DSLR PRODUCTION – COURSE SYLLABUS 2015-‐16 W: 1:20-‐4PM/RM 208
INSTRUCTOR: JAVIER ARMIJO CONTACT: JARMIJO@LACHSA.NET
COURSE DESCRIPTION
DSLR Production seeks to capitalize on the unique filmmaking opportunities afforded by our departments basic camera package: the Canon 60D. The course will cover all the basic functionality of the camera as it becomes a spring-‐board to other digital image capture technology that students will encounter later in the program. The course will cover essential filmmaking techniques and technology by engaging students in short filmmaking challenges and exercises. It will also cover essential film theory when applicable and offers opportunities for aesthetic evaluation of short films and written critical responses to films.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will use the Canon 60D to learn:
• Basic photography as it applies to filmmaking • Framing and Composition
• Digital Sensor technology/digital imaging process • Photographic Elements/Lenses
• Exposure and Characteristic Curves/Histogram • Camera Audio/Metering
• Basic Lighting for Interiors/Exteriors • Shooting for Continuity
• Essential Editing Theory
TEXTBOOKS/RESOURCES
o Koo, Ryan. The DSLR Cinematography Guide. Nofilmschool.com, 2012. o Brown, Blaine. Cinematography: Theory and Practice-‐ Image Making for
Cinematographers, Directors and Videographers. Amsterdam: Focal Press, 2002. o Canon 60D Users Manual
o Popular Photography, Ultimate Photography Guide (DVD Series)
o Complete Photography. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2011. Print
o American Cinematographer Magazine o Moguls and Movie Stars, TMC, 2010.
DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
Week 1 Welcome, Syllabus, Digital Sensor Technology (Notes/PPoint)
Week 2 Photographic Elements (PPoint), Annenberg Space for Photography Videos
Week 3 Canon 60D Overview: Storage, Equipment check-‐out/return, Menu Settings, Shooting Settings, Tripods
Week 4 Shoot #1 (STILL PHOTO SHOT LIST)
Week 5 Shoot#1 (STILL PHOTO SHOT LIST)
Week 6 Shoot #1 Review/Critique, Short Film Structures: The Karman Line (or TBD)
Week 7 Story and Camera (Notes), Shoot #2 Lenses
Week 8 Shoot #2 (LENSES)
Week 9 Shoot #2 Edit, Shoot #2 Review/Critique
Week10 – MIDTERM /Canon 60D Test – Multiple Choice Test covering 60D and Photographic Elements
Week11 Camera Audio (RODE and ZOOM Recorders), Shoot #3 (Five Shot Films-‐Groups of 4)
Week 12 Shoot #3 (Five Shot Films)
Week 13 THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 14 Shoot #3 (Five Shot Films, Edit and Screenings)
Week 16 – FINAL – Typed reflection. 2-‐5pgs, typed, double spaced, standard 12pt font. This reflection can revolve around your groups five shot films or other class exercises – your role, the outcome of the project, problems encountered, solutions or realizations you had about filmmaking. Reflection should also comment on what observations you’ve made about photography/filmmaking throughout this course; your perceived progress and where you want to go from here.
SEMESTER II
Week 1 Editing Theory (PPoint/Notes)
Week 2 Lighting Demos and Tools
Week 3 No School Monday 1/19, Shoot #4 – Group Docs Project/Teams of 4 Week 4 Shoot #4 Week 5 Shoot #4 Week 6 Shoot #4
Week 7 Screen/Critique Group Doc Projects
Week 8 Script Selection for Shoot #5/Short Film
Week 9 Pre-‐Production Planning, Storyboarding, Casting
Week10 – MIDTERM – Short Answer, multiple choice combination covering Editing Theory, Lighting and Reflective Question.
Week11 Shoot #5/Production
Week12 Shoot #5 Production
Week13 Shoot #5 Post-‐Production Editing
Week14 SPRING BREAK
Week 15 Shoot #5 Finishing and Screening on Weds Class
Week16 Moguls and Movie Stars Ep.1, Short Films
Week17 Moguls and Movie Stars Ep.2 ; Short Film Narrative Structures
Week19 Moguls and Movie Stars Ep.3; Short Film Structure Analysis
Week20 Moguls and Movie Stars Ep.4; Short Film Structure Analysis Week21 FINAL
Office Hours and Tutoring
Mondays 12:30 – 1:20pm.
Please don’t hesitate to see the instructor if you feel you need extra help, re-‐training or other guidance. Other times can be arranged for office hours as needed.
Required Materials
Students should always have a notebook/paper, writing supplies (pen or pencil) for note-‐taking, production planning, scripting etc. Reading material, homework and other resources will be posted online as a PDF for download. Please see instructions below on how to access homework through lachsa.net. Unless otherwise noted, homework documents and readings should be printed and brought to class whenever they are assigned.
Class Standards Expectations / Rules
o Preparation. Projects will require organization and teamwork. Create and meet deadlines for all digital film projects. Bring your notebook, reading(s), writing utensils; complete all weekly reading, writing and homework on time.
o Avoid distractions during lectures/presentations/screenings. These include: excessive talking, obtrusive movements to, from and within class (i.e. restroom use, entering or exiting the class), food and drinks (with the exception of bottled water), cell phones, I-‐pods, ear phones, laptops, calculators, make-‐up, hair-‐ brushes, hats, hoods, loud/distracting jewelry, games, work from other classes or anything other than required textbooks, pen and paper.
o Respect the work of others. Listen. Watch. Process. Respond appropriately and constructively and when it’s your turn.
o Respect all equipment. Damage to equipment is a student/parent liability so it is imperative that care is used when using it. Leave equipment bags how you found them for others. Learn to maintain equipment. Ask clarifying questions of the instructor if you’re not sure of the operation of a piece of equipment. o Editing Room Protocol
• Priority – Editing station priority goes to students with the most upcoming due date. Computer availability is limited and you may have to share your time with other students.
• Loitering – Please do not be in the editing room without a purpose. Due to the lack of space, we ask that students who do not have immediate business in the editing room refrain from loitering.
to class time.
• Printing – Students will not be allowed to print anything in the editing room. This includes any Film assignments, which should be printed prior to class time.
• Food/Drink – Due to the expensive and delicate nature of our equipment, no food or drink (even bottled water) is allowed in the editing room at any time. • Personal Belongings – Once again, due to the lack of space, please leave all
personal belongings in the classroom (or in your locker if working outside of class time) before entering the editing room.
• Guests – Do not invite friends or guests without permission from the editing room staff.
Assessment and Grading Notes/Outlines/Scripts 30% Pre-‐Production/Shoots/Edits/Screenings 40% Mid-‐Term 10% Final 10% Participation 10% LACHSA Academic Grading Scale
A+ 97 -‐ 100% A 93 -‐ 96.9% A-‐ 90 -‐ 92.9% B+ 87 -‐ 89.9% B 83 -‐ 86.9% B-‐ 80 -‐ 82.9% C+ 77 -‐ 79.9% C 73 -‐ 76.9% C-‐ 70 -‐ 72.9% D+ 67 -‐ 69.9% D 63 -‐ 66.9% D-‐ 60 -‐ 62.9% F 59.9% and below
Please note: Students can earn no less than the corresponding letter grade i each numerical category. The UC/CSU does not recognize courses with Ds for A-‐G credit.
Accessing the Class Website:
You can access the class website by following these steps: Log on to http://lachsa.net (notice no www)
• On the top of the page click on “Academics” or “Arts” • Then click on “Classes/Homework” or “Homework”
• Then click on the subject you are trying to look up assignments for • click on your Teacher name and then the period of your class
Online Grading – Parent Portal
ALL Academic for students will be posted on ABI (or the Parent Portal) after each assignment has been turned in and graded. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to verify that these grades are accurate. If there are any discrepancies with the grades, please inform your teacher. You can access these daily grades by choosing “Grades” and then “Gradebook” on your parent portal account. Then click on the class for which you want to see the assignment grade breakdown.
ALL Academic and Arts grades will be posted every 4.5 weeks. These overall grades will be posted on the Parent Portal for ALL classes in the form of a progress report. Click on “Grades” then “Grades” to see your overall grades every 4.5 weeks.
Information on how to create a parent portal account was give out during registration. Please contact info@lachsa.net if you need assistance with your portal account
reactivation.
Effect of Unexcused Absences on Grades
At LACHSA, a teacher may issue a failing grade to a student if they have unexcused absences for more than ten percent of the course periods in a given semester. LACHSA policy states that “for a course that meets 2-‐3 times per week, five (5) unexcused absences in a semester is excessive. When a student earns five unexcused absences, a teacher must notify the parent/guardian that if a student earns a sixth unexcused absence, a failing grade may be issued for the semester”.
Work Habits and Citizenship Grade
Progress Report grades will be issued every 4.5 weeks and will be available for review on the Parent Portal. In addition to a letter grade, a grade for citizenship and work habits will be included on the student's progress report for each course of enrollment. These grades should be reviewed by parents and students in an effort to identify areas for improvement that will likely also improve a student's overall letter grade in the course. Students earning Unsatisfactory Citizenship or Work Habits marks may not be able to
Mark
Citizenship
On time to class, respectful of others, takes care of school property, displays
integrity
Work Habits Participates, comes prepared, engaged in curriculum, completes
work Outstanding (O) Always (90-‐100%) Always (90-‐100%)
Satisfactory (S) Most of the Time (70-‐89%) Most of the Time (70-‐89%) Needs Improvement (N) Sometimes (50-‐69%) Sometimes (50-‐69%) Unsatisfactory (U) Rarely (less than 50%) Rarely (less than 50%)
Class Work and Homework Policy
Class work will be assigned regularly. Most of our work is about absorbing content in the early part of the year, followed by periods of collaboration on short film projects, followed by screenings/reflections of those projects. Along the way, students can expect to take notes, analyze short films, read texts, develop stories, prepare for and execute principal photography for group and individual projects, edit and screen personal films, critique, appreciate, self-‐asses and reflect on production experiences. Please see class website at lachsa.net for exact grading scale, assignments and assignment due dates.
Late Work Policy
Late work will not be accepted unless the office has excused the absence within 24 hours of the absence. In accordance with the LACHSA Attendance Policy, all homework or book work for scheduled arts or academic field trips and performances must be completed prior to trip or performance for credit unless other arrangements have been made with the teacher ahead of time. If you are absent from class, it is your
responsibility to ensure your absence is cleared in the main office and your assignments are turned in. You will not be able to earn credit for absent work unless your absence is cleared by the main office as an excused absence. In accordance with the LACHSA policy, for any excused absence, students will have the same number of days in which they were absent to make up work.
Academic Integrity
Integrity is highly valued at LACHSA. Truth is the ultimate goal in democratic education. Honesty is essential to successful education. Cheating is the most destructive action in
the academic world. Cheating undermines the academic process, shatters student integrity and destroys the trust necessary to teacher/student relationships. The cynical or unprepared student who seeks a dishonest advantage over fellow students is not only self-‐defeating, but affects others if not confronted and stopped.
Our Academic Honesty Policy addresses issues of cheating, plagiarism, theft, alteration of materials and test avoidance. All students and parents sign the policy at the beginning of the school year to demonstrate their commitment to honesty and integrity. LACHSA students and staff will uphold the highest moral and ethical standards. Theft of (or unauthorized use of) student possession will not be tolerated. Theft is a criminal matter and will be treated as such. Our campus is a place for safety and respect for all.
Promptly report all incidents to a staff member so that we may deal with each problem in a quick, consistent and rational manner.
Acts of Academic Dishonesty which will not be tolerated at LACHSA are:
• Cheating On Tests: Any intentional giving or use of external assistance relating to an examination, test or quiz without permission of the teacher. Parents will be contacted by the instructor or the student during class time or at the conclusion of the class.
• Unauthorized use of technology devices during a test or assessment.
• Unauthorized Collaboration: Intentional collaboration (copying) an assignment between a student and another person is considered dishonest. Both or all students involved will be subject to lowered academic and citizenship grades, and parents will be contacted.
• Plagiarism: All students are expected to complete their own work and
assignments. Plagiarism constitutes any intentional use of someone else's ideas, words or works as one’s own. Plagiarism includes the misuse of material and the work of another student. It also includes downloading information directly from the internet and computer and turning it in as a report. Plagiarism can result in earning a failing grade on the assignment, lowering of a citizenship grade, and relinquishing of technology privileges. Additionally, any student guilty of plagiarism may receive a zero grade on the assignment. The zero will not be dropped and that grade will be averaged in for the grading period.
semester and suspension from school.
• Test Avoidance: If a student develops a pattern of test avoidance, the parents will be notified. At the teacher’s discretion, any further absences may result in a forfeit of the make-‐up policy.
• Pressure for Unsubstantiated Grade Change: Student and parent requests or demands for a raise in a course grade will not be considered, unless such request is based on clerical error.
