IDST 144 – Current Topics in Multimedia Production
DVD Authoring

Lecture and Lab: Saturdays 10am-2pm

Instructor: Beth Cataldo
email: bcataldo@ccsf.edu
Class Web site: www.bethcataldo.com/144home.htm

Office Hours: Mondays 10-12, Cloud 208A

Course Overview

This class will provide students with an overview of DVD authoring, including planning and production through a hands-on approach. Topics include an overview of the production process, storyboarding, prototyping with Photoshop and DV-editing with Final Cut, optimizing and developing a DVD interface with DVD Studio Pro and producing a final DVD product.

Goals for the class:
The goal for each student is to take his/her own idea for a DVD project and see it through each stage from pre-production to final production. This will be a hands-on process that will include capturing and editing DV footage, producing a DVD interface and combining them into a final project. I will assign in-class projects that you should be able to finish in class time.

At the end of this class, you should have a solid understanding of the five stages of DVD development, including pre-production, gathering/creating assets, encoding your movie in MPEG2 format, creating menus in a graphics program and authoring and outputting your DVD project. You will also understand how Photoshop, Premiere, Final Cut Pro, QuickTime Pro and DVD Studio Pro work within the production process. I will also do a presentation on Encore, a PC-based DVD authoring program.

Required supplies:

5-10 DVDs and 10-20 CDs discs for storage and final burn
DV tapes for recording

Zip disks or CD discs for backup

Note: Digital video takes up a lot of space (about 300MB per minute) so you’ll need lots of CDs and/or DVDs for backup.

Dropping the class:

It’s your responsibility to drop the class. You can do it in person or on the phone and you don’t need my permission. However, if you miss more than two classes in a row without an explanation, I will drop you if it’s still during the withdrawal period. If you simply stop attending after the withdrawal period without dropping the class you will receive an “F” as a grade at the end of the semester.

Grading Policies-1000 Total Class Points

Attendance/in-class projects/participation 200 points	Attendance and timely arrival to class is required. Each unexcused absence will result in a drop of a grade. Two late arrivals (1/2 hour) will count as one absence. I will assign 14 total in-class projects, worth 10 points each.
Assignments and presentations 150 points	There will be assignments with each application. At the beginning of each class, I would like someone from the class to present a short demo of a DVD or multimedia project or talk about an article that you’ve read about DVD. These presentations will contribute to your final grade.
Mid-term project 250 points	The mid-term project will be a presentation of your work in-progress.
Final Project 400 points	The final project will include a final DVD project, including an encoded video with several interactive menus. You will also hand in a cover sheet explaining your project and any aspects of the process that you want to talk about. You will present your project to the class on the last day of class. It’s required that you give me your DVD on disc at the end of class.

Computer lab access:
If you need additional time to finish an assignment, you can come in during lab time to work or work at home if you have the right software. The computer lab in ARTX does have open access lab hours. I’ll announce them early in the semester. To use the lab, you must present a photo ID, a CCSF ID and class badge.

Software police:

You will be expelled for copying software from any computer lab at City College.

Tips:

Make sure you save all your files in the Users>IDST144c folder. All other files outside of that folder get deleted. Also, save often and backup onto your ZIP disk or burn a CD after every class.

Classroom atmosphere:

Please do not engage in side conversations (or mouse clicking) during lectures, demonstrations or presentations. Please turn off any cell phones during class. Do not bring any food or drinks into the lab. Also, please let me know if there’s anything more you need to help understand the material I’m presenting.

Schedule:

The following is the general outline for the class. The topics will remain flexible and could change depending on the interests and experiences sof the class and presentation opportunities.

Week Date Topic Assignment

1	1/17	Class introductions Intro to class, talk about goals, class structure. What is DVD authoring? Examples of interesting DVDs. Explanation of final project.		Start thinking about your project. Start shooting or gathering video assets.
2	1/24	Overview of authoring with DVD Studio Pro Basics: Dissecting some projects. Project planning: Flowchart and storyboarding		Assignment #1: Design a flowchart and description of your project (20 pts)
3	1/31	Gathering assets w/ FCP Capturing video from an external tape and basic editing.		Assignment #2: Create a video postcard. (30 pts)
4	2/7	Gathering assets w/ FCP     Basic Editing.		Assignment #2: continued Assign #1 due
5	2/14	No Class -- President's Day
6	2/21	Designing Menus		Assignment #3: Create Menus (30 pts)
7	2/28	Introduction to DVD Studio Pro: Interface, importing assets.		Assignment #5: Create a DVD project (50 pts)
8	3/6	Open Lab		Assignment #2 and #3 in-progress due: In-class demos of projects
9	3/13	Midterm due: Presentations
10	3/20	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro Tracks Part 1: Encoding and working with tracks.	Assignment #4: Encode your project (20 pts)
11	3/27	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro Tracks Part 2: Working with stories and encoding audio.
12	4/3	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro. Slideshows and review
13	4/10	No Class -- Spring Break
14	4/17	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro. Build and Burn your DVD		Assignment #4 due
15	4/24	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro. Adding subtitles and linking to the Internet
16	5/1	Authoring w/ DVD Studio Pro.    Scripting
17	5/8	Open Lab – prep for final class		Assignment #5 due
18	5/15	Last Day – Final presentations