Visual Communication
CRN # 14755 – Jour 205-01
Howard University, School of Communications,
Department of Journalism, Room 254, SOC, 11:10am – 12:30pm T-Th
Lecturer: Craig Herndon, Ofc. Rm. 242 / phone: (cell) 410.703.8708
(Texting acceptable, though I may not respond immediately.)
Email: cherndon60@gmail.com (for Picasa sharing) / craigherndon@verizon.net
Spring 2012- Three (3) Credit hours
Coaching and Counseling by appointment
Class Starts- Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Syllabus: Visual Communication
The world of communication is in a period of drastic change. Print Media as well as Broadcast have been dramatically altered by the digital revolution. The media are morphing into something new everyday. Eyes (viewers) and money (investment and consumption) have moved to the web. Visual and Multimedia Communication are a product of media convergence. It is a synthesis of writing, photojournalism, audio and video production with presentations on print, broadcast, Internet and mobile platforms. You must be aware not only of the production values for existing media, but of the ways these media can be used. You must engender an experimental nature to test these media. To be successful in this new world, you have to be familiar with these tools. Existing print and broadcast courses, offered by the Department, provide skills in computer operation, graphic design aesthetics and critical analysis, necessary for those media. This course will strengthen your computer expertise in multiple media and expand the definitions of media design to include digital presentation modes, including World Wide Web production with multimedia.
Course Objectives
In this course you will gather information in pictures, audio and video for the field of multimedia journalism. You will complete photojournalism assignments, produce stories with still and video cameras, write cutlines (captions) and do audio to accompany your images. You will use computer software to edit your images and sound, and create presentations for online media. You will learn how to use the computer applications of open-source web design and media hosting software (such as Blogger, WordPress, Typepad, Tumblr, Vimeo, Picasa, Flikr and YouTube.) Additionally, you will use PhotoShop, Final Cut, Garage Band, Audacity and iMovie in the storytelling process. You will be expected to invest enough time to gain a working facility in use of this software (start early, a little at a time works best.)
Accessibility
Howard University is committed to providing an educational environment that is accessible to all students. In accordance with this commitment, students in need of accommodations due to disability should contact Office of the Dean for Special Student Services at 202.238.2420, for verification and determination of reasonable accommodations a soon as possible after admission to the University, or at the beginning of each academic semester. The Dean of the Office for Special Student Services, Dr. Heath, may be reached at 202.238.2420.
Plagiarism
“Plagiarism is a reprehensible offense. It is an act of dishonesty and undermines the credibility that is essential to all professional communicators. The Howard University H-Book for Academic Offenses (Section II.1.b) defines plagiarism as: "to take and pass off as one's own the ideas, and writings of another, without attribution (without acknowledging the author)."
Students in courses in the Department of Journalism are expected to do original analysis, reporting and writing. Students are expected to explicitly cite the sources of any information that is not derived from their own analysis, reporting and writing.
All instances of plagiarism are documented in a file in the Department of Journalism. The Department of Journalism will seek the immediate suspension of any student whose academic record includes previous punishment for plagiarism.
The first act of plagiarism, by a student with no prior record of plagiarism, will be punished by an F for the assignment. A second act of plagiarism will be punished by an F in the course and a recommendation for suspension from the university.”… (Phillip Dixon, Former Chair, Journalism)
Truth and Honesty
As a journalist you are expected to tell the truth as you see it. The public will trust you. Trust is the thing that binds one person to another and forms community. This is a basic tenet of journalism as in any relationship. So, whether you claim someone else’s work as yours, or create a story that is not real you violate that trust. The real world consequences of such action can be devastating to all involved.
Attendance is Required
Attendance is required. Tardiness is an insult and will not be taken lightly. In each class there will be information to master from lecture, critique, audio-visual presentations, occasional quizzes, occasional visitors and guest lecturers. There is no other way to acquire this knowledge or experience. It is impolite of students to insist on having lessons repeated for their personal edification, unless there is an excusable absence.
Textbooks
JOURNALISM 2.0, by Mark Briggs, is available as a free PDF download at:
REPORTER’S GUIDE TO MULTIMEDIA PROFICIENCY, Mindy McAdams, is also a free PDF downloadable at:
Articles will be provided on the web and in PDF form and you will be directed to Web-based tutorials and websites for additional instruction and software documentation.
Grading
Ten assignments @ 5% each 50
Mid-Term 20
Final Project 30
Assignment grades will be lowered one grade each week, for late assignments, until an “F” is reached.
Assignment Specifics:
(Note: Readings and additional assignments via VisCom Notes emails)
Assignment One: Photojournalism Assignment 1
Find, interview, and photograph a person (previously unknown to the student) in her/ his home, work, and during recreational activities.
Assignment Two: PhotoShop Assignment
Use PhotoShop picture manipulation software to size, crop, adjust colors, and save in various file formats.
Assignment Three: Basic Homepage Production
Produce a simple, text-based personal homepage.
Assignment Four: Homepage Portfolio with Images
Enhance your simple homepages with photographs and other graphic elements.
Assignment Five: Photojournalism Assignment 2
Find and complete photojournalism assignments related to general news, human interest feature, and sports.
Assignment Six: Caption Writing Assignment
For all the images produced thus far in the course, you will write captions for each one you publish.
Assignment Seven: Video Assignment
Find, interview and produce three minutes of videotape of a person previously unknown to you in their home, work and/ or during recreational activities.
Assignment Eight: Audio Assignment
Students will use a software program to include a voice-over narration of the subject in Assignment Seven.
Assignment Nine: Production of Podcast, video or audio. Post podcast on the web.
Assignment Ten: Homepage with Video and Audio Combined
Students will produce a portfolio of their still and video documentary work for the World Wide Web.
Final Project: Students will work individually or teams to produce a picture story, video or audio story about a single person, group, or subject in the community, to be published on the World Wide Web. This is a semester long project, you must have made progress at mid term to succeed.
Supplies and equipment
1. You must have access to a Digital Camera, some are available for Journalism students in the Tech Lab, but the quantity and quality is limited.
2. You must have access to a video camera, DV or HD is acceptable, some cameras are available in Tech Lab for Journalism students. You do not have access to RTVF equipment though.
3. You must have a digital storage device, an external Hard Drive. By the end of the semester the amount of work you will have produced should be sizable, a loss of your product could be devastating. You can not trust that the work you do in the department or on your personal computers is safe. Do not lend your equipment to others, your most dependable friends have accidents and lose things.
Course Outline
WEEK ONE: Introduction to the Visual Journalism Concept
Introduction to the Lab
WEEK TWO: Basic Still Camera Operation
Photojournalism Assignments
Assignment One Assigned: Photojournalism Assignment 1
WEEK THREE: PhotoShop Introduction
Working with Images in PhotoShop
Assignment Two Assigned: PhotoShop Assignment
WEEK FOUR: World Wide Web Introduction
Creating a Simple Web Homepage
Assignment Three Assigned: Basic Homepage Production
Assignment One Due
WEEK FIVE: Putting Pictures on a Homepage
Putting Text on a Homepage
Assignment Four Assigned: Homepage Portfolio with Images
Assignment Five Assigned: Photojournalism Assignment 2
Assignment Two Due
WEEK SIX: Writing Captions (Cutlines) for Images
Creating Text for Picture Stories
Assignment Six Assigned: Caption Writing Assignment
Assignment Three Due
WEEK SEVEN: Basic Video Camcorder Operation
Using the Camcorder for Photojournalism Assignments
Assignment Seven Assigned: Video Assignment
Assignment Four Due
WEEK EIGHT: Mid-Term Project presentations
WEEK NINE: Basic Audio Production for Videos
Writing Voice-overs for Video Productions
Assignment Eight Assigned: Audio Assignment
Assignment Five Due
WEEK TEN: Digitizing Video
Basic Video Editing
Assignment Six Due
WEEK ELEVEN: Video and Audio editing in Final Cut
Assignment Seven Due
WEEK TWELVE: Using Digitized Video and Audio on a Homepage
Using Design Techniques to Enhance a Homepage
Assignment Ten Assigned: Homepage with Video and Audio Combined
Assignment Eight Due
WEEK THIRTEEN: Creating a Portfolio of Work for the World Wide Web
Assignment Nine Due
WEEK FOURTEEN: Ethical Issues for Visual Journalists
Legal Issues for Visual Journalists
Assignment Ten Due
WEEK FIFTEEN: Final Print and/or World Wide Web Show and Tell
Final Project Due
Additional Resources:
· WashingtonPost.com Multimedia http://www.washingtonpost.com/multimedia
· Reporter’s Guide to Multimedia Proficiency (free PDF downloadable)
http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2009/now-printable-reporters-guide-to-multimedia-proficiency/
