Moving Image Arts

Film and video are the media expression in Moving Image Arts. Students learn basic visual language and ethics of representation in the genre of animation, documentary, and narrative. Students work with visiting artists and produce both independent and group projects. All courses above Explore require the recommendation and/or permission of the instructor.

Moving Image Arts Explore A: (1 Semester)
Overview Statement: By the end of MIA Explore A, students will be able to explain and apply universal artistic concepts using film and video vocabulary. They will have developed basic skills and techniques including: use of camera angles, scale and movement, nonlinear digital editing skills, storyboarding, and correct usage and care of cameras, tripods, and audio equipment. Students will be able to maintain focus as an individual and within a group for multi-week projects. They will respond appropriately and demonstrate proper audience etiquette while critically viewing films.

Moving Image Arts Explore B: (1 Semester)
Overview Statement: Explore B is a project based class to further the skills learned in Explore A. Students will learn to create story ideas and write screenplays to create narratives and documentation of video projects.

Moving Image Arts Animation A: (1 Semester)
Overview Statement: Animation A is a skills oriented semester length course class. Students will learn the skills involved in creating movement. All skills, for example, anticipation, exaggeration and other principles will be approached through drawn animation. Students will also analyze, interpret, and evaluate animation on film, video and other electronic media encountered in daily life.

Moving Image Arts Animation B: (1 Semester)
Overview Statement: Prerequisite - Animation A. Animation B is a project centered semester length course class-based on skills presented during Animation A. Students choose a medium in which to work on a group or independent project. Mediums such as object, drawn, experimental, direct, and computer animation are options for students. Also, students must study a currently known “style” and apply it to their project. This class requires highly motivated animators. Projects created in Animation B require the use of audio.

Moving Image Arts Documentary One:
Overview Statement: Prerequisite - Explore B. In addition to expectations for Explore, students in MIA Documentary One will understand and identify the language and compositional elements of documentary filmmaking. They will recognize and apply the features of a documentary film (interview, narration, factual footage). Students will be able to determine the interests and needs of an audience and select appropriate material. The students will understand the role of moving image art and documentary in the historical development of media.

Moving Image Arts Documentary Two:
Overview Statement: Prerequisite - Documentary One. MIA Documentary Two will build on the skills learned in Documentary One. Students will also be required to produce documentary work that services the school, as well as complete a documentary project to submit to local, regional, and national film festivals.

Moving Image Arts Narrative One:
Overview Statement: Prerequisite – Documentary One. By the end of MIA Narrative One students in groups will use elements of a story to write a script in screenplay format, create a storyboard, gather, and edit footage using cinematographic techniques, and synchronize the audio. Students will view and critique narrative films. Students will also demonstrate an understanding of the principles of continuity and other narrative principles.

Moving Image Arts Narrative Two:
Overview Statement: Prerequisite - Narrative One. MIA Narrative Two will build on the skills learned in Narrative One. Students will also be responsible as individuals to write screenplays and complete a narrative project to submit to local, regional, and national film festivals.

Moving Image Arts Focus:
Overview Statement: Focus students will employ all of the technical and aesthetic skills that they have gathered in MIA to create more ambitious projects of either a documentary or narrative format. Focus students will develop a strong, personal artistic voice expressed through the medium of film/video. Students will demonstrate a highly developed understanding of how their technical and aesthetic choices impact an audience. They will also be involved in school service projects of a film/video nature such as video yearbook and graduation video, and will submit films(s) to local, regional, and national film festivals.