Course Title: Film-TV 2

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Film-TV 2

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM2249

City Campus

Undergraduate

335H Applied Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2008,
Sem 2 2009

COMM2249

City Campus

Undergraduate

345H Media and Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 2 2014

Course Coordinator: Paul Ritchard

Course Coordinator Phone: +613 992 53244

Course Coordinator Email: paul.ritchard@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 9.4.36

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

COMM2248 (Film-TV 1)

Note it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisites before enrolling in a course.
 


Course Description

Film-TV2 builds on Film-TV1 in the development of key aspects of professional television production, with a specific focus on documentary program formats. It is structured to provide a practical introduction to the ethical, creative, organisational, technical and theoretical elements of the documentary production process.

The course aims to further develop your film and television production skills in areas such as directing, producing, documentary writing and research, camera operation, sound recording and lighting, as well as vision and sound post-production. Alongside these skills, it aims to develop your ability to critically analyse documentary programs, in terms of relevant production styles and techniques; to adapt to changing technology within the film and television industries; and to work effectively as part of a creative production team.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course you will develop the following program capabilities:

  • Communicate your ideas effectively through the creative and critical use of relevant media platforms
  • Identify, analyse and solve problems relevant to media practice
  • Work collaboratively and take leadership within teams
  • Reflect upon direct and evaluate your own learning


On successful completion of Film-TV2, you will be able to:

  • discuss the social, cultural, economic, historical, aesthetic and theoretical contexts in which film and television documentary practices are situated
  • explore ideas creatively using the tools of film and television production
  • use professional documentary production equipment, including video cameras, sound recording mixers, lighting and editing equipment to produce short, broadcast-quality documentary programs
  • communicate and collaborate in film and television production teams.
  • analyse and reflect on documentary film and television practice.


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning activities will involve:

  • lectures discussing key aspects of the theory and process of documentary film and television production, with reference to relevant case-studies
  • workshops led by teaching staff involving discussion, analysis and creative production exercises relating to aspects of professional documentary production techniques and conventions
  • reading, research and reflection around documentary television production, using prescribed and available texts, critical viewing of relevant programs, discussion in class, individual journal/blog entries and interactive blog discussion.

In addition, production work-in-progress will be viewed and discussed and feedback provided in class throughout the semester.


Overview of Learning Resources

A variety of learning resources will be available in class and via the student portal, myRMIT. In addition to prescribed and recommended reading, you will need to undertake prescribed viewing from time to time as guided by teaching staff. Further specific details are available in Part B of this guide.

Extensive use of resources from the School of Media & Communication Technical Store, radio edit suites, video edit suites and the computer labs are required. Security swipe card access is required to access these spaces. You will also need to procure signed bookings forms from your tutor prior booking the gear and are expected to adhere to the terms of conditions of use. An account on a student file server has been provided.

Student research in this course should include:

  • approaching individuals and organizations in the media industries,
  • accessing a wide range of industry resources, including online information resources and audio-visual materials that are available through the library.

The broader resources of the library and the AFI Research Collection will also be valuable for students in this course.

Library media guide: http://www.lib.rmit.edu.au/pathfinders/media.html
 


Overview of Assessment

Students will be evaluated via project-related writing and production tasks, as well as reflective practice.