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DIRECTION AND PERFORMANCE FOR THE CAMERA
Course Description: This 11 week, 5 credit hour course will provide
interaction between students from the Media
Communications and Technology Department, and
students from the Drama Department, to help prepare
both for the demands of presenting dramatic material for
the electronic and film media. This will be accomplished
through a series of lectures, exercises, scenes, film and
video clips, guest speakers, and field trips. Students will
take different roles during the shooting of scenes and
exercises such as Director of Photograhy, Script Supervisor,
First Assistant Director, Camera Operator, Performer,
Director and so on. 30% of the course will be devoted to
history and theory, while 70% will be devoted to the hands-
on classroom exercises.
Course Goals: 1. To present the benefits of cooperation
between those in front of the camera, and those
behind it.
2. To present the dramatic and visual requirements that
are unique to electronic and film media production.
3. To acquaint Drama students with the specialized
techniques of performing in the non-linear style
required by the electronic and film media.
4. To show Media Communications and Technology
students how to apply their knowledge of electronic
media to the performance and direction of dramatic
material.
5. To present the future trends and technologies
affecting the performance and direction of electronic
and film media.
6. To give students practical experience in the skills
required on a professional set.
7. To acquaint students with the different and
specialized jobs necessary in the creation of
dramatic material for the electronic media.
Course Requirements: The course will meet twice a week for two and one half
hours, for a total of five hours per
week. Prerequisites
for admission are: Media 112, 210 and 212, Drama
101, and either 151 or 153. Students will be allowed no
more than three unexcused absences.
A written mid-term test and final exam based on the
course material will be required. In addition, major hands-
on projects must also be completed. Projects
will account for 60% of the student's grade. The mid-
term and final exams will account for 20% each of the
final grade. The required texts are: Film Directing
Shot By Shot, by Steven D. Katz, and Secrets of Screen
Acting, by Patrick Tucker.
Objectives and
Weekly Topics: All objectives begin with the phrase: "Upon completion
of the class, the student will be able to..."
Week 1 - INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
1. List at least five differences between live theater
and electronic dramatization.
2. List and discuss three styles of directing and
performing that existed before the introduction
of broadcast media.
3. Cite three contributions of Constantine
Stanislavsky
and Vselevod Myerhold to the practices of directing
and performing.
4. List at least five contributions of D.W. Griffith to
performing and directing for the camera.
5. Discuss the evolution of continuity shooting and
the development of the Classic Hollywood
Style.
6. Trace the development in America of the
Provincetown Players, the Group Theater, the
Actor's Studio and their influence on live
television drama, and media performance.
7. Explain the "Kuleshov Effect".
Week 2 - WHAT THE CAMERA "SEES"
1. List three ways to overcome inhibition in front
of the camera.
2. Cite at least three ways in which the optics of the
camera differ from the visual system of the human
eye.
3. Cite and explain three or more specific ways the
electronic media can enhance, exaggerate or
diminish a performance.
4. Explain and demonstrate Persistence of Vision.
5. Demonstrate the electronic media's ability or inability to
differentiate between lies and truth.
6. List and discuss at least three ways the electronic
media can manipulate time and space.
Week 3 - THE ELEMENTS OF ELECTRONIC DRAMA
1. List and discuss the five component parts of story
structure: exposition, complication, crisis, climax
and resolution.
2. Chart the arc of action of a dramatic scene.
3. List and demonstrate the four basic shots used
to shoot dramatic scenes: master, two or three
shot, over-the shoulder, and close-up.
4. Cite and demonstrate the dramatic use of the
pan, the tilt, the crane, the
tracking and the hand-held
shot.
5. List and discuss the functions of the various crews
and individuals that make up a professional shooting
set.
6. List at least five pre-production preparations that
need to be done for dramatic video work.
7. List three ways that the use of improvisation can
improve or weaken a dramatic scene.
8. Discuss at least three differences between directing
and performing in four-camera vs. one-camera style.
9. List three ways that changing the context of a
dramatic scene can alter its content and meaning.
Week 4 - COMMON VOCABULARY, COMMON
UNDERSTANDING
1. List the four types of "objectives" used in the
performing and directing of dramatic
scenes:
"line objectives", "scene objectives", "plot
objectives" and "character objectives".
2. Define and demonstrate the dramatic uses of an
"obstacle", a "strategy", and an "action".
3. List five ways to help a performer emotionally
commit to a scene: 1) play an opposite, 2) play
an action not a feeling, 3) recall the preceeding
incident, 4) voice the inner monologue, 5) use an
event from personal life.
4. Cite and discuss ten terms and phrases used on
a media set:
1. First team.
2. Camera right and camera left.
3. Shooting "MOS".
4. In five.
5. Second team
6. On a bell.
7. Back to number one.
8. Roll camera, sound, speed, action.
9. Pick-up.
10. Wrap.
5. List three reasons why performers and directors
need to communicate clearly with one another.
6. List three reasons why performers need to know
how to direct for the electronic media.
7. List three reasons why media students need to
know how to perform for the electronic media.
Week 5 - PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
1. Cite and discuss four ways to disguise a cut:
1) action, 2) dialogue, 3) music, 4) sound.
2. List four ways to effectively violate the 180o
rule.
3. List three reasons why performance intensity
must remain consistent.
4. List and discuss three reasons why matching actions
is important to the smooth presentation of a dramatic
scene.
5. List five reasons why storyboarding is important.
6. List and explain three ways a director can help a
performer improve a performance.
Week 6 - SHOOTING DRAMATIC SCENES
1. List three techniques for hitting marks and three
reasons why performers and cameras need to be
on their marks.
2. Cite and discuss three reasons why performers
need to know their frame lines.
3. List and explain the sequence of shots used to
record dramatic scenes in the electronic media:
master first, two-shot next, then the over-the-
shoulder and finally the close-up.
4. List two reasons why performers should not overlap
dialogue in a close-up.
5. Cite and discuss three ways in which shooting
multiple takes affects a performance.
Week 7 - Continuation of week 6
Week 8 - Continuation of week 7
Week 9 - SHOOTING OUT OF SEQUENCE
1. List two reasons why media productions are shot
out of sequential order.
2. List and discuss three problems that the performer
faces when shooting scenes out of order.
3. List and discuss three problems that the director
faces when shooting scenes out of order.
4. Cite three ways that performers and
directors can
overcome the disadvantages of out-of-order shooting.
5. Cite five preparations that can make out-of-sequence
shooting efficient and effective.
6. List and discuss five ways that performers and
directors can aid the work of the editor.
7. List five ways that reading a Call Sheet can be
useful.
Week 10 - THE TECHNOLOGICAL FUTURE OF
PERFORMANCE AND DIRECTION IN THE
ELECTRONIC MEDIA
1. List five current post-production processes
that can alter the elements of an already recorded
electronic dramatization (Light saturation,
background matting, automated dialogue
replacement, morphing, pacing).
2. Cite and discuss two current and three future uses
of digitized performers.
3. List three advantages and three disadvantages of
computer modeling in pre-production.
4. List and discuss three advantages and three dis-
advantages of shooting dramatic film material with
video-assist.
5. Cite and discuss the ramifications of rotoscoping
and sampling for performers in the electronic media.
6. Cite and discuss five advantages and five dis-
advantages for the director and the performer of
500 channel television.
Week 11 - REVIEW AND SUMMARY
FINAL EXAM
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