COURSE OUTLINE BPSA THEATRE, FILM & TELEVISION 2009

PASA 6272 CAMERA 2B

Level Course No. Course Name Credits
6 PASA6272 Camera 2B 15
Course Coordinator
Dan Wagner (dwagner2@unitec.ac.nz)
Teaching Staff
Dan Wagner (dwagner2@unitec.ac.nz)
Alan Locke (alocke@unitec.ac.nz)
Guests
Production Staff
Robin Gee (Screen Production Manager) – rgee@unitec.ac.nz
Nikki Baigent (Screen Production Manager) – nbaigent@unitec.ac.nz
Gayle Jackson (Props & Costume Assistant) – gjackson@unitec.ac.nz
Sai Yin Leung (Maintenance Engineer) - sleung@unitec.ac.nz
Theo Gibson (Screen Technician) - tgibson@unitec.ac.nz
Programme Co-ordinator
Victor Grbic (Film & Television) – vgrbic@unitec.ac.nz

Course Outline

GOAL
The goal of this semester is to advance your crewing skills to a higher level of
sophistication and to synthesise your prior learning to enable you to step into the
role of DP.

CONTENT
Last semester, you got your feet wet as a DP on Location Exercise and Y2 Doco.
You will begin this semester by stepping a little deeper into the water as you light
and shoot studio sets on STUDIO TWO. After debriefing that experience, you’ll come
away knowing where you need to grow stronger. You will then commence your
journey toward development of a personal aesthetic as you begin learning to use
the tools in more complex and subtle ways. Along the way, you’ll serve as support
crew on the Y3 SHORT FILMS and also complete a small unit on compositing, called
THE BLUESCREEN EXERCISE. You will then work a step-by-step plan to DP your own first
SHORT FILM.

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Course Aims and Learning Outcomes

Every course has Aims, and every class and assessment has Learning Outcomes. They are what you will
achieve by successfully completing each class and assessment. Here are the aims and learning outcomes for
this course:

Course aim:
To enable students to extend specific skills, knowledge and practices for camera and specialised
camera technologies needed to achieve standards that enhance creative decisions.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Employ specialised creative and conceptual skills in camera and lighting.
- Employ skill in the handling and operation of specialist equipment and technology
- Explore associated problem-solving, self-management and professional practices

2. Explore the aesthetic contribution of camera/lighting in filmmaking.

Course Assessments and Due Dates

Weighting Nature of assessment Learning Due Date
Outcomes
30% Assignment 1 (Studio Two) 1 7th August
30% Assignment 2 (Written Presentation: Case Study - DoP) 2 21st September
40% Assignment 3 (Short Film - DoP) 1, 2 16th November

Topics Covered
Being a DP –
Your role on set,
Working with a Director
Blocking from a Camera perspective

Towards a Personal Aesthetic:

looking at how painters and photographers approach framing, composing and light;
what's beautiful to you, what's not and why;
Exercise: stretching your boundaries

Emotion Pictures I: Light & Lens as Emotional Tools

Exercises in the use of Framing, Composition & Exposure to communicate emotional subtext.

[Classes with the Directors]

- Compression & Space
- Cheating / Lens Choices
- References
Essential tool for Dir-DP communication
- Not shooting the obvious.
Utilising the tools (lens choice, proxemics, depth, movement, light and shadow)
purposefully to tell the visual story with clarity and originality.
Making compelling choices.

Plus playtime/exercises involving Light & Shadow, Lens Use, Camera Movement and Reference Emulation.
Rushes review

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Required & Recommended Items

REQUIRED TEXT
Cinematography: Theory and Practise – Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors and Videographers,
Blain Brown, Focal Press, 2002
ISBN: 978-0-240-80500-9

REQUIRED ITEMS
Staedler Lumocolor Non-Permanent Universal Pens
You want the Fine (316WP4) or the Superfine (311WP4).
You want the pack of 4.
Torch
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=57
[some sort of small torch – doesn’t have to be this brand]
Space Blanket
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=31
USB flash drive
at least 1GB

RECOMMENDED READING
Ballinger, Alex, New Cinematographers, Collins Design, 2004
Elkins, David D., The camera assistant’s manual, 2nd Edition, Focal Press, Boston, 1996
Giannetti, Louis, Understanding Movies, 10th Edition, Prentice-Hall, 2004
Hines, William E., Operating cinematography for film and video: a professional and practical guide, Ed Venture
Films Books, 1997
Malkiewicz, Kris, Cinematography: a guide for film makers and film teachers, 2nd Edition, Simon & Schuster, 1992
Ward, Peter, Picture composition for film and television, Focal Press, Boston, 1996

Also: see Blackboard for more RECOMMENDED READING

RECOMMENDED ITEMS
[not necessary to purchase from HPS – these web pages are for reference]
Fiberglass Tape Measure
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=34
Tool Pouch
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=303
Ditty Bag
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1011
Work Gloves
http://www.hollywoodprops.co.nz/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=975

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