Nov 19, 2010 ... Artis, Anthony Q. (2008) The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide. A down
and dirty DV production. Focal Press: Elsevier, Inc., Burlington ...
Mission Statement: Our mission is to serve as a leading center of Christian thought and action providing an excellent education from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world. COURSE SYLLABUS
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION & THE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM SCA 521 MAT MINI-DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION (THIS 3-HOUR COURSE SATISFIES THE DEGREE REQUIREMENT FOR
JRN 633 BROADCAST NEWS FIELD PRODUCING & REPORTING) SPRING SEMESTER, 2011 WEDNESDAYS 1:30 P.M. TO 4:30 P.M. INSTRUCTORS INFORMATION Michael Patrick, Chair & Professional-in-Residence Phone: TBA E-mail:
[email protected] Office Hours: TBA Office: Rm. 213 Updated Nov. 4, 2010
All students are required to read and have a thorough understanding of the syllabus. Any questions or concerns need to be addressed to the instructor. Student’s initials indicate having read this syllabus.
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COURSE DESCRIPTION SCA 521 Mini-Documentary Production (3) Produce short features and documentary ideas, write to picture, structure a story and conduct field interviews which students shoot and edit. Focus is on developing interesting in-depth stories by understanding the documentary method and developing advanced research skills which will lead to more complex story structures, written, shot and edited to final cut. RATIONALE/COURSE OVERVIEW This course will explore the writing, producing and production of the short feature and mini-documentary. Students will learn documentary research methods and vital field craft knowledge and skills, from the producer’s perspective. Early in the course, students will work collaboratively to produce short features, gradually moving to producing individual min-documentary works. Students will also view and study the works of professional documentary makers. PREREQUISITES Students will need to have access to a camera for shooting and production, and be conversant in basic desk-top editing. While this course does not focus on technical operations, fluent use of these tools will enable the students to accomplish a higher quality of story-telling. The course will explore aesthetics of field production. Additionally, students with audio-video writing skills will start the course with a significant advantage. Books and references will be offered for improving one’s audiovideo writing skills. COURSE SCA 521 OUTCOMES 1.) Students will engage the editorial, aesthetic and field production processes that are critical in the pre-production, production and post-production phases of creating short packages and mini-documentaries 2.) Students will research, shoot, produce and edit feature story packages and at least one mini-documentary. 3.) Students will explore the integration of faith with the social, moral, ethical, and community impact of short form mini-documentary story-telling, and the role that reporters, producers and makers of this genre can have in transforming our communities. REQUIRED TEXT Artis, Anthony Q. (2008) The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide. A down and dirty DV production. Focal Press: Elsevier, Inc., Burlington MA. ISBN 13:978-0-240-80935-9 Paperback Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Shut-Shoot-Documentary-GuideProduction/dp/0240809351/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287777565&sr=8-1 RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Page 2 of 9
Each week, special reading assignments, including web links and resources, may be announced in class and posted in Blackboard in Course Resources for reading in advance of upcoming class discussion. Students are required to have regular access to the Internet and broadcast or cable television for research, viewing and assignments. DVD or Internet video source capabilities may also be necessary for completion of some homework viewing assignments. All students are expected to regularly access Blackboard for postings and details related to the course, updated assignments, grades, class-related materials and announcements. Homework assignments will require use of an updated version of Microsoft Word. APA or MLA publication style will be required for all academic paper assignments. To complete some class assignments, students must have access to use Premiere Elements 8oftware or comparable desktop editing software. Students will be required to upload productions to internet sites for sharing and playback. COURSE READING ASSIGNMENTS Course reading assignments will fluctuate, depending on the currency of fresh materials that are related to the class, typically drawn from web-based news sources. Reading assignments from the texts or other sources will be posted and updated each week on the Assignments Page in Blackboard. Students should be prepared by having read the assigned materials prior to class discussions. Failure to have read assigned material prior to class may be reflected in your grade on class preparation and participation Proper class preparation will enable a more fruitful exchange and integration of ideas. Reading assignments will be drawn from related text material, contemporary news sources, academic and professional trade publications, web links, handouts and other materials. It is imperative for students to become adept in using the university library resources for research purposes. Appropriate reading assignments beyond the text will be updated and posted each week on blackboard. All specifically-assigned reading materials are subject to be included in testing whether or not the material is included in the textbook or explicitly discussed in class. IMPORTANT: ONLINE PROTOCOLS & DEADLINES Blackboard Postings: An online tutorial is available within Blackboard for learning how to navigate the Blackboard system. For purposes of this course, you may expect to find the Professor using Blackboard in the following ways: Announcements: When you log in to Blackboard, you may find some special course announcements posted occasionally. Discussion Board: The campus class will not typically use the Discussion Board.
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Syllabus: A complete copy of the initial course syllabus will be available in Blackboard; however assignment updates and changes related to schedules and assignments may be communicated elsewhere in Blackboard, particularly on the Assignments page. Helpful hint: Always open a file in Blackboard, such as the Syllabus Word document, by right clicking and opening it in a new window. Your computer screen will lock up less often. Course Resources: Students are responsible to check Blackboard’s Course Resources and the Week-by-Week section of Blackboard each week. Many special readings and related links will be posted here. PowerPoint files used during class will be posted here following each week’s class. While this site will not be inclusive of all assigned readings, links and materials, it will contain important materials related to the class. Assignments: Always check the Assignments section in the Week-by-Week section of Blackboard for details on assignments due, guidelines, clarifications and updates. The Assignments Page in Blackboard is the authoritative guide for assignments, regardless of whether assignments are discussed further in class. Any changes or updates in assignments will be posted there. Online Grade Center: Check here regularly to see when grades for assignments are posted. This will enable you to track your progress during the semester. Grades will be posted usually within a week after the assignment is due. Please note that grades for attendance/participation will not be tallied weekly and will not be posted until the end of the semester. Extra Credit Assignments: Any extra credit earned will also be posted typically at the end of the semester. These points for extra credit may be awarded periodically by the professor on special projects. At the semester’s end, these points will be attached to your score on lower-graded assignments, at the professor’s sole discretion. File Name Protocol: When labeling the subject of an assignment to the professor in an e-mail or when filing the saved document via Blackboard, the following file name protocol should be followed: Course Number (space) Student last name (space) assignment slug. The professor will provide the specific assignment slug when the assignment is given. For example “SCA 521 Baggins Video Story 1” Failure to follow this protocol may cause undue delays in getting proper credit for your assignment, and incorrect protocol labeling may result in loss of points in the assignment. Homework: Assignments will be discussed in class. Weekly assignments may also be accessed in the Assignments section in Blackboard. For on-campus classes, the professor will specify if an additional hard copy of the assignment should be brought to class when due. Unless otherwise directed, written assignments are due at the start of each class. Page 4 of 9
Your name should appear on each page of the assignment. Unless otherwise directed, homework assignments should be written in Word, double-spaced and use 12-point type. Non-script papers and citations must follow APA or MLA guidelines, however APA style is preferred. A cover title page is required. Homework that fails to follow guidelines may be penalized significantly in grading. Posting Assignments: Under each week’s Assignments listing in the Week-by-Week section of Blackboard, there will be a blue link for each assignment that you can open and then attach your completed assignment, and it will be delivered to the Faculty member. Remember to save the file using the proper file name protocol, identified above. Circulation and Use of Student Material in Course: This course involves a collaborative learning process. Be advised, students will routinely critique each other’s work in course exercises. All work submitted in this course may be shown in class and/or posted in Blackboard discussion areas, circulated and used in course critiques and exercises. Submission of materials in this course implies the student’s full permission to post, copy, circulate and use student material in course exercises. Student grades will remain confidential, of course. Important Note about All Assignments, Late Assignments & Deadlines: Journalism is a deadline driven discipline. Late assignment submissions are not automatically accepted. If the professor chooses to make an exception and accepts a late assignment submission, the student will need to have secured the professor’s approval for late submission well in advance to the deadline. Approved late assignment submissions must be completed and submitted properly within the time frame set by the professor. Most late assignment submissions will be graded down, including approved late submissions. Late assignment submissions not approved well in advance will not be accepted and the assignment will receive a “zero” grade. Except in the most extreme and excused circumstances, e.g. the student’s hospitalization, assignments will not be accepted later than 48 hours after deadline. Absences & Participation: Proper reading preparation and active participation in class discussions are expected and play a significant role in grades. Absences, excused or otherwise, do not automatically relieve student from keeping up with reading, assignments and turning in written homework prior to deadline. Clear effort should be made to notify the professor about any excused absence in advance. Absences for health reasons may require verification of medical attention, at the professor’s discretion. Students are expected to keep up with class content and assignments despite any absences. Contact with the Professor: Typically, you can anticipate a 24 to 48 hour response from this professor to your email of questions or concerns regarding the course. If you do not get a quick response, please email me again, inasmuch as email is an imperfect system. Indicate the Course Number and your last name in the subject line of any email. Prior to the course’s start, this professor’s office hours will be posted in Blackboard, and you should feel encouraged to come by or call the professor during these periods. If you Page 5 of 9
fail to reach the professor in person, leave a message and/or your contact information, and the professor will return your call promptly. Reservation of the Right to Modify: The School of Communication and the Arts has attempted to provide information, which, at the date and time of preparation for publication, most accurately described policies, procedures, regulations and requirements of the school and this course. However, this syllabus deliberately does not define the complete nature or parameters of this course experience. New learning opportunities arise. The professor reserves the right to add to, cancel, alter or change any statement, requirement, assignment, deadline or element of this course herein described without prior notice before the Semester begins. Assignments are subject to change, modification or cancellation in advance to enhance or improve the learning process.
COURSE SCHEDULE, OVERVIEW & ASSIGNMENTS Below you may find the topical content of the course in a schedule format. Details on Course Assignments are subject to news and journalistic-related media opportunities for writing and discussion during the course. Please check the Assignments Page in Blackboard each week for the most current and definitive assignments-related information for both writing and reading work. Some topical information related to assignments is provided in the following schedule. The topical assignment listings here are provided here for course overview purposes only, and they not complete detailed listings. Check the Assignments Page in Blackboard for more detailed information. All assignments are subject to change and update in advance due to the nature of the course. Weeks 1
Date Jan. 6
2
Jan. 13
Topic Intro to Mini-doc Preproduction Pre-Production
3
Jan. 20
Field craft & Production
4
Jan. 27
Ethics
5 6 7
Feb. 3 Feb. 10 Feb. 17
8
Feb. 24
9 10 11 12
Mar. 3 Mar. 10 Mar. 17 Mar. 24
Field craft & Production Field craft & Production Post-Production Aesthetics Post-production & Aesthetics No Class International Production Critiques Special Speaker
Assignments Bring texts to class Assignment 1: Researching the Story Assignment 2: Pre-Production Exercise Assignment 3: Pre-Production Exercise Assignment 4: Ethics paper Assignment 5: Scripting
Assignment 6: Field Project 1 Spring Break Assignment 7: Field Project 2 Page 6 of 9
13 14
Mar. 31 Apr. 7
15 16
Apr. 14 Apr. 21
Critiques Assignment 8: Field Project 3 In Class Preparations & Assignment 9: Final Outlines Review Documentary Screening Final Project Presentations Final Project Presentation
EVALUATION AND GRADING, BY PERCENTAGES See Blackboard for individual assignment weighting Attendance, Preparation & Participation
25%
Assignments 1- 5
20%
Assignments 6-9
40%
Final Project & Presentation
15%
Total
100% A. B.
Graduate Grading Scale Grade A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF
Percentage 96–100 93-95 90-92 85-89 81-84 78-80 75-77 71-75 68-70 65-68 60-65 Below 60
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DEPARTMENT RESOURCES On Campus students are encouraged to make full use of the Newsroom, Newsroom systems, and the Computer Lab. This includes the Pathfire and desktop software. Students who complete CTV’s Equipment Workshop will also have access to remote Television equipment as may be helpful to complete their assignments. Journalism students may rely upon their mini-cameras to complete these assignments. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS, YOUR ADP & ADVISOR Be sure that you meet regularly with your advisor to complete and maintain a proper Degree Plan and that you are taking required classes when they are scheduled and offered in rotation. This class substitutes for JRN 633 and satisfies the degree requirement for taking JRN 633. CTV students should consult their advisor. This will help insure that you are able to graduate on time without any surprises at the end of your educational experience. Information on degree planning for Journalism may be found at http://www.regent.edu/acad/schcom/undergrad/journalism.htm UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES Please review the following links from your digital syllabus (available on blackboard) for important information on University policies: • • • • • • • •
•
Academic Calendar/Registrar Information Bookstore Honor/Plagiarism Policy Regent Library Student Services (includes links to student handbook, disability services, University calendar, University Writing Center, etc.) Technical Support – University Helpdesk Grading Policies (incompletes, extensions, IPs, etc.) Student Course Evaluations - University policy requires that all students submit a formal student evaluation of teaching form at the end of the academic term. This mandatory requirement must be completed before students will be able to access their final course grade. Disability Statement – the student is responsible for contacting the assistant director of Student Services at 757.352.4486 to request accommodations, provide necessary documentation, and make arrangement with each instructor. The following website is designed to help our disabled students learn of their rights and responsibilities with regard to disability services. The site also has resources for faculty to become better informed of their responsibilities toward the disabled students in their classes. www.regent.edu/admin/stusrv/student_life/disabilities.cfm
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CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES Journalism, in its truest form, is a prophetic ministry of truth telling. Luke, Chapter 1 and Exodus Chapter 23 are among many Holy Scriptures that provide a solid foundation for Christian journalism. Quoting from the New American Standard version (via Crosswalk.com): Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write {it} out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4 Classes will routinely open with Christian-related perspectives on contemporary matters of faith and the journalistic issues under consideration in this course. Throughout our learning experience together, we will routinely examine how editorial choices correlate to Biblical passages and story-telling as well as principles of ethics and truth telling in journalism. Last Updated: 11/19/2010 At times, due to unforeseen circumstances, course content may be subject to change. Please check with your professor to insure you have the most recently updated Syllabus for this course. Regent University 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA, 23464 Phone (888) 718-1222 © 2009 Regent University, All Rights Reserved.
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