FACULTY OF FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS

Course: VISA 2056 3.0 Time Based Art: Introduction to Video Art Production
Term: Winter 2014
Prerequisite / Co-requisite: none
Course Instructors:
Joe Hambleton: jhambltn@yorku.ca
Course Consultation hours: Friday. 12:30-1:30 pm. (please email to make an appointment in advance).
Jorge Lozano: jorge_lozano@sympatico.ca
Course Consultation hours: Tuesday 1:00-3:00pm. (please email to make an appointment in advance).
Time and Location:
2056 Lab 02: Fri. 1:30 5:30
2056 Lab 01: Tues. 8:30 12:30
2056 Lab 03: Tues. 6:30 10:30

Rms. 326, 328, 334.

Rms. 326, 328, 334.
Rms. 326, 328, 334.

Joe Hambleton
Jorge Lozano
Jorge Lozano

Course Website: http://visa2056.blogspot.ca/

Expanded Course Description:
The course introduces students to the creative practice of video art focusing on production in a studio
environment and location shooting. Classes include workshops on camera, sound, lighting, and chroma
keying techniques. While focusing on production, the course will include an introduction to non-linear digital
editing software including Premiere Pro. Students gain experience in developing and directing individual
and group video projects. Creative and conceptual issues of visual and time-based video language,
continuity, narrative structures and creative camera techniques will form the bases of class discussions and
critiques of video projects. Video works may include performance-based video or narrative work. The
history of video art and examples of contemporary video art will be introduced in combination with
assignments and discussion of techniques.
Course Learning Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to assist students in developing an understanding of the creative practice of
video art and in gaining technical expertise in video production, emphasizing studio techniques: video
camera(s) (powering options, the lens, F-stops, camera menus), camera set up and use (framing and
composition, tripods, hand-held, panning/tilting/raking, blocking) lighting (studio lighting, three point lighting,
colour temperature, chroma key, working with available light, portable lighting gear, safety, creative lighting
to create atmosphere) and sound recording techniques (microphone selection and placement). A second
purpose of the course is to introduce students to a variety of contemporary video art practices (video for
single screen, video for the web, video in combination with performance, video installation) and to gain an
understanding of the work of video artists. The course acts an introduction to video art that will prepare
students for more advanced study at a third year level.
IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS:
All students are expected to familiarize themselves with the following information, available on the Senate
Committee on Curriculum & Academic Standards webpage (see Reports, Initiatives, Documents)
http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate_cte_main_pages/ccas.htm
Yorks Academic Honesty Policy and Procedures/Academic Integrity Website
Ethics Review Process for research involving human participants
Course requirement accommodation for students with disabilities, including physical, medical, systemic,
learning and psychiatric disabilities

 Student Conduct Standards

Religious Observance Accommodation
Course Text / Readings and Websites:
Additional readings may be assigned or recommended during the course.
The following books, journal articles and websites are recommended for the course:
Postmodern currents: art and artists in the age of electronic media, Margot Lovejoy. 2nd edition. Upper Saddle
River, NJ., Prentice Hall, 1997. (NX 180 M3 L68 1997)
Illuminating Video An Essential Guide to Video Art, ed. Sally Jo Fifer & Doug Hall, Aperture/Bay Area Video
Collective, 1990 (N 6494 V53 I4 1990)
Nam June Paik: video 'n' videology, 1959-1973. Syracuse, N.Y. : Everson Museum of Art, 1973.
(GPC 0500
0213)
Bill Viola: European Insights, reflections on the work of Bill Viola, Munich; New York: prestel 1999
The Videomaker handbook: a comprehensive guide to making video, York, Matt, Focal Press, Boston, 1996.
http://www.vtape.org Vtape is the largest distributor of video art in Canada. See their on-line catalogue.
http://www.vdb.org Large collection of Video Art, mainly US based, but includes some Canadian and international
http://www.videoart.net an interesting collection of new artists, particularly see the performance section.
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/sitemap/en/ a good resource for archived new media works.
http://vimeo.com a video upload site like youtube but with more of a focus on film and art.
http://www.expcinema.com/site/en news and resources on experimental film.
http://www.ubu.com/film/ an excellent archive of experimental film and video.
http://www.movingimagesource.us/research a gateway to online resources related to film and digital media.
http://gerger.com/mediaart/calls/ resource for open calls for video art submissions.

Assignments:
Students are required to complete all assignments. Your videos must be your own original camera work
shot by you or your group. Found footage or footage downloaded from the Internet may be used in
combination with your original footage only if it is integral to your creative concept. All assignments should
be handed in as a QuickTime file in the instructors drop-box on the server.Critique Attendance and
participation
In-class studio instruction is essential to the successful fulfillment of course work and therefore full
attendance is required. All assignments are due on the due dates indicated. Students will need to
participate in a mandatory in-class critique for assignments 2-4.
Lateness Penalties:
Grades will be deducted for absence or lateness (one-half letter grade (1 grade point) per missed day or
lateness). Assignments received later than the due date will be penalized one-half letter grade (1 grade
point) per day that assignment is late. Exceptions to the absence or lateness penalty for valid reasons
such as illness, compassionate grounds, will require supporting documentation (e.g., a doctors letter).
Requests for extensions must receive the permission of the course instructor.
Assignment 1: Camera Techniques (Location shooting)
Working in groups of 4-5 people, shoot 20 to 30 minutes of footage that explores the campus environment,
using both interior and exterior locations. Give consideration to composition, visual aesthetics, camera setup and style and coverage (variety of shots to build a sequence). Give consideration to lighting, colour
temperature, iris and shutter. Review and log your footage and bring it to class to be used in an editing
workshop to create a final video project. DUE: Class 3.
Assignment 2: Introduction to Editing Techniques
Using the footage shot in Assignment 1, each student will edit the footage to create a video with a
maximum duration of 3 minutes. Export you video as a QuickTime file for the in-class critique. DUE: Class
5.
Assignment 3: Studio Group Project (lighting exercise)
Create a video art work using the studio and its lighting equipment. This is a group assignment. Each group
(4-5 people) will create a video work with a maximum duration of 5 minutes. Give particular attention to
lighting and any elements of set or props necessary to create the work. Groups will be established two
weeks in advance of the project. Groups should meet in advance to decide on the subject for your work

and to designate actors, lighting, camera and editing roles. Do a rehearsal of your work prior to the shoot
and plan light placement and camera placement in advance. You can book the studio in 326 or 334 for
rehearsals through the area technician. Make sure you have everything ready for your shoot including
preparing all set materials, costumes or props prior to the shoot date. DUE: Class 8.
Assignment 4: Video project
This is a small group assignment (2 people in each group). Choose one of the following topics a or b.
a) Create a video using both location shooting and studio techniques to examine or critiques one of the
following: 1) social media, 2) video-games, or 3) video surveillance.
b) Create a video that examines your identity how do you define yourself. Consider markers of identity
such as nationality, gender, race, language, culture. Work with your partner to examine a shared identity or
contrasting identities.
For either video, consider including material shot on location or still images. Give particular attention to
camera composition, studio lighting and obtaining good quality audio. Keep your location shoot(s) to a
minimum (no more than 4 locations). Edit the project in Premiere Pro. Maximum Final video duration: 7
minutes.
* A two page proposal and shooting plan for your video will be due in Class 9, and the final video will be
due in the Class 12.
Grades: The final grade for the course will be based on the following items weighted as indicated:
Assignment 1:
Assignment 2:
Assignment 3:
Assignment 4:
Critique Participation:

10%
20%
25%
35%
10%

The grading scheme for the course conforms to the 9-point grading system used in undergraduate
programs at York (e.g., A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ - 7, C+ = 5, etc.). Assignments will bear a letter grade designation
(e.g. A+ = 90 to 100, A = 80 to 90, B+ = 75 to 79, etc.) (For a full description of York grading system see
the York University Undergraduate Calendar
http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/pdfs/ug2004cal/calug04_5_acadinfo.pdf)
Students may take a limited number of courses for degree credit on an ungraded (pass/fail) basis. For full
information on this option see Alternative Grading Option in the Faculty of Fine Arts section of the
Undergraduate Calendar - http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/calendars/20102011/faculty_rules/FA/grading.htm
Class Timetable:
Classes 1 - 3 (rooms 336 & 334): Video basics (formats, powering, equipment), camera techniques and
basics of audio recording for video.
Camera Techniques: (powering, body, lens, manual and automatic functions, camera menus, manual iris
settings) and creative considerations (framing and composition, pan, tilt, zoom, iris, filters, focus, focus
pulling, white balance and colour temperature, shutter, shooting techniques, hand-held or use of tripods).
Audio Techniques: Introduction to audio recording: use of external microphones, types of microphones,
microphone placement, audio settings on the camera, monitoring sound and recording in the field.
Discussion of cinematography drawing on examples of historical and contemporary video and film works.
Camera exercise in location shooting using available light conditions.
Class 3: Assignment 1: Camera Techniques footage is DUE
Class 3, 4 (Room 328): Introduction to the basics of editing in Premiere Pro
Logging and transcoding selected footage, Premiere Pro interface (timeline, viewer, canvas, project, clips,
tools, preferences, selecting scratch disks, file management). Cutting your material: aesthetics, timing,

transition effects, working with audio tracks, adding stills, text, sound or music, exporting options, creating a
quicktime file.
Class 5 (Room 334): Assignment 2 is DUE - Class presentation and critique.
Class 6 (336 & 334): Studio Lighting Tutorial
In studio technical workshop covering basic three point lighting, soft and hard lights, colour balance, barn
doors, scrims, light stands, grip stands, working with the grid, safe handling of lighting gear and lighting,
lighting wattage, power, safe handling of cables, cookies, flags, and gels, colour balance, lighting technique
for chroma key, more creative lighting techniques re: atmosphere and mood. Introduce portable lighting
gear. Discussion of Assignment 3: Studio Group Project, formation of groups.
(READING WEEK FEB 15-21, no class)
Class 7 (336 & 334): Colour Keying Tutorial
Assignment 3: Project filming in studio.
Class 8 (336 & 334): Assignment 3 is DUE Class presentation and critique.
Class 9 (334 & 328): 2-page proposal for Assignment 4 is DUE
- Discussion of assignment and editing workshop.
Class 10 &11 (334, 336 & 328):
Production and editing of studio video project, Assignment 4. Individual meetings with groups and instructor
on works-in-progress.
More on contemporary video artists, websites, distributors and library resources. DVD creation
Class 12 (334, 336, 328): Assignment 4 is DUE. Class presentation and critique.
Important Information:
Important Dates:
Last date to enroll without permission of course instructor: Jan. 19, 2014.
Last date to enroll with permission of course instructor: Jan. 31, 2014.
Last date to drop courses without receiving a grade: March 7, 2014.
Reading Week: Feb. 15-21, 2014.
Winter classes start: Jan. 6, 2014.
Winter classes end: April 4, 2014.
Academic Honesty and Integrity:
York students are required to maintain high standards of academic integrity and are subject to the Senate
Policy on Academic Honesty (http://www.yorku.ca/univsec/policies/document.php?document=69).
There is also an academic integrity website with complete information about academic honesty. Students
are expected to review the materials on the Academic Integrity website
(http://www.yorku.ca/academicintegrity).
Access/Disability:
York provides services for students with disabilities (including physical, medical, learning and psychiatric
disabilities) needing accommodation related to teaching and evaluation methods/materials. These services
are made available to students in all Faculties and programs at York University. Students in need of these
services are asked to register with disability services as early as possible to ensure that appropriate
academic accommodation can be provided with advance notice. You are encouraged to schedule a time
early in the term to meet with each professor to discuss your accommodation needs. Please note that

registering with disabilities services and discussing your needs with your professors is necessary to avoid
any impediment to receiving the necessary academic accommodations to meet your needs.
Additional information is available through Counselling & Disability Services at www.yorku.ca/cds or from
disability service providers:
Personal Counselling and Learning Skills Services: N110 BCSS, 416-736-5297
Mental Health Disability Services: N110 BCSS, 416-736-5297
Learning Disability Services: W128 BCSS, 416-736-5383
Physical, Sensory and Medical Disability Services: N108 Ross, 416-736-5140, TTY:
416-736-5263
Deaf and Hard of Hearing students can also contact dhh@yorku.ca
Ethics Review Process:
York students are subject to the York University Policy for the Ethics Review Process for Research
Involving Human Participants. In particular, students proposing to undertake research involving human
participants (e.g., interviewing the director of a company or government agency, having students complete
a questionnaire, etc.) are required to submit an Application for Ethical Approval of Research Involving
Human Participants at least one month before you plan to begin the research. If you are in doubt as to
whether this requirement applies to you, contact your Course Director immediately.
Religious Observance Accommodation:
York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the
community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. Should any
of the dates specified in this syllabus for an in-class test or examination pose such a conflict for you,
contact the Course Director within the first three weeks of class. Similarly, should an assignment to be
completed in a lab, practicum placement, workshop, etc., scheduled later in the term pose such a conflict,
contact the Course director immediately. Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time for an
examination scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students must
complete an Examination Accommodation Form, which can be obtained from Student Client Services,
Student Services Centre or online at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/pdf/exam_accommodation.pdf
Student Conduct:
Students and instructors are expected to maintain a professional relationship characterized by courtesy
and mutual respect and to refrain from actions disruptive to such a relationship. Moreover, it is the
responsibility of the instructor to maintain an appropriate academic atmosphere in the classroom, and the
responsibility of the student to cooperate in that endeavour. Further, the instructor is the best person to
decide, in the first instance, whether such an atmosphere is present in the class. A statement of the policy
and procedures involving disruptive and/or harassing behaviour by students in academic situations is
available on the York website http://www.yorku.ca/univsec/policies/document.php?document=82
Please note that this information is subject to periodic update. For the most current information, please go
to the CCAS webpage (see Reports, Initiatives, Documents):
http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate_cte_main_pages/ccas.htm