J282 Introduction to TV News

J-282 INTRODUCTION TO TV REPORTING AND PRODUCING Cover Sheet

This fall semester class meets twice a week as the first of a two-semester core course in the TV/Doc Program. It is required of all students who want to produce their Master’s Projects in Long Form Television or Documentary. The first class begins once J200 Boot Camps end. The course is structured around 3 modules: 1) proficiency in several technical production skills that are critical to the editorial process of television news story telling; 2) pitching, reporting, writing and structuring the 2-minute television news story; 3) production of a half-hour television news program.

Absences: Two absences are allowed in this class. Accommodation will be made for illness.

Successful completion of this fall class is required to enroll in J283 Advanced TV Reporting and Producing in the spring semester.

Module #1
Technical Sessions: Proficiency in Avid editing software and camera/sound/lighting skills
Weeks 5 to 10 are devoted to learning:
Avid editing software - 4 sessions, 4 quizzes and a final examination
The Panasonic HPX Variacam and tripod *
THE SONY NX70 and tripod*
Possibly a DSLR (5D or 7D) camera
Lab facilities
Audio room – recording narration
Wireless mic*
Lavalier and stick mics*
Lighting Equipment
*There will be audio and camera quizzes

Module #2
Writing, pitching and story telling skills
Weeks 11 - 13 are devoted to:
Basic writing and reporting for television,
Principles of the pitch including timeliness and access,
Story development – Work-shopping each story on its merits
Pre-production needs: interviewing; shooting sequences as b-roll; appropriate use of the on camera stand-up

Module #3
Program Production
Weeks 13- 15 are devoted to:
Story production based on approved pitches, production and scripts with faculty as senior producers.

The December program – Three student producers create the program - determine the look, elements, story position and final editorial content. The program will be screened at the J-school December 5.

Complete syllabus attached.

INTRODUCTION TO TV REPORTING AND PRODUCING
WEDNESDAY 4:30 – 7:30 PM – some classes 1hr longer; some 1hr shorter.
FRIDAY 10:00-12 noon
TV Lab or Lower News Room

Faculty: Joan Bieder, Dan Krauss, Linda Schacht, Mike Shen
GSRs: Maggie Beidelman, Kate Elston, Derek Lartaud, Ryan Loughlin, Julia Marshall, Amina Waheed
Specialist: Carl Nasman
Electronic Technician Supervisor: Kean Sakata

Text: The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Scroeppel
WEEK 1-4
NO MEETING

WEEK 5 ALL CLASS MEETING IN LIBRARY
NOTE: THIS EXTENDED CLASS MEETS FROM 4:30-8:30 PM.
WED Sept 19 4:30-5:30 pm Avid Workflow with Kean and GSRs
5:30-8:30 pm Basic Camera operations with Dan Krauss ,
Panasonic HPX 500 Includes exposure; color temperature; filters; white balance; camera operation as well as understanding the axis; interview framing and basic sequence
Review and sign insurance forms.
Sign up for camera practice in groups of 3 w/GSRs

Assignment #1, due Tuesday night, Sept 25th:
In groups of three, practice using the large camera with GSRs. Learn how to check out equipment and create a shot list. Each person should shoot at least 7 minutes of footage, including shots of another student walking out of frame and doing an activity outdoors such as eating lunch, locking up a bike, using a computer, etc. GSRs show students how to transfer footage to drive in field and then create a backup on student’s individual Xsan folder in edit rooms. Critique the footage with your GSR in TV Lab. Save the footage for Assignment #2. (Note: Assignment #2 is also due Tue night, Sept. 25th. See below).

Reading Assignment: The Bare Bones Camera book.
- Chapter 2, pp 21-26, interview composition.
- Chapter 3, pp 43-55, basic sequence.
- Chapter 4, pp 56-66, screen direction

Assignment #2, due Tuesday, Sept 25th before midnight.
Shooting assignment: Keeping the same groups of three as used in Assignment #1, shoot a five-minute interview using the camera mic (no external mic). Each person should shoot one interview of a team member on a topic of choice. Rotate the 3 roles of camera, interviewer and interviewee. Change the location for each interview. Keep in mind basic composition and framing techniques. Vary shots: wide, medium, close-up, extreme close-up. Shoot cutaways including an over the shoulder cutaway of the reporter.
Editing assignment: Each person should create a new editing project called 20120925_assignment#2_jb (only with YOUR initials at end). Save the project to your Projects folder. (Make sure to follow the file set up protocol learned in class. Ingest 15 clips from Assignment #1 and #2 (b-roll and interview). Edit a 30-60 second (max) sequence. B-roll shots should be only 3-6 seconds long.

Take Editing Quiz #1

Reading Assignment: The Bare Bones Camera book.

FRI Sept 21 Editing in Lower News Room (LNR) 10 a.m.-noon
Editing Session #1

WEEK 6
WED Sept 26 4:30 – 7:30 pm
Transferring footage and media storage with Kean
Review “The Bare Bones Camera Book”
Review Assignment #2
Basic composition, framing and sequence with Joan Bieder
Take and review Camera quiz with Kean
Learn TV lab with GSRs: Narration Room, Viewing Station, Edit Rooms
Optional: GSR available after class to review your assignment.

FRI Sept 28 Editing Session #2 in Lower News Room, 10 a.m.-noon

Assignment #3, due Tuesday, Oct 2nd before midnight:
Shooting Assignment: Use different angles and focal lengths (close, medium, wide shots) to create a coherent video sequence of a person making or doing something. Tripod is required for the majority of shots. Shoot extremely efficiently.

Editing Assignment: Create a new editing project called 20121002_assignment#3_jb (only with YOUR initials at end). Ingest and edit a 20-30 second (max) sequence of the process you shot. Choose no more than seven shots in your sequence. Then duplicate your sequence and rename it. In the new sequence, change either the position or the length of each shot using the timeline skills learned in Editing Session #2.

Take Editing Quiz #2

WEEK 7
WED Oct 3
Review Assignment #3, selected sequences.
TV Sound with Kean: camera, boom, stick and lavalier (lav) microphones
Optional: GSR is available after class to review your assignment.

FRI Oct 5 Editing Session #3 in Lower News Room, 10 a.m.-noon

Assignment #4, due Tuesday, Oct. 9th before midnight:
Shooting Assignment: Shoot at least three MOS interviews about an upcoming event or basic issue using either a lav or the stick mic. Shoot b-roll to go with your MOS.

Editing Assignment: Create a new Editing project called 20121009_assignment#4_jb (only with YOUR initials at end). Produce a short video story about a current happening or issue. Write 2 or 3 explanatory sentences (no more) for the top of the story. Record this narration in the audio room. In the edit room, ingest footage and edit a 30 second sequence using the b-roll and MOS interviews. Structure your sequence as a “VO/SOT”. Start with voiceover (your narration covered by b-roll) and end with 3 quick sound bites from the MOS footage. For your first MOS, use a split edit. When you are done editing, follow the instructions given in Avid class to do an audio mix. (Place your audio on the appropriate audio tracks and set your audio levels correctly.)
IMPORTANT: This is NOT an editorial assignment. We’re interested in building a set of basic edit decisions involved in cutting a short piece.

Take Editing Quiz #3.

WEEK 8
WED Oct 10 4:30 pm- 7:30 pm
IN TV Lab or LNR: Review Assignment #4, selected sequences
In Library: Basic Shooting with Dan Krauss and Review Sony HXR –NX70
Optional: GSR available after class to review your assignment.

FRI Oct 12 Editing Session #4 in Lower News Room, 10 a.m.-noon

Assignment #5, due Tuesday, Oct 16th before midnight:
Editing assignment: Open your Editing Project Assignment #4. Under the File menu, choose SAVE AS and call it 20121016_assignment#5_jb (only with YOUR initials at end). Close project Assignment #4. In Project Assignment #5, add the following to the sequence you edited last week:
- location super at the beginning and a ID chyrons to interviews
- Freeze the last frame for one second, then dissolve to black.
- Make the shot of the person doing something slow motion.
- Appropriate length dissolves to all the video and audio cuts.
- Render all effects.
Take Editing Quiz #4
WEEK 9
WED Oct 17 Review Assignment #5
Audio Fundamentals with Kean
Optional: GSR available after class to review assignments
.

FRI Oct 19 10:00 – noon Take and review Audio Quiz with Kean
Wireless Mics with Kean

Assignment #6, due Tuesday, Oct. 23rd before midnight:
Shooting Exercise: Using the wireless mics, shoot a 5-minute interview as well as an outdoor set up shot of the person interviewed (not a student). Make sure to shoot a reverse over-the-shoulder shot of the reporter.

Editing Exercise: Create a new Editing project called 20121023_assignment#6_jb (only with YOUR initials at end). Ingest and edit together 4 shots: the outdoor set up shot, 2 back to back sound bites, and a reverse cutaway shot over the sound bite. Create a split edit, so the first sound bite begins a few seconds under the set up shot.

Take final Editing test.

WEEK 10
WED Oct 24 Review Assignment #6, selected sequences.
Take/review Audio Quiz with Kean
Wireless Mics with Kean

Assignment #7, due Tuesday, Oct. 30th before midnight:
Shooting Exercise: In groups of 3, take camera out to practice basic camera using wireless mic. Critique footage with GSR in Edit room.

FRI Oct 26 10:00 – noon Intro Lighting Equipment with Kean

WEEK 11
WED Oct 31 4:30 pm- 6:30 pm: THE SHORT TV STORY Discuss story premise, production, interviews, access and the art of the pitch. Linda Schacht joins class.
Assignment: Develop 2 story pitches for next Wed. Be sure to have secure access to story elements. Present pitches orally from 3-5 written paragraphs.

FRI Nov 2 Special class (10am-1pm) - Lighting for TV News with Dan Krauss
Meets in Library

Assignment #8, due Tuesday, Nov 6th before midnight:
Shoot basic indoor interview using lights
WEEKS 12 – 16 SHOW PRODUCTION

WEEK 12
WED Nov 7 Review lighting examples

PITCH SESSION and
Story assignments finalized. Field production begins.

FRI Nov 9 10am-noon. Pitches and Assignments.

1pm-3pm Additional lighting workshop with Kean

WEEK 13
WED Nov 14 I. Structuring & Writing the 2-minute Television News Story
Story Updates; Choose show producers

Assignment: Prepare for On-camera session.

FRI Nov 16 10-noon.
II. Structuring & Writing the 2-minute Television News Story
Screening rushes and first cuts; crafting scripts

1pm-3pm On-Camera session with Linda Schacht
WEEK 14
WED Nov 21 III. Structuring & Writing the 2-minute Television News Story
Screening rushes and first cuts; crafting scripts

THUR NOV 22 THANKSGIVING

WEEK 15
MON Nov 26 Scripts Due

WED Nov 28 Production Meeting
Screen final cuts of stories

FRI Nov 30 10:00 – noon Screen final cuts of stories
Show Assembly Prep with Avid instructor

WEEK 16
WED Dec 5 5 P.M. SHOWTIME!!!

Restrictions and Prerequisites:
Reporting and Producing for Television: J282 and J283 comprise a fall and spring sequence that is required for incoming students who elect to concentrate in television news, magazine and documentary. Class enrollment is by waitlist only. Priority enrollment will be for students who selected TV/DOC as their first course preference. Current first year students should contact the instrutor if they are interested, space is not guaranteed.

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