Video Practises I

Code:

PVI211

Acronym:

PVI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Fine Arts

Instance: 2013/2014 - 1S (of 09-09-2013 to 07-02-2014)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Fine Arts Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Fine Arts

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
AP	28	Official Study Plan 2011	3	-	4,5	64	121,5
			4

Teaching language

English

Objectives

“To deal with architecture is to deal with the notion of light in space. To deal with the notion of light in space is to deal with color, and to deal with color is to deal with music, because the question of light in film is also among others a question of timing and rhythm.”

-Experimental Ethnographic Documentary Filmmaker Trinh T. Minh-ha, The Interconnectivity of Things.

Synopsis: Perception of shape in a rectangular screen. Perception of time in a rectangular screen. Perception of story in a rectangular screen. Cinema production, a field with an ever-changing and more complex definition; within this complexity is ever- changing and ever-increasing means and modes of creation. The importance of a solid understanding and foundation of what methods and tools are out there and available, and how to use them, is more important then ever. The intention of this class is to prepare and provide that foundation from pre-production to post-production whether creating a feature length narrative, an ethnographic documentary, or an experimental short...or anything in-between.

Expectations and Intentions: Students will create by the finish of the class two finished video projects, a screenplay and storyboard, and an Intermedia Installation or Interdisciplinary project design involving film or video. Required readings and other information will be sent via PDF to the class Google group. All homework and outside class lab assignments are to be completed by the due dates. Office hours can be arranged ahead of time for before or after class. Students are expected to take notes during critiques and screenings. They will have the entirety of the semester for the final cut of their projects, which will be screened and critiqued the final two classes.

Learning outcomes and competences

Main Projects:

1. Self-Portrait/Location Film

2. Found Footage Film

3. Video Performance/Installation Design

 

Other:

1. Storyboard

2. Screenplay

3. Rough Cut Screenings and Critiques 

Working method

Presencial

Program

 

Syllabus:

 

***schedule abstract (can be subject to change)

 

Class 1: September 20th: Introductions within class. Grade breakdowns and expectations, project descriptions, office hours. Introduction to Self-Portrait Project. Location scouting and pre-production notes (choose location in Porto walking distance from or within school that means something to you).Watch example projects from past students and other artists.

Homework: location scouting, location notes, join Google Group

 

Class 2: September 22nd : Continue discussing first project and questions on location and self-portrait, student questions and discussions on locations. Watch “Forest of Bliss” and discuss while looking at shot list. Watch past student projects and look at storyboards and screenplays. Stages of production.

Homework: Continue location notes and organize into shot list. Read from “Video Production Handbook”, the production stages and storyboards.

 

Class 3: October 4th : Students present location notes and shot list, discuss problems and strengths. Introduction to storyboards, Shot-list to Storyboards. See past student projects and storyboards. Homework: Project storyboard. Read chapters on storyboard and Pre-production in the “Video Production Handbook”

 

Class 4: October 11th: Video Lab Workshop. Workshop on production equipment 14h30-16h30 in Video Lab. See tutorials and examples of storyboard and screenplays. Watch links to past student work, storyboards, screenplays and Maya Deren film, “At Land”. Students can contact with their project development for support and help, either individually or in Google group.

Homework: Storyboard and Screenplays, Introduction to screenplays, “Video Production Handbook”

 

Class 5: October 18th: Video Lab Workshop. Workshop on Post- Production/editing with Premiere 14h30-16h30 in Video Lab. See tutorials and examples of storyboard and screenplays. Watch links to past student work. Students can contact with their project development for support and help, either individually or in Google group.

Homework: Have storyboard and screenplays finished for presentation and critique next class

 

Class 6: October 25th: Send storyboards and screenplays for discussion and critique. Send any questions or concerns on projects.

 

Class 7: November 1st : Binaural Intro presentation by Rui Costa. Present storyboards and screenplays for discussion and critique. Watch Saul Levine “Whole Note”, read about his work from “Big as Life” (saullevine.com). Intro to Found Footage films, watch found footage films. Prelinger Archives, www.archive.org and downloading correctly. Mpeg Streamclip conversions, and creating your library. Watch People Like Us “We Edit Life”. Homework: Download and create library for project, start Self-Portrait/Location film productions

 

Class 8: November 8th : Go over any questions on both projects. Schedule and plan any in class productions. Watch found footage films, discuss ethics of appropriation, Creative Commons, copyright and copyleft. Read from “Revealing Technologies, Magical Domains”.

Homework: Continue to work on both projects

 

Class 9: November 15th: Discuss and learn use of effect and texts in Final Cut Pro and Premiere. Final Cut Pro workshop: editing, effects, text, and motion effects. Watch found footage experimental documentary, “Phantom of the Operator”. Any planned in- class productions

Homework: Continue to work on both projects

 

Class 10: November 22nd : Discuss sound design. Michel Chion “Audio-Vision” and “Persona” test. Bresson “Notes on Film”. Excerpts from Stalker and sound notations in screenplay. Example films. Homework: Should be finishing up production for Self-Portrait and creating post- Production projects for edit. Continue working on both projects

 

Class 11: November 29th : Introduction to Intermedia installation and projects, and Interdisciplinary projects. Presentation of live video processing with Isadora and live sound with Ableton Live. Introduction to designing an installation or live performance, can use a project from the class or create new. Watch example projects.

Homework: Continue working on all projects, half the class should have rough cuts of Found Footage Film to show for critique next class. Begin designing Installation/Performance

 

Class 12: December 6th : Visiting artist Megan Michalak presentation (http://meganmichalak.com/news.html). Begin screening of Rough Cuts for discussion and critique. Homework: Continue projects and Installation/Performance design

 

Class 13: December 13th : Screening of Rough Cuts for discussion and critique. Homework: Continue projects and Installation/Performance design

 

Class 14: December 20th: Any remaining rough cut screenings and presentation of Video Installation/Performance designs Over break: Finish all projects for screening and critique upon return. Send or turn in Installation/Performance design

 

Class 15: January 10th: Final Screenings and Critiques.

 

Class 16:January 17th: Final Screenings and Critiques. Turn in all work,, evaluations will begin immediately

 

(January 24th Make-up Class if needed)

 

Mandatory literature

n/a; n/a

Complementary Bibliography

various; Expanded Cinema: Art, Performance, Film, A. L. Rees , David Curtis , Duncan White , Steven Ball , 2011. ISBN: 1854379747
Stanley I. Greenspan, Stuart Shanker; The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans, Da Capo Press , 2009. ISBN: 0738206806
Michel Chion; Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen, 1994. ISBN: 0231078994
Robert Gardner , Akos Ostor ; Making Forest of Bliss: Intention, Circumstance, and Chance in Nonfiction Film, 2002. ISBN: 0674007875
Jim Owens, Gerald Millerson; Video Production Handbook, 2011. ISBN: 0240522206
Chris Jones, Genevieve Jolliffe, Andrew Zinnes ; The Guerilla Film Makers Pocketbook, 2010. ISBN: 1441180788
Bill Viola; Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House: Writings 1973-1994, 1995. ISBN: 0262720256
Andrei Arsenevich Tarkovsky; Collected Screenplays (Faber and Faber Screenplays), 2003. ISBN: 0571142664

Comments from the literature

Students will not be required to purchase books.  Pages will be read and discussed in class, articles will be sent via PDF.

Teaching methods and learning activities

(see syllabus) 

Software

Premiere and Final Cut Pro (alternative video editing software can be discussed. audio freeware will be provided)

keywords

Humanities > Arts > Fine arts

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	10,00
Prova oral	20,00
Trabalho de campo	40,00
Trabalho escrito	10,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Calculation formula of final grade

The final mark will take into account the final projects, rough cut screenings and critiques, class participation and presence, projects and assingments turned in by their due date, and over all progression of student.  At time extra credit assingments will be made available.