Broadcast Journalism Syllabus
What is Broadcast Journalism?
Broadcast Journalism explores the stories that we encounter in the modern world and how we can analyze, deconstruct and recreate those narratives. This includes the movies we see in theaters and the videos we stream online. It is the music and podcasts we enjoy. It is social media reels, news broadcasts, TV shows, commercials, animated features and so much more. Broadcast Journalism examines the effect of stories on our culture, education and entertainment.
Learning Goal for Broadcast Journalism
To master creative skills in digital media in order become an effective storyteller and communicator. To explore the many professional possibilities that make use of your sophisticated technical skills in the real world and pursue a career in digital media production or broadcasting.
How to achieve the learning goal?
You will reach your goal by creating more sophisticated projects using digital cameras, audio equipment, and video editing and animation software. You will create scrips, storyboards, work in production teams, work with lighting, and use computers to produce podcasts, high quality short films, interviews, public service announcements and a weekly school broadcast. You will also learn to analyze the work of professional storytellers in order to apply their craft to your own productions.
Why is this important?
Broadcast Journalism and Digital Media is a wide-ranging and lucrative career opportunity. Entire industries are built around technology, storytelling and media production. Great storytellers who can communicate effectively through technology enjoy a distinct advantage in the work place and in our society.
This class is designed to teach you essential production skills and how to use professional tools to create impactful stories, explore important narratives and communicate effectively. Even if you do not end up pursuing a career in digital media or broadcast journalism, these concepts are still incredibly important. Understanding technology, media and storytelling will make you see your world with new eyes and enrich your life in profound ways.
Weekly Breakdown
1st Quarter:
2nd Quarter:
Week 1
What is Broadcast Journalism?
Class Expectations & Norms Contract
Journalism Broadcasting in the Real World
The Power of Broadcasting
Week 1
Welcome Back & Tech Review
Class Norms Review
Gear review
Premiere Review
Week 2
Trailivision Workflow
How Trailivision Works
Studio Roles
Trailivision Check List
Practice Teams and Recording
Week 2
Storyboards Revisited
Using Storyboards in your projects
Reviewing the storyboard sequence
templates and digital storyboarding
Week 3
Careers in Digital Media & Broadcasting
The professional
How to make money in the field
A practice beyond definitions
Week 3
Music Video
Editing to the beat revisited
Choosing the right song
Music Video conventions
Week 4
Video Journalism
A story of events
The inverted Triangle of news
The newscast
Week 4
Film Conventions
Genre tropes
What is Cinematic?
Style and habits
Week 5
Broadcast Interview Project
Recording on the Field
Mastering the B-roll
On the field interviews
Week 5
Film Trailer
What makes a good trailer
Marking genre with music and tropes
Film Trailer Project
Week 6
Power and Peril: Digital Social Media
Modern Broadcasting
Social Media Conventions and Trends
Understanding virality
Week 6
Dialogue Scene
How to make dialogue work
Naturalism
The 180 rule
Dialogue scene
Week 7
Digital Media Ethics: AI, Copyright, Digital Citizenship & Privacy
Privacy in the social media Landscape
Understanding copyright
The Power and Peril of AI
Week 7
Loop Story Reel and Film Festival
Small story arch
How to tell an engagin story: character development or punchline
The loop Story Reel project
Film Festival
Week 8
The Explainer Video
Like a video essay but facts as opposed to opinion
Choosing a topic
Research and prep
Week 8
The Passion Project
Choosing a passion project
Research and Development
Gathering your team
Making things feasible
Week 9
Explainer Video Final
Final video project presentation
Week 9
Passion Project Final
Finalize Passion Project
Week 10
Online Porftolio Final
Video Reel and Online digital portfolio
Class Resources:
You will be taking this class in the Trailivision production studio. This is is an amazing space full of advanced production equipment, lights, and computers. You will be assigned your own iMac desktop each quarter to complete your projects.
The software you will use and in this course includes the Adobe Creative Suite, focusing specificcally on Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects as well as an online video editor called WeVideo. You will also use other online applications including Canva, Google Drive and Google Classroom.
Other equipment you will use includes digitial cameras, including DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, an assortment of lenses, microphones, audio equipment, mixer and MIDI musical instruments.
Required Materials:
Pen or pencil every single day
Notebook for notes, storyboards and sketches. It can be an art sketchbook, a composition notebook, or even just blank pages stapled together. Minimum size is 5.5 by 8.5 inches
Grading Policy:
Projects will be turned in every Friday via google classroom and they will be graded over the weekend.
Late projects are accepted. However, if a project is turned in late, you lose the ability to resubmit for revisions to improve your grade.
There is a final deadline for any late project a week before the end of the term. No late work will be accepted after that date.
Plagiarized or copied work will receive an automatic 0.
Each major project has a rubric that explains the grading. Please review the rubric carefully before starting AND before submitting your project so you understand the grading criteria.
We have a number of Quizzes during each term. Quizzes are taken each Friday and the same quiz is taken again early the following week. You get to keep the highest of your two grades.
Projects & Grade Breakdown:
This class is a Project-Based Course. Most of the projects have multiple components and each part must be completed in order to receive a grade. The grades in this class break down as follows:
60% - Video Projects
30% - Assignments, Guides and Reports
10% - Weekly Quizzes
Norms & Expectations
This class follows a set of common sense norms in order to create a respectful, positive and nurturing learning environment for all students. The classroom norms outline the expected day to day behaviors and practices for everyone in the classroom. The Content and digital norms focus on the expectations in relation to the technology we use and the content we create as part of this class. Please visit the links below a detaled look at the norms and expectations.
Who is your Instructor
Mr. Sarabia is the C.T.E. Digital Media Arts instructor at Monterey Trail High School. With over 18 years of experience as an educator, Mr. Sarabia is dedicated to help students develop a passion for film, animation, music production, and graphic design. His classes nurture creativity, curiosity and problem solving. In addition to being a teacher, Mr. Sarabia is also an independent multimedia creator, graphic artist, photographer, musician and writer.