Digital Media Production 3-4 & Advanced

About

Grade Level: 10-12 
Prerequisite Courses: C or better in Digital Media 1-2

• This is a 2 trimester course for 3-4. After this course, Advanced Digital Media Production may be taken for an infinite number of terms.
• 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 recieve 5 units of DBA 170 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 intermediate and advanced 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

These courses are all project based and work extensively with lengthier film projects with more depth and breadth.  More focus is brought to finite skills in audio priming, color corection and sound score timing.  We will work with more advanced 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. (time limit: 2 minutes)
• Documentary - Cover an event (i.e. 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 point of view. Voice-overs are a must for this project. (time limit: 2 to 5 minutes)
• Music Video - Utilize a local band's music or a popular unlicensed track to create an "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. (time limit: 2 to 5 minutes)
• 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. (time limit: 2 to 5 minutes)
• FINAL PROJECT (worth 200 points) - Students may choose any one of the above genres. This is your chance to utilize all that you've learned throughout the trimester to create a short film that demonstrates your filmmaking abilities. (time limit: 2 to 5 minutes)

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.

Important Side Notes

• If a student partner is absent more than 5 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.

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.
• 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:

Contact

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

Student Resources