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Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise Instructor: Javier Armijo Email: [email protected] Rm. 206 Website: www.thesae.k12.ca.us M-TH 2:32 – 3:25pm ______________________________________________________________________________________ Course Description Filmmaking is designed to survey and develop mastery of important subjects in digital media that support the understanding and acquisition of filmmaking and photography skills at the senior/advanced levels. Students will explore elements of visual narrative storytelling and develop a hands-on, working understanding of how these elements interrelate to create meaning and impact in visual storytelling. The year is divided into thematic units covering Screenwriting, Photography, Filmmaking, Editing and Film Theory. It will move between formal lecture presentations, hands on demonstrations and group projects/exercises aimed at developing mastery of concepts learned in class. Projects in this class will be both group based and individual. It is important to note that students in Filmmaking are seen as producers of content for SAE’s first annual film festival in May. It is important to engage in each project with the understanding that it may very well be selected and presented before a live movie-going audience. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: ! Understand short and feature length film structures and identify devices employed to keep visual plots moving. ! Utilize a variety of structures to brainstorm short film narratives and take them from visualization to proper screenwriting format using CeltX screenwriting software. ! Distinguish and describe the effects of important simultaneous elements of visual narratives (lighting, photographic elements, editing, sound, color, mise en scene).

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Page 1: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

   Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise Instructor: Javier Armijo Email: [email protected] Rm. 206 Website: www.thesae.k12.ca.us M-TH 2:32 – 3:25pm ______________________________________________________________________________________ Course Description Filmmaking is designed to survey and develop mastery of important subjects in digital media that support the understanding and acquisition of filmmaking and photography skills at the senior/advanced levels. Students will explore elements of visual narrative storytelling and develop a hands-on, working understanding of how these elements interrelate to create meaning and impact in visual storytelling. The year is divided into thematic units covering Screenwriting, Photography, Filmmaking, Editing and Film Theory. It will move between formal lecture presentations, hands on demonstrations and group projects/exercises aimed at developing mastery of concepts learned in class. Projects in this class will be both group based and individual. It is important to note that students in Filmmaking are seen as producers of content for SAE’s first annual film festival in May. It is important to engage in each project with the understanding that it may very well be selected and presented before a live movie-going audience. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

! Understand short and feature length film structures and identify devices employed to keep visual plots moving.

! Utilize a variety of structures to brainstorm short film narratives and take

them from visualization to proper screenwriting format using CeltX screenwriting software.

! Distinguish and describe the effects of important simultaneous elements of

visual narratives (lighting, photographic elements, editing, sound, color, mise en scene).

Page 2: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

! Visualize a production concept, collaborate effectively to meet deadlines and

assume the roles of director, camera operator, editor, writer and talent.

! Use a Canon DSLR for stills/video and choose settings in Manual Mode appropriate to the needs of any given project.

! Use Final Cut X editing software and understand post-production workflow.

! Use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to import, process and export still

photographs for use in SAE events, exhibitions and in online contexts. Class Texts All class texts/resources are for reference only. Copies will be provided through the class website or distributed in class.

" Brown, Blaine. Cinematography: Theory and Practice- Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors and Videographers. Amsterdam: Focal Press, 2002.

" Koo, Ryan. The DSLR Cinematography Guide. Nofilmschool.com, 2012.

" Irving, David and Rea, Peter. Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video,

4th Edition. Amsterdam: Focal Press, 2010.

" Cooper, Pat and Dancyger, Ken. Writing The Short Film, 3rd Edition. Amsterdam: Focal Press, 2005.

" Pirolini, Alessandro. The Language of Filmmaking: A Multimedia Introduction

to the Language and Theory of Filmmaking. UCLA: 2011.

" American Cinematographer Magazine, various issues 2010-2014.

" Moguls and Movie Stars. TMC, 2010.

" Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING: Mastery Learning is an instructional approach that is designed to help all students improve their learning. Some key aspects of mastery learning include:

! Learning objectives will be transparent from the first day of a unit and on each assignment.

! Students will have opportunities to track and reflect on their progress on the standards.

! Formative assessments are opportunities for students to practice the

Page 3: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

standards. ! Summative assessments are the primary factor in academic grades. ! Multiple summative assessments that address various learning styles should

be used. ! Grades are based solely on mastery of academic standards and UNLOCK skills ! Students must earn a C to pass a course; D’s are not given.

STANDARDS-BASED GRADING: The SAE has adopted the Mastery Learning model of standards-based grading. Students are evaluated based solely on specific academic standards and UNLOCK skills. Students will no longer be given points for simply completing work or participating. Student must demonstrate their knowledge and abilities on a variety of different assessments (quizzes, oral presentations, quizzes, discussions, tests, essays, reports, projects, presentations, portfolios.) Students are evaluated on a 4-point rubric:

4 or 3.5 Advanced 3 Proficient 2.5 Approaching Proficient 2 Basic 1.5 or 1 Below Basic

Formative vs. Summative Assessment For the purpose of Mastery Learning, it is important to recognize the difference between “summative” and “formative” assessments. Formative Assessments are given during the instructional process and are intended to be practice assessments. Formative assessments tell a teacher how students are progressing toward the learning goals and help students understand and track their progress towards standards mastery. Formative assessments are included in the gradebook, but are replaced by summative assessments. Students are given ample chances to retake formative assessments. Summative Assessments are given at the end of units to determine what a student knows and is able to do. Students take summative assessments after feedback from formative assessments have been given. Retakes on summative assessments or alternative assessments are limited as determined by teachers. Students will be given an appropriate time period to re-take summative assessments, not to exceed two weeks.

Final Course Mark Grade Scale for Mastery Learning A student’s final course grade should be an accurate reflection the level of standards that have been mastered by the end of the course. Because multiple assessments and retake opportunities are given, teacher grade books will only calculate the most recent summative assessments of standards. As a general guide, teachers should include in their final grade calculation at least one (1) traditional assessment (multiple choice, paper/pencil, essay, etc.) and at least one (1) authentic assessment (project-based, arts-integrated, presentation, performance, etc.). Final grades will be an average of the most recent assessment of each standard as well as UNLOCK

Page 4: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

Skill assessments. UNLOCK Skills will count for about 10% of the final grade for academic courses. Please Note: Students must complete formative assessments to be eligible to take summative assessment.

Final Course Mark Percentage Bands A 85-100% B 70-84% C 60-69% No Credit (Fail) 0-59% The SAE does NOT allow a D to be used as a final course mark because we are a college preparatory school and a D is not an acceptable grade for college preparatory course work. 21st Century Learning skills is an important part of educating students for college and career readiness and are represented by The SAE’s UNLOCK Skills. UNLOCK skills are formally assessed as a part of the final grade in students’ courses. A Note on Quarterly Progress Reporting for Mastery Learning Please note that in the Mastery Learning model, a student’s grade shows the level of Mastery they have achieved on specific standards in that content area. It is NOT necessarily an indication of how hard a student is working or how well they behave in class. If a student is failing (below 60%) for the overall course at the quarter, please refer to the individual progress report or grade book entries from that teacher in the online portal to see which standards the student needs more practice or help with during tutoring. (If you have trouble accessing the online portal, please call The SAE main office for assistance.) It is entirely appropriate that the student may not yet have a passing grade because the course is only half over at the quarter progress report. Mastering knowledge and skills happens over time, with many opportunities for application and practice. Students will have opportunities to retake assessments and therefore show their mastery of skills and knowledge as the semester continues. Please refer to teachers’ grade level policy for retakes. Mastery Learning hugely improves student success in high school, and preparation for college; based on research, Mastery Learning makes a difference in students’ lives. Common Misconceptions about Mastery Learning Key aspects of mastery learning can sometimes be simplified to the point of not being correct. It is important to clearly explain the concept of mastery learning to students, and to reinforce the aspects of mastery learning consistently throughout the school year. Some examples of common misconceptions about mastery learning include:

Page 5: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

• “Only tests count toward my grade.” – Teachers will use multiple summative assessments (e.g., traditional tests, essays, reports, performance assessments, projects, oral examinations) to measure student proficiency. Formative assessments drive student learning and summative assessments display what they know.

• “I don’t need to do classwork or homework anymore because they don’t

count toward my grade.” – Mastery Learning is about student depth of understanding. This is achieved through different kinds of evaluations. Homework and classwork can be summative or formative assessments, depending on the teacher’s discretion and needs of the students. Both homework and classwork may be entered into grade books as part of the final grade.

• “I can turn in work late/I have as many chances as I want to re-try

completing summative assessments.” – Late work may not always be accepted as determined by teachers and the nature of the assessment. Students must be given additional practice or support (i.e. mandatory tutoring) prior to retaking summative assessments. The number of retakes allowed is limited as determined by the teacher. Students will be given an appropriate time period to re-take summative assessments, not to exceed two weeks.

• “I don’t test well, so I won’t perform well under this system.” – Feedback

from formative assessments as well as multiple assessment types support students who are challenged with traditional test taking.

Some important tips for parents: • Ask students each day about what standards were covered in their

classes. • Ask students when their next summative (end of unit) assessments will

be. • Ask students to explain their proficiency level on the standards for their

classes. • Ask students to review at home the standards that they are the weakest

in. • Ask students to show you evidence that they are proficient at a

standard. Please contact us for further explanation or examples of your child’s progress or the Mastery Learning process.

Page 6: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

CLASS/SCHOOL PROJECTS The following is a short list of the units/concepts covered during this course. Each unit will specify standards being taught/assessed and will be accompanied by rubrics and plenty of class time to learn content and put it to practice.

• Short Film Structures/Screenwriting • Still Stories and Photography • Filmmaking/Cinematography/Production • The 5 Shot Film • Editing/Final Cut X • Personal Films (1, 3 and 5 minute films) • Film History/Theory and Analysis • Special Projects as assigned

All content created during this course will be eligible for consideration as an entry into SAE’s first annual film festival, held in May 2017. It is important to remember that for every project, having it presented on a big screen before a captive movie-going audience is a very real possibility. Students should always approach their work with this in mind. More details for our film festival will be disseminated during class including duties and roles needed to prepare. EQUIPMENT CHECK OUT When it comes time to use school cameras, lighting or other filmmaking technology during class time, it is imperative that students use proper check out protocols. Students will use their student ID to reserve equipment for use it during class time and for weekend equipment check-outs. Not all grade levels will be eligible to use equipment on weekends and priority is given to upper classes and those who make reservations early. More details about equipment check out will be given in class. BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS / WORK ETHIC It is the expectation that all students will be respectful of teaching and learning in all classes at The SAE. Be mindful of:

Excessive talking Disrespect/not listening Not trying/sleeping Cell phone/internet use

Always try to be/have:

Professionalism – your team needs you. The SAE needs you. On time Foresight

Page 7: Filmmaking The School of Arts and Enterprise · " Popular Photography, Ultimate Photo Guide. Bonnier Corporation. 2011. Grading Policies MASTERY LEARNING AND STANDARDS-BASED GRADING:

TARDIES ABSENCES Per school policy, after a 3rd tardy, students will be referred to administration and may face Saturday school requirements. Absences must be excused. If an important assignment or test was missed due to an absence, see the teacher about making up what was missing. HALL PASSES Students may occasionally be excused to use the restroom or may be needed in the office or by another teacher. It is imperative that students have hall passes at all times when not in class. They need to be signed by a teacher/administrator. With respect to restroom use, it is the expectation that students will use restrooms during breaks. It is a disruption of class to seek a pass for the restroom and should only be used in case of emergencies. Signatures confirming that students/parents have received and understand these agreements and policies - with your help and cooperation, your year learning and growth in this course will be accelerated and of great value in the years to come. Thank you and welcome to class! Student:___________________________________________ Date:_______________________ Parent:____________________________________________ Date:_______________________