DXARTS 451 — Week by Week Schedule

Topics by week.
This is a living document, subject to change as the quarter progresses. Please check back regularly.

1 : INTRODUCTION TO EXPERIMENTS IN DIGITAL VIDEO I

TH 9.27

• Foundation and Course Objectives.

2 : DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS

T 10.2

• Students present a 2-minute clip from a favorite film (DVD/VHS).
  Theoretical, conceptual and technical analysis of film clip by students, instructor and TA. Discuss: Master Sequence, Dramatic Arc, Films within Films, Graphical Match, Action Match, Time Compression and Dilation, Foreshadowing, Meta-narrative, etc.

TH 10.4

• Digital Video Camera Workshop
  Includes, electronic image gathering, field production techniques, focus, exposure/gain, shutter speed, lenses, time-code, onboard enhancement and fxs.
  
  Begin 1st assigned reading (Gunning). download pdf.
  
  Assignment 1:, Light & Shadow - create a 90 second, in-camera edited, silent B/W experimental study of "light and shadow." Must feature an experimental optical in-camera effect such as camera obscura, heat distortion, split-screen using mirrors, glass mattes, etc. 12 day project completion cycle.

3 : EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA

T 10.9

• Students view B/W professional experimental video/film shorts. Maya Deren, Michael Gitlin, Guy Maddin, Méliès, Gondry, et al.

TH 10.11

• Faculty and TA lead student discussion on 1st reading
  Students give progress report on Assignment 1, in-class discussion

4 : CRIT I

T 10.16

• Assignment 1 due, students present and critique 1st experimental video project.

TH 10.18

• Assignment 1 critique continued.


• Assignment 2: Video Haiku - create 5, 15-second video haikus with sound, non-linear editing, titles, and in color.
  No non-diegetic sound allowed. 26 day completion cycle.

5 : ARCHITECTURE OF TIME I- TIME IN MOTION

T 10.23

• In-class laboratory lighting workshop. Students pick-up copy of lighting tutorial.
  Discuss basic three-point lighting, color temperature, and white balance, practicals, motivated vs unmotivated lighting, and appropriate use of available light.
• Begin 2nd and 3rd assigned readings.
• (Leroi) download pdf.
• (Borges) download pdf.

TH 10.25

• Students view 32 professional experimental film featurettes.
  Discuss: time structures, narrative and non-narrative abstract models, montage, foreshadowing, flash back, flash forward, motion graphics, animation, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, etc.
  

6 : ARCHITECTURE OF TIME II: NON-LINEAR EDITING

T 10.30

• Assignment 2 progress report: Each student will give a presentation of their progress…
• Faculty and TA lead student discussion on 2nd reading.

TH 11.1

• Digital Video Editing Workshop I
• Discuss set up and media management: drive selection, device controls, file naming and assets procedures, field dominance, and basic import & log and capture procedures. Introduction to the NLE non-destructive environment, including browser, canvas, timeline features, and tool palette.
• Students pick-up copy of FCP tutorial.

7 : SOUND FOR DIGITAL VIDEO

T 11.6

• Digital Video Editing Workshop II
• Discuss basic insert and assemble editing, includes scrubbing, preview, audio import, titling, rendering, and basic export & print to video procedures. Introduction to image adjustment.
• Assignment 3: Create an alternative history to an event from your life. Maximum duration: 5 mintues. At least 25% of your film should involve some form of compositing. Your film must have substantial art direction, lighting, sound and titles. 30 day project completion cycle Due in class 12/5

TH 11.8

• Sound Workshop
• Discuss pre-production sound design, mics, recording media, production sound practices, post-sound, mixing & FX, diegetic vs. non-diegetic.
• Faculty and TA lead student discussion on 3rd reading.

8 : CRIT

T 11.13

• Assignment 2 Critique - students present and critique Assignment 2

TH 11.15

• Assignment 2 Critique - continued

9 : MIDTERM - POST-PRODUCTION

T 11.20

• Students meet one-on-one with faculty member for mid-term performance evaluation and assessment, discussion of student research projects underway.

TH 11.22

• Thanksgiving break.

10 : COMPOSITING

T 11.27

• Digital Video Compositing and FX’s Workshop I
• Discuss basic compositing, layering, basic motion graphics and keyframe animation, effects, nesting, titling, graphics file naming and assets procedures for fx’s. Includes, composition settings, fx’s timeline functions, import file interpretations, transfom mode, effects menu, chrominance and illuminance keying, titling, time reversal and field dominance, frame blending, motion blur adjustment, and basic dynamic fx’s.

TH 11.29

• Students give progress report on Assignment 3, in-class discussion

11 : ASSIGNMENT 3 / FINAL CRITIQUE

T 12.3

• Students continue to work on Assignment 3, TA supervision.

TH 12.5

• Students present and critique Assignment 3.

12 : FINAL CRITIQUE

MONDAY 12.10 10:30-12:30

• Students continue to present and critique Assignment 3 .