MA C168 Digital Cinematography

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a course in digital cinema planning and production through hands-on experience. Course topics include digital cinema as a distinct form of artistic expression; an investigation of the aesthetic, technological, economic, and social factors that contributed to the evolution of digital cinema; logistics, scriptwriting, sound recording, film and sound editing; and methods by which the visual and aural elements may be organized. The roles and responsibilities of the digital cinema producer will be examined, including; skills and knowledge required in developing, budgeting, managing, producing, and distributing programs.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completing this course, the student will:

1. Examine and categorize the significant events in the development of digital cinema.
2. Evaluate commercial digital cinematography, addressing; social content, historical significance and artistic technique.
3. Compare the foundations of creative writing, character development, stage direction, performance direction, set design, set lighting, camera technique, and sound design.
4. Visualize and implement a digital cinema storyboard that visually depicts the plot and determines the art style of the film.
5. Visualize, plan, edit and produce a digital film.
6. Plan and implement the distribution of a digital program.

DETAILED TOPICAL OUTLINE

1. Digital Cinematography
   1. Language of Film
   2. Aesthetics
   3. Film Genres
      • Film Noir
      • Horror
      • Cartoons and Comedy
      • Cinema Verite
   4. Production Processes
2. Pre-Production
   1. Concept and Script Development
   2. Storyboarding
   3. Production, Planning and Management
   4. Proposals and Budgets
3. Lighting
   1. Instruments
   2. Positions
   3. Motivated Lighting
   4. Modifiers
   5. Special Effects
   6. Interior
      • Natural Light
      • Artificial Light
      • Mixed Light
   7. Exterior
      • Daytime
      • Nighttime
      • Outer Space
      • Water
4. Camera
   1. Lenses
   2. Placement
   3. Angle
   4. Roll
   5. Depth of Field
5. Motion
   1. Camera Movements
   2. Animating Lights
6. Characters
   1. Lighting
   2. Framing
7. Color
   1. Chroma Scheme
   2. Time of Day
   3. Mood
8. Production and Distribution

READINGS

Digital Cinematography by Ben de Leeuw, Academic Press.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Reading Assignments: The text book reading assignments will be discussed in class in order to assist the student in developing a sequential theoretical understanding of the techniques and processes required to accomplish the computer based laboratory assignments.
   
2. Typical Writing Assignments: Write a short digital cinema concept treatment, write a short script, and write a critique of a commercial production.
   
3. Typical Outside Assignments: Draw character and layout storyboard sketches, research current trends in the industry, or visit a production studio and observe the processes of filmmaking.

TYPICAL EVALUATION AND GRADING SCALE

Students will be evaluated based on planning projects, digital cinema projects, written quizzes, and a written exam. In order to achieve a grade of "C" in this course, the student must complete all assigned projects.

Typical evaluation criteria may include:
Planning Project 10%
Digital Cinema Production 60%
Quizzes 20%
Final Exam. 10%
Total 100 %

A typical grading scale is:
90-100% A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
0-59% F

6.23.2003

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