MD4128

BA CHOREOGRAPHY FOR CAMERA

Choreography for Camera - Spring Semester

A/Y 2024/25

Course Director: Grant McLay

Lecturer: Lucy Dawson

The Module starts on Week 1 - Wednesday 29th of January

In this module outline section, you will be introduced to the module lead, the module learning outcomes and some of the key module dates and assessment details. Please familiarise yourself with this information when beginning the module.

Rational and Purpose of the Module

To provide an overview of the development of choreography-for-camera within the context of Contemporary Dance/ Irish Dance practices; to introduce students to the range of aesthetic and technical approaches to choreography-for-camera; to prepare students to work technically and creatively through this medium.

Syllabus

Students will attend lectures during which they will study aesthetic / theoretical and practical aspects of choreography-for-camera.

Students will cultivate a base knowledge of camera and editing skills with which to explore the relationships between choreography, cinematography, editing and sound in the creation of a short work dance film from concept through to completion. The viewing and analysis of key works develops students understanding of how their own creative work is informed by others working in the field.

Learning Outcomes

Cognitive:

Identify a range of aesthetic / theoretical and practical approaches to creating a choreography-for-camera with a reference to the canon of existing works in this field. Demonstrate an ability to critically engage with the canon of work and also with the process of creating a choreography-for-camera. Experiment with a number of approaches to filming and editing material.

Affective:

Demonstrate an ability to conceive and develop an idea/theme for a choreography-for-camera. Synthesise the theories and practices studied in the lectures and workshops in order to create / produce short dance films.
Critically engage with their own work and that of their peers.

Psychomotor:

Demonstrate an ability to skilfully use a camera to produce high quality footage. Demonstrate an ability to edit filmed material using up-to-date editing suites.

Taught Curriculum:

Contextualising dance for camera; an overview and history. Viewing and discussing selected examples of historical and current works.
Examine the emergence of video art and its relationship with the body / dance / dance film today.
A critical appreciation of screendance theory / practice.
The roles / skills of Choreographer, Performer, Cinematographer, and Editor.
The creative process from pre-production through to post production of dance filmmaking.

Equipment

The minimum equipment requirements for video project are the following:

Video recording device - See Camera Types for options.
Audio recording device - This may be your camera itself, you could attach an external microphone to your camera or you might choose an external audio recorder. See Audio Recording Equipment for options.
Headphones - Headphones are useful for monitoring live recording, where your device allows it, and also during the editing process. They will be essential if using the academy mac lab to edit.
Video editing device and software - See EDITING for options. Students will have access to the IWAMD Mac Lab computers for editing their videos.

The UL Library MAKERSPACE is an excellent resource where you can rent video and audio equipment such as cameras, tripods, gimbals, lights, audio recorders, microphones, etc for free as a University of Limerick student.

Key Module Dates and Schedule

Week 1-11

Weekly Classes with Lucy Dawson & Shane Vaughan

Wednesdays: 12:30-14:30 in IW2.39 (Mac Lab)

Week 8

No Class

Week 12

Final Submission - 1st Draft: Friday 24th April, 6pm.

Week 13

Final Submission - 2nd Draft: Friday 21st May, 6pm.

Continuous Assessment (Ongoing in class): 30%

Screendance Study (3-5min): 70%

Week 14

Films screened at Springboard '25 Performances

Assignment - Screendance Study

Students will each create a short screendance study between 3-5 minutes in length.

Each student will be assessed on his or her progress and development and on

their ability to produce this study. (Concept / technical considerations / thematic concerns will be discussed in class)

Submission

Students will transfer their film files via OneDrive, Google Drive, WeTransfer, Swisstransfer, the link for which should be pasted in a word document and uploaded to the Brightspace Assignment.

Film files should ideally be in .mp4 format in either 1080 or 4K horizontal resolution.

Assessment Criteria

Engagement with the process of generating and developing ideas in the creation of a dance film work.
Ability to engage practically and critically with different compositional approaches drawn from dance and film.
Ability to apply skills of editing as a process of choreography.
Ability to engage with feedback.
Ability to creatively integrate elements of choreography, camera, editing and sound in the realisation of the piece.

Feedback mechanisms

Verbal feedback will be provided on project drafts throughout the semester and written feedback will be given once grades are released.

Repeats Process

Repeats will take place over the summer.

Plagiarism

The UL Student Charter at UL (under Integrity, page 6) states that: The University expects students not to plagiarise (i.e., present another’s ideas or writings as their own), fabricate or falsify data, commission others to complete assessments or engage in academic cheating in any form whatsoever. Project work undertaken by the student on a taught program should be clearly defined, well-planned and where necessary, have Research Ethics approval.

For more information, visit Academic Integrity | University of Limerick (ul.ie)