Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Develop project ideas, treatments, and other pre-production materials, and produce an idea as high quality finished video product.
2. Apply continuity and composition values to video production projects.
3. Set up and use professional video recording gear, lighting and audio recording equipment at an intermediate-level in the field for narrative production.
4. Edit digital media at an intermediate-level using industry standard non-linear editing software.
5. Use basic sound and lighting design techniques, concepts, and tools to measure light, color and sound.
6. Work effectively as a member of a video production crew at an intermediate-level.

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. Guest speakers and field trips to media production facilities or other industry related events will provide students with a broader understanding of the video industry. 

Student fulfillment of expected outcomes will be assessed using:  video and audio assignments; written quizzes; written assignments; practical exams in which the student demonstrates hands-on skills and abilities; observation by production staff  

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

1.       PRE-PRODUCTION
1.1.    Production files/packets:  including release forms, activity/telephone logs, treatment, production schedule, budget estimate, script, correspondence and all other supporting production materials.
1.2.    Script formats.   

2.       COMPRESSION
2.1.    Theory of video and audio compression.
2.2.    Optimal recording of video and audio for compression.
2.3.    Compression software.
2.4.    Preparing and transferring video and audio files for Internet distribution.  

3.       FIELD PRODUCTION MODE
3.1.    Refining the responsibilities and techniques of field video crew positions:  camera operator, sound recordist/boom operator, production assistant, and director.
3.2.    Refining set-up, operation and striking of the equipment associated with each of the above crew positions.
3.3.    Refining efficient and effective communication on the set. 

4.       VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
4.1.    Purpose and use of color bars, waveform monitor, and vector scopes;
4.2.    Calibrating NTSC monitor.
4.3.    Current and emerging video technologies and issues.  

5.       SOUND RECORDING
5.1.    Digital audio theory.
5.2.    Recording in the studio.
5.3.    Recording in the field.  

6.       LIGHTING
6.1.    Review of field and studio lighting instruments.
6.2.    Intermediate level concepts in measuring light.
6.3.    Review of basic 3-point lighting set-ups.
6.4.    Expanded lighting set-ups in the studio.   

7.       NONLINEAR EDITING
7.1.    Intermediate level techniques including compositing and keying.
7.2.    Intermediate level techniques for managing and archiving media.
7.3.    Improving editing workflow.   

8.       AUDIO EDITING
8.1.    Audio editing in the postproduction workflow;
8.2.    The basic hardware components of a nonlinear audio editing system;
8.3.    The basic use of a nonlinear audio editing program in creating finished audio projects;
8.4.    Basic audio editing concepts.