Homework 1: Self Portraits
Create two self-portraits that demonstrate good composition. Each should illustrate a different guideline discussed in Whittaker's Module 24, either by faithfully following it or by decisively breaking with it. (Given the nature of the guidelines, it is unlikely that your images will be closeups.)
Label the two images YourLastName 1.jpg and YourLastName 2.jpg, and send them to me as email attachments 24 hours before our next class meeting. Be prepared, in class, to show your images to the rest of the class and to talk about their use/abuse of the guidelines.
Homework X: Unusual Lighting
First, stripe the tape so that the timecode does not break.
(To stripe a tape, place it in the camera, cue it to the beginning, and press record. Leave the lens cap on, and let the tape run for the full 60 minutes. This will record continuous timecode for the full length of the tape, which is crucial during editing.)
Rewind to the appropriate spot and turn off the camera's automatic white balance.
Create a four-minute sequence of at least twelve shots that reflect unusual lighting conditions. On average the shots should last about fifteen seconds each.
As always, you should strive to capture aesthetically pleasing compositions and interesting patterns of movement. Use the Whittaker's discussion of composition (modules 22, 23, 24, and 25) as a guide.
In addition, each of the following should appear in at least one shot:
- a light emitting object,
- a chiaroscuro effect,
- a silhouetted object
[The object itself should be visible only in outline; please don't shot the shadow of an object.] - a person or people,
- mixed light,
- an interior scene, and
- an exterior scene.
You should slate each shot with an appropriate title card listing your name, the date, and the included compositions. Because a single shot may include more than one of the required elements, an example slate might read "Exterior scene, silhouetted person."
Homework 2: A Day in the Life
Stripe the tape.
Make a short video portrait of "A Day in the Life of ______." You may use direct address (by looking at and speaking to the camera) but you are not required to do so.
You will have two days to shoot. Remember that your video will cover the course of a single day, so make sure to get coverage during several different times of day. I will not be looking at your raw footage, but keep in mind that the minimum shooting ratios for documentaries range around 10:1.
Homework 3: A Day in the Life Edit
You have a week to edit together your footage into a coherent portrait of a single day in your life. Start by importing your footage into Final Cut Express on your assigned computer. (You should use the online tutorials to teach yourself how to import and to edit using this basic software package.) The film should be between six and seven minutes long, and it should include at least twenty different shots. Any music must be diagetic, and the movie's emphasis should be on what's happening in the scenes, rather than on the editing. Include titles and appropriate credits, and leave your finished project on the Macintosh.
Homework 4: Interviews
You will complete interviews that will become part of the "TBA" video. Before beginning the shoot, stripe the tape.
You will work in teams of three, using the XL1S, tripod, lav mic, and lighting kit. The camera should be set on full manual controls. Each member of the team will take turns in each of the following roles:
- interviewer
- camera operator
- PA/gaffer/key grip
Homework 5: DVD Portfolio
This homework assignment is twofold: First, edit together your interview footage, cutting slack footage and adding appropriate titles. Second, using iDVD, produced a DVD that showcases your Day in the Life and interview videos. The persona conveyed by the layout and design of the DVD should be professional. It doesn't have to be boring, but you should avoid slang, swear words, and other inappropriate text or images. The disk's grammar and mechanics should be perfect.
Your completed DVD's menu screen(s) must include the following:
- Your name and an informative title;
- Working links to your movies;
- A personalized background image or video.
- A separate "Credits" screen that gives complete copyright information for any music, images, movies, or other copyrighted material that you used in the creation of the DVD.
You should label this disk with your name, the date, and "CMS 4410." I will collect the disks before the final exam and return them to you on the exam day. You may burn a second copy of your disk, but DO NOT do so until after the final exam so everyone has adequate time on the computer.