FILM 250 Course Outline

Fundamentals of Production, 2011-12

Instructor: Derek Redmond (Office 613-533-6000 x77015, Cell 613-484-4507, Home 613-375-6481, e-mail redmond@queensu.ca)

Lectures and Labs are in Film House (160 Stuart Street) Room 109.

• Lecture 2: Tuesday 9:30-11:30
• Lecture 1: Tuesday 12:30-2:30
• Lecture 3: Wednesday 9:30-11:30
• Lecture 4: Wednesday 12:30-2:30

• Lab 6: Friday 9:30-10:30
• Lab 5: Friday 10:30-11:30
• Lab 7: Friday 12:30-1:30
• Lab 8: Friday 1:30-2:30

Attendance and participation in class is expected, and marks will be deducted for undocumented absences. Eight such absences will constitute failure in the course.

This course is intended to cover basic techniques and approaches for the various stages of the production process in any film or video format, but exercises for the course are shot on Canon XH-A1 HDV cameras and edited with Final Cut Pro software on Apple computers. Exercises will be done by groups of students working together.

Shooting exercises will be submitted on HDV tape, and edited exercises will be submitted on DVD. Tapes, discs and cases should be labelled and slated with students' names and title of the assignment. Due dates may vary somewhat from this outline. They will be noted on assignment handout sheets, and further changes may be announced in class. Students are responsible for keeping track of such changes.

Marking is based on: fulfillment of the objectives of an assignment, ambition and style in the work submitted, and technical accomplishment. Marks will be deducted from late assignments and for overdue equipment (see below). For further details on grading and on teacher/student responsibilities, see Information for Students on the Film and Media website.
 

Equipment for shooting exercises and final film projects (including cameras, tripods, lights, microphones and headphones) is available for signout in the Equipment Room (105) at Film House, and students are encouraged to sign out and practice with the equipment during periods when it is not being used for exercises. Students can also use their own cameras and computers for shooting and editing their final film projects, but are responsible for submitting projects in the correct format.

Equipment Room hours: Monday-Friday 9-10, 11-12 and 2-3.. Sign-out is renewable during sign-out hours by phone at 533-6000 ext.77014 if the equipment has not been reserved by someone else. Students must register in the equipment room database before signing out equipment; this should be done in advance of making an equipment request.

Video viewing and editing rooms at Film and Media are open during office hours, or after hours with a key fob issued by the Department. Editing rooms are booked in advance during busy periods, on sign-up sheets posted on the third floor.

Students will be required to purchase HDV tapes, blank DVD-R discs, and 16mm film and processing. Other materials such as lighting supplies are also available for purchase in the equipment room during equipment sign-out hours. Typical cost for materials for the course is about $100.

Students are reminded that they should not videotape minors without the permission of a parent, and they should not videotape on high school or elementary school property without the permission of the school. Use of copyright materials such as music or film clips in a project requires clearance from the copyright holder if you intend to distribute the project on DVD or online.

• Final Project Proposal 5%
• Directing Exercise 5
• Editing Exercise 5
• Final Project Script 10
• Documentary Footage 5
• Documentary Project 10
• Final Project Storyboard and Schedule 5
• Lighting Exercise 5
• 16mm Exercise 5
• Final Project Shooting 5
• Completed Final Project 25
• Class Attendance and Participation 15%

Lecture topics and due dates may vary somewhat from this outline, and changes will be announced in class. Students will be responsible for keeping track of such changes.

Fall Term

Week of:

12 September: Camerawork, Lenses

19 September: Short films, Continuity
Reading due: FILM 250 Course Outline and Canon XH-A1 Instruction Manual pp. 10-19, 23-29, 35-39, 48, 58, 62-63

26 September: Composition, Continuity
Assignment due: Final project proposal

3 October: Screening, Video editing
Assignment due: Directing exercise

10 October: Video editing
Reading due: Introduction to Final Cut

17 October: Screening, Screenwriting
Assignment due: Editing exercise

24 October: Documentary production

31 October: Sound recording

7 November: Lighting
Assignment due: Final project script

14 November: Screening, Sound editing
Assignment due: Documentary footage

21 November: Pre-production

28 November: Screening
Assignment due: Documentary project
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Winter Term

Week of:

9 January: 16mm Shooting

16 January: 16mm Shooting

23 January: Lighting
Assignment due: Final project storyboard & schedule

30 January: Lighting
Assignment due: 16mm exercise (Friday)

6 February: Screening
Assignment due: Lighting exercise

13 February: Editing

Reading Week

27 February: Screening
Assignment due: Final project dailies (Group 1)

5 March: Sound

12 March: Screening
Assignment due: Final project dailies (Group 2)

19 March: Screening
Assignment due: Final projects (Group 1)

26 March: Screening

2 April: Screening
Assignment due: Final projects (Group 2)
 

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