Through lectures, readings, discussions, screenings, workshops, but mostly hands-on outside-of-class-time projects, this course provides a unique opportunity to step up to an intermediate level in media production in both principles, publicity and equipment used. By engaging students in all steps of the video production process, this course provides a forum for gaining technical skills and experience, promoting working collaboratively, exploring different styles and forms of creative expression, and developing critical approaches to media making.

Required Materials & Book

- 1TB Firewire 800 Hard drive
- 5 Mini DV Videotape & 5 DVD-R Discs
- Headphones for monitoring audio during post production work
- Web host & one domain name

Antony Q. Artis, The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide Focal Press, 2008.
Young, Rick, The Easy Guide to Final Cut Pro 7 Focal Press, First Edition, May 4, 2010
Ascher, Steven & Pincus, Edward, The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age, Plume, September 4, 2007
MacDonald, Matthew, HTML 5 O’Reilly First Edition, August 1, 2011

Student Work: Mike Stipe

Assignment two
Cut-out / Collage

Student work: Ryan Craver – The Nightingale and the Rose

Assignment three
Self Portrait

Student work: Kevin Clark – Kevin Clark

Assignment four
Title Sequence

Final project
Student Work: Mina Liu – Gear

Themes and Variations

In this formal project (2 minutes max, no limit on the maximum/minimum number of shots), you must focus on one or two visual motifs. You need to define your subject/subjects. A narrative piece will be fine, but visual motif should be the foreground. Please try a more artistic experimental approach rather than a straight forward narrative.

Requirements:

• Maximum 2 minute video with beginning and end credits.
Format: a playable DVD with a simple menu design (two buttons & two tracks, main project and
outtakes).
•Clearly mark your DVD with your name, section, and enclose it safely in a case.
Submit a one-page type written list with a short description of each shot and transitions. Include information on spatial type and lighting condition.
• No logos and/or signage appearing in the shots.
No more than 10 seconds of music and/or dialogue allowed. (We are not grading on sound yet. Please keep it simple.)
Production should be taken at a space outside of the UNC campus and no more than 20 seconds should be shot within a 1 mile radius of the UNC campus.
For transitional editing, only use straight cuts, superimposition, dissolve and fade in or out.

Visual motif can be one of the following formal aesthetic/technical elements: color, tone, line, shape, series of rack focus, micro lens, low key lighting, sequence shot. The list could go on and on.

Your need to understand the following terms and present/practice them during your project production. Try to include all of them in your project, if one shot fulfills one or more requirements from the following list, but it doesn’t fit in the project(80% -100%), please put those shots together to create an outtake track (20%).

montage,
camera movement,
action/motion matches,
graphic matches,
cut away,
cut on the action,
parallel editing,
180 degree, no jump cuts
complementary color environment
analogous color environment
subject in the coincidence situation
subject in the non-coincidence situation
Rembrandt light
subject in the high-key lighting situation
subject in the low-key lighting situation
subject in a mixed lighting environment
subject in the magic hour lighting situation (optional)
5:1 shooting ratio

Please consider your own compositional strategy, editing down the duration of each shot to create an editing rhythm. Please spend more time and consideration on each shot and editing. You can use location sound and sound effects.

If you want to show us your footage and project before turning in, please come by my office hours. If your grade is below a C, you are required to remake your assignment.

DUE: Sept.14 ( Section 401, Section 404)
Sept. 16 ( Section 402, Section 403)

You will create a short video about an object or represent a subject. Be creative on the content. At the same time you need to fulfill the technical requirements. We are looking for your uniqueness of vision and aesthetic value, clear understanding of the spatial concepts, and your technical competency.

Requirements:

• Maximum 1.5 minute video with beginning and end credits.
• No commercial music and/or dialogue allowed (keep silent or ambient sound).
• Format: a Playable DVD with a simple menu design (we will show you how to do this during lab).
• Clearly mark your DVD with your name, section, and enclose it safely in a case.
• Submit a one-page type written list with a short description of each shot. (see shot reference below)
• No logos and/or signage appearing in the shots (including UNC T-Shirt, mugs, basket ball)

Additional tips: This assignment is an exercise to help you explore camera position, camera angles, and camera technical functions. Using a video camera you will take a series of at least 50 different moving image shots on a subject/ object of your choice (not still photos).

We will critique the projects during the lab sections. It is not necessary to tell a story in a narrative way. But please think about how to capture/connect each shot to hold the audience’s attention (make it visually interesting). Again, the main purpose is to practice using various shots available for capturing moving images. Careful focus on each shot composition to demonstrate the importance of a single shot. If you want to show us your footage and project before turning in, please come by my office hours. If your grade is below a C, you are required to remake your assignment.

Your need to understand the following terms and present/practice them during your project production. Try to include all of them in your project.

- Long shot
- Medium shot
- Close up
- High angle
- Low angle
- Hand held
- Track in or out (dolly in or out)
- Rack focus
- Composition based on the rule of third
- Shallow depth of field
- Subject in a flat space
- Subject in a deep space
- Subject in a limited space
- Subject in an ambiguous space
- Aspect ratio (consistency)
- No format distortion
- At least a 3:1 shooting ratio

Examples:

VediorBis — The Harvest

Hewlett-Packard — Next Shift

La Poste — The Carpet

Student work by Travis Hall