microphones, cables, listening exercises

 
   

7.

......M May 9th

NO CLASS . Please use this time to finish your Narrative Projects

 

......W May 11th

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

8.

......M May 17th

Documentary: Modes. Languages of realism

Observational Documentaries

Reading: Robert Coles, "Introduction" from Doing Documentary Work [pdf]

......W May 19th

Documentary: Modes. Languages of realism

Personal Documentaries

Reading: Jill Godmilow, Kill The Documentary As We Know It [pdf]

• DUE: 1 page treatment for Assignment #4, to Irene G via email: no later than Friday 21st @ 7pm. PDF or Word doc
   

9.

......M May 24th

wrap up

......W May 26th

INDIVIDUAL MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR

9:00 Austin K
9:20 Ryan A
9:40 Mark G
10:00 Akina VD
10:20 Marc S
10:40 Kinsey G
11:00 Kyle T
11:20 Zach M
11:40 Justin T
12:00 Chris R
12:20 Sajeev T
12:40 Logan H
   

10.

......M May 31st

NO CLASS • HOLIDAY

......W June 2nd

INDIVIDUAL MEETING WITH INSTRUCTOR

9:00 Simone W
9:20 Samir C
9:40 Mark D
10:00 Pat F
10:20 Tim L
10:40 Leesa D
11:00 Isabella A
11:20 Anthony C
11:40 Joel F
12:00 Eric G
12:20 Jessica L
12:40 Rachel F
   

FINAL SCREENING: JUNE 8THG
TUESDAY JUNE 8th 4-7pm
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY

PLEASE BRING ALL (3) PROJECTS ON A SINGLE DVD. Labelled with your name, in case
   

R E S O U R C E S

SLUGFILM [checkout, reservation, facilities]: http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/
FILM + DIGITAL MEDIA EQUIPMENT CHECKOUT: fdmcheckout@ucsc.edu
LINDA GARFIELD, lindag@ucsc.edu, operations manager: 459.2348
NICK DULIN, ndulin@ucsc.edu, equipment checkout specialist: 459.3512
ANGIE STEELE, arossi@ucsc.edu, digital media specialist: 459.3512
TRISTAN CARKEET, carkeet@ucsc.edu, ITS Digital Media Specialist, 459-3512

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

 

Panasonic AG-HMC 150 User Manual (PDF File)

 

Talent Release

Property Release

Storyboard template