T351 Week 1 - Spring 2008

Welcome! & Introductions

Agenda:

• Course overview
• Syllabus & grading
• Review info that will help you be successful
• Look at some samples of last semester’s work
• Do a quick, in class assignment
• Homework assignment

Course description: T351 teaches the technical skills and creative principles required for video field and post production. Topics include imaging and recording technology, composition, continuity, sound, and lighting. Experience planning, lighting and shooting video will be provided through hands-on exercises and assignments. Practical experience using Final Cut Pro is provided through a series of hands-on activities and projects.

[Personal goal – as a student field and post was my favorite class. You can do almost anything. You can try your hand at any topic or genre.]

Goals:

• To teach you proficiency in field production. (Not just shooting, but lighting, audio, shooting for the edit, working with talent, etc)
• To teach you to become good shooters and editors.
• Develop your writing and producing skills
• Provide you with some high quality portfolio projects

Food and drinks are not allowed in the classrooms, lab or studio. These places only get cleaned once a week. Please make sure you don’t bring in or leave trash. Help us keep it clean.

Circulate roster - Need name, (put it in the lab you’re registered for- Wed, Fri, or wait list), your e-mail & phone number. If you put your name on the limbo list, be sure to state your lab preference

Syllabus & Class Structure: There is one weekly lecture and a Wed or Fri lab
Contact info. E-mail is best. Call 332-1005 if you're desperate.
Office hours are Monday from 8-10 AM & by appt.

Every week you will take part in lab activities. There is paperwork to go with each activity. It is up to you to download it off of the website and bring it to lab. Don't just show up to lab empty handed. Bring miniDV tapes and any paperwork. You need to check this ahead of time. You must attend every lab and show up on time or your grade will be lowered.

Check web site for revised readings & assignments.

Tapes: Go buy your mini DV tapes today. Bring them to every lab!

Review syllabus (take time)

• Attendance
• Come on time
• Course requirements and grading
• Schedule- no lecture next week, but labs as usual
• Facility Policies (read over) We will cover these in more detail in the labs.
• Only those in production courses can use the facilities
• Safety is a primary concern
• No food or drink allowed
• Lab hours- set shortly after the start of every semester

Reservations for equipment need to be made ahead of time, in person with the lab monitor. Typically, equipment can only be used for four-hour blocks of time. We will cover specific procedures in the labs later this week

Most equipment has controls and switches, which should normally be left alone. If you don’t know what they do, don’t flip them. Better yet, RTFM find out what they do.

Report any broken equipment to the lab monitor or to the instructor.

Equipment must be returned on time. If for some reason you are late, CALL THE LAB.

It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure everything is put away at the end of lab

Success. What does it take to be successful in this class?

• Come to class on time
• Complete the weekly readings
• Do your assignments ahead of or on time. Don’t wait till the last minute! You will be rushed and the equipment won't work. When it knows you need to use it, it’ll break.
• Take individual responsibility.
• Participate in class and with teams
• Study for tests

Focus on Quality. You have a unique opportunity in this class to create a number of different portfolio pieces. If you are good and create outstanding videos, you can use them to win awards, get a job, or to get into graduate school. The main criteria for getting ahead in the industry is showing up on time and having an outstanding reel. All of you are capable of doing great things in this class- and having a fun and fulfilling time in the process.

When you make a production, strive to make it the highest caliber possible. This means

• You will tell a story or make a point with your work
• Every shot will be steady, in focus and properly color balanced
• Every shot will be framed nicely with the proper exposure
• Movements will be smooth
• Your backgrounds will comliment the subject and not distract the viewer
• Your scenes will be lit nicely
• Your graphics will follow the rules of good composition and design
• Your audio will be clear and mixed appropriately
• You work will have legal integrity: No music or talent will be used without a release.

Become a critical TV viewer Whenever you watch TV or go to the movies.

• Use A VCR or TIVO to record what you watch so you can analyze it later. Think about the production… observe the details
• Where was the camera placed (high low, tripod, dolly, jib or hand held)
• What is in focus and out of focus?
• Look at the lighting (hard or soft, back and set lights)
• Do the scenes have a mood or feel to them? What is it?
• What motivated the edit? (action, sound etc)
• Watch with the sound turned off
• Close your eyes and listen (music, SFX, close-miked or far)
• Pretend you are the director
• Figure out the process used to create the scene

If time allows, show samples of final projects from last semester

In class exercise (5 points) : Take out a sheet of paper. Write neatly and fill in the following:

• Name
• Year at IU
• Areas of study/major
• Personal interests/hobbies
• List one TV show you love & one you hate
• What kind of project would you like to produce in this class?
• Three things you want to get out of this course. Be specific (documentary portfolio piece, understanding of lighting etc.)

[Process/review roster while class is doing exercise]

Homework:

Be prepared for the Storyboard / Continuity Exercise. You can find details here.

Do the on-line readings on cameras & lenses. This will be on the first quiz!

T351 Week 1 reading assignment
Go to www.cybercollege.com
Click on the TV Production Cybertext link (http://www.cybercollege.com.hm/tvp_ind.htm) and read modules 17, 10, 11, 12 & 13 before the next lecture.

17 - Cameras: The Basics
10 - Lenses, the Basics
11 – Distance, Perspective Changes
12 – F Stops, Creative Focus
13 - Filters & Lens Attchments

As you read the text, be sure you understand the following terms and concepts:

• Focal length
• Zoom lens
• Angle of view
• Zoom ratio
• Compressing distance
• Changes in apparent speed
• Perspective changes
• “What is normal”
• Lens speed
• F-stop
• Depth of field
• Relationship between depth of field and f-stop
• Selective focus
• Follow focus
• Macro focus
• Rack focus
• Auto focus (problems with)

 

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