COURSE DESCRIPTION
SCHEDULE

DATE | TOPIC/ACTIVITY |
---|---|
HISTORY & THEORY | |
M Aug 17 | Discuss & Demo: Orientation to Video Conferencing; Required Equipment; Class Aspirations; Formal Analysis of the Moving Image |
W Aug 19 | Participation (0300p): Each student will present a practical analysis of one short, non-fiction film from the BBC Reel site. Students should choose a film they feel most closely aligns with their current production resources. |
M Aug 24 | Discuss & Demo: Non-Fiction Film – Pioneers; Stock Footage Libraries Assignment (0300p): Tabletop Actuality I. Using the Lumière Brothers' earliest films as inspiration, use your phone or camera (with manual focus, exposure, and ISO settings) to shoot a simple task that can be completed on a table or counter. Shooting in 4K will give you more post-production options. Assignment (0300p): Formal Analysis. An essay (1000-word maximum) that defends your positioning of Robert Flaherty's Nanook of the North on the film theory spectrum. Submit to D2L as a .pdf. |
M Aug 24 | Last Day to Drop-Add |
W Aug 26 | Discuss & Demo: Non-Fiction Film – Explorer & Reporter |
M Aug 31 | Discuss & Demo: Non-Fiction Film – Artists & Continental Realism Analytical Screenings: (15 minutes total viewing) Kino-Nedelya, Kino-Pravda, One-Sixth of the World or Turksib. Assignment (0300p): Leader. Prepare a project in Adobe Premiere Pro. Begin your timeline with a standard leader. Project (0300p): Tabletop Actuality – Footage. If you're not satisfied with the quality of footage submitted for a previous assignment (see 0824), reshoot it, paying more attention to technical and aesthetic matters. During class, we'll import it to your project (see "Leader" above). |
W Sep 02 | Analytical Screening: View They Shall Not Grow Old in its entirety. Choose two representative scenes for formal analysis in an essay not to exceed 750 words. Submit to D2L as a .pdf. Project: As demonstrated in class 0831, organize actuality footage for editing (1) on your computer and (2) in an Adobe Premiere Pro project. |
M Sep 07 | Labor Day Recess |
PRE-PRODUCTION | |
W Sep 09 | Discuss & Demo: Non-Fiction Film – Grierson, Lorentz, and Patriot Advocates Analytical Screening: In-class selections from Night Mail (1936) and The River (1938). Project: Artistic Actuality (0300p). Be prepared to share with the class (via Zoom) a 30-second edit of your actuality footage in a properly formatted Adobe project and sequence. |
F Sep 11 | Assignment: Wish List (1201p). Email your professor a list of links to desired Motion Array assets (stock footage, music, sound effects, and Premiere graphics packages). |
M Sep 14 | Project: Pitches & Research (0300p). Be prepared to pitch six ideas for your final film. Each pitch presentation should include at least one salient, researched fact intended to hook your audience. Please come to class ready to demonstrate your curiosity and enthusiasm for your classmates' film proposals. A reliable Zoom connection for both video and audio is necessary. Assignment: Color (0300p). Use the "Basic Correction" panel in Premiere's Lumetri Color workspace to automatically color correct the clips in your Artistic Actuality timeline. We'll further finesse the color grading in class. Discuss & Demo: Interview Prep |
PRODUCTION | |
W Sep 16 | Discuss & Demo: Post-Production. Effect Controls, Nested Sequences, Lumetri Color, Audio Level Adjustment, Media Encoder Exports. |
F Sep 18 | Project: Vimeo Upload (0500p). After correcting color and audio levels, upload your actuality to Vimeo. Embed the url in a .doc or .pdf. Upload the document to the 0909 Artistic Actuality assignment folder. |
M Sep 21 | Discuss & Demo: Non-Fiction Film – Wartime Buglers Analytical Screenings: Education for Death, The Negro Soldier, Sex Hygiene, The Battle of Midway, Let There Be Light Assignment: Record narration for your Artistic Actuality. |
POST-PRODUCTION | |
W Sep 23 | Project: (0300p) Interview Questions. Make a list of the people you'd most like to interview for your documentary. Make a list of the questions you'd like to ask each of them. Share the lists with your assigned partner and improve them with feedback (preferably via video conference, not e-mail). Submit the revised drafts as a .pdf to D2L. |
M Sep 28 W Sep 30 | Workdays: Shooting; Logging & Transcription |
M Oct 05 | Assignment: (0300p) Logging & Transcription Discuss & Demo: Paper Edit; Synchronize & Merge |
W Oct 07 | Conferences: (0300p) Having problems with your Paper Edit? Consult with your professor during today's regular class meeting hours. |
M Oct 12 | Project: (0300p) Paper Edit. Highlight the relevant sections of your transcript. Copy and arrange the highlighted dialogue (with timecode) into a Paper Edit. Submit the Paper Edit as a .pdf to D2L. Discuss & Demo: Rescue Strategies for Video & Audio; Multi-Cam Editing; Window-Burning Timecode. |
W Oct 14 | Workday & Individual Conferences |
Sa Oct 17 | Virtual Class Day |
M Oct 19 | Assignment: (0300p) A-Roll Assembly Edit Discuss & Demo: B-Roll and Stock Footage |
W Oct 21 | Critique: (0300p) A-Roll Assembly Edit (cont'd) |
F Oct 23 | Last Day to Withdraw (1159p) |
M Oct 26 | Assignment: (0300p) Rough Cut (A, B, Stock, and Graphic Placeholders) |
W Oct 28 | Project: (0300p) Visual Lock. Instruction in film is cumulative. Lessons in post-production presume the completion of previous work. But the work of documentary filmmakers often must accommodate the schedules of interview subjects. Consequently, work due today (in the form of a Vimeo link submitted to the appropriate D2L folder) is necessary for class, but will incur no late penalty until 0630p 11 November. |
M Nov 02 | Assignment: (0300p) Color. Instruction in film is cumulative. Lessons in post-production presume the completion of previous work. But the work of documentary filmmakers often must accommodate the schedules of interview subjects. Consequently, work due today (in the form of a Vimeo link submitted to the appropriate D2L folder) is necessary for class, but will incur no late penalty until 0630p 11 November. |
W Nov 04 | Project: (0300p) Graphics. Instruction in film is cumulative. Lessons in post-production presume the completion of previous work. But the work of documentary filmmakers often must accommodate the schedules of interview subjects. Consequently, work due today (in the form of a Vimeo link submitted to the appropriate D2L folder) is necessary for class, but will incur no late penalty until 0630p 11 November. |
M Nov 09 | Project: (0300p) Audio Mix. Instruction in film is cumulative. Lessons in post-production presume the completion of previous work. But the work of documentary filmmakers often must accommodate the schedules of interview subjects. Consequently, work due today (in the form of a Vimeo link submitted to the appropriate D2L folder) is necessary for class, but will incur no late penalty until 0630p 11 November. |
W Nov 11 | Flex Day - As a working producer, I add a buffer of 15% to both the estimated budget and calendar of my films. Something is going to surprise us. Something is going to to go wrong. Here's the intentional wiggle room in our schedule to cushion the blow. |
M Nov 16 | Project: (0300p) Completed Non-Fiction Film |
W Dec 02 | Final Exam: (1230-0230p) Review; Distribution & Marketing |
F Dec 04 | Final Exam (1230-0230p) |
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- employ research as a basis for generating and discovering a non-fiction message that can be effectively communicated through digital video and audio.
- articulate the aesthetic and ethical challenges common to processes of documentary production.
- identify and engage in the pre-production activities that govern digital filmmaking: budgeting, scheduling, storyboarding, and location scouting.
- integrate transcribed interviews into a documentary script.
- articulate the responsibilities of and engage in various crew positions: producer, director, writer, cinematographer, gaffer, editor (video), colorist, audio recordist, and editor (audio).
- articulate the principles that shape the grammar and mechanics of digital audio signal processing, editing, and mixing.
- articulate and practice the principles of project organization which facilitate collaboration in post-production.
- store and distribute a finished digital video.
- direct and respond to the direction of others.
- support creative collaboration with safety, protocols, and etiquette, in the studio and on-location.
- learn principles and terminology of media project planning and management.
Instruction will offer cultural and historical context for course assignments through lectures, presentations, and group discussions.
GRADING

Projects | 60% | |
Quizzes & Assignments | 20% | |
Participation | 20% |
Assignment grades will be based on the following scale:
93-100 | A | 73-76 | C | |
90-92 | A- | 70-72 | C- | |
87-89 | B+ | 67-69 | D+ | |
83-86 | B | 63-66 | D | |
80-82 | B- | 60-62 | D- | |
77-79 | C+ | < 60 | F |
LATE SUBMISSION & PENALTIES

Late work can earn no more than a maximum of 60 points. Work is considered late if submitted or time-stamped after deadlines posted in the syllabus (usually specified by date and time). If, because of extreme and prolonged sickness, you miss a deadline and are able to substantiate a claim of incapacitation with a note from a reputable doctor or Student Health Services, the grades of your remaining assignments will be given greater weight to compensate. Otherwise, you will receive a zero for the assignment. Examinations must be taken when scheduled.
FEEDBACK & REVISION
Responding to students’ desire for the most immediate feedback on their project work, grades and comments are typically reported online, usually within seven days of submission. It is therefore the responsibility of students to regularly consult D2L, Edinboro’s classroom management software, for the most current report of their grades.
QUIZZES & PARTICIPATION
Participation will be evaluated throughout the semester by professor and peers based on student contribution to class community. Assigning the grade, I am chiefly concerned with the following questions:
- To what degree and in what ways does the student demonstrate respect for his/her audience and co-laborers?
- To what degree and in what ways does the student model dependability and responsibility?
- In what ways has the student participated in work load, idea generation, and leadership — apart from the work necessary to complete his/her individual assignments?
- Of what value are the student’s criticism and suggestions for improvement valued by his/her peers?
SUBMISSION FORMAT
PRODUCTION EXPENSES
TITLE IX

Information regarding the reporting of sexual violence and the resources that are available to victims of sexual violence is set forth online here or in-person at
Office of Social Equity
Reeder Hall, Third Floor, 219 Meadville Street
Edinboro, PA 16444
814-732-2167
FAQs
CONTACT

- by e-mail at bfuller@edinboro.edu [good].
- by phone or voicemail at 616.498.4336 (49.VIDEO) [better]. Texting? Remember to identify yourself by name and course.
- in person [best]. My office hours are posted with video conferencing links.
I will respond to most messages within 12 hours.
ATTENDANCE & ETIQUETTE
I’ve got tickets to leave early for break. Can I reschedule work to accommodate my travel plans? Classes will not be held on holidays officially recognized by the university. All other days of the term are fair game for lectures, quizzes and assignments. Those students who plan to leave early for or return late from holiday breaks may not reschedule exams or other work.
Can I take class notes on my iPad? Can I film a lecture? What are the professor’s expectations for electronic etiquette? You’re encouraged to use smart phones, tablets, and laptops in disciplined ways which accomplish the work of the course. It’s considered rude, however, to engage in private communiqués (facebook, twitter, IMs, texts) during class.
The classroom is a protected space where together students and faculty rehearse ideas that are often not yet ready to be shared with the wider world. Effective teachers adapt course content for a narrow audience of students, tailoring discussions on the fly to circumstances of the moment. Exchanges are necessarily fraught with controversy, challenge, and misunderstanding. Please safeguard the learning enterprise from surreptitious audio and video surveillance. Do not film, record, or share, audio or video images of anyone without a signed personal release. This legal warning applies explicitly to video conferences, class lectures, and studio activities.
Oops. My phone started ringing in class. Probably Mom calling… Silence your phones during class meetings and project work. You’d hate to ruin an otherwise fabulous take on location with a Kanye West ringtone.
APPEALS
Appeals are more likely to be successful if students have solicited the professor’s input on at least two intermediate versions of the project (see “Feedback & Revision,” above).
HONESTY & OWNERSHIP

- Cheating. Behaviors including, but not limited to, use of unauthorized notes or reference materials during examinations; copying answers from another student’s paper during an examination; the unauthorized possession of academic materials, including exams; the unauthorized exchange of course assessment materials, including exams; the unauthorized exchange of information or collaboration regarding tests, or other course assignments; aiding another to engage in cheating; and/or all other acts of academic dishonesty that any member of this academic community would reasonably understand to be a breach of this academic integrity statement will be considered cheating and an act of academic dishonesty.
- Plagiarism. Plagiarism may be defined as the act of taking the ideas and/or expression of ideas of another person and representing them as one’s own. This includes, but is not limited to, using ideas or passages from a work without properly attributing the source, paraphrasing the work of another without giving proper credit, and/or the sale, purchase, or exchange of papers or research. It is the student’s responsibility to know what plagiarism is and to properly cite the work of others. If a student is in doubt, it is their responsibility to resolve any ambiguity prior to submitting the work. Plagiarism is nothing less than an act of theft, and, as such, is subject to University disciplinary action.
- Copyright. While plagiarism involves appropriating someone’s ideas without credit, copyright infringement is taking or altering someone’s original created work without paying. Copyright enforcement is subject to a number of variables including the lifespan of the creator and his/her heirs as well as corporate ownership of works made for hire. Fair warning: burgeoning filmmakers often wrongly believe they must pay other creators for work used only if their film turns a profit. Not true.
The standards of integrity and the penalties of dishonesty apply equally to
- ideas, words, and speech
- visual images, recordings, performances, and files
- audio recordings, performances, and files
- all electrochemical means of storage and communication
- use of computing facilities and resources in violation of copyright laws
I will vigorously pursue prosecution of academic dishonesty to the very limit of sanctions allowed by the university, up to and including failure of the course and expulsion from the university. I will just as vigorously work with students to prevent even unintended lapses of integrity.
While student media producers retain copyright ownership of their respective work, enrollment in this course constitutes your permission to let the university, the department, the professor, their representatives, and successors, exhibit and distribute for promotional purposes those media projects submitted in fulfillment of course assignments. Your enrollment further implies consent to be photographed in class or while working on class projects. Without any effect on your grade, you may withhold or limit such permission by indicating your wish to do so in a note to your professor signed, witnessed, and dated, before the university’s last day to drop-add.
ACCESS, FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT

How can I arrange to work after-hours in campus buildings? Online offerings of this course do not include access to campus facilities.
How do I arrange to borrow equipment for this weekend’s shoot? Can I borrow equipment to shoot my cousin’s wedding? Equipment loan is not available to students enrolled in online offerings of this course. Students are responsible for access to specified equipment.