Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

• Understand, relate, and use current best practices in shooting, stitching, editing, and 360/VR choreography in immersive film projects at an intermediate level.
• Plan the organization of people, resources, and methods needed for an immersive video project, showing abilities to work effectively and respectfully in teams.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of 360/VR digital video cameras, sound gear, and editing systems to create immersive films.
• Edit 360/VR digital media at an intermediate level using industry standard non-linear editing software.
• Evaluate 360/VR digital video projects, identify items for improvement, and implement changes.

Materials will be presented via lectures, demonstrations, and reading assignments.  Students will learn and demonstrate their abilities through hands-on assignments and participation on video production crews.

Student fulfillment of expected outcomes will be assessed using:  

• A series of short video assignments;

• Written quizzes;

• Practical exams in which the student demonstrates hands-on skills and abilities;

• Observation by the instructor and other staff.

The following technologies, skills, and concepts will be covered and/or demonstrated:   

1.       IDEAS AND STRUCTURE
1.1.    Techniques for creating, researching and developing video project ideas.
1.2.    Standard narrative story structure as applied to all genres.   

2.       PREPRODUCTION
2.1.    Proposal and treatment writing.
2.2.    Shot lists and camera diagrams.
2.3.    Location scouting.   

3.       FIELD PRODUCTION MODE
3.1.    Basic responsibilities and techniques of field video crew positions:  camera operator, production assistant, and director.
3.2.    Set-up, operation and striking of the equipment associated with each of the above crew positions.
3.3.    Communicating efficiently and effectively on the set.  

4.       VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
4.1.    Identification, set-up and use of the component parts of a professional video camera including white balance, exposure, and lens controls.
4.2.    Basics of digital video technology from acquisition through distribution.
4.3.    The identification, set-up and use of video playback and recording devices and media.
4.4.    The identification and use of video cables and connectors.  

5.       CAMERA SUPPORT
5.1.    Identification, set-up, use and striking of tripods.  

6.       VISUAL COMPOSITION
6.1.    The relationships between lenses and visual composition.
6.2.    Standard techniques, concepts, and terminology of visual composition in 360 film making.
6.3.    Standard techniques, concepts, and terminology of camera movement in 360 film making 

7.       CONTINUITY
7.1.    The principle of temporal-spatial continuity.
7.2.    Techniques for achieving continuity from the camera through the editing process. 

8.       SOUND RECORDING
8.1.    Special considerations for 360 sound recording;
8.2.    Recording sound to a camera;
8.3.    Audio cables and connectors;  

9.       LIGHTING
9.1.    Special considerations for 360 lighting
9.2.    Basic concepts in measuring light.
9.3.    Preparation of basic lighting plans.
9.4.    Ladder and lighting instrument safety.   

10.   EDITING
10.1. Workflow in the post production phase;
10.2. The basic hardware components of a nonlinear editing system;
10.3. Use of nonlinear editing program in editing 360 projects to create finished video projects;
10.4. Basic editing concepts, including cutting for continuity.