Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion students should be able to:
Use digital video cameras, sound recording, and video lighting equipment at a basic technical level.
Utilize identified individual characteristics that allow a video production crew to work effectively as a team.
Plan the organization of procedures, techniques, and materials necessary for a video production.

Materials will be presented via lectures, demonstrations, and reading assignments.  Students will learn and demonstrate their abilities through hands-on assignments and participation on video production crews

Student fulfillment of expected outcomes will be assessed using:  

• A series of short video assignments;

• Written quizzes;

• Written assignments;

• Practical exams in which the student demonstrates hands-on skills and abilities;

• Observation by the instructor and other Productions staff.

The following technologies, skills, and concepts will be covered and/or demonstrated:   

1.       IDEAS AND STRUCTURE
1.1.    Techniques for creating, researching and developing video project ideas.
1.2.    Standard narrative story structure as applied to all genres.   

2.       PREPRODUCTION
2.1.    Proposal and treatment writing.
2.2.    Storyboarding.
2.3.    Shot lists and camera diagrams.
2.4.    Location scouting.   

3.       FIELD PRODUCTION MODE
3.1.    Basic responsibilities and techniques of field video crew positions:  camera operator, production assistant, and director.
3.2.    Set-up, operation and striking of the equipment associated with each of the above crew positions.
3.3.    Communicating efficiently and effectively on the set.  

4.       VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
4.1.    Identification, set-up and use of the component parts of a professional video camera including white balance, exposure, and lens controls.
4.2.    Basics of digital and analog video technology from acquisition through distribution and/or broadcast.
4.3.    The identification, set-up and use of video playback and recording devices and media.
4.4.    The identification and use of video cables and connectors.  

5.       CAMERA SUPPORT
5.1.    Identification, set-up, use and striking of tripods.  

6.       VISUAL COMPOSITION
6.1.    The relationships between lenses and visual composition.
6.2.    Standard techniques, concepts, and terminology of visual composition and framing.
6.3.    Standard techniques, concepts, and terminology of camera movement.  

7.       CONTINUITY
7.1.    The principle of temporal-spatial continuity.
7.2.    Techniques for achieving continuity from the camera through the editing process. 

8.       SOUND RECORDING
8.1.    Microphone characteristics, types, selection, and placement;
8.2.    Recording sound to a camera;
8.3.    Audio cables and connectors;  

9.       LIGHTING
9.1.    Identification, set-up, use and striking of field and studio lighting instruments and accessories.
9.2.    Basic concepts in measuring light.
9.3.    Basic 3-point lighting set-ups.
9.4.    Preparation of basic lighting plans.
9.5.    Ladder and lighting instrument safety.   

10.   EDITING
10.1. Workflow in the postproduction phase;
10.2. The basic hardware components of a nonlinear editing system;
10.3. The basic use of a nonlinear editing program in creating finished video projects;
10.4. Basic editing concepts, including cutting for continuity.