Digital Video: Foundations of Video Design and Production

Overview

Digital Video: Foundations of Video Design and Production is a project-based curriculum that develops career and communication skills in digital video production, using Adobe tools. Digital Video curriculum develops four key skill areas::

• Project management and collaboration
• Design
• Research and communication
• Professional video production, using video tools

Digital Video curriculum addresses each of these areas, using a project-based approach. Each project has phases that follow a design and development process from project planning and analysis to evaluation and distribution. Students gain experience through real-world projects that help them understand roles and processes across a broad range of careers involving digital video. To simulate a professional work environment, students gradually migrate their video work from an individual process to a group process, focused on personal and client work. The projects contain activities that require students to plan their communication and focus and then evaluate and improve their communications. Specific attention has been paid to developing concepts and principles for thorough, effective communication to multiple audiences.

The content of this program prepares students for the Adobe Certified Associate Video Communication with Adobe Premiere Pro and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics using Adobe After Effects exams.

Expected Output

First part
The first part of Digital Video curriculum lays the foundation for skills in shooting video, synthesizing the composition, and producing video communications (such as shot composition and mix), story planning, audio and narration planning and recording, video editing, shared project management skills such as interviewing and project scheduling, peer review, and redesign. Project activities focus on developing effective communications that can be deployed as uncompressed digital files or for the web. Students develop a variety of videos focused on genres such as an action video, a news story, and a public service announcement. Students culminate the first part of the program with a portfolio project in which they reflect on the skills and topics they’ve covered and begin their career exploration to better understand what areas interest them in digital video.

The key skills emphasized in this part are:

• Ethical considerations for editing and producing videos
• Designing for a variety of audiences and needs
• Problem solving that helps support multiple perspectives
• The design process and effective communication
• Peer teaching and evaluation in a collaborative environment
• Shooting, capturing, editing, and enhancing video and audio

In the first part, students use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit video, Adobe Story to write a script and Adobe Audition to create and edit audio.

Second part
The second part of Digital Video builds on student design and development skills by focusing on larger video production projects and client work as well as more in-depth content and advanced editing, audio, and motion graphic techniques. Students continue to work in teams and produce rich video communications such as commercials and documentaries. They focus on effective composition and communication, project management, design specifications, and iterative development. They produce project plans and treatments to plan and communicate ideas and themes for the videos and then use assembly and rough cuts to visualize and review with clients. They develop video production skills that solve specific communication challenges and engage audiences. Students culminate this semester with a portfolio redesign that includes their academic and career aspirations, goals, and interests.

The key skills emphasized in this part are:

• Soft skills such as interviewing and responding to feedback
• Advanced motion graphics and special effects techniques
• Communication with peers and team members, using treatments and project plans
• Iterative development and redesign
• Project management skills such as task management, client management, milestone tracking, and contingency planning
• Music creation

In the second part of the program, students enhance their skills in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition. They use Adobe After Effects to enhance videos and add motion effects.

Note: This is an official course overview and outline from Adobe Certified Associate curriculum, Digital Video: Foundations of Video Design and Production utilized by PCCI in developing its own activities, projects, and curriculums that are customized for its classroom.