Film & Video Production

SYLLABUS - FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

These creative, collaborative technology courses offer Project Based Learning with practical experiences in film and video production. Pitch ideas, write scripts, and engage in planning, producing, and directing your projects. Learn to use cameras, microphones, lighting kits, and more. Work in a crew to explore relevant industry skills. Edit your short films and videos with Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere, and Davinci Resolve. 

PROGRAM COURSES

TC785 - Chap Recap/Social Media Video

TC775 - Film Production

TC774 - Advanced Film Production

TC102 - Advanced Film Portfolio

TC466T - Film Mentorship (x 1.1)

TC778 - Practicum in Production (2-hr block)

Please see Course Catalog for descriptions. This Program of Study falls under the AchieveTexas Career Clusters of A/V Technology & Communications, Arts, and Information Technology. 

PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

Make FILM & VIDEO your fun space. Accept the challenge to disconnect from the stress of your day while in the lab. Use this course as your creative outlet. Choose to be mindful and present in your film experiences.

Avoid unnecessary absences and tardies. 

Come to class prepared and ready to participate. 

Be respectful of others and easy to work with.

Act maturely and responsibly. 

Use equipment with care.

Take creative risks. 

Have fun!

LAB INFORMATION 

Film students work in an environment with ready access to the internet. It is possible that they may run across objectionable material. While Eanes ISD uses Internet filtering technology to restrict access to such material, it is not possible to absolutely prevent such access. All students are expected to adhere to the District's Responsible Use Guidelines. 

Film & Video students must leave the classroom to participate in small crew production. EMc can not supervise all groups at all times. Students who are out "on location" are expected to act professionally--mindful of safety and respectful of surroundings, expectations, school rules, and local laws. Consequences may be assigned if a student abuses this privilege or violates the WHS Student Code of Conduct. 

Every student must handle expensive equipment in Film Production. He/she is responsible for equipment broken, lost, or stolen in his/her care. Parents and students must read and sign the Film & Video Contract prior to equipment use and check out. 

The Film Lab is open most lunch periods for editing, filming, planning, equipment wrangling, tutoring, and catch-up. See EMc to make an appointment. No food or drinks are allowed near computers. Snacks may be enjoyed in the lounge area. Please throw away all trash.

SCREENINGS

We regularly screen and discuss award-winning short films. Please note that short films are not rated and may occasionally contain adult language or situations. In order to support and reinforce our curriculum, we also screen clips taken from PG-13 and/or R rated feature films. These film clips reinforce units of instruction and are most often woven into relevant video tutorials. The Parent Permission Form is required for students to view clips taken from R-rated films. We rarely watch entire feature films in class. If we do, the film title/rating and rationale for screening will be shared with parents prior to viewing. Both Video Production classes, Social Media and Chap Recap, require students to explore and analyze content taken from social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.  Students are not required to download apps for participation in class. 

CONTENT GUIDE

With project approval, Westlake Film students may produce films that fall within typical PG-13 rating guidelines. That said, EMc will not green-light scripts with excessive violence, gratuitous or unnecessary profanity, or content inappropriate for a high school project or audience. There are no guns allowed in Westlake Film & Video productions. Under rare circumstances, Portfolio students may petition the Advisory Committee for rule exceptions if it serves the work and EMc approves of its merit. Social Media students may only produce content that is appropriate for school and mindful of student safety. Students may eventually choose to post their work to their own channels and outlets with parent permission.

GRADES

Film Production grade points are earned point for point. For example, if an assignment is worth 5 points it counts as 5 points of your final average. Unlike other courses, if you earn a 4/5, this is not 80% or weighted as a "daily" assignment. It is truly 4 points earned of the 100 points available for the grading period. Therefore, all points earned are marked as "Skills Development" in Skyward. If you are present and actively participating on a regular basis, you will earn at least 20% on every assignment. I rarely award zero points so be aware that 2/10 may reflect a missing assignment. 

5-Point Grades may include practice exercises, screenings, thoughtful responses, sub assignments, and completion of evaluations.

10-Point Grades may include scripts, storyboards, research, reviews, rough-cuts, deadline markers, drills, and written reflections.

20-Point Grades may include final crew evaluations, screenplays, video packages, final projects, contest crew or entry, and practical exams.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM & CALENDAR

Westlake High School utilizes the Google Classroom platform to share classroom resources, assignments, and assessment materials with students.  Students receive a classroom code to access these materials and to submit work. Students should check Google Classroom DAILY. 2023-2024 Classroom codes are:

mg2c6sc4 - Social Media Video Production

okjoe27f - Film Production

b4v2k53s - Advanced Film Production

in52vq5n - Advanced Film Portfolio & Mentorship

Classroom Deadline Calendar

HOMEWORK

As much as possible, students are given time to complete assignments in class so that they do not have homework in Production. As students become more advanced and involved in Production they may elect to put in more work outside of class. Most Portfolio projects are filmed after school or on weekends at specific locations. To compensate, Wednesday class days are typically (but not always) reserved for personal or group work days. While not "free" days, no new instruction or work will be given once this routine is established. Special campus and master calendar events may eliminate a Work Wednesday for the week. 

LATE WORK

Please check Google Classroom for assignments and deadlines if you (or EMc) are absent. While most assignments are due on Wednesdays by 4:30pm, a late penalty will not be given until Friday, 4:30pm. After this grace period, a late assignment will be docked 10% of the assignment's value. Contest/festival entries will be docked 20% for missing deadline (thereby making your submission ineligible for contest.) Late assignments will not be accepted two weeks from the posted due date. In accordance with school policy, students have one day for every day absent to turn in make-up work without penalty. All said, if you are struggling with a posted deadline, send EMc an email.  This effort to communicate will make all the difference. No one should fail these elective courses. I'm here to help!

MASTERY

Students will be allowed one retake/redo opportunity per 9-week marking period if the original assignment was submitted on time. Please submit corrected or edited work to the original assignment in Google Classroom and email EMc a regrade request. All work must be completed within the grading period. 

PRODUCTIVITY POINTS

Crew collaboration and class participation are key for success in production. Therefore, each student starts the grading period with 10 productivity points. You may lose these points at EMc's discretion if you are off task, gaming, on your phone, or wandering the halls. 

HALLWAY PRIVILEGES

Please do not ask to leave the room during the first or last 10 minutes of class or anytime during class lecture, screenings or discussion. Use good judgement. If there is an appropriate time to excuse yourself to the restroom, please visit the facilities located in our building. Do not run other errands or visit vending machines or food lines without permission or you may lose productivity points or be written up for skipping. If you need to take care of something during class, let's visit about it first. If you are caught using your phone in the hallway, you will lose this privilege for one grading period. All assignments and activities will be confined to room 284.  

USE OF AI

Before collaborating with an AI chatbot on your work for this course, please request permission by sending me a note that describes how you intend to use the tool and how using it will enhance your learning. Any use of AI to complete an assignment must be acknowledged in a citation that includes the prompt you submitted to the bot, the date of access, and the URL of the program. Access to AI chatbots are currently blocked at campus so use of programs like ChatGPT is not required for coursework.

REAL/REEL POINTS

Students may submit curriculum-related "Real Life" experiences or "Demo Reel" worthy projects for extra point consideration each grading period. These must be outside of what is required for school. Potential Real Points: special screenings, industry panels, acting as production assistant or film extra. Potential Real/Reel Points may be earned by producing professional-level video work for school, community, or private companies. Reel/Real point values are assigned at EMc's discretion based on time invested, quality of work, and/or evidence of growth and learning. Students may combine experiences and projects to earn up to 10 replacement points per grading period. You may not earn Real/Reel points for an assignment that is required or graded for another class. 

REQUIRED MATERIALS 

16GB+ Class 10 SD Card for video recording 

Earbuds or headphones

Charged iPad with district-approved A/V recording, editing, and scripting apps

WESTLAKE FILM

www.westlakefilm.com