Cinematography
| SMAD 312: Cinematography |
| Section 1: Wednesday 3:00pm-6:00pm, SMAD Studio G290 |
Sample Course Syllabus
| Instructor: Olivia Booker Office: Harrison Hall, 0244 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday: 10:30am-12:30pm, Wednesday: 3:15pm-4:15pm or by appointment |
Course Description:
This course explores the core technical and artistic elements of cinematography including camera operation, composition, lighting, and color theory. Students will gain experience with the responsibilities of the cinematographer, camera assistant, and gaffer, including set etiquette and pre-production tasks. Through hands-on workshops and projects, students will practice camera setups, lighting, blocking, and troubleshooting scenes. The course will also cover lens choices, camera movement, and framing techniques to craft dynamic visuals that support narrative and emotional depth.
Course Objectives:
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of cinematic language and filmmaking technique by completing each step of the filmmaking process as a cinematographer, from pre-production through post-production.
- By the end of the course, students will have a good understanding of how the different principles of cinematography work together to support cinematic storytelling.
- Students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in different crew roles, including cinematography, camera assisting, and gaffing.
Required Materials:
- Textbook: Blain Brown’s Cinematography Theory & Practice 4th Edition, available on O’Reilly online via JMU Library account
- Shot Designer (free version available)
- An external hard drive. Recommended at least 2TB, solid state drive, such as Sandisk 2tb
- A notebook you can take notes with while standing and observing.
- At least one member from each group should bring a laptop for group work.
Recommended Materials:
- Shotdeck (highly recommended). Shotdesigner has a free version. Shotdeck is $12 a month and highly recommended.
- Optional: Gloves, headlamps, and other expendables helpful on set
- Director viewfinder app (i.e. Cadradge, Finderkit, Artemis, etc)
- App that shows the sun’s position (Sun Surveyor, Sun Seeker, Sun Locator, etc)
Recommended Texts:
- Ways of Seeing, John Berger
- Painting with Light, John Alton
- Reflections: 21 Cinematographers at Work, Benjamin Bergary
- The Five C’s of Cinematography, Joseph V. Mascelli
Checkout Room: website- https://www.jmu.edu/smad/about-smad/equipment-checkout.shtml
*This includes an inventory of gear, tutorials, manuals, hours, and links.
SMAD Reservation System: https://smad.bookedscheduler.com/Web/
LinkedIn Learning: SMAD students have on-campus access to the software tutorials on LinkedIn Learning. Click on the link from the JMU website. https://www.jmu.edu/computing/help-and-support/linkedin-learning.shtml
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Attend all classes, workshops and labs.
- You are responsible for all course material and film excerpts screened.
- Read each week’s assigned essays/chapters before class to facilitate discussion.
- Participate in class discussions and workshops
- Complete projects on time (details follow)
- Always behave in a professional manner
- Be a reliable and active team member
- Endure public screenings and critiques of your work.
GRADES: Your final grade for the course will be calculated by combining your overall percentage grade for each project (group and solo), as well as tests and class participation totalling 100%. Class participation is based upon your participation in class discussions/critiques and workshops, project group dynamics, attendance and meeting project deadlines. Projects will be graded on their technical proficiency, application of cinematography techniques/craft and overall aesthetics. Detailed project descriptions and requirements will be given when projects are assigned.
Assignments:
Cinematographer Profiles (10%): You are required to do a 5-7 minute presentation on a professional cinematographer and lead a class discussion on the lighting and cinematography breakdown of a scene.
Assignments (30% or 5% each): Six assignments, building off in-class workshops to be turned in on Canvas.
Midterm (20%): Students will execute a shoot where students act as director, DP, 1st AC, 2nd AC, Gaffer, and Key Grip. Students will be graded on set etiquette, proper gear management, working well together, etc. Each group will have 40 minutes to get a master shot, 2 close ups, and a fourth shot of their choosing.
Final Project (25%): In groups, students will design their own scene that highlights one of the concepts or approaches covered in class. This could include using a specific technology, lighting style, or camera technique. This will also include a film binder with pre-production materials and pitch deck, and a final presentation about the chosen concept.
Participation (15%): Showing up, sharing. Abiding by community agreements.
Grading:
A=Extremely well done and goes above and beyond the assignment and displays attention to detail and meets a professional standard.
B= Displays above average work with clean and precise attention to detail and added additional elements above the minimum standard.
C= Meets the assigned goals of the assignment and met the minimum standard.
D=Missed parts of the assignment and didn’t pay attention to detail.
F=Failed to meet any part of the assignment or failed to turn the assignment in.
To achieve a particular grade, you must earn the minimum percentage required for that grade. There is no rounding. Late projects will result in a 10% decrease for every 12 hours, beginning at the deadline. Deadlines will be posted on Canvas. Some assignments won’t allow for late work, resulting in a zero.
Safety and Protocol
No open-toed shoes are permitted on set (in class). Breaking all of your toes will adversely affect even the most well organized and executed shoot. If you arrive wearing open-toed shoes, you will not be able to participate in class. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. Comfortable clothes recommended.
Constructive criticism from the instructor and your fellow classmates will be given for projects. Learn to give and take this criticism with maturity, just as you would in the workplace. If you believe that you are having problems with this course, then see me before the problems jeopardize your learning process. I am here to facilitate and teach the course. I want you to succeed!
| Updated Course Schedule is located on the home page of Canvas |
Note: The schedule is subject to change but is a reasonable reflection of the topics to be covered, and the time devoted to each topic. Always check the Canvas home page for updates.
| Day | Activity | Assignment |
| Wed, Aug 20 | Lecture: Collaboration Review + Camera systems Workshop: Getting to know the camera | Read: Cinematography theory and Practice, chapter 2 Visual Language |
| Wed, Aug 27 | Lecture: Community agreements. Composition + the Frame Workshop: Documentary cinematography (working with available light) | Read: Cinematography theory and Practice, chapter 3 Language of the lens Cinematographer profile 1,2 |
| Wed, Sept 3 | Lecture: Lenses + Camera Assisting Workshop: Proper set-etiquette and commercial/sports portrait lighting project | Read: Camera Assistant Manual: Chapter 4: Second AC, Chapter 5: 1st AC Submit Portrait workshop on Canvas Cinematographer profile 3,4 |
| Wed, Sept 10 | Lecture: Camera Assistant bootcamp Workshop: Camera Assisting + lenses assignment (scene recreation) | Read: Cinematography theory and Practice, chapter 4: coverage and continuity Cinematographer profile 5, 6 |
| Wed, Sept 17 | Lecture: Pre-Production as a cinematographer, coverage + continuity, moodboards Workshop: Filming a conversation | Read: Cinematography theory and Practice, Camera movement Cinematographer profile 7,8 |
| Wed, Sept 24 | Lecture: Camera Movement Workshop: Seadycam and Gimbal | *Submit gear lists by end of class* Cinematographer profile 9,10 |
| Wed, Oct 1 | Lecture: Pre-production for Lighting- Intro to electricity and circuits Workshop: Gaffer and Grip bootcamp/ Midterm prep | |
| Wed, Oct 8 | Lecture: Virtual Production Workshop: Working with LED screen as background | |
| Wed, Oct 15 | Lecture: Looking forward, changing approaches to Cinematography Workshop: Camera Movement part 2 | Submit camera movement workshop Cinematographer profile 11,12 |
| Wed, Oct 22 | Fall Break – No Class | |
| Wed, Oct 29 | Intro Final Project Color theory + Production design Workshop: dressing a scene | Assignment: Come up with a color palette for your final film scene, submit on canvas with rationale Cinematographer profile 13, 14 |
| Wed, Nov 5 | Creating the pitch deck + catchup day | Assignment: Create pitch deck Cinematographer profile 15, 16 |
| Wed, Nov 12 | Pitch final projects | |
| Wed, Nov 19 | Class work session | |
| Mon, Nov 24 | No class- Thanksgiving break | |
| Wed, Nov 26 | No class- Thanksgiving break | |
| Wed, Dec 3 | Screen rough cuts of final projects | |
| Exam | Screen final projects |
Olivia Booker 