Great Basin College s2

Great Basin College JOUR 201 Television Studio Production I Spring, 2010 Syllabus – 3 Credits

Course Call Number: 13198

Instructor: Wyoming Rossett

Class Meets: Thursdays @ 9:30 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Location: TV1 (KENV-TV Building)

Instructor Phone: 753-2119

Instructor Fax: 777-7758

Instructor Email: [email protected]

Office Hours: Mon: 11:00 – 1:00 Mon: 4:00 – 5:00 Tue: 2:30 – 4:30 Other times by appointment

Catalog Description: Study and hands-on training in basic television studio and control room operations for live and live-to-tape multi-camera productions. Students experience all positions in a production crew including producing, directing, camera, audio, lighting, switching and learn the underlying principles of video technology.

Course Description: This course is designed to teach you the basics of television studio and video production. The terms “television” and “video,” for the most part will be used interchangeably, as today’s technology has brought the two closer than ever before. At one time, only television was televised. But today video is not only televised, but it is recorded on to tape, burnt on to DVDs, stored on chips and servers, web-streamed and played back in countless formats and situations.

You will learn and gain hands-on practice in the processes involved in creating programs, including all the necessary planning and preparation, the setting up and operation of the equipment, and you will become familiar with the duties of each member of a television production crew.

1 The television production process is a hybrid of both art and science. To create successful programs, you don’t have to be an electronic engineer, but you need to understand how the equipment works and the basics about what a video signal is and how it can be controlled. But, at the same time, you need to learn the aesthetic side of television. How to compose shots that are pleasing to look at, how to properly use transitions and how to choose from scores of production variables and manipulate them to achieve the desired emotions and response from your audience.

Course Format: This course will be a combination of lecture and hands-on practice. During lecture periods, students will gain knowledge in the basics of television studio production operations and video technology. This will include universal industry practices, TV crew position responsibilities, safety procedures and aesthetic considerations. This instruction will be augmented by assigned readings and viewing selected video program excerpts, as well as interactive DVD demonstrations. During studio/control-room time, students will first develop and practice hands- on equipment operation skills and crew member duties. They will then refine these skills by completing production exercise assignments.

Goals/Objectives/Learner Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, the student will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic functions and operation of TV equipment, as well as proper care and handling of the equipment to include: o Cameras, playback and recording devices o Microphones and audio equipment o Lighting fixtures o Graphic and special-effect generators 2. Be able to execute the main stages of the television production process as it relates to studio production and perform the duties of each crew position. 3. Have an ever-evolving sense of the aesthetics of the television medium that cooperatively functions within established broadcast standards.

Measurements of Learner Outcomes: Students will be evaluated in three different ways. They will take written exams to assess mastery of lecture and reading materials. Each will produce/direct three TV production projects during the semester. And all will serve as supporting crew members for other student producer/directors and will have their effectiveness in these duties evaluated.

Assessment Method Learner Outcomes Project #1 2 Crew #1 1, 2 Project #2 2, 3 Crew #2 1, 2 Project #3 2, 3 Crew #3 1, 2, 3 Midterm Exam 1, 2 Final Exam 1, 2, 3

2 Instructional Methods: Each week lecture topics will be coordinated with assigned readings from the text. Video excerpts will be screened to serve as models of production concepts. During studio/control room periods in the beginning of the course, the instructor will demonstrate proper operation of the equipment and students will practice this operation until they pass a basic skill test on each.

After this phase there will be three assigned production projects: a 5-minute talk show, a 1 to 2- minute TV commercial and a 5 to 10-minute instructional or demonstration program. Each student will be required to supervise a production in each category in the role of producer/director. In addition, all students will rotate through all crew positions as needed by their producer/director classmates. Finally, student projects will be critiqued in class and discussion will focus on positive aspects for improvement.

 One 60-minute Panasonic brand Mini DV (Digital Video) tape. They may be purchased locally at Walmart, Officemax and CVS.

3 Grading Criteria: There are three types of grades you will receive in this class. They are:

1) EXAM GRADES 2) PROJECT GRADES 3) CREW GRADES

1) EXAM GRADES There will be a Mid-Term and a Final Exam. Your percent of correct answers on these exams will be converted to a letter grade and its corresponding value on a 4.0 scale according to the following table:

% Correct Letter Grade 4.0 Scale 90 – 100 A 4.0 87 – 89 A- 3.7 84 – 86 B+ 3.3 80 – 83 B 3.0 77 – 79 B- 2.7 74 – 76 C+ 2.3 70 – 73 C 2.0 67 – 69 C- 1.7 64 – 66 D+ 1.3 60 – 63 D 1.0 57 – 59 D- 0.7 0 – 56 F 0.0

2) PROJECT GRADES Your productions will be evaluated in three areas and will receive a numerical grade of 0 – 4 in each area. These three numerical grades will then be averaged to determine your Project Grade according to the same table above.

The three evaluation areas are as follows:

Preproduction: How well you did your homework, the planning and the paperwork.

Setup & Rehearsal: How well you organize your crew, communicate your desires and learn from and correct your mistakes.

Execution: How well you direct your program when the tape is rolling.

Because it’s possible for a well-meaning crew member to accidentally push a wrong button, how well you do in directing (execution) is more important to me than what your program looks like on tape. For each project you will receive a written critique discussing your performance in each of the three evaluation areas.

4 3) CREW GRADES Because the nature of television production relies so heavily on teamwork, each student is also expected to work to the best of their ability as a crew member in assisting their classmates in successfully completing this final take. Crew grades will evaluate this effort. You will receive a crew grade for each round of projects that has equal weight to your own project grade. For each production, each crew member starts out with a full score of 4.0 and loses ground based on poor performance. Poor performance includes being absent or late, not exhibiting skills that should have already been mastered, not giving full attention, not cooperating, horseplay, or “disappearing” at any time.

Your different crew grades from your classmates’ productions will be averaged together to give you one crew grade for each project.

FINAL GRADE CALCULATION The following table represents your final grade calculation:

Component Percentage Weight Project #1 5% 1 X Crew #1 5% 1 X

Project #2 10% 2 X Crew #2 10% 2 X

Project #3 20% 4 X Crew #3 20% 4 X

Midterm 10% 2 X Final 20% 4 X

*Incompletes: No incomplete grades can be given for this course because it is impossible to make up studio productions.

A Word About “Talent” “Talent” is the term used in television production to refer to people who perform in front of the camera. Obviously, the main purpose of this class is to train students to work behind the scenes. As part of the producing duties of your three projects, you will be required to secure your own talent. Each project will probably require 1 – 2 people to act as your performers. They do not need to be professional and the quality of their performance will not affect your grade. We simply need bodies who can take direction to serve as subjects for our learning activities. They can be your friends, relatives, coworkers, etc. You can even recruit them by putting up signs on campus. I do not advise using children. If you anticipate that this will be a problem for you, I do not recommend that you take this course.

5 Attendance Policy: Attendance in this class is MANDATORY. Attendance during equipment instruction and practice, and especially on project production days is mandatory and absences cannot be made up. Television studio time is a highly finite commodity. And each student’s projects’ success is dependant upon the cooperative efforts of the rest of the class. The absence of a single crew member could mean the difference between making and breaking a production. Absence from a production will mean a zero crew grade for that production. Being late for a production will result in a reduced crew grade. In the real world of TV, if you’re missing or late for a production, you’re easily replaced and out of a job. We cannot “buy” additional studio time, therefore all productions must start on time.

Student productions will be scheduled in advance via a random drawing. After that they cannot be rescheduled because of the domino-effect it will have on the overall class production schedule. Student producer/directors must be ready to execute their projects on time.

The Studio and Control Room: The studio and control room we will be working in is a working facility used on a daily basis by KENV-TV. It must always remain in a ready-to-go status for the staff’s live and taped productions. You will be instructed as to what equipment and sets are “off-limits” to this class.

Each time the class meets, we will first gather in the classroom to the right of the receptionist’s desk. We will then go back to the studio and control room together as a class. Please do not wander around the building by yourself.

No smoking is allowed in the building. No food or drinks are allowed in the studio or control room at any time.

All cell phones and pagers must be turned off during class.

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that you won’t mind getting dirty. You may find yourself climbing a ladder, crawling on the floor or moving dusty objects. For safety reasons, no bare feet or sandals are allowed.

Before class ends, the studio must be “struck.” All equipment and supplies must be returned to their proper places. Misplaced items are lost items. Lost items are items that neither you nor the studio staff will have to use in the future.

If you don’t know how to work something ASK. The equipment is very expensive and delicate. I’m happy to answer all questions.

6 Services for Students with Disabilities Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Students with Disabilities Office, located in Berg Hall, will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services. For more information or for further assistance, please call 775-753-2271.

Academic Honesty Misconduct Misconduct, as defined and established in NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 6, Section 6.2.2 (q) is as follows:  Acts of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, falsifying research data or results, or assisting others to do the same. Plagiarism Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words, ideas, or data as one’s own. When a student submits work that includes the words, ideas, or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references, and if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks as well. In academically honest writing or speaking, the student will acknowledge the source whenever: • Another person’s actual words are quoted. • Another person’s idea, opinion, or theory is used, even if it is completely paraphrased in the student’s own words. • Facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials are borrowed, unless the information is common knowledge. A nationally recognized plagiarism software may be used to check student work. Cheating Some examples of cheating are: • Recycling (using material generated for one class in another class). • Using electronic devices inappropriately. • Using unapproved notes. • Unapproved discussion between classmates. • Having others represent you in class—attend class for you, do work in your place, take exams. • Having others do your work.

The Crew: A Team:

7 At times you will be directing a production. More often, you’ll be crewing for other students’ productions. Your full cooperation, proper behavior, enthusiasm and creative input are required at these times also. Your director is your team captain. You are to follow his/her directions at all times, even when you don’t agree. If there is ever a dispute, it is to be taken immediately to the instructor for the final say. Any NEGATIVE CRITICISM by one student to another WILL NOT BE TOLERATED, under penalty of a failing crew grade for that entire project. Helpful suggestions, creative ideas and assistance between crewmates are welcomed and encouraged. After all, we have one common goal. If everyone pulls together, we’ll do some awesome productions and also have a great time! Welcome to TV Production I!

Course Schedule:

8 This schedule is intended to be used as a general guideline as we begin the course and is subject to change based on the progress and needs of the class. Any revisions will be distributed in print. Always refer to assignment handouts for the most updated deadlines.

Date Topics Readings/Projects Jan. 28 Review Syllabus Student Expectations Survey Introductions Studio Orientation The Production Process Chapter 1 Feb. 4 The Production Team Chapter 2 Image Formation & Digital Video Chapter 3 The Video Camera Chapter 4 Feb. 11 Operating the Camera Chapters 5 Looking Through the Viewfinder Chapter 6 Camera Practice Feb. 18 Switcher & Switching Chapter 10, Switcher section on DVD Discussion of Each Project’s Handouts Requirements Directing Chapter 17, pages 367-383 (*especially memorize Director’s Cues on pages 374-377) Project #1 Assigned Feb. 25 Audio & Sound Control Chapter 7 Floor Managing Chapter 16 (*especially memorize Working with Talent Floor Managers’ hand signals pictured on pages 344-347) Mar. 4 Work Project #1 Mar. 11 Work Project #1 Mar. 18 View/Critique Project #1 Project #2 Assigned New York Style Script Format Handouts Directing Continued Chapter 17, pages 357-367 Midterm Exam Mar. 25 Spring Break – No Class Apr. 1 Review Midterm Answers Light, Color & Lighting Chapter 8 Apr. 8 Work Project #2 Apr. 15 Work Project #2 Project #3 Assigned Apr. 22 View/Critique Project #2 Video Imaging & Recording Chapter 11 Test Equipment Graphics & Effects Chapter 9 Apr. 29 Work Project #3

9 May 6 Work Project #3 May 13 View/Critique Project #3 TBA May 20 Final Exam