Spring 2016 Syllabus
Lake Forest High School New Media
Spring 2016
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 production process. We will critique current media to better understand how story elements affect you as a viewer and creator of media. You will then have the tools to create your own meaningful media based on your new media literate understanding of how stories are told in our world.
Big Ideas and Goals:
New Media is based on "Failing Quickly" so you can learn quickly. I want you to take risks, try to figure things out and solve problems in our safe classroom community. We all learn best from our own experiences and I want you to grow quickly- so fail quickly! We get to do that on the very latest platform for visual storytelling- the MacPro, FCPx and the Canon DSLRs. We are very blessed with our resources. We have a professional level studio, with LED lights and a full Green Screen that provides the backdrop to tell great stories for our school community. 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
- You will need at least 1 SD card for your personal projects by the end of February. We don't have a book, so this is the only class cost, unless you're late with equipment. You can buy SD cards (Class 6 minimum to work well in the cameras) next door in the bookstore at a discounted rate- we buy them in bulk and pass along the discount.
- Advanced students need an External Hard Drive to store your video while working on projects. This also enables you to take work home and keep all of your projects during your years in New Media.
More Words o Wisdom…
- Please come in with clear expectations for what you want to get out of this class, yourself and me as an instructor, it will make the class much more enjoyable. If you need help, I’m available around my office- or just email me.
- Personally check out every piece of equipment with Mr. Douglass because you’re financially responsible for all school equipment you check in/out- LATE FEES for equipment will be strictly enforced because we have a very limited amount of expensive equipment we need to keep track of so everyone can use it. EACH LATE CAMERA WILL BE A DAILY $5 FINE.
- Challenge yourself to expand your ideas, if you come with something your passionate about, and you develop it well… I want to help you to make it happen. There are plenty of places to get involved to help clarify your passion. Ask about live shoots, Scout Stories, independent projects, cross curricular projects, helping out Advanced and CP projects…
New Media 1-8 Tentative Course Schedule--Check class site for details from each project.
DATE TOPIC
Week 1 Introduction to New Media—
Advanced: Talent Show SNL comedy project
Week 2 Understanding the Production Process through Critiquing a Recent Film
Week 3 How to: Field Production using a Smartphone
1st Semester: SNL show open
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 Project: Multi-Clip Talent Show
Teacher Interview Project
Week 8 How to: Editing with Interview project
Week 9
End of 1st quarter
Week 10 Finishing Interview project
Advanced Final Project: Independent Project or Service Story
Week 11
1st Semester Final Project=
Music Video Project or Commercial Project
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
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:
- Work directly with 1st Semester students to help teach Final Cut Pro, direct ideation and the actual Studio Production and model on location shooting and directing for the music based project.
- Learn Final Cut Pro through watching additional How To videos to gain enrichment
- TAs receive a custom recommendation for college, gap year or career
- Access to Final Cut Pro while enrolled as a TA in the New Media Program
- They get a plush New Media t-shirt at BONMedia the Friday night before Memorial Day
Talent Show SNL Comedy Shorts-
Assignment: Create a compelling comedy short that is relevant to the Talent Show audience and their theme. These shorts need to make your audience, of 8-88 year olds, from our community laugh... or at least smile.
Due: 4- thirty second pieces that can each stand alone but also collectively tell a 2 minute story that is relevant and funny. The creative writing and production values need to be extremely strong to effectively communicate your humor in a short amount of time to your specific audience of Parents and then hopefully the school community.
Goal: To understand the complexity, detail and timing needed to produce excellent humor. To take the conventions we see professionally, and in past successful productions, to produce a unique idea that is appropriate and acceptable.
Pre- Production Process:
Wednesday January 20- Introduce project
Thursday January 21- Watch and discuss Saturday Night Live and what makes it work
Friday January 22- opportunity for TAs to serve the class
Monday January 25- Watch through SNL sketches to learn about comedic timing
Tuesday January 26- Watch through more SNL for ideas
Wednesday January 27- Prepare for Pitch-Proposal
Thursday January 28- Pitch Proposal to the Talent Show Parents
Friday January 29- Finish Pitch Proposals and class discussion
Monday February 1- Me, Earl and the Dying Girl
Tuesday February 2- Finish the movie and critique
Wednesday February 3- Create Production Schedule for shooting
Production Process:
Thursday-Friday February 4-5: Production time in class for shooting based on Production Schedule
Post- Production Process:
Monday February - 8 Super Bowl commercial critique
Tuesday February 9- Editing
Wednesday February 10- Rough Cut Due for peer critique
Thursday February 11- Editing and finish Rough Cut
Tuesday February 16- editing
Wednesday February 17- editing
Thursday February 18- editing
Friday February 19- Final Talent Show accepted videos to the Server, Media Literacy critique in class
Monday February 23- Editing
Tuesday February 24- SUBMISSION DAY FOR Parents- by 9pm
Wednesday February 25- feedback from Parents and editing
Thursday February 26- editing Final Critique in the classroom
Friday February 27- editing clean up
Monday February 29- final editing
Tuesday March 1- final editing
Wednesday March 2- FINAL PROJECT DUE to the server by 9pm
Thursday March 3- Final class critique
Friday March 4- upload to lfhsnewmedia.com and Intro next project
Rubric-
Topic/Pitch/Proposal— 25 points
Scripting/Shot Sheet-- 50 points
Production Schedule— 25 points
Rough Draft peer critique in FCP- 50 points
Draft for the Talent Show Committee 50 points
Final edit due on time-- 100 points
Final Reflection-- 50 points
TOTAL PROJECT 300 Points