Instructor: Sue Kefauver

Email: Sue.Kefauver@freestyle.mvla.net or Sue.Kefauver@mvla.net

Voicemail: 650-940-7478

 

Expected School-wide Learning Results:

21st CENTURY SKILLS

To prepare students to live, learn, and work successfully in today's knowledge-based digital society, our emphasis at Freestyle will be on developing:

• Visual Literacy - the ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision making, communication, and learning.
  
• Technological Literacy - knowledge about what technology is, how it works, what purposes it can serve, and how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve specific goals.
  
• Creativity - the act of bringing something into existence that is genuinely new, original, and of value either personally (of significance only to the individual or organization) or culturally (adds significantly to a domain of culture as recognized by experts).
  
• Self Direction - the ability to set goals related to learning, plan for the achievement of those goals, independently manage time and effort, and independently assess the quality of learning and any products that result from the learning experience.
  
• High Productivity - the ability to produce intellectual, informational, or material products that serve authentic purposes and occur as a result of students using real-world tools to solve or communicate about real-world problems. These products include persuasive communications in any media (print, video, the Web, verbal presentation), synthesis of resources into more useable forms (databases, graphics, simulations), or refinement of questions that build upon what is known to advance one's own and others' understanding.
  
• Teaming and Collaboration - cooperative interaction between two or more individuals working together to solve problems, create novel products, or learn and master content.
  
• Social and Civic Responsibility - the ability to manage technology and govern its use in a way that promotes public good and protects society, the environment, and democratic ideals.
  
• Risk Taking - the willingness to make mistakes, advocate unconventional or unpopular positions, or tackle extremely challenging problems without obvious solutions, such that one's personal growth, integrity, or accomplishments are enhanced.
  
  

What Is Expected From The Student

Assessment and Grading:

Quarter grades will be determined on the basis of performance on projects and classwork. Each area of evaluation will be weighted as follows:

• Minor Pre-Production Assignments = 30%
• Major Production/Project assignments = 70%

*Please note: Only semester grades appear on transcripts.

 

Grades will be assigned on the basis of the following percentages:

• A 90 to 100%
• B 80 to 89%
• C 70 to 79%
• D 60 to 69%
• F below 60%
  

 

Grade Book Update Policy:

Grades may be viewed 24/7 through individual online accounts on https://jupitergrades.com/login/?10334 and will be updated every two weeks or so. Students/Parents will receive grade-viewing info by email.

 

Daily Assignments:

Daily assignments are determined by tasks needed to achieve project goals. Students are responsible to check assigned tasks on the online daily agenda and end goals and work toward achieving those tasks and goals.

 

Attendance:

Attendance at Freestyle is required of students from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM or 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Note: Students may receive a failing grade "F" in a class where they accumulate 15 or more unexcused absences.

 

Late Work/Make Up Work

TBA - Absent students are allotted the same number of absent class days to complete assignments. If a student is absent for extended periods of time, it is the student's responsibility to consult with instructor for make-up work.

 

Classroom Rules:

Because of the various expensive equipment provided for each student, no eating, drinking and chewing gum will be strictly enforced. Students not in their seats when class begins will receive a tardy. Cheating on any assignment or evaluation will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating will be given a zero for the item and will be subject to further disciplinary action.

 

Help:

Office hours: 3:30-5 PM everyday or email me at Sue.Kefauver@freestyle.mvla.net.

Open Lab hours throughout the year will be posted online and announced in class.
Lots of information is on the other tabs at the top of the page.

 

 

Textbooks: The Bare Bones Camera Book for Film and Video Practical DV Filmmaking Understanding Movies The Filmmaker’s Eye   Film Equipment Contract Class Calendar Optional Equipment

Prerequisites: None Length: 1 year Credits: 10 Units UC/CSU: No

Course Description:

Film I provides an introduction to basic pre-production, production and post-production cinematic technique. Based on story ideas first generated in English and Design, students work in teams to create short documentary, narrative and experimental film stories.  Stories are produced on location using commercial camcorders, professional lights and remote sound equipment.  Students learn basic editing skills using Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack Pro.

 

Textbooks: The Filmmaker’s Eye Shot By Shot Advanced Editing Techniques in Final Cut Pro After Effects Apprentice The Video Cookbook   Film Equipment Contract Class Calendar Optional Equipment

Prerequisites: None Length: 1 year Credits: 10 Units UC/CSU: No

Course Description:

Film II introduces students to the prosumer DVX 100B camera along with advanced cinematography, composition and lighting skills.  Students collaborate on three short documentary, narrative and experimental projects, modeling specific film conventions.  In Film II, students perform more advanced editing techniques in Final Cut Pro and use Adobe After Effects to generate text and basic effects.  Film II introduces students to film theory through readings, screenings and student presentations.

 

We want your videos to be watchable on all devices and all browsers by anyone in the world at anytime on the Freestyle website, we will leverage the fact that we have a Freestyle YouTube Channel where YouTube will do all the hard work to convert all our videos into all the different formats that are needed for all devices. All your videos will be uploaded to YouTube and we'll embed your video for presentation on our Freestyle website.

 

So essentially, we need from you only ONE thing - your video.

Please do the following

1. Go to Mr. Florendo's Junior or Senior drop box depending upon your grade
2. Find the folder labeled "FILM students in here"
3. Find the correct folder for the current unit
• p1 = Self Portrait Unit
• p2 = Narrative 2 Unit
• p3 = Documentary Unit
• p4 = Experimental Unit
• p5 = Profile Unit
• p6 = Music Video Unit
• p7 = Narrative 2 Unit
4. Move your current .mov into the correct folder
5. RENAME the file you just moved into Mr. Florendo's Drop Box with the correct filename as directed below
• Self-Portrait, Experimental, and Profile video file name as UsernamE.mov - NO nicknames, no _FC, etc. - ONLY your UsernamE
• Narrative 1, Documentary, Music Video, and Narrative 2 video file name as Title_of_Video.mov - no usernames, no _FC, etc. - ONLY the Title_of_Video with underscores between words. Assuming you have the proper Credits in the film somewhere, we can figure out which students worked on on which video, but no credits will result with no name associated with the video.

Sue Kefauver
Digital Film Production Teacher

 

 

 

Sue Kefauver

 

Email: Sue.Kefauver@mvla.net or Sue.Kefauver@freestyle.mvla.net  

 

Voicemail: 650-940-7478

 

 

 

 

Prior to Freestyle Academy, Sue Kefauver worked at Los Altos High School from 1987 to 2006 teaching freshmen through senior English classes. In 2002, she obtained her Master of Arts in Cinema Studies from San Francisco State. Her popular Film Analysis class at LAHS combined UC approved English curriculum with digital film pre-production and post-production skills. In addition to this work, she organized the annual community film festival, showcasing the best of her student work.