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Film

  • Instructor: Matt Taylor

    Email: Matt.Taylor@freestyleacademy.rocks or Matthew.Taylor@mvla.net
    Voicemail: 650-940-4650 x0093

     

     

    A webpage about film and video production with text and images.

     

    Junior Projects

    Class Conceptual (1st Quarter) Visual Narrative (2nd Quarter) Documentary (3rd Quarter) Explorations (4th Quarter)
    Film (3rd elective class) Experimental Film Storyboards, Narrative Short Film Documentary Film Explore a Topic of Your Choice

     

    Senior Projects

    Class Reflections (1st Quarter) Narrative Perspectives (2nd Quarter) Various, Showcase & Exhibition (3rd & 4th Quarter)
    Film (3rd elective class) Video Essay Narrative 2 Film Narrative 1 Film, Zenith and Showcase in Film

  • Film 1

    • Canvas Course and Course Information Sheet
    • Prerequisites:None
    • Length: 1 year
    • Credits: 10 Units
    • UC/CSU: Yes "f"
    • Weekly workload estimate: 45-60 min  3 nights  2-3 hrs/wk
    • Optional Equipment

    Textbooks:

    • The Bare Bones Camera Book for Film and Video
    • Practical DV Filmmaking
    • Understanding Movies
    • The Filmmaker’s Eye

    Film Equipment Contract

    Field Trip for off campus video shoots Parental Permission Form

     

    Course Description:

    Film I provides an introduction to understanding developing effective film language. Through analysis and critique, students learn to effectively tell a story with image and sound using film language and established story structures. Students work individually and in groups to write, develop, and produce experimental, narrative, and documentary film stories. Stories are written and developed in class through pitch, student presentation, and storyboard. Stories are produced on location using DSLR cameras, professional lights and remote sound equipment. Students learn basic editing skills using industry standard technology. Film I introduces students to film theory through readings, screenings and student presentations.

     

    Film 1 Projects

    Project 1 - Conceptual

    For the Conceptual Project, Juniors develop their abstract thinking and communication skills to answer the question

    "How can I use unconventional forms to express myself?"

    This project emphasizes creative risk-taking through poetry, music, art, animations, experimental film and web production, challenging students to express their opinions through a distinct personal aesthetic. Students begin developing their technical communication skills by learning a variety of modern professional equipment and applications such as DSLR cameras, Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), Wacom Cintiqs, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Animate, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Avid Pro Tools, WordPress websites, and Google Apps.

    In Film, you will learn various approaches to filmmaking. Developing a theme through interesting juxtapositions of image, sound effects, text, voice over and music, this project challenges students to explore their personal vision while avoiding conventional, narrative devices. You will ultimately:

    • Produce a 2-3 minute Experimental Film
    • What's new? Everything!

    Close-up view of several spherical, glowing green structures. 

    Previous Student Productions

     

    Project 2 - Visual Narrative

    The Visual Narrative Project asks Juniors,

    "How well can you visually tell a structured story?"

    Beginning with an exploration of prose fiction and the graphic novel, students practice communicating character and story arc through descriptive storytelling, narrative digital art, storyboards, films, and animations. Students deepen their technical communication skills by learning a variety of modern professional equipment and applications such as Wacom Digital Drawing Pads, lighting equipment, downshooters, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Animate, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Avid Pro Tools, Propellerhead Reason, HTML/CSS, DragonFrame, and Google Apps.

    In Film, you will:

    • Learn visual story telling without dialogue
    • Learn more film editing techniques through Adobe Premiere Pro
    • Produce a 4-6 minute Narrative Video based on English Project work

    A young person with wide eyes looks directly at the camera.

    What's new? You will learn production techniques for effective narrative point of view and continuity. You will study how film directors manipulate the passage of time. You will learn how to create an effective pitch and treatment. You will develop your narrative through storyboarding and directing strategies for effective production. And you will use professional editing software to establish continuity.

     

    Previous Student Productions

     

    Project 3 - Documentary

    For the Documentary Project, Juniors develop their documentary and communication skills to answer the question,

    "How do you creatively and truthfully portray
    a significant person, group, place, idea, or issue in the community?"
     

    For the Junior Documentary Project, students will portray an intriguing person, group, place, idea, or issue, gathering primary and secondary research sources to develop a distinct perspective about their subject’s significance in the community and/or world. Students will produce documentary magazine articles or books, animationed documentaries, documentary films, documentary websites, and photogalleries. This unit emphasizes narrative-style journalism.

    In Film, you will use Premiere Pro, Canon T6i, and the Tascam DR-05 recorder to:

    What's new? You will learn more advanced tools to create cinematic, sophisticated shots.  You will learn how to develop your subject's story, using narrative structure within the context of a broader social or political issue. When appropriate, you will use Adobe After Effects for visual interest.

     

    Previous Student Productions

     

    Project 4 - Explorations

    For the Explorations Project, all Junior Freestyle students will explore his/her own passion and improve upon a particular skill set that addresses 21st Century Skills. Ultimately, each student will share his/her exploration with classmates as their Semester 2 Final. Students will have production time in all classes to complete this project.

    Details:

    • All productions must ultimately become digital so that we can have a digital archive of your work to share with the world on our website.
    • Topics are self-chosen but must address one of our 21st Century Skills - see below.
    • Topics are self-chosen but must be related to your Elective class (Animation / Design / Film) and approved by your Elective class teacher. Elective class time will be solely dedicated for working on your Explorations Project - here are the details.
    • In English, you will learn to write a lyrical essay by synthesizing poetry, narrative, and research.
    • In Digital Media, you will mix and produce music and your Explorations Website.

      Explorations Websites
      Explorations Videos

    • During Semester 2 Finals, you will share your newly learned skills and we will all celebrate and learn more about you and your passion(s). All students will create a presentation to use for the celebration and to also document the Explorations Project along with your Explorations Website.

    Music Production Archives

  • Film 2

    • Canvas Course and Course Information Sheet
    • Prerequisites:None
    • Length: 1 year
    • Credits: 10 Units
    • UC/CSU: Yes "f"
    • Weekly workload estimate: 45-60 min  3 nights  2-3 hrs/wk
    • Optional Equipment

    Textbooks:

    • The Filmmaker’s Eye
    • Shot By Shot
    • Advanced Editing Techniques in Final Cut Pro
    • After Effects Apprentice
    • The Video Cookbook
    • Save the Cat

    Film Equipment Contract

    Field Trip for off campus video shoots Parental Permission Form

     

    Course Description:

    Film II introduces new advanced techniques in film language and cinema. Students practice heavier analysis of film techniques, story genres, and character archetypes to further the creation of their own narratives. Heavy attention is given to screenwriting, dialogue, character arc, and story development. Advanced cinematography techniques are discussed and practiced including, composition, color, blocking, and lighting. Students collaborate on exercises and advanced narrative projects, modeling these specific film conventions. Film II further elaborates on film theory through readings, screenings and student presentations.

     

    Film II Projects

    Project 5 - Reflection

    The Reflections Project challenges Seniors to explore a question that is at once simple and deeply complex:

    "Who am I?"

    Experimenting with personal as well as lyrical essay forms, students develop insights about their experiences and identities before translating those ideas visually in various kinds of image productions, video essays, websites, mandalas, and short animations. Students deepen their technical communication skills by learning more skills with a variety of modern professional equipment and applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Substance Painter, Avid Pro Tools, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, HTML/CSS/JavaScript, WordPress, and Google Apps.

    In Film (for Film students only), you will use Premiere Pro, Canon T6i, and the Tascam DR-05 recorder to

    • Produce a 2-3 minute Video Essay based on English writing
    • Rubric

    A Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera with a lens and external audio recorder attached.

    What's new? You will use a DSLR camera and learn more advanced tools to create cinematic, sophisticated shots. When appropriate, you will use Adobe After Effects for visual interest.

     

    Previous Student Productions

     

    Project 6 - Narrative Perspectives

    The Narrative Perspectives Project challenges Seniors with

    "How well can you apply advanced narrative techniques to build a compelling story?"

    By exploring various narrative points of view and experimenting with dialogue in their story writing, students develop more advanced storytelling techniques and ideas they apply in the creation of surreal compositions, movie posters, book jacket designs, screenplays, films, trailers, keyframe and motion caption animations, 3D layered art and videos, and JavaScript websites. Students deepen their technical communication skills by learning a variety of modern professional equipment and applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Substance Painter, Avid Pro Tools, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, and HTML/CSS/JavaScript with Visual Studio Code.

    In Film (for Film students only), you will use advanced pre-production, production, and post-production techniques to

     

    What's new? You will learn advanced cinematography and lighting techniques, learn how to make films look more cinematic, learn moving camera techniques, study film theory, and when appropriate, use Adobe After Effects for visual interest.

    A person with blue hair leans on a white railing, looking out at a blurred background.

     

    Previous Student Productions

     

    Project 7 - Zenith

    The Zenith Project challenges Senior in their Elective Class only with:

    "How do you ignite your passion
    and elevate your skills and experiences
    to create your ultimate and most successful Freestyle project?"

     

    You will complete the following between early March and the beginning of May:

    • Choose your own project topic and form based on your passion, skills, and experiences.
    • Here are a few documents to help you organize your project.
    • Write a proposal for approval by your Production Teacher, including:
      • Your own timeline of achievement goals (including scheduling and incremental deadlines)
      • How you will use at least all eight Freestyle 21st Century Skills to develop your project
      • A plan for assessment
    • Follow your timeline and produce the media for your project in Animation, Design and Film class. You will still attend English and Digital Media classes as usual.
    • Celebrate and share your Zenith Project informally (ungraded) to your similar Production Classmates including Juniors in early May. So all Film students will watch Film Zenith Presentations. All Animation students will watch Animation Zenith Presentations. All Design students will watch Design Zenith Presentations. Everyone in each Production Class will vote on the top three presentations. Then on the last day of presentations, the top 9 presentations will be repeated FOR ALL STUDENTS.

     

    Previous Student Productions: Zenith Websites and Zenith Video Productions

    Film

    During Animation/Design/Film class time, you will work to produce your Zenith Project media that you have planned.

     

    Project 8 - Portfolio Showcase

     

    The purpose of this final Showcase Project is for Senior students to celebrate and demonstrate their growth at Freestyle by presenting information, findings, and supporting evidence to convey a clear and distinct perspective as a digital artist and receive feedback from professionals in a related field to their presentation content. An additional goal is for community professionals to provide feedback about the Freestyle Academy program based on Senior Portfolio Showcase presentations.

    Using the professional vocabulary of the mediums, students will communicate a line of reasoning by presenting projects to a professional audience to elicit feedback with

    • Strategic use of digital media - two Freestyle works (optional 1 non-Freestyle work) to feature the development of the artistic process from conception to completion
    • Justify effective choices for meaning or style or design
    • Demonstrate growth/discovery/development of passion, skills, talent, potential

    Assignment:

    • Produce a 5-minute presentation through a website, developing a distinct perspective of yourself as a digital artist through evidence of your growth across at least two Freestyle projects (optional 1 non-Freestyle work). Your deadline to have your Wordpress website completed is May 14th, 2018 so that we can send those links to the professionals who will review your work prior to your presentation with the goal of providing you more detailed feedback after your presentation.
    • You will ultimately make your 5-minute presentation to a panel consisting of two community professionals related to your presentation content, a Freestyle teacher, and a panelist member that you choose to invite. All presentations are at Freestyle and are open to the public and you may invite family and friends to be part of the audience for your presentation.
    • Here is the presentation schedule and panelist info.
    • At the end of your presentation, the panelists will take 10 minutes to ask questions and provide you feedback about your presentation. The entire process time is maximum 15 minutes.
    • In your 5-minute presentation, you will display your chosen projects and briefly discuss for each one:
      • Demonstrate the development of the artistic process from conception to completion
      • Justify effective choices for meaning or style or design
      • Demonstrate growth/discovery/development of passion, skills, talent, potential
    • Here is the Showcase Presentation Rubric

    In English, you will:

    • Reflect on body of Freestyle project work and evaluate most appropriate pieces to present to a specific professional audience member
    • Organize and present work and reflections to elicit focused feedback about learning processes and outcomes as well as professional applications and opportunities
    • Reflect on professional feedback
    • Conduct professional communication with a professional reviewer

     

    Previous Showcase Websites

    Presentation logistics

    • Presentations will occur simultaneously in each of the 5 classrooms at Freestyle grouped according to content (Film content in Film room, Design content in the Design room, etc.)
    • Each student will be assigned presentation time based on content so that we can provide the appropriate professional panelists for your topic.
    • Each student must invite 1 person to be part of the panel and each student can invite any family and friends to be part of the audience for the presentation.
    • Tuesday May 25, 2021 - 1st presentation starts at 6 PM
    • Wednesday May 26, 2021 - 1st presentation starts at 6 PM
    • Thursday May 27, 2021 - 1st presentation starts at 6 PM
     
     

  • A smiling man with light brown hair and blue eyes, in a circular portrait.

    Matt Taylor

    Email: Matthew.Taylor@mvla.net or Matt.Taylor@freestyleacademy.rocks
    Voicemail: 650-940-4650 x0093

    Matt Taylor is a local product of Los Altos and a graduate of Mountain View High School. He received a Bachelors degree in Film and an Associates degree in Film/Television with an emphasis in Animation. He has worked in a variety of roles in the film and video industry including writer, director, editor, camera operator, and actor. His recent experience includes working in sports broadcast for San Jose State University, San Jose and San Francisco Giants. Prior to teaching, he successfully owned and operated his own video production company catering mainly to private event and corporate work. He is absolutely thrilled to be a part of Freestyle Academy where he has the opportunity to share his passion for film, technology, and storytelling. When he isn't teaching, he enjoys playing baseball, ice hockey, and creating his own comics and cartoons for his website Raccoon Toons.

     

    Cartoon raccoon couple smiling and posing together.

Expected School-wide Learning Results

21st CENTURY SKILLS
To prepare students to live, learn, and work successfully in today's knowledge-based digital society, our emphasis at Freestyle will be on developing:

  • Visual Literacy - the ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning.
  • Technological Literacy - knowledge about what technology is, how it works, what purposes it can serve, and how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve specific goals.
  • Creativity - the act of bringing something into existence that is genuinely new, original, and of value either personally (of significance only to the individual or organization) or culturally (adds significantly to a domain of culture as recognized by experts).
  • Self Direction - the ability to set goals related to learning, plan for the achievement of those goals, independently manage time and effort, and independently assess the quality of learning and any products that result from the learning experience.
  • High Productivity - the ability to produce intellectual, informational, or material products that serve authentic purposes and occur as a result of students using real-world tools to solve or communicate about real-world problems. These products include persuasive communications in any media (print, video, the Web, verbal presentation), synthesis of resources into more useable forms (databases, graphics, simulations), or refinement of questions that build upon what is known to advance one's own and others' understanding.
  • Teaming and Collaboration - cooperative interaction between two or more individuals working together to solve problems, create novel products, or learn and master content.
  • Social and Civic Responsibility - the ability to manage technology and govern its use in a way that promotes public good and protects society, the environment, and democratic ideals.
  • Risk Taking - the willingness to make mistakes, advocate unconventional or unpopular positions, or tackle extremely challenging problems without obvious solutions, such that one's personal growth, integrity, or accomplishments are enhanced.

What Is Expected From The Student

  • Quarter grades will be determined on the basis of performance on projects and classwork.

    *Please note: Only semester grades appear on transcripts.

    For a breakdown of grading and late policies, see the class syllabus:

  • Grades may be viewed 24/7 through individual online accounts on Canvas and/or Aeries/SIS.

  • Daily assignments are determined by tasks needed to achieve project goals. Students are responsible to check assigned tasks and project goals on Canvas and work toward achieving those tasks and goals.

  • Attendance will be taken each day, each class period. Attendance will be documented if the student was present or not in a class. You have been enrolled into a Period 9 Supervised study class - which is for attendance purposes only. Note: Students may receive a failing grade "F" in a class where they accumulate 15 or more unexcused absences.

  • Absent students are allotted the same number of absent class days to complete assignments. If a student is absent for extended periods of time, it is the student's responsibility to consult with instructor for make-up work.

    • Use appropriate language, dress, and behavior.
    • Be on time for our class sessions. Attendance is taken daily.
    • Phone charging stations are provided in the classroom. Leave your phone in the charging station. Phones should not be used at your desk.
    • Monitor your tone and expressions during discussions. Think before you respond. Make sure your words, tone, and expressions are school appropriate.
    • Maintain the focus of class-time. Make comments specifically related to the purpose of the class discussion.
    • Be forgiving of mistakes during classes. There will be technical glitches; be patient with classmates, and be patient with your teacher.
    • Speak up when addressing the class or teacher. Allow other participants time and opportunities to contribute, and share their ideas with the group, also.
    • It is important, and rewarding, for you to participate in discussions! It is just as important for you to consider the opinions of others. Strive for balance among participants.

  • Because of the various expensive equipment provided for each student, no eating, drinking and chewing gum will be strictly enforced. Students not in their seats when class begins will receive a tardy. Cheating on any assignment or evaluation will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating will be given a zero for the item and will be subject to further disciplinary action.

Help:

Email me at Matt.Taylor@freestyleacademy.rocks.