COM 437 Advanced Digital Video (Prerequisite course: COM 357) Jim Alchediak alchedia@ncsu.edu 201-L Winston 919-515-9740 Office hours: MWF 11-Noon Thursday 1-2:30 or by appointment Text: There will be no required text for this course. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of this course students will be able to 1) ascertain a client s informational objectives 2) write television scripts tailored to those objectives 3) shoot video under a variety of conditions 4) create sophisticated television graphics 5) gather auxiliary sound 6) catalog footage for editing 7) perform all stages of editing. COM 437 COURSE OVERVIEW: Our catalog description says Hands-on experience in video production: Production of instructional videotapes. Practical experience in all phases of production process, including pre-production organization and critical analysis of final product. Students will form production teams and script, produce and direct video field production projects for clients from around the university or community at large. (These invariably are informational in nature, if not instructional.) The clients will be identified by the instructor. This real world objective will enable team members to encounter 1) issues inherent to the producer-client relationship, 2) issues that arise within the production team, 3) logistical difficulties inherent to the production process itself. The resulting experiential learning is the core of Advanced Digital Video. clients. The resulting finished video programs should fulfill the expectations of the identified PRODUCTION JOURNALS: To deepen one s understanding of the experiential learning occurring while it is occurring, each student will be expected to keep a detailed journal of work experiences. Suggestions on the journal-keeping process appear on page 4 of the syllabus.
COM 437 syllabus-p.2 FINAL CUT PRO PROFICIENCY: Having taken COM 357, you should already have a level of proficiency with Final Cut Pro non-linear video editing software. Nevertheless COM 437 will give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Final Cut Pro and of non-linear editing in general. Very importantly, COM 437 will also provide an opportunity for you to advance skills in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects, two critical industry software standards. The instructor will give an orientation to After Effects and a short assignment to encourage you to delve into this flexible compositing program. GRADING: Grading in COM 437 Advanced Digital Video - is administered on an S/U or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis only. A Satisfactory performance will consist of 1) Full participation in your team s production work 2) Prompt submission of a properly complete journal(due on the final day of class) 3) Demonstration of proficiency with Final Cut Pro and completion of the After Effects assignment. CELLPHONE ETIQUETTE AND POLICY: Please be courteous enough to turn off cell phones and put them away and out of sight during class. An ill-timed phone call during a client meeting could be a supreme annoyance. ABSENCE POLICY Per University regulations, excused absences must fall into one of two categories: sanctioned anticipated situations and documented emergency situations. Anticipated situations (e.g., participation in official University functions, court attendance, religious observances, or military duty) must be submitted in writing at the beginning of the semester or one week prior to the anticipated absence. Emergency absences (e.g., student illness, injury or death of immediate family member, must be documented by the Student Organization Resource Center 515-3323) within one week following the emergency. Make-up work will be allowed only in situations where absences were excused. Please consult the following website for further information on University attendance regulations: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/reg02.20.3.php
COM 437 syllabus-p.3 COM 437 - Video Production Journal A well-kept journal of your daily video project activities should help you document the variety of duties (some easily forgotten!) that video producers are routinely called upon to perform. Such a journal may help make small discoveries more memorable. SO, each day you work on your designated group project (or perhaps on some other class task), I'd like you to reflect on the nature of your video work that day and record your thoughts in a written journal entry. Be sure to begin with the day's date and the amount of time you worked. Then ask yourself some basic questions: What happened today? With whom did I work? Did I learn anything new... in a technical sense?... in a creative sense?... in an organizational sense?... on an interpersonal level? Does any of this correspond to examples I've seen elsewhere in the visual media? Is my group working well together? Are there problems? (great? small?) If so, what can be done to resolve them? What skills did I employ today? ( Technical? Creative? Organizational? Interpersonal?)
COM 437 syllabus-p.4 INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY Students will not be given a temporary grade of IN (incomplete) unless they have attended classes regularly for most of the semester, have completed at least 60% of required work, have missed required work as a result of factors beyond their control, and have submitted satisfactory documentary evidence. An IN grade not removed by the end of the next semester in which the student is enrolled or by the end of twelve months, whichever is earlier, will automatically become an F (unless the student can present a compelling, well-documented case for the extension). For the NC State policy on grading and IN grades, see http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/grades_undergrad/reg02.50.3.php). ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Strict standards of academic honesty will be enforced according to the University policy on academic integrity found in the code of student conduct. NC State Students are bound to an honor code, which states: I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment." It is my understanding and expectation that a student's signature on any test or assignment means that you have neither given nor received unauthorized aid. Please consult the following website for further details: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/reg11.35.2.php AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.1) (http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/reg02.20.1.php) COURSE AND TEACHER EVALUATIONS: Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last two weeks of class. Students will receive an email message directing them to a website: https://classeval.ncsu.edu where they can login using their Unity ID and complete evaluations. Note that all evaluations are confidential; instructors will never know how any one student responded to any question, and students will never know the ratings for any particular instructors. Please do respond to the class evaluation. Receiving your feedback is critical to the course s design, to the instructor and to the department. Thanks in advance for performing this valuable function.
COM 437 syllabus-p.5 UNIVERSITY INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY: An IN grade not removed by the end of the next semester in which the student is enrolled or by the end of twelve months, whichever is earlier, will automatically become an F (unless the student can present a compelling, well-documented case for the extension). For the NC State policy on grading and IN grades, see http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/grades_undergrad/reg02.50.03.php ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Strict standards of academic honesty will be enforced according to the University policy on academic integrity found in the code of student conduct. NC State Students are bound to an honor code, which states: I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment." It is my understanding and expectation that a student's signature on any test or assignment means that you have neither given nor received unauthorized aid. Please consult the following site for further details: http://studentconduct.ncsu.edu/ ANTI-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: NC State University provides equality of opportunity in education and employment for all students and employees. Accordingly, NC State affirms its commitment to maintain a work environment for all employees and an academic environment for all students that is free from all forms of discrimination. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation is a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Harassment of any person (either in the form of quid pro quo or creation of a hostile environment) based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation also is a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Retaliation against any person who complains about discrimination is also prohibited. NC State s policies and regulations covering discrimination, harassment, and retaliation may be accessed at http://policies.ncsu.edu/policy/pol-04-25-05 AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA): Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653. For more information on NC State's policy on working with students with disabilities, please see http://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-02-20-01
COM 437 syllabus-p.6 STUDENT RESOURCES: Writing and Speaking Tutorial Services: http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/ Academic Policies: www.ncsu.edu/policies/sitemap.php#acad-pols_regs University Career Center: http://www.ncsu.edu/career/ Disability Services Office (DSO): http://www.ncsu.edu/dso/ Adverse Weather: Complete information about adverse weather policies is available at http://www.ncsu.edu/human_resources/benefits/leave/adverseweather.php Check email, news, the NCSU home page, or call 513-8888 for the latest information. CHASS CAREER SERVICES: Explore career options related to your major, make decisions about your major or minor, build resumes and cover letters, prepare for interviews, develop internship/ job search strategies, maximize career fairs, and more. Use epack to make an appointment with your career counselor -- Jane Matthews or Woody Catoe -- through epack. Career Development Center, 2100 Pullen Hall. careers.ncsu.edu SUPPORTING FELLOW STUDENTS IN DISTRESS: As members of the NC State Wolfpack community, we each share a personal responsibility to express concern for one another and to ensure that this classroom and the campus as a whole remains a safe environment for learning. Occasionally, you may come across a fellow classmate whose personal behavior concerns or worries you. When this is the case, I would encourage you to report this behavior to the NC State Students of Concern website:http://studentsofconcern.ncsu.edu/. Although you can report anonymously, it is preferred that you share your contact information so they can follow-up with you personally. COURSE AND TEACHER EVALUATIONS: Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last two weeks of class. Students will receive an email message directing them to a website: https://classeval.ncsu.edu where they can login using their Unity ID and complete evaluations. Note that all evaluations are confidential; instructors will never know how any one student responded to any question, and students will never know the ratings for any particular instructors. Please do respond to the class evaluation. Receiving your feedback is very important to the course s design, to the instructor and to the department. Many thanks in advance for performing this valuable function.
COM 437 syllabus-p.7 9a.m. Sunday Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Saturday 10a.m. 11a.m. Noon 1p.m. 2p.m. 3p.m. 4p.m. 5p.m. 6p.m. 7p.m. 8p.m. Name Phone #(s) e-mail(preferred) What are your strongest skills which could contribute to the project? What skills would you like to further develop during the project? Which jobs are you most interested in or willing to do? On which project?