SYLLABUS
Fall 2014
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Assistant Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Mondays 2-3, Wednesdays 2-3 pm, and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Mondays 2-3, Wednesdays 2-3 pm, and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
COURSE GOALS AND OUTCOMES
This course is an introduction to digital video production for professional writing students. You will learn how to use your rhetorical skills as you work on every stage of the production process. If you complete the assignments and engage with the course’s reading and video materials, you will learn to:
Work through each stage (preproduction, production, postproduction, and distribution) of the filmmaking process and plan future projects effectively.
Analyze and work within the different rhetorical and storytelling conventions of three different filmmaking genres (video resumes, promotional videos, and documentaries).
Use filming equipment and editing software and take advantage of social media for distribution of your work.
Deliver oral presentations about your work during various stages of the filmmaking process and write reflections that analyze your creative and rhetorical choices as filmmakers.
Understand Fair Use principles and use Creative Commons sound and images.
Recognize and address ethical concerns during the filmmaking and distribution process.
The skills you will gain in this course are designed to open creative doors for you as you walk down the path of film and video production in your educational and professional trajectories, as well as in your personal life.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND TEXTS
You do not need to purchase a textbook for this course. Our course website has links to videos and webpages you will need to have watched/read for class. Our desire2learn website hosts our PDF materials, so you will need to enter that site to access PDFs.
Instead of a textbook, you will need to purchase a 1-terabyte Mac-compatible external hard drive for this course. You are, of course, welcome to purchase a hard drive with more storage, but do not purchase one with less. The cost for 1-TB hard drives vary from $55-$90 depending on model and where you purchase them. The MSU computer store sells them locally. You can also order them online. You will need to have the hard drive by the beginning of week 3. So make sure to plan accordingly. Even though this may feel like a big expense, an external hard drive is something you will be able to use beyond this course to back up files, both video files and of other kinds, so it is a good investment.
Depending on what camera you are using (and we will not know this until you start filming later on in the semester), you will need to purchase either mini DV tapes or a 32-gigabyte SD card. As with the hard drives, costs vary and you can buy them locally or online. SD cards cost around $18-$20 and mini DV tapes run around $15 for a five-pack, which will be sufficient for your projects.
FILMMAKING ASSIGNMENTS
All filmmaking assignments will require an oral proposal before filming, a presentation of the edited project for the class to critique before submitting the final version, and a written reflection accompanying the finished product. All assignments will be posted on YouTube.
Video Resume (25%)
For this assignment you will make a 1-2 minute video following the video resume conventions. You will choose between the general video resume genre and a video resume targeted at a particular employer. You will complete this assignment on your own with the help of a partner who will film you—and you will film them—with WRAC cameras and mics. You will learn how to use iMovie to edit your video. If you have a MacBook Pro, iMovie is available on your computer and you should use it for editing. Otherwise, you can use the Macs in our classroom to edit.
Promotional Video (30%)
Working in pairs, students will make a 2-4 minute promotional video for MSU, a local organization, company, legislation or movement of your choice. You will use cameras and mics provided by WRAC and will edit the work using Final Cut Pro X, available on our Bessey 317 computers. The project will include B-roll, titles, and a soundtrack.
Documentary (35%)
In groups of 3-4 students, you will make a 5-9 minute documentary about a topic of your choice. You will use cameras and mics provided by WRAC and you’ll edit the work using Final Cut Pro X, available on our Bessey 317 computers. The project will include multiple setups, B-roll, titles, and a soundtrack, as well as a distribution plan.
GROUP WORK
For each production stage of the filmmaking assignments, every group member is assigned particular responsibilities. If you fail to meet your responsibilities, you will be removed from your group and have two options: complete the assignment on your own or lose the credit for that particular assignment.
READING AND VIEWING ASSIGNMENTS
For almost every class period I will assign readings and/or videos to watch. You will not succeed in this course if you don’t keep up with the readings and videos.
Reading Quizzes (10%)
Your quizzes will be worth one point each. You will start the semester with 10 points. If you don’t miss any quizzes, you will have 10 points at the end. If you miss half a quiz, you’ll have 9.5 points, if you miss a whole quiz, you will have 9 points, and so on. I will quiz you pretty much every time we have a reading/movie assignment, and if you have done the assignment (and paid attention), you will be able to answer. The quizzes’ role is to give you an incentive to engage with the texts we discuss in class, since without understanding the assigned texts, you will not profit from this course.
EXTRA CREDIT
You can earn up to two points of extra credit by attending screenings of the Film Collective and writing a 250-300 word response where you explain how the film and the discussion about it helped you develop new ideas for your own filmmaking. Details about the Film Collective and a schedule of screenings to come in the second week of the semester. You will receive one extra credit point per screening, up to two screenings.
ATTENDANCE
Students will be expected to show up for every class and pay attention, but I realize that illnesses and other complications do occur. Therefore, you may miss three classes without penalty. After that, two percentage points will be deducted for every unexcused absence. If you miss more than six classes, whether your absences are excused or not, you will receive a failing grade. For extended absences due to medical or family emergencies, you should consult me upon return, if not sooner. A student who attends class but is not participating or paying attention may be counted as absent. Tardiness disrupts the class and everyone’s learning experience, so every tardy equals half an absence. The same applies for anyone who leaves class early. Bonus points will be awarded to students who miss fewer than their allotted three absences and who participate responsibly in class. You will receive an extra credit percentage point per each class you attend beyond your allotted three absences, i.e. if you miss no classes and have no tardies, you will earn three percentage points.
LATE WORK
For work that is late, I will deduct a letter grade per day that the work is delayed, so that an A will become an A/B on the first day and so on.
GRADING
Your final grade is made up of 100 points. Here is the breakdown:
This course is an introduction to digital video production for professional writing students. You will learn how to use your rhetorical skills as you work on every stage of the production process. If you complete the assignments and engage with the course’s reading and video materials, you will learn to:
Work through each stage (preproduction, production, postproduction, and distribution) of the filmmaking process and plan future projects effectively.
Analyze and work within the different rhetorical and storytelling conventions of three different filmmaking genres (video resumes, promotional videos, and documentaries).
Use filming equipment and editing software and take advantage of social media for distribution of your work.
Deliver oral presentations about your work during various stages of the filmmaking process and write reflections that analyze your creative and rhetorical choices as filmmakers.
Understand Fair Use principles and use Creative Commons sound and images.
Recognize and address ethical concerns during the filmmaking and distribution process.
The skills you will gain in this course are designed to open creative doors for you as you walk down the path of film and video production in your educational and professional trajectories, as well as in your personal life.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND TEXTS
You do not need to purchase a textbook for this course. Our course website has links to videos and webpages you will need to have watched/read for class. Our desire2learn website hosts our PDF materials, so you will need to enter that site to access PDFs.
Instead of a textbook, you will need to purchase a 1-terabyte Mac-compatible external hard drive for this course. You are, of course, welcome to purchase a hard drive with more storage, but do not purchase one with less. The cost for 1-TB hard drives vary from $55-$90 depending on model and where you purchase them. The MSU computer store sells them locally. You can also order them online. You will need to have the hard drive by the beginning of week 3. So make sure to plan accordingly. Even though this may feel like a big expense, an external hard drive is something you will be able to use beyond this course to back up files, both video files and of other kinds, so it is a good investment.
Depending on what camera you are using (and we will not know this until you start filming later on in the semester), you will need to purchase either mini DV tapes or a 32-gigabyte SD card. As with the hard drives, costs vary and you can buy them locally or online. SD cards cost around $18-$20 and mini DV tapes run around $15 for a five-pack, which will be sufficient for your projects.
FILMMAKING ASSIGNMENTS
All filmmaking assignments will require an oral proposal before filming, a presentation of the edited project for the class to critique before submitting the final version, and a written reflection accompanying the finished product. All assignments will be posted on YouTube.
Video Resume (25%)
For this assignment you will make a 1-2 minute video following the video resume conventions. You will choose between the general video resume genre and a video resume targeted at a particular employer. You will complete this assignment on your own with the help of a partner who will film you—and you will film them—with WRAC cameras and mics. You will learn how to use iMovie to edit your video. If you have a MacBook Pro, iMovie is available on your computer and you should use it for editing. Otherwise, you can use the Macs in our classroom to edit.
Promotional Video (30%)
Working in pairs, students will make a 2-4 minute promotional video for MSU, a local organization, company, legislation or movement of your choice. You will use cameras and mics provided by WRAC and will edit the work using Final Cut Pro X, available on our Bessey 317 computers. The project will include B-roll, titles, and a soundtrack.
Documentary (35%)
In groups of 3-4 students, you will make a 5-9 minute documentary about a topic of your choice. You will use cameras and mics provided by WRAC and you’ll edit the work using Final Cut Pro X, available on our Bessey 317 computers. The project will include multiple setups, B-roll, titles, and a soundtrack, as well as a distribution plan.
GROUP WORK
For each production stage of the filmmaking assignments, every group member is assigned particular responsibilities. If you fail to meet your responsibilities, you will be removed from your group and have two options: complete the assignment on your own or lose the credit for that particular assignment.
READING AND VIEWING ASSIGNMENTS
For almost every class period I will assign readings and/or videos to watch. You will not succeed in this course if you don’t keep up with the readings and videos.
Reading Quizzes (10%)
Your quizzes will be worth one point each. You will start the semester with 10 points. If you don’t miss any quizzes, you will have 10 points at the end. If you miss half a quiz, you’ll have 9.5 points, if you miss a whole quiz, you will have 9 points, and so on. I will quiz you pretty much every time we have a reading/movie assignment, and if you have done the assignment (and paid attention), you will be able to answer. The quizzes’ role is to give you an incentive to engage with the texts we discuss in class, since without understanding the assigned texts, you will not profit from this course.
EXTRA CREDIT
You can earn up to two points of extra credit by attending screenings of the Film Collective and writing a 250-300 word response where you explain how the film and the discussion about it helped you develop new ideas for your own filmmaking. Details about the Film Collective and a schedule of screenings to come in the second week of the semester. You will receive one extra credit point per screening, up to two screenings.
ATTENDANCE
Students will be expected to show up for every class and pay attention, but I realize that illnesses and other complications do occur. Therefore, you may miss three classes without penalty. After that, two percentage points will be deducted for every unexcused absence. If you miss more than six classes, whether your absences are excused or not, you will receive a failing grade. For extended absences due to medical or family emergencies, you should consult me upon return, if not sooner. A student who attends class but is not participating or paying attention may be counted as absent. Tardiness disrupts the class and everyone’s learning experience, so every tardy equals half an absence. The same applies for anyone who leaves class early. Bonus points will be awarded to students who miss fewer than their allotted three absences and who participate responsibly in class. You will receive an extra credit percentage point per each class you attend beyond your allotted three absences, i.e. if you miss no classes and have no tardies, you will earn three percentage points.
LATE WORK
For work that is late, I will deduct a letter grade per day that the work is delayed, so that an A will become an A/B on the first day and so on.
GRADING
Your final grade is made up of 100 points. Here is the breakdown:
| Assignment | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Quizzes (individual) | 10 points | In class, throughout the semester |
| Video Resume (individual)
Proposal Reflection |
15 points
2 points 3 points |
In-class critique draft (9/29 and 10/1) and final draft (10/3)
9/17 10/3 |
| Video Resume (filming your partner) | 5 points | 9/18 – 9/21 |
| Promotional Video (in pairs)
First Proposal Second Proposal Reflection |
20 points 2 points 2 points 6 points |
In-class critique draft (11/5) and final draft (11/7) 10/15 10/17 11/7 |
Documentary (3-4 student groups)
First Proposal Second Proposal Reflection Distribution Plan |
25 points
2 points 2 points 4 point 2 points |
In-class critique draft 1 (11/24), in-class critique draft 2 (12/1), and final draft (12/7)
11/3 11/5 12/7 12/7 |
I will use the following scale to determine your grades:
| Points | GPA |
|---|---|
| 94-100 | 4.0 |
| 87-93 | 3.5 |
| 80-86 | 3.0 |
| 75-79 | 2.5 |
| 70-74 | 2.0 |
| 65-69 | 1.5 |
| 60-64 | 1.0 |
| <59 | 0 |
SERVICES AND RESOURCES MSU Writing Center: http://writing.msu.edu. 432-3610. 300 Bessey Hall. The MSU Writing Center is the primary writing resource on campus. You’ll also find satellite centers in several campus locations including the main library.
MSU ESL Lab: http://www.elc.msu.edu. 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: http://lrc.msu.edu. 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries: http://www.lib.msu.edu.
Purdue OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.
MSU ESL Lab: http://www.elc.msu.edu. 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: http://lrc.msu.edu. 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries: http://www.lib.msu.edu.
Purdue OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.
