The Art of Visual Storytelling
JRNL 4684/5684
Imagine the Possibilities!
From the Latin translation, photography is the art of writing with light. Editing is joining images together to expand or compress time and alternate points of view.
CMCI: http://www.colorado.edu/cmci/
Fridays, 9am to 11:30am, Armory 218
Instructor:
Paul Daugherty
Office: Armory 203A
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 9 to 11am
Office Phone: 303-492-0867
Mobile Phone: 303-588-5894
Email: Paul.Daugherty@colorado.edu
Today's job market is highly competitive, which
is why it’s crucial to build a portfolio that makes you stand out in the crowd.
Showcasing your skills says more about you than what is said on paper. So
before you start looking for a broadcast or video production gig, increase your
worth by showing what you're made of!
In The Art of Visual Storytelling you
will get hands-on practical experience that will enhance your storytelling
abilities through creative camera work and well-paced editing. You will learn
about the workflow used by professionals that will greatly accelerate your production work. Also, you will get to learn the basics of Adobe After Effects, the
motion graphics software that production houses and TV stations are
using.
Each class is taught using a combination of
lecture, video examples and exercises. Group projects will mirror professional
team dynamics, but there will also be individual projects as well. Upon
completion of Advanced Camera and Editing, you will be able to:
- Understand cinematic language
- Know short-cuts to Adobe Premiere
- Learn the basics of After Effects
- Develop time-saving workflow skills that are used by professionals
- Understand how to use lighting and depth of field to enhance interviews
- Demonstrate storytelling skills and the use of the focus statement
- Learn to collaborate and effectively communicate
- Apply the standards of broadcast excellence to your video, audio and editing
- Know how to critically evaluate video productions
- Acquire resume material for your portfolio
- Publish your work
About Me
Paul
Daugherty is an award-winning public affairs producer and documentary
filmmaker. He has a master's in broadcast news and management from CU
and worked over 20 years in the profession, the majority spent
at Rocky Mountain PBS where he produced, photographed and edited
numerous public
affairs shows. His speciality is producing nature and science
documentaries and educational videos and is avidly interested in science
communication, which involves science outreach to the public. Paul is
the faculty adviser for the
Emmy-winning student-produced video podcast series, CU Science Update.
His original documentaries include Jump Steak, about the issues and concerns surrounding the human consumption of
kangaroos; the reality series Zoo Keeper Journal, (shot in Africa,
Australia, and New Zealand); Space Class, an educational series produced in conjunction with NASA partners; Project
Pisces, a NASA/ University of Hawaii at Hilo collaboration to develop
habitation structures on the moon; Urban Ark – The Story of the Denver Zoo;
the Emmy-winning Colorado.Now public affairs series and the historical documentary series Rocky Mountain
Legacy. Paul also worked as a photographer/editor on Covering Columbine,
a documentary and DART Foundation project that covered the topic of
reporting trauma; Paul is a Colorado native, but
has family in Wellington, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia. He has an
adopted
koala named Belvedere, who lives in Australia's Ballarat Wildlife
Sanctuary
just north of Melbourne. His next projects include a documentary about
CubeSats, alternative agriculture and, in development, a documentary
about the secret life of echidnas and their value to Australia's
ecosystems.
How best to Contact Me
Preferred choice Email, but replies may be delayed, yet I
try to respond within 48 hours.
Class Expectations
You will be evaluated based on your participation
in class, your professionalism, the content, execution and creativity of your
work, quizzes, pop quizzes, exams and meeting deadlines. However, simply
fulfilling these requirements will not earn you an A. To get an A you need to
do Exemplary work, not just in your efforts, but also in the end product.
Grading
I will
evaluate your work based on the following criteria: Exemplary, Proficient,
Partially Proficient and Unsatisfactory. In the end, the work you do will be
seen by the public, therefore, it needs to uphold professional standards. Doing
Exemplary work is a reflection of these standards and not only will it help you
get noticed by prospective employers, it’s the only way will get you
an A in this course. To help you succeed, I hope to establish
a rapport with you, and inspire you to go the extra mile. I look forward to
working with each of you individually to help steer you in the direction of
your career path. Click to learn more about grading.
This class has 10 assignments and 5 exams (quizzes and 1 midterm - no final). See the link with detail about the assignments:
Each assignment is worth 10 points with the exception of the Mini-Documentary, which will be worth 100.
Each quiz is worth 10 points and the midterm is worth 100.
Total possible points in the class: 330
Please see your instructor on a regular basis to consult about grades and to get more in-depth feedback on your work.
Attendance
Showing up for class and
participating in its activities is important to make the course work
meaningful. But not showing up or being consistently late reflects poorly on
your professionalism and it disrupts class. I will give you one free day, (unexcused
absence) without penalty, but beyond that, an unexcused absence will lead to lost
points from missed in-class assignments and activities that you won't be able
to make up. Attendance is mandatory, but life happens. I trust you’ll make
the right decisions. If you must miss class, then you're required to inform me in
advance so I can help you make other accommodations.
Communication
When you are involved in group
projects, make sure that when other students try to contact you that you
respond promptly. Much of what you do in the profession involves working in
teams. If something goes wrong with your assignment and
impacts whether you can turn it in on time, then you must communicate the
problem at the earliest opportunity. Confusion, tension, frustration all set in
when we don’t communicate and the process of doing assignments and running a
class becomes even harder.
Deadlines
Assignments serve to help you
develop your skills, but they also provide lessons in time management. Getting
a late start on your assignment could result in half-hearted efforts, which
show in the final product. Your effort is considered in the grade, but the end
product is considered more important, and it demonstrates whether you fully grasped
the material. Extensions are granted only if there is a compelling reason.
Otherwise, I do not accept late work.
Professionalism
You want to show qualities that
characterise this profession both in terms of your work and in your conduct.
You may look the part of a student now, but when you know you’re going to
appear on camera, make a conscious effort to look the part of a professional. It doesn’t have to be business attire or
formal wear, but looking well-groomed and tailored gives you credibility in the
eyes of employers and the public who might actually get to see some of what you
do in this class.
Use of
Mobile Devices
Don’t
abuse the privilege of using laptops, tablets and mobile phones in class. I
welcome innovative ways to use mobile technology in the classroom, but only if
it's relevant to the course. What’s not relevant is Facebook browsing, online
shopping or watching sports events or YouTube videos, which can also be
disruptive to students sitting near you. There are times I will simply ask
everyone to put away their mobile devices or just switch them off. Please
honour that.
Reflect Diversity In Your Work
This class is making a conscious effort to prepare you for professional
work in diverse and inclusive media environments. Reflecting diversity in
journalistic storytelling will convey greater accuracy and fairness, helping
individuals in our audience see themselves in others. Consider ways you can
incorporate diversity in your assignments, which will compel fair treatment of
sources and to encourage the practice of empathy and compassion, allowing us to
reach new, diverse audiences.
We take diversity and inclusiveness seriously at the CMCI. In several ways, excellence in journalism is impossible without intentional and careful attention to diversity issues. But there are also legal requirements that faculty and students are expected to follow:
- Discrimination And Harassment - The University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. CU-Boulder will not tolerate acts of discrimination or harassment based upon Protected Classes or related retaliation against or by any employee or student. For purposes of this CU-Boulder policy, "Protected Classes" refers to race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSC) at 303-492-5550. Information about the OIEC, the above referenced policies, and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be found at the OIEC website. The full policy on discrimination and harassment contains additional information.
- Accommodation For Disabilities - If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to your professor a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by e-mail at dsinfo@colorado.edu. If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Injuries guidelines under the Quick Links at the Disability Services website and discuss your needs with your professor.
- Religious Holidays - Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. Please indicate, within the first two weeks of the semester, whether you are going to be absent due to religious observances. See campus policy regarding religious observances for full details.
- Honour Code - All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behaviour. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honour Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Additional information regarding the Honor Code policy can be found online and at the Honor Code Office.
- Classroom Behaviour - Students and faculty each have a responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioural standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, colour, culture, religion, creed, politics, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. We will gladly honour your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise us of this preference early in the semester so that we may make appropriate changes to our records. For more information, see the policies on classroom behavior and the student code.
- Disruptive Behaviour - If you address your concerns and criticisms constructively, then I’m willing to listen. But I won’t tolerate any disruptive behavior that includes openly belligerent challenges towards me personally or class policy that undermines the learning environment. If any student displays brash insolence, my policy is to first meet with that student to address their attitude and arrive at an amicable solution. But if their behavior persists, I will not hesitate to report the student to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
Grading