Audiovisual techniques: shooting, audio shooting, montage and mixing

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Fanny Pluymers, Dick Tomasovic

Coordinator

Fanny Pluymers

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The Audiovisual Techniques course is a general introduction to the various techniques that make up the contemporary audiovisual landscape, from the moment a project (script, journalistic investigation, etc.) exists on paper to the moment it is broadcast.

The course will cover :

• pre-production techniques: script breakdown, casting direction, location scouting;
• shooting techniques: video sensors, recording formats, frame rates, exposure, lenses, shooting aids;
• lighting techniques: basic properties of light, functions and positions of light sources, different technologies of lamps (HMI, LED, TH);
• sound techniques: sound sampling, recording formats, different microphone technologies;
• and basic post-production techniques: editing, colour grading, mixing.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The aim of the course is to grasp the fundamental notions of sound and video image techniques in today's digital and IT environment in order to master the tools. This will enable students to successfully complete the audiovisual projects proposed in the Masters and to quickly become operational during internships.

At the end of this course, students will be able to :

• Organise a fiction or non-fiction shoot in the best possible way;
• Evaluate the technical needs of an audiovisual project;
• Make relevant technical choices relating to the specific features of an audiovisual project;
• Use professional audiovisual equipment: cameras used in manual mode, lenses, tripods, lamps of different technologies, sound recorders, microphones and post-production software.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

None.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Within the course timetable, various learning activities are organised to optimise the conditions in which the practical work is carried out. During the first term, students work in groups of three to produce a remake of a film sequence lasting around three minutes.

The course begins with ex cathedra theory sessions punctuated by in-class exercises, at a rate of two sessions per week. This enables students to acquire the necessary knowledge early enough to be able to apply it with confidence during practical work. For this reason, attendance is strongly recommended to avoid any delay in the progress of the practical work.

Towards the middle of the term, students are divided into sub-groups of 18 for practical introductory sessions in the use of audiovisual tools. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory, otherwise students are not allowed to borrow LICAM equipment. Video tutorials are available online to help students get to grips with the equipment provided.

Finally, post-production work carried out at LICAM (editing, mixing, colour-grading) benefits from individual teaching support.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course

Recommended or required readings

The course materials, i.e. PowerPoint presentations and exercise sheets, are made available to students online, as the sessions progress, on MyULiège and eCampus.

A complementary and optional bibliography is also included.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

Written work / report

Continuous assessment


Additional information:

The course is assessed in two parts: theoretical and practical.

The theoretical part consists of a written exam with open questions during the January session. It assesses the student's ability to deploy their new 'technical culture' in a relevant, cross-disciplinary way, while making appropriate use of technical vocabulary.

The practical part involves making a remake of a film sequence. Students will work in groups of three to try their hand at all the technical stages of audiovisual production. The finished remake will be exported in MP4, H.264 format and sent via WeTransfer. The grade received is a group grade.

Within the working group, it is essential to observe a fair distribution of work. Each student must actively participate in the three main stages: pre-production, shooting and post-production. Failure to do so will result in the remake grade becoming an individual grade.


The remake counts for 40% and the exam for 60% of the overall mark.

In the event of overall failure due to the failure of only one of the two parts, the mark for the successful part is retained until the next session.

Work placement(s)

n/a

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The audiovisual equipment used during the practical sessions is provided by LICAM, the Audiovisual and Multimedia Information and Communication Laboratory.


LICAM regulations

BORROWING

• The loan of equipment is only authorised to students who have previously attended one or more practical sessions to discover the equipment. These sessions are an integral part of the Audiovisual Techniques course.
• Each loan must be reserved at least one working day before collection via the following link: https://forms.gle/B8vNvCZkiPHoa5iCA 

• It is strictly forbidden to leave the audiovisual equipment unattended, even when not filming. Equipment may not be left in an unoccupied car or on a film set.
• It is forbidden to use the equipment in a particularly humid location. In the event of rain, the camera must be protected first.
• It is forbidden to film directly into the sun.
• It is strictly forbidden to dismantle the lens or any other part of the camera.
• The camera must be switched off before changing the battery.

• Students are entirely responsible for their data, images and sound. Data back-up must be completed before the equipment is returned. Back-up on at least two separate storage media is strongly recommended.

Contacts

Fanny Pluymers
LICAM
fanny.pluymers@uliege.be
04/366.53.11

Association of one or more MOOCs

Items online