Syllabus - Course Outline

423P “Digital Video and New Media”

Facilitator


Michael Henry
Course Facilitator

Description

This three credit hour, web-based multimedia course will examine the issues related to delivering video on the Internet.  Students will explore the changes and technical challenges associated with web-based video as a communication medium.  Practical application projects will be a part of the learning experience.  Specific software or hardware will not be taught.  Participants will be expected to examine instructions, tutorials and user manuals on their own.  Digital Video for the Web will follow four modules: Digital Video Tools; Production Process; Digital Video Strategies; and Delivery. The modules will focus exploring and evaluating software and hardware for digital video production for the web, in addition to an examination of the purposes and potential of Internet delivered video.  Collaborative and interactive activities will be conducted in teams, as well as two synchronous, “Live” meetings using video conferencing tools.  Lab hours and an orientation meeting are also provided.


At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Identify common tools, software and formats for digital video production and delivery
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of digital video tools, based on application.
  • Outline technical concerns for producing web-based video
  • Identify media channels and their audiences for digital video
  • Identify problems and benefits of web video
  • Identify ways digital video may support organizational communication objectives
  • Create digital video projects for the web


Teaching Philosophy

This blended online course will provide active learning experiences, through online activities.  Successful completion of the course will require team and individual projects.   Collaboration and teamwork will be stressed in each module to simulate current business practices for the creation of Digital Video for the Web and new media communications. 
 

Mediated Teaching Modes

This course will be delivered using a “blended” approach: face-to-face orientation and online activities.  We will use a project approach to learning. Each module will include multimedia topic introductions, asynchronous activities, which may be completed individually or in teams and synchronous online web conferences. 
 

Expectations

Readings: Participants are expected to read all assigned materials thoughtfully and keep a reading journal, summarizing articles read with a short paragraph. Read with the objective of understanding the key ideas, rather than trying to memorize the information.  Participants will be encouraged to follow coverage of communication technologies in the popular press during the semester.  Each module has one required reading assignment.  You will read and post your notes from one article in each module.  You will also need to post one reaction to an article posted by another participant in this class.

Assignment due dates:  One of the advantages to an online class is the flexibility it offers in when and where participants choose to do the work. Another advantage is the opportunity to interact with other students online. To support both objectives, assignments have target due dates. You are free to submit assignments at anytime, however you should keep up with the targets to avoid having a great deal to do at the end of the semester.
 

Directed discussions: Topics for discussion are posted by the instructor.  Post appropriate and on-topic comments in the directed discussions. A general discussion area is provided for comments or other topics not included in the directed discussions.  Your own comments in response to the initial topic or to subsequence postings are part of the participation requirement for the class.  Cite references and source material, unless the discussion is an "Opinion Discussion."

 

Participation in discussions is a critically important part of each student's performance. Your contributions to discussion are among your most valuable contributions to the course. Discussion questions are given in each Lesson. In discussions, we won't have strict concern for formality and grammatical correctness; however, your language, grammar and spelling should be equivalent to that in a classroom discussion.  (Informality at the level of Internet chat groups or text messaging is not appropriate.) Some students find it helpful to compose their discussion posts offline and paste them into the discussion window.  Also, please use the spell checker provided for each post in Blackboard (look for the ABC with the check mark next to it).

To demonstrate your understanding of the readings and discussions:

  • Answers should be based on the required readings and discussions.

  • Please seek clarification if you don't understand the reading and/or the assignment question.

  • Students should ask and answer questions about readings and assignments publicly, in the Class Discussions, to help out everyone in our learning community.

  • The other students and the Mentor should be able to learn from reading the discussion. In class discussion, students should:

    • Make their initial posts as thoughtful as possible

    • Accept and encourage other students to learn by actively joining in the critique and comments

    • Be capable of providing polite and appropriate public criticism and publicly defending their claims

 

Criteria for Grading Discussion Participation

Your discussion contributions and leadership are graded subjectively, based on the following factors:

  • Quality of contribution: "Me too" comments and quips that add life to a discussion are welcome, but they carry no particular weight. Comments with content that reflects your having read the assignments carry weight, and comments which reflect reading, understanding and analyzing the assigned readings carry the most weight.
     

  • Regularity of contribution: Grades are not solely based on the number of contributions, but this class is heavily based in readings and discussion. Therefore, if you are not a regular contributor with quality contributions, it reflects less credit on you and your involvement in the course.  Provide citation of articles and resources, including author, date, title and URL.
     

  • Number of course accesses: The instructor checks course statistics regularly to see who is accessing the course. Grading is not based solely on the number of course accesses, but when one student has accessed the discussion area 150 times at the end of the term and another has accessed it only 20 times, it is apparent that there is a clear disparity in the degree to which those students have dedicated their time and attention to the course.
     

Academic integrity: It is presumed that all work submitted is the original work of the participant whose name appears on it and was prepared originally for this course. Plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty are subject to academic penalties ranging from no credit for the assignment to a failing grade for the course.

Course Outline

Module I:
Digital Video Tools

·        Digital Video Equipment options

·        Video Formats and their purposes

·        Production vocabulary and terminology

·        Encoding formats

·        Evolution of Digital Video

·        Interfaces and cables

·        Storage media

·        Digital Video Cameras

·        Post-Production Software and Hardware

 

Activities

-             1-1 Digital video evolution and background - Where has digital video come from?  Is it stable or is it constantly changing?  How is it changing?  Review some of the background and history of television and video, then find a new Internet Video site.  Post the URL for the new site you have found.  Imagine where video may lead in the next year or so.  Describe the evolution of video (in your own words) and relate the Video site you found to your vision for the future.

-              1-2 Digital video primer - Quiz - Study the various formats, standards, storage media, interfaces and production terminology, from the course resources (Blackboard Resources) and the reading:  "A Digital Video Primer: An Introduction to DV Production, Post-Production, and Delivery", then take the quiz.  You may take the quiz as often as you like to get a perfect score.

-              1-3  Equipment and Software proposal.  Review equipment available to you to produce your final project.  You may list equipment and software available in university labs or in your office or home.  Select the equipment and software you would like to use for your final project and make a proposal list.
 

-              1-4  Your Video Profile - Create a short video introduction of yourself.  Include your interests, with at least one cultural interest and at least one favorite film, describing why these are significant.  Submit your profile to YouTube.com.
 

-              1-5 Reading Reflection.  Select a reading based on the topics in this module, think about the value of the reading, then report back to us regarding the good and bad aspects of the reading.  Each module has one reading reflection activity.  Select your own reading, or use one of the suggested readings from the module.  Be sure to make an appropriate reference to the online resource.  Here is the style guide:

Humanities Style:  Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Document." Title of  Complete Work [if applicable]. Version or File Number [if  applicable]. Document date or date of last revision [if  different from access date].  Protocol and URL address (date of access).

For example:  Cohen, Laura. "DV cameras." Video Equipment Review.  Updated: November 2006. University at Albany, Library.  Online: http://library.albany.edu/internet/ (2006).

Module II:
Digital Video Production Process

·        Stages of production

·        Project management

·        Scriptwriting process

·        Digital video technical features and options

·        Effects and titles

·        Audio production

·        Post-production

·        Standards

 

Activities

-              2-1 Project Proposal and Timeline.  Submit a treatment and timeline for your final project.  Include a short description of the project, production dates, individuals involved, contact information, locations and issues related to the shoot.  Other participants will review the proposals.  Select one and add words of encouragement or a suggestion to the proposed idea.  Class participants may choose to join one proposal and produce a team project.  The team approach is optional.  You may do an individual or team project.

-              2-2 Fantasy Project with Fantasy Features.  Describe a project you would produce, if budget, time and gravity were not a limitation.  Briefly describe the project, and list the technical effects and features your would need to produce the project.  If possible use links to examples or describe how the technical feature would be used.

-              2-3  Interview Short.  Use a microphone to interview an individual.  Mix music into the background.  The short should not be longer than 60 seconds.  You may use this clip in your final project.

-              2-4  Music Short.  Use a short clip of music and edit images to the beat of the music.  The images may be moving video or still images.  Include at least one superimposed title and one digital effect.  The music should be edited to no more than 60 seconds.  You may use this clip in your final project.

Module III:
Strategies

·        Equipment and software evaluation

·        Production tricks and tips

·        Copyright and Digital Rights Management (DRM)

·        Ownership of media elements.

·        Digital Millennium Copyright Act

·        Stock libraries for sound, music, images and video

Activities

-              3-1  Equipment and Software Comparisons.  Search for and review an Internet site, focused on digital video equipment comparisons and / or software comparisons.  Share the site with others in the class and point out why you feel the site does a good job evaluating the software and/or equipment.

-              3-2 Share a Production Tip  Review ANY manual or tutorial for a piece of digital video equipment or digital video software.  Find one production tip illustrated in the material.  Share the tip in your own words, with others in the class.  Describe how you would use the production tip in your project.  Please do not copy and paste a tip or technique.  This should be your original composition.

-               3-3 Share your favorite Stock Media Library.  Review some of the stock music, image or video libraries available on the Internet.  Find one that you feel is valuable to you.  Share the URL with the students in the class, and describe the strengths and weaknesses of the site.

-               3-4 Final Project Treatment.  Continue to work on your final project idea.  Add more description and an outline of what you will do.  You may develop a draft script or provide a short story of your project.

Module IV:
Delivery

·        Role and purpose of Digital Video

·        Digital Cinematography

·        Video sharing

·        Transcending time and geography

·        Communication channels and distribution options

·        Sharing resources

·        Create and distribute a project

 

Activities

-              4-1 Final Project  -  Create a video more than 2 minutes and less than 5 minutes.  The video will be shot and edited according to your treatment, (Activity 2-1) which may be revised.  Submit your video to any distribution channel of your choice.  Share the link to your video with others in the class, and ask for feedback. 

-              4-2 Peer Review  -  Review the projects completed by the other class participants.  Choose two projects, and provide your critical review.  Find something you like about the project and one thing you would have done differently. 

-              4-3 Digital Video Internet Sites  -  Digital video on the web is evolving very rapidly. There are new sites, everyday! Find a Digital Video site.  Review the digital video site. Does the site have a "hidden agenda?" How does the site make money or promote an organization. What is the purpose of the site? Who is responsible for the site? Do they have other sites?
.

Bibliography

Nick Timeraos (July 6 2006). Free, Legal and Ignored. WSJ.com (Wall Street Journal). Retrieved on 2006-11-27.

Digital Video Post Forum (Apple) http://www.postforum.com/forums/

Shure Audio Technical Library http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/TechLibrary/EducationalArticles/index.htm

Greg Marten (July 24 2006). Teaching & Learning with Digital Video http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listdvma.html

Andy Rush (2005) Digital Video Primer https://www.umw.edu/training/inte/multimedia/video/tutorial/digitize.htm
 

Tutorials:

 

Begin the course by going to the Orientation on the HOME PAGE.

Course URL:  https://blackboard.umkc.edu/index.html

If you do not know your username and password, look it up here:
 http://www.umkc.edu/is/infoPortals/students.asp