Advanced Video Camera and Editing

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