Syllabus
FALL/SPRING TERM
Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 2 sessions per week, 2 hours per session
Course Goals
▪Gain the understanding necessary to safely pilot a drone within current FAA guidelines and respond readily to exigent situations.
▪Develop the technical capability to capture engaging aerial cinematography.
▪Acquire the aeronautical knowledge required for FAA Part 107 airman certification.
▪Engage in discussions with a spirit of openness and collaboration.
▪Contribute new ideas to the classroom. Explore perspectives. Competently field questions. Reflect on what is learned and think of ways to make improvements.
Instructor Expectations
Learn and have fun! Respect varying points of view. Be present for class. Arrive prepared with finished work and all appropriate materials. Embrace academic integrity. Take responsibility for your own learning.
Reviews
Student-Teacher Tutorials are designed to strengthen the understanding of the creative process, while assignments stress cinematic aesthetics and formal concerns.
Grading
Assignments 50%
Quizzes 30%
Final Paper 10%
Participation 5%
(In-class contribution and interaction with other students and the instructor. Asking questions, offering answers, sharing opinions and ideas are all ways of demonstrating participation.)
Attendance 5%
(Punctuality counts. Attendance is taken sharp at the start of class.)
*Assignments turned in late will receive one letter grade lower per day.
**Independent reading and media viewing are vital components of the course and to be completed outside of class.
***Drinks are permitted in the classroom. Students are expected to pick up after themselves.
****Plagiarism, cell phone use, text messaging during class…hmm.
Calendar
Week Topics Key Dates
1 Course Introduction
Retrospective of Unmanned Flight
2 Rudiments of Aeronautical Theory
Fundamentals of Multi-Rotor Flying I
3 Fundamentals of Multi-Rotor Flying II
Legal and Regulatory Issues
4 Environmental Considerations Quiz 1
FAA Part 107
5 Camera Essentials
Approaches to Storytelling
6 Composition and Aesthetics I
Composition and Aesthetics II
7 Color Correction and Grading
Assembly and Delivery
8 Equipment Selection and Maintenance Quiz 2
Practicum
9 Student-Teacher Tutorials
Student-Teacher Tutorials
10 Project 1—Concept (10%; in Pairs)
Aerial Photography in Film and TV—Analysis and Appraisal
11 Project Presentations
FAA Part 107 (Review)
12 Project 2—Emotion (20%; Individual) Quiz 3
First Principles of Media Literacy
13 Project Presentations
Student Symposium
14 Project 3—Story (20%; Individual or in Pairs)
Storytelling Revisited
15 Break
16 Project Presentations
Course Review
18 Exams Week Final Paper Due