Digital Media Production 1-2

About

Grade Level: Any
Prerequisite Courses: None

This is a 2 trimester course. The continuum courses are Digital Media Production 3-4 and advanced.
This course is A-G UC approved and meets the UC/CSU "F" requirement and the Poway Unified School District's computer literacy requirement.
After 2 trimesters (with a grade of B or better), students are qualified to receive 5 units of GMCW 205 Palomar College credit, which is transferable to other colleges or universities.
This course is a career, technical education (CTE) offering.
At PHS, this course qualifies as a visual performing art, practical art and fine art.

Students will learn to create short films (vignettes) from idea to inception. This course provides introductory and intermediate training in digital media production. This course covers the following: operation of video cameras, digital video editing equipment, digital audio editing equipment, lighting equipment, multi-track digital recorders, video recorders, and rendering. Instruction includes basic development of treatments, story-boarding, script writing, and production concepts. Students will use equipment, which includes Final Cut Pro video & audio editing software, Digidesign Pro-tools, audio editing software, and DSLR cameras.

Course Requirements

We will begin with tutorials on all the software and instructions on usage of all cameras & equipment. All of these items are expensive and need to be given the utmost care & respect.

Each project is based on a 100 point grading system broken down as follows:

10 pts - Treatment / Production Logos and Credits
10 pts - Storyboard
10 pts - Script
10 pts - All Release Forms (Location, Talent, and Music)
20 pts - Audio
40 pts - Video

Between 3 and 6 projects will be assigned this trimester. These projects will vary between:

Movie Trailers - For an existing film or a film that has not been shot yet. (time limit: 90 seconds)
Commercials - Take a real product that is legal and do a commercial for it. (time limits: exactly 30, 60, or 90 seconds)
PSAs (public service announcements) - Contact Mrs. Barker-Ball in student services and make arrangements to document one of their causes in a PSA format. (time limit: exactly 30, 60 or 90 seconds)
Investigative Reporting - This is a news report (investigative style) project. Some example subjects include a club or sport on campus.
Documentary - Cover an event (i.e. person, concert, sports event, life of a bear, travels through France, day in the life of someone, etc.) and narrate using a 1st or 3rd person perspective. Voice-overs are optional for story narrative.
Music Video - Utilize a local band's music or a popular license-free track to create a "Vevo style" music video. Pay close attention to matching beats with visual switches as well as visual content matching the words of the audio content.
Cinema Concept - Students have become accustomed to identifying cinema concept genres (i.e. comedy, drama, sci-fi, horror, experimental, etc.) with feature-length films in movie theaters. In this course, we will be assigning short versions of these formats.
FINAL PROJECT (worth 200 points) - Students may choose any one of the above genre's. This is your chance to utilize all that you've learned throughout the trimester to create a short film that demonstrates your filmmaking abilities.

You could possibly accumulate 600 to 800 points over the course of the trimester. There will be a few opportunities for extra credit announced throughout the trimester.

Additional instruction and class resources will be provided to instruct students on DIY equipment building for club, class, and personal resources. Department equipment with be provided for instruction on these resources to build during this trimenster.

Important Side Notes

If a student partner is absent 3 or more days from a project, they must then complete their own project (in solo format).
At least 50% of the film editing work must be completed on the assigned computer work station in the Digital Media Production lab. Home computers should only be used to support the work needed for completion of the project (not to complete it).
Beware that PC film editing software often has different film rendering formats than Mac editing software. These formats may not be compatible with Final Cut Studio Pro. We do not recommend that you do film work on these different softwares unless previously tested.
All film work must be your own. No film accepted from other peoples footage through your edit. That is plagiarism. Only AI work accepted is support through VO's and scripts.

Late Work Policy

We run our program like a film studio. As with all film studios, there are deadlines.
All projects (or any parts of them) that are received after the deadline are valued at 50%.
All late projects are only accepted within the 6 week grading period in which they are assigned. After that point, no late work will be accepted.
No late work is accepted from absent truancies.
Plan wisely and don't procrastinate.

Students Need...

A small 3-ring working production notebook to allow them to keep their release forms and film documents organized.
An optional lab fee donation of $30.00 per student per semester for software updates, music licensing, studio project video drives, repair of equipment, and replacement of lost and expendable items in the studio like lighting lamps, gaffer tape, headphones, and cabling.

Classroom Rules and Citizenship

HONESTY - Be truthful and don't remove equipment without signing it out.
EFFORT - Come to class prepared, do your best, and involve yourself in your group.
RESPECT - This pertains to the people in the class and all the equipment that we are responsible for maintaining and utilizing.
ATTENDANCE - In adhering to the policies of Poway High, a student is late if they are not in the classroom when the bell rings. Detentions will be assigned for any unexcused tardies. Tardies and absences will affect the citizenship grade.
PROJECTS - Projects are worth approximately 70% of your overall grade. Projects are primarily based on team assignments and the effective completion of the "idea to final product" formula.
ETHICS - Poway High enforces an ethics policy. Any student caught cheating will receive a zero on the assignment, be given a referral, receive a "U" in citizenship and be on probation for the remainder of the course. Parents will be notified.
TUTORIAL PERIODS - If a student falls below 70% they should come in for additional help/work during tutorial time. It is up to the student to make arrangements with me if they can't make it on the designated date. Tutorial days are generally scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays after school in the classroom. Students may also drop in at break and lunchtime if they make an appointment with me ahead of time. All students are encouraged to come in for additional help when needed.

The citizenship grade is affected by poor behavior, poor attendance, leaving messes, coming to class unprepared, behaving unproductively, or recieving a socially responsible behavior (SRB) violation.

Outside of Class Filming Policy

You must first let Mr. Kaechele know who is filming and who is acting.
You must be filming within clear sight of the DMP classroom door.
If you are filming with another teacher or their classroom, you must clear that with them first and Mr. Kaechele must receive an email from them confirming that.
You must clearly state the amount of time it will take to complete the filming if it will be over 5 minutes. In no circumstances may filming time go beyond the end of the class period. You MUST check back in with Mr. Kaechele prior to the end of the period regardless of where or what you film.
ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NO leaving the campus during class time.

Any violation of this policy will result in a referral and a revocation of classroom privileges.

Contract for Appropriate Video

I understand that the following content in my video production is not appropriate for a high school class. By signing this contract, I will abide by the acceptable content guide My video production will be eligible for a grade and will contribute points toward my individual overall accumulated grade. Videos need to be acceptable to be aired on an Educational Channel with strict guidelines and should represent our school in the best possible way. After signing the acknowledgement of the foregoing content, students understand that they could be drop-failed from the course with any blatant violation of these rules.

Not Acceptable:

Guns/Weapons/Explosions or Lighting objects on fire. (Beach & legal pit fires are o.k.)	Gratuitous Violence	Nudity (Material must adhere to student dress code, except beach attire at the beach)	Profanity (Words used as explicative, swearing, etc.)
Random Acts (No “Jackass-type” videos that are just random.)	Pointless Video (Must have a beginning, middle and conclusion.)	Unsafe Antics (i.e. jumping from buildings, into bushes, jumping from roofs, etc.)	Illegal Behaviors (speeding in a vehicle, or stunts, i.e. 180’s, etc..) (No drug or alcohol related references or associations, direct or indirect)
Public Nuisance/ (in public places spilling or tripping for reactions)	Unapproved Videos (Teacher signature required for credit on all treatments)	Unlicensed Music (Music is copywritten and written permission is required)	Boxing ( Okay in Licensed Gym, Adult Supervision & parent signature needed)
Video of Non- Release People (Need signed talent release form)	Unchoreographed Conflicts (practiced moves and no physical contact)	Viewing unauthorized material (You can not use class computers to view or critique films that violate these rules here in)	Video in Trespassed Location (Need signed location release form)
No derogative ethnic references, inferences or statements.	Use of unlicensed copyright video	Cross gender dressing or derogative matter on alternative lifestyles.	ANY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR LISTED IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK!!!

Contact

Robert Kaechele
Poway High: (858)748-0245 x .5305
Email: rkaechele@powayusd.com

Student Resources

Video Production Grade Critique.pdf

for Mac users

script template.pages

Storyboard Template.pages

for PC users

script template.docx

Storyboard Template.docx

TALENT RELEASE

LOCATION RELEASE

MUSIC RELEASE

BROADCAST JOURNALISM VIDEOS

DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION VIDEOS