Course Structure

Breaks, deadlines, weekly breakdown

Spring semester

Wednesday, February 1st, to Thursday May 18th

No classes

  • March 15th — Advisement day

  • March 22nd — Spring Break

Deadlines

  • March 29th, Assignment 1 — Silent Short (2-3 minutes)

  • April 26th, Assignment 2 — Nonfiction sequence with voice (2-3 minutes)

  • May 17th, Assignment 3 - Narrative fiction/nonfiction (3-5 minutes)

Week 1, February 1st

  • Course introduction and overview

  • How moving images work - history, film vs video, frame rates

  • Assignment 1 (Silent Short) discussion and groups

Week 2, February 8th

  • Sony NX100 overview and basic operation

  • Focus, exposure, white balance

Week 3, February 15

  • Framing and composition

  • In class camera exercise

Week 4, February 22nd

  • Coverage and shooting for continuity

  • Pre-production - loglines, treatments, storyboards

Week 5, March 1st

  • Continuity editing

  • Adobe Premiere Pro demonstration - cutting, transitions, titles

Week 6, March 8th

  • In class time for assignment 1

March 15th and 22nd - no classes

Week 7, March 29th

  • Alternatives to continuity

    • Early experimental animation and city symphonies

    • Montage

    • Essay films

    • Hybrid documentaries

Due Assignment 1 — Silent Short (60-90 seconds)

Week 8, April 5th

  • Ideas, stories, forms

  • Genres in fiction

  • Types of documentary

  • Discussion: assignment 2 ideas

Week 9, April 12th

  • C200 demonstration

  • Lighting: studio setups, natural light, DIY hacks

Week 10, April 19th

  • Sound - microphones, field recording, studio recording

  • Interviewing - setting up the shot, devising the questions

Week 11, April 26th

  • Indie filmmaking

  • Final project discussion

  • Pitching and proposals

Due Assignment 2 — Nonfiction sequence with voice (2-3 minutes)

Week 12, May 3

  • Experimental approaches to moving images

  • Slow motion

  • Timelapses

Week 13, May 10

  • In class review of final project footage

Week 14, May 17

  • [Remote class] Final project screening

Due (before class) Assignment 3 - Narrative fiction/nonfiction (3-5 minutes)

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