This course is intended for beginners or those with some experience and/or basic skills in video filming and editing. The class is small – usually consisting of about six students, who will work both in groups and individually. No previous knowledge or particular skills are necessary, although any knowledge or experience in related areas (such as stills photography, computers, visual arts, film and media studies) could be useful for the course.
The course will focus on using video creatively in the sense of "authorship" or the auteur. Utilizing the student/filmmaker's unique position as new to the city, the projects will be related to specific London experiences. Location work, observation and research, as well as practical and creative video skills will be employed. Please note that students will be expected to work outside the prescribed time and therefore must be prepared (and able) to work some weekends and in the evenings.
Additional student cost:
Students pay an additional course fee (approximately £75) at the time of registration to cover the cost of materials.
Learning outcomes:
Students who complete the course will have developed a good understanding
of the video production process, from pre-production through filming to post-production. Students should also be able to effectively demonstrate a variety of practical and creative skills in:
Basic camera operation and technique using a Sony Z5
Basic Audio operation and technique using a NTG-2 shotgun mic and Lapel mic
Digital non linear editing (Final Cut Express 4)
Method of presentation:
Short lectures (including DVDs and online videos); seminar discussions; demonstration-performance; practical exercises; student presentations including PowerPoint projections; individual tuition; group tutorials and handouts.
content:
Week 1: Introduction to Video
Go through syllabus
Look at equipment
What is Film Language? Definition of terms. View examples
Overview of the production process and its key players
Discuss local film festivals
Discuss midterm ‘London Portraits’ project - a 90-second project. View other artists’ portraiture work
Work out groups for presentations to be shown in week 6. Discuss project: ‘How has London been depicted in Different Genres’. Groups select choice of genre: Heritage London: Love Actually; Notting Hill; Match Point. Gangster London: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Mona Lisa; The Long Good Friday. Alternative London: Dirty Pretty Things; Closer; Nil by Mouth.
Discuss what makes an effective presentation: Give an overview of the storyline; research the background of location/politics/director etc; using the language of film grammar, discuss the films’ locations, shots, lighting, sound and editing. Show a minimum of 2 clips to illustrate. Each presentation will last 25 minutes.
Homework 1: Visit the National Portrait Gallery. Collect photos, postcards, research notes and start to create a sketchbook of ideas for mid-term project ‘London Portraits’. Homework 2: Visit the Mediatheque at BFI’s Southbank. View archive footage from the ‘London Calling’ collection.
Week 2: Representing Reality
Explore the objective camera - as the shot as unit of information. View examples
Look at the Sony Z5’s most useful features
Practical techniques: framing; composition; types of shot
Context and Continuity
Establishing time and place/space, maintaining relationships of time and space
Exercise 1 (Group Exercise):
Set up the Sony Z5 camera using a tripod and the NTG-2 microphone using a boom pole. Shoot a simple sequence comprising 3-4 shots. Edit in camera.
Homework 1: Practise using the Sony Z5 camera and NTG-2 microphone. Homework 2: Reference other artists’ video portraits. Research and develop ideas for your own ‘London
Portraits’ project.
Week 3: Filming a Process
Reel time and real time differ. Subjectivity and pace add to the drama of what is being represented.
View extracts highlighting subjective camera angles and point-of-view (P.O.V) camera angles
Filming a Master Sequence
The 6 basic principles of continuity
Shooting for the edit – thinking like an editor in order to tell a story
Exercise 2 (Group Exercise):
Organise film crew: Producer; director; camera operator; sound operator, lighting and script supervisor. Storyboard a given scenario in 6 shots. Write a non-linear shooting script. Block and rehearse scene.
Shoot sequence. Capture footage into Final Cut Express 4.
Homework 1: Practise using the Sony Z5 camera and NGT-2 microphone. Homework 2: Continue to develop script for ‘London Portraits’.
Week 4: Editing the Sequence
Creating the illusion that the screen’s frame is a Seamless View of Reality
Understanding the language and techniques of continuous editing using Final Cut Express 4
Homework 1: Practise Final Cut Express by producing a Rough Cut of the 6-shot sequence. Homework 2: Prepare a first draft of the storyboard for ‘London Portraits’. Bring all notes, research and storyboards to next week’s class.
Week 5: Delivering an Online Edit
Exercise 3 (Individual Exercise): By adding fades, key frames, music, titles, effects; produce an online edit of the short 6-shot sequence. View edits. Discuss.
Juxtaposing sound and image: Defying audiences’ expectations, forcing the viewer to re-examine what they see
Further discuss ‘London Portraits’ project: View scripts and storyboards and organise shoots
Homework 1: Prepare a non-linear Shooting Script and Call Sheet for ‘London Portraits’ project. Homework 2: Complete presentations.
Week 6: Group Presentations
Screening of Presentations
View ‘London Portraits’ storyboards and scripts. Make final amendments.
Organise crews for ‘London Portraits’ project
Homework: Shoot and edit ‘London Portraits’.
Week 7: View ‘London Portraits’ Mid-term Projects
Screening of mid-term projects. Please ensure you have a statement about your film and can engage in a Q & A.
Split Screen Editing: Breaking the illusion that the screen’s frame is a seamless view of reality. Discuss its history. View examples of split screen editing in films/TV programmes, music videos and commercials
View professionally shot footage to be used as split screen editing exercise
Discuss and workshop ‘London Postcards: It’s not what I Expected’ project – a 3-minute split screen edited film
Homework 1: Prepare an initial two-paragraph treatment for ‘London Postcards: It’s not what I Expected’. Homework 2: Using the Z5 camera, begin to create an image bank for your ‘London Postcards’ project.
Week 8: Field Study Trip
Visit the Mediatheque at BFI’s Southbank to view rare film and TV National Archive footage
Watch a film at one of London’s iconic cinemas
Week 9: Breaking the illusion that the screen’s frame is a seamless view of reality.
Understanding the art and technique of split screen editing. Revisit professionally-shot footage viewed last week. Discuss and formulate ideas for a split screen edit
Pitch ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected’ project. Discuss
Homework 1: Storyboard ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected’ project. Homework 2: Continue to develop an image bank for ‘London Postcards’.
Week 10: Split Screen Editing and Shooting Footage
Exercise 4 (Individual): Using the professionally-shot footage, start to build a split screen edit.
Shoot ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected’ footage. Working as a team, shoot footage to create a bank of generic images, useful for all ‘London Postcards’ projects.
Homework 1: Complete split screen edit exercise. Homework 2: Capture ‘London Postcards’ footage into Final Cut Express 4 and create a Rough Cut.
Week 11: Shooting Interviews.
View various professionally-shot online interviews
Discuss the rules of a 3-point lighting set-up
Establishing shots
Medium Close-Ups and Close-Ups
Crossing the line
Filming the ‘reverse’ shot and noddies
View split screen edit exercises
Homework 1: Continue to edit ‘London Postcards’ project
Week 12: View final projects. ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected.’
Please ensure you have a statement about your film and can engage in a Q & A. Debrief.
Recommended readings:
Katz, Steve. Film Directing Shot by Shot Visualizing from Concept to Screen. Michael Wiese Productions.
Mascelli, Joseph V. The Five C’s of Cinematography. Silman-James Press
Murch, Walter. In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition. Silman-James Press 2001.
Weynard, Diana. Apple Pro Training Series: Editing Professional Video. Peachpit Press
Notes:
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.
This course is intended for beginners or those with some experience and/or basic skills in video filming and editing. The class is small – usually consisting of about six students, who will work both in groups and individually. No previous knowledge or particular skills are necessary, although any knowledge or experience in related areas (such as stills photography, computers, visual arts, film and media studies) could be useful for the course.
The course will focus on using video creatively in the sense of "authorship" or the auteur. Utilizing the student/filmmaker's unique position as new to the city, the projects will be related to specific London experiences. Location work, observation and research, as well as practical and creative video skills will be employed. Please note that students will be expected to work outside the prescribed time and therefore must be prepared (and able) to work some weekends and in the evenings.
Students pay an additional course fee (approximately £75) at the time of registration to cover the cost of materials.
Students who complete the course will have developed a good understanding
of the video production process, from pre-production through filming to post-production. Students should also be able to effectively demonstrate a variety of practical and creative skills in:
Short lectures (including DVDs and online videos); seminar discussions; demonstration-performance; practical exercises; student presentations including PowerPoint projections; individual tuition; group tutorials and handouts.
Week 1: Introduction to Video
Homework 1: Visit the National Portrait Gallery. Collect photos, postcards, research notes and start to create a sketchbook of ideas for mid-term project ‘London Portraits’.
Homework 2: Visit the Mediatheque at BFI’s Southbank. View archive footage from the ‘London Calling’ collection.
Week 2: Representing Reality
Set up the Sony Z5 camera using a tripod and the NTG-2 microphone using a boom pole. Shoot a simple sequence comprising 3-4 shots. Edit in camera.
Homework 1: Practise using the Sony Z5 camera and NTG-2 microphone.
Homework 2: Reference other artists’ video portraits. Research and develop ideas for your own ‘London
Portraits’ project.
Week 3: Filming a Process
View extracts highlighting subjective camera angles and point-of-view (P.O.V) camera angles
Organise film crew: Producer; director; camera operator; sound operator, lighting and script supervisor. Storyboard a given scenario in 6 shots. Write a non-linear shooting script. Block and rehearse scene.
Shoot sequence. Capture footage into Final Cut Express 4.
Homework 1: Practise using the Sony Z5 camera and NGT-2 microphone.
Homework 2: Continue to develop script for ‘London Portraits’.
Week 4: Editing the Sequence
Homework 1: Practise Final Cut Express by producing a Rough Cut of the 6-shot sequence.
Homework 2: Prepare a first draft of the storyboard for ‘London Portraits’. Bring all notes, research and storyboards to next week’s class.
Week 5: Delivering an Online Edit
Homework 1: Prepare a non-linear Shooting Script and Call Sheet for ‘London Portraits’ project.
Homework 2: Complete presentations.
Week 6: Group Presentations
Homework: Shoot and edit ‘London Portraits’.
Week 7: View ‘London Portraits’ Mid-term Projects
Homework 1: Prepare an initial two-paragraph treatment for ‘London Postcards: It’s not what I Expected’.
Homework 2: Using the Z5 camera, begin to create an image bank for your ‘London Postcards’ project.
Week 8: Field Study Trip
Week 9: Breaking the illusion that the screen’s frame is a seamless view of reality.
Homework 1: Storyboard ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected’ project.
Homework 2: Continue to develop an image bank for ‘London Postcards’.
Week 10: Split Screen Editing and Shooting Footage
Homework 1: Complete split screen edit exercise.
Homework 2: Capture ‘London Postcards’ footage into Final Cut Express 4 and create a Rough Cut.
Week 11: Shooting Interviews.
Homework 1: Continue to edit ‘London Postcards’ project
Week 12: View final projects. ‘London Postcards: It’s Not What I Expected.’
Katz, Steve. Film Directing Shot by Shot Visualizing from Concept to Screen. Michael Wiese Productions.
Mascelli, Joseph V. The Five C’s of Cinematography. Silman-James Press
Murch, Walter. In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition. Silman-James Press 2001.
Weynard, Diana. Apple Pro Training Series: Editing Professional Video. Peachpit Press
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.