RTD 365A covers single channel field video production at the intersection of industrial practice and personal expression. Through viewings, discussions, readings, and lectures, we survey typical professional video production challenges to help students develop their creativity and problem solving abilities. There will be prompts for small, media and large video production challenges. These will give you experience in planning, producing and editing short videos of different styles, including narrative, documentary, and experimental works. There will be practical and analytical readings and bulletin board forums to help you hone your critical insights into the elements that make a film. You will work individually and, when possible, in small groups.
Grade Requirement: RTD 365A is a required course for the TV/Video Production Specialization Track. Students must receive a "C" in order to complete their degree.
The class: There will be 3 projects and several smaller challenges. Plan to expend at least 6 hours per week for this class. Don’t wait to the last minute!
We Are meeting Online in Zoom this semester. Please come to class as if you were going to a regular class- expect to be on camera!
Attendance: More than 2 absences leads to a full letter downgrade. Three "lates" equals one absence. Leaving class early is the same as being late. These attendance rules are more flexible during pandemic, however you are accountable for your work.
Expectations
• Check your email for class updates.
• Meet deadlines and do readings on time.
• Take notes- notetaking is proven to help memory retention.
• You must actively make up missed work by going to office hours or consulting with another student.
• Be respectful and attentive toward your classmates and the class intentions.
• Present work in progress and be ready to defend it: This process is a part of your grade.
• Do your own work: Videos filmed by students out of class receive an F. Old work is also disqualified.
• Phones away unless they are part of an assignment. No texting, no calls.
Class environment and expression: Students are expected to work independently and collaboratively on their projects, to present work in progress, and to participate in discussions and workshops. You are invited to experiment, and will be asked to defend your experiments in the context of the films we study. You are invited to express your self and to listen and consider the perspectives of others. If a video or film screened in the class shocks or offends you, tell me and I will permit you to leave the classroom until the work is over.
Academic Integrity: Students must do their own work and conform to SIUC academic integrity standards. Your writing must be your own and you need to cite all language, music, video and images used in your projects, unless excused as the basis of a project. Unassigned plagiarism will be prosecuted under the Student Conduct Code. If unsure, ask us or read www.siuc.edu/~policies/policies/conduct.html
Emergencies Contact me as soon as feasible. Absences for illness or family emergencies must be followed up with a written notice documenting the reason for absence (with signature by a doctor or another person in charge). You are not automatically excused from being absent.
Grading follows the following parameters:
1. You use the information and concepts learned in class in your work!
2. You are willing to explore an idea, look at things from different angles, take risks
3. You respond to critical suggestions by revising and improving projects
4. You are motivated to try out your ideas.
5. Your projects dig for meaning because you are thinking in terms of concepts.
6. Technical mastery: exposure, focus, image stability, edit, composition
7. You meet deadlines and pay attention to assignment criteria (length of videos etc)
8. Watched assigned films outside class (there may be a few).
9. Documented evidence of preproduction prep (Production binder and notes)
10. Worked well with other students.
Extra Credit Policy: There is no automatic extra credit.
Grading
Attendance 2 permitted absences, then grade reduces 10% on 3rd absence
Exercise: Warm up: 6 shots, 6 words 40 1 week production time
PROJECT 1: Seen/Unseen (Self Portrait) 60 3 weeks production time
Written synopsis of project with analysis 30 1 page paper, can be with images
PROJECT 2: Narrative (Homage) 100 4 weeks production time
Narrative pitch/presentation/research 50 2 page report/style analysis & powerpoint
PROJECT 3: Documentary Style 100 4 weeks production time
Final project pitch/research 50 2-3 page written treatment describing
REVIEW OF TERMS 60
Participation in discussion boards and RT discussion 50
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 500 (“A” grade)
Reading Bruce Block, “The Visual Story” (available online) and articles and PDFs supplied
Submitting Projects for Critique
When you are finished with a project, compress and export (share) to H264 compression. Make sure it has YOU NAME, and Project Name. Leave time to do this. For the first projects, you will upload these to Youtube or send to us via Wetransfer.
WHEN IN CLASSROOM: Cellphones prohibited unless explicitly notified.
Cameras: You can use your own equipment.
The checkout room has the following available for you if you wish to use:
Camcorders are especially recommended for documentary
Sony HKR NX1000 takes SD cards- you must provide your own
Sony HDR AX2000 takes CF cards, available at checkout
