Brooklyn College of The City University! of New York ! The Department of Television and Radio ! Course: TVR 7783G – Seminar in Television Programming and Production I Code: 0965 Section: *** – Fall 2014 !Schedule: Tuesdays 10:00am – 4:00pm, Whitehead Hall & Various Locations ! Brooklyn College Bulletin – Division of Graduate Studies Course Description: 15 hours lecture; 90 hours laboratory; 4 credits. Independent research, development, direction, and production of a television program suitable for broadcast. Rotation of advanced crew assignments for in-studio and remote location productions. Development of a suitable production report. Review and approval of work in progress by faculty !member. Prerequisite: Television and Radio 7781G and 7782G. Overview and Course Objectives: TVR 7783G is a lecture and production (studio and remote) course designed to facilitate each student’s growth as a television producer and director. The course combines theoretical, practical, and intuitive approaches to aesthetic, organizational, and ethical problems in television and electronic media production. Course content includes producing/directing M.F.A. Productions, where each student is the principal creative force behind the program, and assignments designed to present production problems that prepare students for the situations they will encounter in their professional lives as media producers. Students will participate in all aspects of production, emphasizing aesthetic !development and technical proficiency. All fields of human endeavor require the ability to communicate effectively. Communication begins when someone wishes to share or transmit an idea. This process is accomplished through both rhetorical and poetic components. Although technology augments, complicates, and even simplifies communication, the fundamental sounds, images, and dramatic imperative of the content determines the effectiveness of the message. While our most serious attention addresses the human need to speak, gesture, and engage others, as electronic media producers we have the distinct advantage of integrating technology to assist us in communicating our stories and messages. The study of electronic based media links the creative communication process to technology. An understanding of the production process can be gained only through the application of both creative expression and technology. Media production is a craft that blends the theory and technique that supports an artist’s free expression. "1 ! As a program producer, students assume responsibility for all aspects of production, from concept to distribution. Students must be thorough, conscious of all details and strive to work with others as a production team. As a program director, students are responsible for the specific elements of transforming a script into the final production. These elements include content development, research, creative use of the medium, remote and !studio execution, and post production. Students will be exposed to a great range of working areas and tools of the medium, including, but not limited to, the creative process of scripting and staging action, studio facilities, scenic and lighting design, graphics, animation, audio, post production and !engineering functions. Exploring and understanding the history of technique and technology from radio to digital sound and image production is an essential component of each student’s training. While the applications of electronic media may be changing, the discipline and process of creating media remains constant. The basic concepts of organizational skills, the power to persuade, the ability to assess an audience or client’s needs, and the necessity of teamwork are the foundation of every production. Student attitude and behavior regarding discipline, initiative, responsibility and respect for the work of others are in !many ways the key lessons to be learned. !Our current Departmental Objectives are: 1. Students will be able to research, analyze, and write scholarly papers in the areas of electronic media and society in the United States and the world with ! the tools used in professional and academic media research. 2. Students will be able to learn and compare ideas from different approaches in the areas of history, law, research, and analysis related to media and society ! in the United States and the world. 3. Students will be able to understand the basic aesthetic and technical principles of electronic media productions, and their broader social ! implications. 4. Students will be able to use proficiently and creatively the basic equipment and software necessary to translate ideas into electronic media programs in the areas of radio, multimedia, single camera, multi-camera studio and remote ! productions. 5. Students will be able to research and write proposals, treatments, scripts, ! and promotional materials meeting professional standards. "2 6. Students will learn the workings of the full range of the communication industry, from independent and community to corporate and network ! productions. !7. Students will learn to use basic industry managerial tools, techniques, and practices. 8. Students will be able to analyze issues and controversies from ethical, legal ! and social perspectives in their professional practices. 9. Students will be able to research, report and write news materials and ! produce newscasts meeting professional standards. ! ! ! Textbooks: Zettl, Herbert. 2011. Television Production Handbook, Eleventh Edition. ! Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Hacker, Diana. 2007. A Writer’s Reference. !New York: Bedford/St. Martins. ! Materials: SxS Media Recording Cards, Portable Hard Drive(s), Flash Drive, DVDs. ! Other materials may be required for specific assignments. Assignments, Grading and Assessment: Director’s Script Analysis 10% Drama and Comedy Directing Video Analysis 10% Multi-camera Producer or Multi-camera Crew 30% Unit Production Manager 8% Drama and Comedy Directing Production 30% Smoke and Mirrors Exercise 12% Total 100% *Each assignment and exercise is designed to develop student skills in all !course objectives. Director’s Script Analysis – All necessary preparation to direct a narrative !scene: character objectives, given circumstances, active verbs. "3 Drama and Comedy Directing Video Analysis – Students will analyze video of a multi-camera drama or comedy scene to identify camera angles, !staging choices, set and lighting design approaches and shot patterns. Multi-camera Producer or Multi-camera Crew – Students will be evaluated on their Multi-camera Production (Producer/Director) or Crew !Work for other student producers. Unit Production Manager – On each production date, a student will be assigned to serve as the Unit Production Manager, and will work directly with the Chief Engineer. Responsibilities include Preproduction preparation and load-out organization, technical support during Production, and most importantly, supervision of the strike, load-out and return to the TV Center. The UPM will insure that all gear is properly packed, and that camera plates match their tripod and camera, etc. Within one week of wrapping Production, I will review your performance with the Chief Engineer and assign a Pass or Fail grade. Either the gear was properly handled or it wasn’t. A failed UPM assignment will affect your course grade by at least half a letter grade. Students may swap their !assigned UPM date with a classmate. Drama and Comedy Directing Production – Students will work as (either) director, assistant director, or production designer to produce a live, multi- !camera recording of a short comedic or dramatic scene. “Smoke and Mirrors” Exercise – Each student will develop a concept and !stage a single shot tabletop or miniature scene. ! * The course-scoring rubric is attached to this document. ! ! Instructor:! Assistant Professor Jason Moore! ! Department of Television and Radio! ! 406S Whitehead Hall! ! Brooklyn College! ! 2900 Bedford Avenue! ! Brooklyn, NY 11210! ! (718) 951-5000 x2795! ! e-mail: [email protected]! ! ! Office Hours:! Tuesday 9:00am – 10:00am! "4 ! Wednesday 1:00pm – 3:00 p.m. (and by appointment)! ! Thursday 1:00pm – 2:00 p.m. ! !!! ! ! !Course Guidelines and Expectations:! 1. Preproduction is essential to the success of every project. Students are ! expected to spend a great deal of time outside of class organizing their scripts ! ! and rehearsing their productions.! 2. Deadlines are deadlines. Paperwork not handed in on time will result in a zero ! for that part of the assignment. Students are responsible for making up class ! ! work that is missed due to absence. ! 3. Attendance is mandatory. TVR 7783 strictly follows the Brooklyn College policy on attendance that states, “Class attendance is recorded each session. Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class for which they register. Students late for class may be excluded from the room. An instructor may consider attendance and participation in determining the term grade.” The only exception to this policy is “Nonattendance because of religious beliefs,” as described in Title I, Article 5, Section 224-a of the New York State Education Law. This law is available for review in the Brooklyn College Graduate Bulletin. In the event that you cannot attend class, you must ! call the Department office at 951-5555 and leave a message for me.! 4. No eating or drinking in the studio or control room. Failure to comply with this ! rule results in an immediate suspension of facility