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Welcome to Communications Media

Welcome to your first Communications Media course. Whether you took the preview PAA9 Computer Tech rotation last year, or this is your first time, we hope you learn, create, and have fun this semester.

During this course, you will have the opportunity to develop skills and abilities in audio, visual, and interactive media production. During each form of media, there will be a focus on preproduction, production, and postproduction stages of the development, and how all stages come together to allow for effective communication to the audience.

We will be particularily covering video productio nand graphics design in a few different orms, while also looking into the legal and ethical side of the industry, and how copyright affects you and your work. Lastly, we will cover a career spotlight, looking at the chosies of careers available in Regina and other areas.

Course Content

  • 1. Fundamentals, Copyright, and Ethics

    • What is Communications Media and Media Arts?
    • What are the three stages of production?
    • What is copyright? Legal and Ethical issues in media
    • The Creative Commons & Public Domain
    • Careers in Media Arts

  • 2. Graphics Design

    • Principles of Design
    • Introduction to Photoshop & Alternatives
    • Core Techniques & Skills in Photoshop
    • Applications for Industry and Business
    • UX vs UI; Differences and similarities
    • Characteristics of Great Web Design

  • 3. Audio Production

    • Intro to Music Creation
    • Audio Editing and Processing
    • Audio Techniques in Film
    • Foley & Sound Effects

  • 4. Film Production

    • Storyboarding & Synopsis Writing
    • Composition, Camera Angles, and Shot Planning
    • Lighting and Audio Considerations
    • Filming Techniques
    • Creating Your First Short Film

Computer Skills & Expectations

This is a course focused primarily on digital skills and is rooted in your ability to use a desktop computer. Throughout the course we will provide some basic tutorials and tips as needed for new fundamental computer skills, and an a bit of an introduction will be provided in the first week of classes.

You should be compfortable working with a desktop operating system like Windows. Ideally you should know the basics of how to start programs, save files, use the file explorer (Windows Explorer) and Save Dialogue boxes to create folders, move and copy files, navigate between windows/applications, and access the internet.

While some support will be provided initially, we will not have time to spend focusing on learning all of the basics of using a computer. As such, if ou feel like you are not comfortable with the basic skills listed above, you should be prepared to spend some extra time mastering the basics and gaining confidence with your tools.

As always, please never hesitate to ask your teacher if you have a question or are not sure how to do something.

Academic Misconduct

As you will soon be learning in this course, Plagarism is a special word in the education world for Copyright Infringement. The media industry faces massive pressures and problems related to copyright infringement, ethical use of AI, and the general tension between free access to resources and fair compensation for artists and creators.

Plagarism and Academic Misconduct are very serious and have real tangible consequences no matter which course you are in. However, especially in creative courses, it becomes significantly more ironic and calls into question your understanding of the ethics content. As Such, there is a ZERO tolerance policy for any form of plagarism and academic misconduct in your tasks this semester.

School Plagarism Policy

Plagarism is designed as any copying of anotehr piece of work, published or unpublished, in whole or in part. You 'may' receive a zero score for plagarism. Please note the following: - Grade 9's - may be offered a rewrite assessment with late deduction. Cointact home will be made. - Grade 10's - may receive a zero on copied portions of the assessment, an alternative assessment might be allowed with penalties. Contact home will be made. - Grade 11's & Grade 12's - zero tolerance. There will be contact home, and the student will be referred to school administration.

Self-plagarism

Important – Self-plagarism is commonly described as recycling or reusing one's own specific content from previously submitted work. Once an assignment has been previously published to a teacher, you cannot re-submit or publish this content to anotehr teacher (unless explicit prior permission was granted).

Artifical Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have presented both opportunities and challenges for educators. AI tools, via programs and algorithms, generate and revise many kinds of products. Teachers will communicate assessment expectations, including when and if AI tools can be used. Using an AI tool, when not advised, may lead to consequences as outlined by the academic integrity policy