DMA II Syllabus
What is Digital Media?
Digital media can be found in every aspect of our our modern world. It 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. Digital media plays a central role in our culture, education and entertainment.
Learning Goal for DMA II
To further develop creative skills in digital media in order become an effective storyteller and communicator. To engage with more sophisticated technical skills order to apply this knowledge to 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?
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, 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 DMA 2?
Class Expectations & Norms Contract
Digital Media in the Real World
The Power of Digital Media
Week 1
Welcome Back & Tech Review
Class Norms Review
The Role of Visual Effects
Gear review
Premiere Review
Week 2
Video Editing Review Workflow
How Trailivision Works
Studio Roles
Trailivision Check List
Practice Teams
Week 2
Visual Effects
Understanding Video Layers
Blending
After Effects Review
Week 3
Lighting
What is Light
Light Vocabulary and Gear
Reviewing
Exposure, shutter speed, aperture & ISO
Lighting Guide
Week 3
Keys and Green Screens
What is a Key
Filming on Green Screen
Rotoscoping and Lighting
Premiere and After Effects
Week 4
Portraiture
Lighting Guide Project
Photo Stations
Station Rotations
Using Lightroom
Week 4
Advanced Keyframes and Animation
Importing Layers
Line art reveal
Generators
Titles
Week 5
Product Advertisement
How to create beautiful shots
Lighting , Color & Exposure
Product Ad Tips and Tricks
Week 5
Public Service Announcement
Your second PSA
Public Service Announcement
Event Video
Week 6
Audio Workflow
Microphones and their function
Preamps, Mixers and Interfaces
Working with digital Audio
Audio Workflow
Week 6
3D Modeling
Basics of Blender: Thinking in 3 Dimensions
Move, Scale and Rotate
Subdivides, Extrusions, and Bevels
Materials and Color
Lighting
Week 7
Digital Music Production
Music Fundamentals: Rhythm
Music Fundamentals: Chords
Production Software
Audio Effects
Loops and Recording
Week 7
3D Assets
Creating and collecting 3D assets
Creating a set or world
Creating Characters
Week 8
Podcasts
Podcast Workflow
Podcast Teams and Topics
What makes a successful podcast?
Podcast Rotations
Week 8
Masks And Trackers
Translating 3D elements to After Effects
Keying Review
Motion Tracking
Week 9
Podcast Final
Podcast Rotations
Editing your Podcast
Broadcasting your podcast
Week 9
VFX Integration
The Blender, After Effects, Premiere Workflow
Masking, Tracking and Lighting
Put yourself in a new world
Week 10
VFX Final
Finalize your Visual Effects Final
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.