Syllabus for Freshman Seminar 002-015: Making a Science Film

Location: Physics/Geo Rm. 432.

Course Description:

This course will examine techniques for making films that explain science to the general public. Students will make their own short film. Students must provide their own access to a mini-DV video camera and a Macintosh computer with iMovie or FinalCut installed. Students will be familiar with the techniques used in the past for explaining science through film and have practical knowledge of how to produce a short film.

Objective:

The student will be able to produce and direct a short documentary film.

Format:

During the two hour weekly meetings, we will review and discuss examples of science films and discuss film making techniques, including shooting video, sound recording, cinematography, lighting, animation, and editing. In addition to the two weekly meetings (one hour each), students will produce their own 5-10 minute film in small groups. Grading: Students will be graded on: the quality of their participation in class discussion (30%), on a final project of producing a 5-10 minute film on some aspect of science of their own choice (40%), and for completion of interim milestones for keeping the project on schedule (30%).

Schedule:

Oct. 1: Introduction
Oct. 8: Videography
Oct. 15: Cinematography
The five C's of cinematography:

composition
close-ups
continuity
camera moves
cutting
Oct. 22: Lighting
Oct. 29: Sound Recording
Nov. 5: Special Effects/Animation
Nov. 12: Editing
Nov. 19: Sound Mix
Nov. 26:
Dec. 3: Screening

Project Milestone Schedule:

Oct. 8: submit idea (25 words or less)
Oct. 15: submit research (point form, minimum 500 words, include sources)
Oct. 22: submit treatment (minimum 800 words, see handout)
Oct. 29: submit shooting script (minimum 1000 words, or storyboard)
Nov. 5: submit shooting schedule and locations
Nov. 12: submit first raw footage (approx 2 minute .mov file)
Nov. 19: submit editing script (log of all footage and ordered list of shots to be used)
Nov. 26: submit rough cut (5-10 minute .mov file)
Dec. 2: submit final cut (5-10 minute .mov file)

Grading:

Students will be graded on:
the quality of their participation in class discussion (30%),
meeting interim milestones on time (30%),
short documentary (40%).

The final film will be graded on:

Comprehensibility 8
Logic 8
Cinematography 8
Sound 8
Style 8

Additional Materials

The Meyer Media Lab at 1154 Meyer Hall has a room full of the Macs equipped with iMovie08.
With High-Speed Camera, Glimpsing Worlds Too Fast for the Eye - NYTimes.com
YouTube - the rainforest
Unlocking iMovie '08: How to fade audio within a clip
Free Music
Royalty Free Music CC License
Free Music for Educational Use
How to extract audio from a clip
Internet Archive: Open Source Movies
Errol Morris: A Brief History of Time
YouTube - Large Hadron Rap
UC Davis Campus MovieFest
The Independent | Obsessed with independent film since 1978.
YouTube - Large Hadron Collider
news on Current.com
Listen Up!
audio in iMovie

Other Information

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