Student Learning Objectives
This class is an introduction to television production through basic studio exercises and productions. Students will become familiar with the tools of television studio production and the processes involved in the creation of a completed television program. Students will learn the basic terminology of studio production including the duties of each of the studio production technical positions. Three lecture hours per week to be taken concurrently with COMM 1385, Introduction to Television Production Lab.
Course Goal: Increase your skill level in television news production.
Learning Outcomes: Through regular attendance and active participation you will be able to:
You have a number of resources to help you achieve these, not the least of which are your peers in this program. This is a collaborative industry, one that functions through the cooperation and camaraderie of everyone involved, from the producer to the photog.
1. LARGE MARKET TELEVISION NEWS – RESEARCH PAPER 100 Points
Know the industry. Research a large television news market by selecting a news outlet, either local or national, give an overview of the outlet’s history, their current approach to covering their market and the impact of technology on their future. Document your research in a paper, APA form. Your research should be stratified using bibliography (including periodicals and biographies), personal interview (e-mail and phone cards are handy for this), the Internet, and production media.
2. STUDIO PRODUCTION - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of studio video production through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to engineer, set-up and block, shoot and switch video signals, and identify video components and their functionality.
3. SHOOTING – SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your skill in composing photography for studio production by executing a collection of shots illustrating compositional elements such as the rule of thirds, headroom, eyeroom, leadroom, talking heads, two shots, and OTS.
4. CONVERGENCE – CRITICAL THOUGHT PAPER 100 Points
New technologies are changing the way news is gathered and distributed. You are a converged producer who is on a mission to subvert the big guns in broadcast news and bring a more objective eye to the world. Establish a grass-roots network for news gathering and dissemination and document how you’d connect the planet.
5. STUDIO AUDIO - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of studio audio acquisition through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to properly identify microphone applications for a variety of set-ups, understand audio components and their functionality, build, operate, break down, and maintain studio audio.
6. STUDIO LIGHTING - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of lighting and exposure through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to plot and construct a basic three-point lighting set-up on a news set with an even exposure split between key and fill. Use two different types of lighting instruments with your choice of diffusion combined with at least one bounced source. Drop off background at least on additional f-stop from the fill exposure (2:1). Demonstrate your understanding of lighting fixtures and components and their functionality. Set- up and strike the set using gaff and grip equipment according to proper safety and set protocol procedures.
ASSESSMENTS
All assessments are designed to give me an idea of how you’re doing in understanding and applying the objectives of this course, and how I’m doing in teaching them. Assessments may be a combination of multiple choice, true/false fill-in-the-blank, and short answer. You will be accountable for and assessed on principles discussed in class and in the book.
Unfortunately for you, I’m still required to give you a grade at the end of the semester, a grade that in some way, in one little letter, states your achievement, application, improvement and ability that you have demonstrated during that semester - an impossible evaluation. However, that’s what you’ve come to expect after twelve years of conditioning in our schools.
Since I’m required to give you a letter grade, it’s my philosophy that the grade will represent the following criteria:
A – The student surpasses the requirements of the research activity, reaches above 90% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, executes original critical thinking in television news production contexts, demonstrates achievement of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
B – The student meets the requirements of the research activity, reaches above 80% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, executes critical thinking in communication in television news production contexts, demonstrates understanding of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
C – The student meets most of the requirements of the research activity and reaches above 70% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, demonstrates identification of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
D – The student meets less than half of the requirements of the research activity, reaches but doesn’t exceed 60% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, and acknowledges the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication.
F – The student’s apathy outweighed achievement.
Past students have expressed fears to me that this course could disrupt their current GPA and thwart scholarship opportunities. It’s my experience that we are driven by two basic emotions; fear and love.
Students who are afraid of their performance in this course will limit themselves and will consequently fear their evaluations.
Students who love what they do in this course and discipline and embrace evaluation for their own amelioration transcend assessment criterion and have little worry or care about their grade. The outcomes are dramatically different.
It’s a choice, I promise.
Course Goal: Increase your skill level in television news production.
Learning Outcomes: Through regular attendance and active participation you will be able to:
- Evaluate current televised news production on local, regional and national levels,
- Explain basic terminology and concepts of television production,
- Differentiate television production theory in large market news production as it applies to engineering visual and auditory elements within the television studio,
- Operate and engineer various technical components within the television studio including cameras, lights, microphones, switchers, and audio boards,
- Function in production positions such as technical director, camera operator, floor director, audio engineer, and lighting technician,
- Engage in the processes of studio production including preproduction, production, and post production.
You have a number of resources to help you achieve these, not the least of which are your peers in this program. This is a collaborative industry, one that functions through the cooperation and camaraderie of everyone involved, from the producer to the photog.
Item Pool
These activities are designed to get you discovering different aspects of real-world television news production, develop a working knowledge of specific production protocols, and qualify to use production equipment in this program.1. LARGE MARKET TELEVISION NEWS – RESEARCH PAPER 100 Points
Know the industry. Research a large television news market by selecting a news outlet, either local or national, give an overview of the outlet’s history, their current approach to covering their market and the impact of technology on their future. Document your research in a paper, APA form. Your research should be stratified using bibliography (including periodicals and biographies), personal interview (e-mail and phone cards are handy for this), the Internet, and production media.
2. STUDIO PRODUCTION - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of studio video production through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to engineer, set-up and block, shoot and switch video signals, and identify video components and their functionality.
3. SHOOTING – SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your skill in composing photography for studio production by executing a collection of shots illustrating compositional elements such as the rule of thirds, headroom, eyeroom, leadroom, talking heads, two shots, and OTS.
4. CONVERGENCE – CRITICAL THOUGHT PAPER 100 Points
New technologies are changing the way news is gathered and distributed. You are a converged producer who is on a mission to subvert the big guns in broadcast news and bring a more objective eye to the world. Establish a grass-roots network for news gathering and dissemination and document how you’d connect the planet.
5. STUDIO AUDIO - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of studio audio acquisition through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to properly identify microphone applications for a variety of set-ups, understand audio components and their functionality, build, operate, break down, and maintain studio audio.
6. STUDIO LIGHTING - SKILL QUALIFICATION 100 Points
You will demonstrate your working knowledge of lighting and exposure through a process of qualification; a hands-on assessment of your ability to plot and construct a basic three-point lighting set-up on a news set with an even exposure split between key and fill. Use two different types of lighting instruments with your choice of diffusion combined with at least one bounced source. Drop off background at least on additional f-stop from the fill exposure (2:1). Demonstrate your understanding of lighting fixtures and components and their functionality. Set- up and strike the set using gaff and grip equipment according to proper safety and set protocol procedures.
ASSESSMENTS
All assessments are designed to give me an idea of how you’re doing in understanding and applying the objectives of this course, and how I’m doing in teaching them. Assessments may be a combination of multiple choice, true/false fill-in-the-blank, and short answer. You will be accountable for and assessed on principles discussed in class and in the book.
Grading Philosophy
It’s my opinion that letter grades and subsequent grade point averages in no way represent an assessment of achievement of the goal and outcomes of this course. Grade inflation and behaviorism over the years have mutated what might once have been considered valid assessment of student achievement.Unfortunately for you, I’m still required to give you a grade at the end of the semester, a grade that in some way, in one little letter, states your achievement, application, improvement and ability that you have demonstrated during that semester - an impossible evaluation. However, that’s what you’ve come to expect after twelve years of conditioning in our schools.
Since I’m required to give you a letter grade, it’s my philosophy that the grade will represent the following criteria:
A – The student surpasses the requirements of the research activity, reaches above 90% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, executes original critical thinking in television news production contexts, demonstrates achievement of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
B – The student meets the requirements of the research activity, reaches above 80% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, executes critical thinking in communication in television news production contexts, demonstrates understanding of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
C – The student meets most of the requirements of the research activity and reaches above 70% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, demonstrates identification of the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication, and asks good questions and engages others, including the instructor.
D – The student meets less than half of the requirements of the research activity, reaches but doesn’t exceed 60% on assessment and skill qualification rubrics, and acknowledges the objectives evidenced in written and oral communication.
F – The student’s apathy outweighed achievement.
Past students have expressed fears to me that this course could disrupt their current GPA and thwart scholarship opportunities. It’s my experience that we are driven by two basic emotions; fear and love.
Students who are afraid of their performance in this course will limit themselves and will consequently fear their evaluations.
Students who love what they do in this course and discipline and embrace evaluation for their own amelioration transcend assessment criterion and have little worry or care about their grade. The outcomes are dramatically different.
It’s a choice, I promise.
Policies and Suggestions for Achievement
As a required class for the Bachelor of Science in Media Studies, Multimedia Journalism Emphasis, you need to achieve a C+ or higher as the grade outcome of this class for it to count towards your degree requirements.Missing Class
Show up. It's the first secret to achievement. Every semester students will let me know that they'll be missing class to go on a cruise, or for a wedding, or to go snowboarding, and I say, "Cool, have fun." You, or somebody else, have paid to be here. It's your stewardship and my expectation. To account for this, over the course of this semester I'll give those in attendance a secret word which they will email back to me during class that day to indicate they were there. I will do this five times during the semester on the days of lowest attendance. If at the end of the semester you have emailed five secret words, your grade remains in tact. If you've submitted only three secret words, your evaluation drops a whole letter grade. If you've sent none, you fail the course.Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism is the use of another source’s words, ideas or statistics without their permission and/or proper citation. Anyone who plagiarizes material in my class will receive a grade of zero on that assignment. Anyone found cheating on term assessments will fail the test, though I also reserve the right to assign you an “F” for the course and/or refer you to our chair for further sanctions. If you submit a falsified electronic document that I cannot open, you will fail the assignment. Please keep in mind that one can be expelled from the college for academic dishonesty.Also see Academic dishonesty / Academic integrity policy.
Electronic Devices
Bring your technology to class, your tablets, laptops and smart phones, and use them in our discussions and presentations. But, please don't text, call or surf online for anything not having to do with the day's topic. Please put your phone on vibrate. Should your device make any ring or notification sound, interrupting class, you owe me a completely stamped Cafe Rio meal card. Second infraction and you're buying everyone lunch at Cafe Rio. If I find you engaged in an online activity that is not related to class activity you will owe me a full Cafe Rio card for each infraction. Really.Submission of Assignments
All work for this class will be submitted via Google Docs or uploaded to your blog. This ensures I can open your document and verify contents regardless of platform. No other format will be accepted. Format your submissions in the subject line with the course number, assignment, and your name. If I were submitting my research paper for MDIA1380, my subject line would read: MDIA1380, Research Paper, Young.Written assignments will be word-processed and are due the date indicated on the course schedule on this web site. I don't accept late work nor do I accept technical excuses like a crashed computer or an email glitch. Assignments are due by the beginning of class. Work containing typographical and grammatical errors will be returned without evaluation. Proof your work. The college provides a free service for students desiring additional assistance with their writing assignments. The Writing Center is located in the Browning Building. Call Barbara Turnbow at 652-7743 for information.
Email Communication
Important class and college information will be sent to your D-mail account. All DSC students are automatically assigned a D-mail email account. Click and select D-mail for complete instructions. You will be held accountable for information sent to your D-mail, so please check it often.Hostility
I reserve the right to remove any student from this class and/or program based on documentable breech of citizenship such as sexual harassment, hostile environment, discrimination based on race, religion, gender and/or sexuality, as well as plagiarism, misrepresentation, and/or malicious gossip.Withdrawal and Drop Deadlines
Please consult the semester schedule for withdrawal and reimbursement deadlines. You will be charged a $10 fee for dropping this class.Late Work and Missing Tests
Should you miss an assessment due to medical reasons, you must provide documentation that states you were otherwise occupied at the time or in the general vicinity of class time. All excused absences must be presented right after the absence, and will be verified. I will determine what is excused. Any missed exams will only be made up with appropriate excused documentation.Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a medical, psychological or a learning difference and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to this disability, you must provide an official request of accommodation to your professor(s) from the Disability Resource Center within the first two weeks of the beginning of classes. Students are to contact the center on the main campus to follow through with, and receive assistance in the documentation process to determine the appropriate accommodations related to their disability.You may call (435) 652-7516 for an appointment and further information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The office is located in the Student Services Center, Room #201 of the Edith Whitehead Building.
Library and Literacy Contacts
Dianne Hirning is the librarian over Communication resources. She is your resource and guide for research within this discipline. You can reach her at hirning@dixie.edu and by phone at 652-7720.Resources:
Library - http://library.dixie.edu
Writing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/english/dsc_writing_center.php
Testing Center - http://new.dixie.edu/testing
Tutoring Center - http://dsc.dixie.edu/tutoring/
INTRODUCTION TO TELEVISION PRODUCTION
