Lake Forest High School New Media
Fall 2015
Instructor
Steve Douglass
Course Overview
This class will teach you how to tell stories visually, in a hands-on way that allows you to make people think, laugh or cry through the video production process. We will critique current media to better understand how story elements affect you as a viewer and producer of media. You will then have the tools to create your own meaningful creative media based on your new media literate understanding of how stories are told in our postmodern world.
Big Ideas and Goals:
New Media is based on "Failing Fast" so you can learn quickly. I want you to take risks, try to solve problems, figure things out and share your experience in our safe classroom community. We learn best from our own experiences and I want you to grow quickly- so fail fast! We get to do that on the very latest platform for visual storytelling- the new MacPro, FCPx and the Digital SLR. We are blessed. We have a professional level studio that provides the opportunity to tell compelling stories to our school community through www.lfhsnewmedia.com. We continued to build the digital portfolio process that helps students get into the top films schools in the nation. We continue to take part in the dual credit program with CLC, offering 6 free credits of college credit for A and B quality work throughout your time in the program. A lot of cool things are happening, so take advantage.
Materials Needed
More Words o Wisdom…
Telecom 1- 6 Tentative Course Schedule--Check class site for details from each project.
DATE TOPIC
Week 1 Introduction to Media Literacy—
Advanced: Wild Tales or Spirit Stories
Week 2 Understanding the Production Process through Critiquing Modern Film
Week 3 How to: Field Production using a Smartphone
1st Semester: New Media Social Stories
Week 4 How to: Edit in Final Cut Pro
Week 5 How to: Develop projects in Final Cut Pro
Week 6 How to: Studio Production
Week 7 How to: Studio Production to Multi-camera editing
Advanced Group Project: LFA Collaboration
or Class Demo
Teacher Interview Project
Week 8 How to: Editing with Interview project
Week 9
End of 1st quarter
Week 10 Finishing Interview project
Week 11
1st Semester Final Project=
Music Video Project or Commercial Project
Week 12
TA 2 week Project- Commercial
Week 13
Week 14
TA 2 week project- Talent Show Comedy
Week 15
Week 16
TA 2 week project- Creativity in the building
Week 17
Week 18
Intermediate Curriculum:
Shorter projects, averaging 4-5 weeks, are designed for students to be challenged at a high level, with minimal outside of class time needed, so they can grow in all aspects of the production process including: planning, shooting and editing. Project objectives include organization, responsibility with deadlines, working independently and within a team.
Students can choose IP projects and when they show consistent mastery, which will be determined by receiving an A for the complete project (pre-production, production and post-production). After each IP project they will be given the opportunity to jump up to the Advanced Project.
Advanced Projects (AP):
Students who have mastered CP projects by receiving an A for the completed project will be given the opportunity to take on an Advanced Project which will challenge them with their time management, creativity and production ability.
This project-based curriculum will be structured around specific production skills that will prepare students for the Film School application process. Each project will include: Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Producing and Editing. Projects are expected to be of the quality to be shown on lfhsnewmedia.com, lfhs.org and on the LCDs around school. These will build their digital portfolio for college through the inclusion of all aspects of the production process (script, digital storyboards, production calendar, rough cut, rough draft and final draft).
Teaching Assistants:
Experienced students in each class period will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a Teachers Assistant for their class and the program. These students will selflessly MODEL intrinsic motivation in their planning and development of their individual, group and live projects ideas. They lead their peers by example, demonstrating professionalism through every step of the production process with the ultimate goal of creating powerful visual storytelling.
For this program:
Wild Tales Short Film project-
Assignment: Create a video short that follows one of the narrative arcs found in the 6 short films that make up Wild Tales and replicate it's action-reaction escalation.
Due: One 3-5 minute web based video that could compete in CTEC and other festivals
Goal: Writing a short action based narrative that connect with the audience immediately and motivate them to want more. Using music and natural sound together is essential to telling a compelling story.
Pre- Production Process:
Wednesday August 26- Introduce project and brainstorm ideas
Thursday August 27- Talk through possibilities, create partners and watch relevant examples
Friday August 28- Select TAs
Monday August 31- Watch and discuss Wild Tales
Tuesday September 1- Watch and discuss Wild Tales
Wednesday August 2- Finish Wild Tales
Thursday September 3- develop ideas for Pitch session
Friday September 4- Pitch-Proposal in class
Production Process:
Tuesday September 8- Production Schedule-
Wednesday-Thursday September 9-16 PRODUCTION SHOOTING
Thursday September 17- Rough Cut Due with Mr. Douglass
Friday September 18- Homecoming kickoff
Post- Production Process:
Monday September 21-editing
Tuesday September 22- editing
Wednesday September 23- editing
Thursday September 24- Rough Draft Due for peer critique Editing
Friday September 25- Homecoming Media Literacy Day
Monday September 28- Editing
Tuesday September 29- Editing
Wednesday October 30- Final Class Critique Due to the Server by the end of the day
Thursday October 1- Class critique in the DMT
Friday October 2- Final version up to lfhsnewmedia.com
Rubric-
Pitch Proposal-- 25 points
Production Schedule— 25 points
Production Coordination and Shooting 100 points
Rough Cut in FCP-- 25 points
Rough Draft peer critique in FCP-- 25 points
Final edit due on time-- 100 points
TOTAL PROJECT 300 Points