Communications Lab

Video and Sound

Syllabus| Course Schedule | Fall 2014 Class Dates

Mondays 12:10-2:40 and Thursdays 9:00-11:30
Instructor: Crys Moore

crysmoore@nyu.edu Office Hours (M 4p-6p) in the adjunct lounge

This syllabus will be updated weekly with links and notes.

CLASS BLOG URLS MONDAY

CLASS BLOG URLS THURSDAY

Course Description:

This course explores the fundamentals of sound and video. Students will learn the basics of both audio and video recording using audio field recorders and a variety of cameras (from the Panasonic Xacti through the Canon 5D D-SLR) as well as editing and exporting in Adobe Premiere. Students will work in teams to produce both an audio soundscape and a three-minute video short. This 2-credit course meets for the first seven weeks of the semester.

Grading

is based on successful completion of all assignments, class journals, class participation and attendance.

Week 1: Mon Sept 8th and Thursday Sept 4th

  • Class introductions
  • Overview of Course
  • In-Class Exercise - The 30-Minute Film Festival
  • Demonstration: Demonstration: Collection of sounds and the Zoom recorder - http://www.zoom.co.jp/downloads/h4n/software/, ITP Help Field Recorders (http://itp.nyu.edu/help/Audio/Field), ITP Help Microphones (http://itp.nyu.edu/help/Audio/MicsLink to class preso
  • Assignment: 1) In teams of two, begin the collection of sounds for a short sound piece (due in 2 weeks) This piece can be environmental, create space or mood, tell a story through sound. 2) Read handouts, watch links, and post response to your blog. Be sure to send me the url - a) Jonathan Lethem's The Ecstacy of Influence: A Plagiarism; b) On the Rights of the Molotov Man: Appropriation and the Art of Context; c) Watch/Read Allergy to Originality and d) Kirby Ferguson's Embrace the Remix
  • Week 2: Monday Sept 15th and Thursday Sept 11th

  • Discussion: Audio Art and Sound Installations
  • Demonstration: Logic
  • Demonstration: Basic digital audio: Audacity
  • Demonstration: Midi / Garageband
  • Putting it all together.
  • Assignment: In teams of two create a short sound piece or audio installation in any of the environments we looked at. Again, this piece can be environmental, create space or mood, or tell a story through sound. Upload it to your site in mp3. Send me the url. Bring Pro Tools session, Audacity files, or Garageband file to class.
  • Read "The Machine Stops"
  • Watch: Intro to Audio with DSLRs & Capturing Good Audio
  • Week 3: Monday Sept 22nd and Thursday Sept 18th

  • Critique: Audio pieces
  • Discussion: Storyboards, their function and use
  • View: Robert Castillo's "SPIC, The Storyboard of My Life"
  • Watch/Read "The Cloud Filmmaking Manifesto"
  • Assignment: Create one of the following
  • Assignment: Read handouts on storyboards. Break into teams of four to plan for video project. Create storyboard in preparation of videoshoot. Be prepared to discuss in class. Upload to blog.
  • Watch "Ira Glass on Storytelling"
  • Week 4: Monday Sept 29th and Thursday Sept 25th

  • Critique: Review storyboards
  • Read Walter Murch's "In The Blink Of An Eye." pp.1-42, 42-72, & 133-146 (link to 'cliffs notes')
  • Demonstration: The 5D video camera and the basics of shooting video: audio, composition, lighting.
  • Assignment: Go out and shoot your video.
  • Watch
    Vimeo Video School: Do More With Your DSLR
    Vimeo Video School: Intro to Three-Point Lighting & 3-Point Lighting Explained
    Vimeo Video School: Frame Rate Vs. Shutter Speed

  • Week 5: Monday October 6th, Thursday October 2nd

  • Discussion: How did your shoot go?
  • Review: Raw footage from shoot
  • Demonstration: Editing in Premiere
  • Assignment: Edit video
  • Week 6: Monday, October 20th, Thursday October 9th

  • Review rough cuts
  • Demonstration: Premiere - part 2
  • Discussion/Demonstration: Compression
  • Assignment: Edit video
  • Week 7: Monday October 27nd, Thursday October 16th

  • Presentation of Final Videos in class