Required: Dancyger, Ken (2011) THE TECHNIQUE OF FILM & VIDEO; Focal Press; USA. Recommended: Murch, Walter (2001) IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE; Silman-James Pr; USA. Rubin, Michael (2004) NONLINEAR - A FIELD GUIDE TO DIGITAL VIDEO AND FILM EDITING; Triad Pub Co; USA. Zettl, Herbert (2010) SIGHT, SOUND, MOTION: APPLIED MEDIA AESTHETICS; Wadsworth Pub; USA. You are also invited to examine "Variety" magazine to follow the newest developments in this thriving industry. These lectures will be supplemented with handouts from the instructor over the course of the semester.

Final grades will be based on participation, three editing exercises and a final assignment, class participation and attitude will be considered as basic required elements for the class and can deter grade advancement, although neither of them represent a set percentage of the grade in itself. Because they have to present shows on time every hour of every day, the film & television industries are some of the most demanding in the world. This responsibility carries over to those who are preparing for them, which is why missed deadlines will result in assignment failure. Details on all assignments will be presented as the semester progresses. Video Exercises - 20% each: The first (The Cut - 2 min. Music Video) and third (The Trailer - 1 min. Changing a Movie) editing exercises are done with previously recorded material and are designed to test the student?s developing abilities with Final Cut Pro 7. Details on the specifics of the assignment will be presented as the class progresses. Video Exercise - 30%: The second (The Scene - Flow of Action - The Vampire) assignment will be developed specifically for the class. Material will be provided for it, and it is designed to test specific editing strategies such as dialog, scene flow and parallel action. Details on the specifics of the exercise will be presented as the class progresses. Final Assignment - 30%: This assignment will consist on the editing of a Video Clip. This video project has to include at least three editing strategies and all editing processes viewed in class, including color correction and basic animation. It is designed to evaluate the overall understanding of the class and it?s subjects. Details on the specifics of the Final Assignment will be given as the class progresses.

Participation: Some classes I'm going to be addressing personal questions based on the readings assigned the class before. There will be a systematic, yet random choice of students for these sessions. Since every question will take us into one of the subjects at hand we will continuously deviate from this procedure to explain specific points. We then will return to the Q&A. Attendance: It does not constitute a specific part of your grade, but perfect attendance is required. Most of the information you need to complete your assignments will be discussed in-class; also there I will be giving examples of what you have to do. I have no plans to be repeating myself outside of the programmed sessions. This makes attendance critical, and thus not an issue to be negotiated. However if you have to miss a class or a deadline, make sure to plan ahead, and let me know in advance. Calling in advance does not automatically excuse an absence or a missed deadline, but it is the only way to present your case. If you fail to communicate before the next class period to explain an absence or a missed deadline, they will not be excused. Please note that work, non-emergency medical and dental appointments, hangovers, intramural games, visitors from out of town, fixing your roommate's computer, fraternity/sorority events, arguments with boyfriends or girlfriends and studying for other classes do not constitute excused absences or missed assignments. If you have to miss class due to religious holiday, please see me as far in advance as possible. One true thing in all professional fields is the lack of tolerance for tardiness. Employers do not generally tolerate such behavior, and employees who offer weak, irritating excuses frequently find themselves unemployed and unemployable. We will be working under the same rules. Remember it is your responsibility to make the arrangements when a deadline or a class has to be missed. I will treat you professionally, expecting of you a responsible attitude. This means that it is you who must be worried about solving the problem, not me. Missed Assignments Policy: If you fail to turn in a video exercise or the final assignment you will fail the course. There will be no exceptions. This is a zero-tolerance policy. I have no time or patience for those who are not going to take this class seriously. Many students have flunked my courses for this reason. If you cannot make it a priority to complete all assignments, you better consider not taking this course. One more thing, turning-in an assignment does not guarantee you will have a passing grade, although the opposite will be true. Not turning them in will fail you inevitably. Attitude: We are going to be spending a lot of time discussing other student?s or your own work. This will be made in an orderly fashion, no matter how vehemently or fervently we feel for an argument, we have to be able to provide it in a disciplined manner. It is better to wait and later speak than not speaking at all. My evaluation of your attitude and attention will be based on your participation during discussion as much as it will be based on your assertiveness when making a comment. Students who are not insightful enough to value the learning opportunities inherent to this class tend to do poorly. Although there is no set percentage for this component, it will play a big role if you are on the ?brink? at the end of the semester. Cellular phones and other similar devices will not be tolerated. In my mind, they are a clear indication of a bad attitude. I recommend students to turn off or switch to silence mode such devices. If your other commitments are so pressing that they cannot wait until the end of the class session, it may be in your best interest to reconsider the priority you place on being here. In any case, students whose phones/blackberrys/computers make noise during class will be asked to leave immediately. Even though you are students who must constantly thrive to grow, we need to start acting like an all grown up professionals. This is why there will be no tolerance for uncivilized behavior. I require an orderly ambiance to be able to make the most of each session. By accepting this syllabus, you are indicating that you understand my expectations for students concerning attitude and work ethic. I reserve the right to drop any student with an F if he/she has excessive absences, engages in disruptive behavior, has a poor attitude, or in any other way is clearly not taking the class seriously. Ethics: Although your grade does not contain an ethics component like some other courses, I require complete honesty in producing your work. Working as a team does not mean that the rest of the participants should do all the work for you. Non-Participation will be considered plagiarism. Plagiarism is useless to you anyway. By having someone else do the work for you, you are missing an opportunity to immerse yourself in the film and television fields. You are also waiving your right to learn. If your are willing to do that, then you have to evaluate if it?s worth the aggravation and the time you invest in this course. By accepting this syllabus, you are indicating that you understand the seriousness of academic dishonesty and realize I will impose the harshest sanctions possible if I can prove you have engaged in such behavior. You are also indicating that you understand what constitutes academic dishonesty; I will not tolerate an excuse that claims the student did not know he/she was engaging in academic dishonesty. Plagiarism, cheating and/or fabrication will not be tolerated. They are serious offenses ? both in course and in media careers. Thus I reserve the right to drop any student with an F if he/she engages in any form of academic dishonesty. I further reserve the right to recommend other sanctions as may be appropriate.