SYLLABUS
MTSU College of Mass Communications / Dept. of Electronic Media Communications
EMC 3130 001 (11571) and 002 (11572) - Video Field Production, Spring 2013
Location: Comm 150 T/TH 9:40 AM – 11:05 PM
Lab 001 (11571): Tuesdays 11:20 AM – 12:45 PM, Location Comm 148
Lab 002 (82961): Tuesdays1:00 – 2:25 PM, Location Comm 148
Faculty: Edward Bowen, (Comm 231b), edward.bowen[AT]mtsu[DOT]edu
Twitter: http://twitter.com/enbowen
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Video-Production-with-Professor-Bowen/160690930678110?sk=wall
Office Hours: TBD other times by appointment
Graduate Assistant: Lauren Levins, lal3e[AT]mtmail.mtsu.edu
Catalogue Description:
Technical, operational, and creative basics of single camera production. Focuses on skills used in producing, directing, and production management. Incorporates equipment applications including videography, lighting, field audio, and video editing. Lecture/lab with three to six hours per week.
Course Description:
Three credits. Prerequisite: College candidacy. Introduction to field video and digital production, defined as any production that takes place partially or wholly outside the studio environment or outside a standard performance space or a sports environment, and without the aid of switchers or remote production trucks. This would primarily but not necessarily be single camera production. Course work will reference Electronic News Gathering (ENG), Electronic Press Kits (EPK), documentary production, fiction production, reality and lifestyle production, music videos, corporate and industrial communications, commercials, experimental, and web video. Emphasis on the function and operation of the primary tools including video, audio, lighting, composition, concept and writing development, editing, and on an understanding of proper production procedures.
Laboratory required. Each student will attend lab once a week from 11:20 AM to 12:45 PM pm on either Tuesday or Thursday, depending on section. IF LAB ASSIGNMENTS CANNOT BE COMPLETED IN LAB, IT IS EXPECTED THAT STUDENTS WILL WORK ON THESE PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF CLASS HOURS.
Most labs will focus on learning Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, or another non-linear editing platform. Labs will include editing exercises to be completed for credit.
Course Objectives:
This section of EMC 3130 is designed to introduce the student to the equipment, personnel and processes, as well as the aesthetics and rhetoric, of video and digital field production. At the conclusion of this course the student will have gained:
- An understanding in the areas of cameras, lighting, audio, video recording and editing.
- An understanding of the process of field production in terms of personnel and procedure.
- Basic understanding of the production processes and the communication of ideas through the medium of video.
- The ability to apply aesthetic principles and tools to actual video projects.
Course Texts:
- Students will have access to a Lynda.com subscription. Details will be arranged at the beginning of the semester. Students should NOT sign up for Lynda.com until instructed to do so.
- Gerald Millerson; “Video Production Handbook, Fourth Edition.” Optional
- Other no-cost readings/screenings may be required at the instructor’s discretion.
Required Supplies:
1. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE
If students will be availing themselves of the departmental computers for editing and post-production, then an external harddrive is required, as those computers contents are periodically wiped.
Be aware that projects must be delivered to the instructor through his campus network dropbox, requiring that even projects you may complete at home still need to be transported to lab for delivery.
The requirements for the hard drive that will be used for edit exercises are:
- FireWire Interface (preferred)
- Minimum 250 GB
- Minimum 7200 rpm speed
- Minimum 8 MB cache
You should be able to find what you need for $150.00 or even less, but the larger the hard drive memory, the better for you. You will use this hard drive on future EMC production classes. Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, craigslist and EBay are great sources. See Lauren with any questions.
You must have your hard drive in hand and in lab by either
2. CAMERA:
Students are required to HAVE ACCESS to a DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA. THE DEPARTMENT IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE CAMERAS FOR THIS CLASS! The key requirement is that the output from the camera be compatible with Final Cut Pro 7, or your editing software of choice. Almost all are with the use of free transcoding software like MPEG Streamclip, available on lab computers. Pocket cameras, flip cameras, consumer camcorders, prosumer video cameras, even smart phones, and of course professional video cameras are all acceptable. Not surprisingly, better cameras will produce superior results.
For students continuing in video and digital production while in the College of Mass Communication, or contemplating a career in video, a good versitile camera is a valuable asset. We will learn about the various attributes and limitations of video cameras early this semester. While it is not my intention to recommend any specific camera, some cameras that have produced superior technical video results in past student projects include:
DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Reflex Still Cameras with Video Capabilites:
- Canon 5D (industry standard - around $3300)
- Canon 7D (around $1800)
- Nikon D700 (around $1500)
- Canon 60D (around $1200)
- Canon T4i (around $650)
- Sony NEX5 (around $650)
- Panasonic GH2 (around $900)
Camcorders (Consumer) and Pocket Cameras:
- Canon VIXIA HV40 (around $800)
- Sanyo Xacti VPC-FH1 (around $500)
- Fujifilm FinePix AX250 (around $100
- Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera (around $180)
3. USER MANUAL:
Students should also secure user manuals for the camera they will be using, and be able to find specific information about their specific camera, for example, how the camera white balances, the focal lengths of its lens, how to adjust exposure, its ISO, etc. The manuals for most camera models are available online.
4. TRIPOD:
For steady video, a tripod is recommended. On occasion a departmental tripod may be available, but cannot be guaranteed.
Quizzes:
There will be three take-home quizzes given on various lectures.
Assignments/Projects:
Class assignments will include:
- Editing exercises.
- A camera report detailing specific functions of the camera you will be using for the class; a camera test, involving demonstrations of specifically assigned techniques and camera functions; and a team shooting exercise.
- A personal production project, preceded by a project proposal that pitches an idea or concept for your personal project.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS MAY RESULT IN THE REDUCTION OF ONE LETTER GRADE PER DAY LATE! PLAN YOUR PROJECTS ACCORDINGLY. You are expected to budget your own time to meet your deadlines. The instructor reserves the option to add, change, or delete assignments as deemed necessary.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Due to the vagaries and sometimes undependability of equipment, software, computers, servers, and friends, you would do well to give yourself some padding by establishing a personal deadline one week in advance of mine for your personal projects.
Although all students are personally responsible for their individual projects, students should consider forming teams or cooperatives with other students to help each other with their assignments.
Grading:
Quizzes 30 percent
Edit Projects 20 percent
Camera Projects 25 percent
Personal Project 25 percent
A = 100 90
B = 89 80
C = 79 70
D = 69 60
F = 59 0
Extra Credit:
You may accumulate up to 10 extra credit points. Opportunities include:
- Assisting or observing productions outside of class. You may volunteer to help crew advanced video productions from other classes and organizations (including the MTSU Film Guild), or you may attend professional shoots. You will receive 1 extra point per hour worked up to five. A list of your duties and hours, signed by your supervisor, is due on the last day of class.
- Completing additional appropriate productions.
- Completing additional Lynda.com exercises.
- Completing additional shooting exercises or edit exercises as proposed by the instructor or graduate assistant.
- Completing DIY projects resulting in usable producton gear.
Attendance:
Attendance and punctuality for lecture and labs is expected. For each unexcused absence beyond three, three points may be deducted from the final grade
Fine Print:
If you have special academic requirements or needs, please let me know immediately.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities - If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodations, or if you have any questions related to any accommodation for testing, note taking, reading, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. You may also contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898-2783) with any questions about such services.
Do you have a lottery scholarship? To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters), if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, or I in this class may negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility; if you withdraw from this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until a bachelor degree is earned; students who first received the lottery scholarship in Fall 2009 or later will additionally be limited to 120 TELS attempted hours. For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form via RaiderNet, review lottery requirements on the web at www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/telsconteligibility_scholarships.shtml, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.
