Course Syllabus

 

Making the Short Film: Innovations and Practices for the Digital Age

DGMD E-42 / Spring 2015

Tuesdays 5:30pm – 7:30pm

53 Church Street Mac lab 104

 

Instructor: Allyson Sherlock

Email: allyson_sherlock@emerson.edu

Phone: 617-388-2505

 

Teaching Assistant: Nicole Hart

Email: nhart.harvard@gmail.com

 

Course Website

https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/4306

Quick Survey!

http://goo.gl/forms/B9AV572eAk 

 

Course Description

Short films are an exciting and ever-evolving form of storytelling in the digital age. This course explores the strong tradition short films have in our culture, as well as the new and innovative techniques filmmakers are currently using to tell and distribute their stories. In this course, students devote the entire semester to the creation and completion of one short film, narrative or documentary, with the intent of festival submission and/or online release. Students may work individually or partner in a collaborative team. Either way, the class serves as a support system for each student, offering advice, critiques, and resources so that each member of the class is an integral part of a fully realized short.

In addition to supporting traditional filmmaking approaches, innovative storytelling techniques are strongly welcomed and supported. These can include interactive online documentaries, hybrid approaches (blending fiction and nonfiction), webisode pilots, animations and experimental techniques. Additionally, the course will demystify the online distribution process and the film festival circuit, exploring the many avenues filmmakers can take to get their work shown to a wider audience.

  

Course Objectives

After successful completion of this course, each student will 

- Complete a short film, documentary or media-based web project.

- Gain experience applying to a film festival.

- Gain valuable feedback/critiquing skills.

- Understand a wider range of short storytelling formats/options.

  

Attendance / Class Participation:

Class participation will play a key role in the success of every student project created this semester. Therefore, it is imperative that you actively contribute during group feedback sessions and/or volunteer some level of assistance during the production or post-production of a classmate’s project. Students will also be required to watch a provided list of short films outside of class time.

 

Grading Breakdown

Creation of Script / Treatment - 20%

Completed Short film or Multi-media Project - 50%

Festival Research and Submission - 10%

Attendance / Collarboration - 20%

 

Grades

Your grade is based on the total grade from all exercises, assignments, and class attendance.

 A = 93%   B = 83%   C = 73%   D= below 70

A- = 90%   B- = 80% C- = 70% F= below 60

B+ = 87% C+ = 77%

 

 

Class Schedule

* Schedule subject to change

 

Tuesday 9/01/15

Overview of Course Schedule and Structure

Guidelines and Requirements for Scripts, Documentary Treatments, and Multimedia projects.

 

Tuesday 9/08/15

Financing Your Film: Crowdfunding and Grants

Pre-Production: Production Schedules, Budgets, Releases,

Call Sheets, Documentary Research, Fair Use

 

Tuesday 9/15/15

Rough Project Scripts and Treatments Due

Breakout Groups: Feedback Scripts and Treatments

 

Tuesday 9/22/15

Final Project Scripts and Treatments Due

Breakout Groups: Script Treatment Reviews cont.

 

Tuesday 9/29/15

Interactive Documentary and Multi-media Projects

Guest Speaker: Jeff Soyk

Co-creator Hollow Interactive Documentary

 

Tuesday 10/06/15

Lighting Plans

Audio Field Recording Plans

Equipment scheduling

 

 

Tuesday 10/13/15

Online Distribution Options for Short Films

Discussion: Webisodes, Vimeo OnDemand, Steam, et al.

Review: Contracts, E&O Insurance

 

Tuesday 10/20/15

Breakout Groups: Mid semester progress updates with peers

Footage reviews / Needs assessment

 

Tuesday 10/27/15

Discussion: The World of Film Festivals

Guest Speaker: Anna Feder

Programmer and Film Festival Specialist

 

Tuesday 11/03/15

Production / Editing Strategies for individual projects

Discussion: Weekly Screenings

 

Tuesday 11/10/15

Production / Editing Strategies for individual projects

Discussion: Weekly Screenings

 

Tuesday 11/17/15

Rough Cut Screenings

 

Tuesday 11/24/15

 

Rough Cut Screenings

 

Tuesday 12/01/15

Audio Mixing and Color Correction

 

Tuesday 12/08/15

Audio Mixing and Color Correction

 

Tuesday 12/15/15

Screening Night 5:30pm-9:30pm 
Science Center Hall E

 

 

Academic Honesty

You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic integrity (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-conduct/academic-integrity) and how to use sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the rules, running out of time, submitting "the wrong draft", or being overwhelmed with multiple demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no excuses for failure to uphold academic integrity. To support your learning about academic citation rules, please visit the Harvard Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism (www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/tips-avoid-plagiarism), where you'll find links to the Harvard Guide to Using Sources and two, free, online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of academic citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools.

 

Accessibility

The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Disability Services Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities.

Please visit www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/resources/disability-services-accessibility for more information.