Seminar: TV commercial production
COMM-350-M10
COMM-663-M12
Instructor’s information
Name: Dr. Youjeong Kim
Office location: Room 1019
Telephone: 212-261-1633
E-mail: ykim71@nyit.edu
Office hours: After class or upon request.
Course Overview
Course information
Term and date: Spring ’15; Jan. 20 – May. 16, 2015
Course number and section: COMM-350-M10/COMM-663-M12
Meeting times: Wednesdays 2:00pm-4:50pm
Building and room number: MC61 – Room 1021
Prerequisites and co-requisites: None.
Credits: 3
Course description from catalog
This course centers on the production of the television commercial: its planning, writing, and
production. Major emphasis is on studio/field production and non-dramatic programming
forms, which are produced live to tape Prerequisite: TEVE 101.
Course goals and introduction
This is a higher level production course in the art of television studio production. Students will
learn to become proficient in all the various production roles of a television studio and or EFP
environment of commercial production. Further emphasis will be placed on the developing,
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planning and executing the student’s project ideas while working in a team environment.
Learning outcomes and instruments of assessment
1. Produce and implement on an original idea that is individually or group designed and
produced, incorporating the studio technologies and within accepted industry practices
2. Proficiency in the technical and aesthetic art of producing and directing television
programming as well advanced understanding and use of industry terminology
3. Operate the studio video, lighting, graphic and audio equipment proficiently
4. Create treatments, scripts, budgets and production schedules
5. Operate and communicate effectively within a studio production “team” environment
while performing the various roles of the television studio crew
NYIT Global Competence: Students can identify interdependencies among cultures and are
able to collaborate effectively, participating in social and business settings globally.
Upon graduation, students will be able to:
1. Recognize the impact of the global interconnectedness of issues, processes, trends, and
systems on their academic specializations and worldviews.
2. Practice well-researched oral, written, visual, and digital communication in its diverse
cross-cultural forms.
3. Describe a complex global issue from multiple cultural perspectives and explain how
those perspectives affect the treatment of the issue.
4. Employ effective and appropriate interaction and teamwork with people of different
nationalities and cultures, demonstrating respect for social, cultural, and linguistic
diversity
Required Textbook & Course Readings
Required Textbook
Advertising: Principles and Practices by William Wells, John Burnett and Sandra Moriarty, Prentice Hall, 8 th
ed., 2009
ISBN – 13: 978-0-13-222415-4
Television Production Handbook 10th edition by Herbert Zettl
Wadsworth Publishing; 10th edition (February 14, 2008)
ISBN-13:978-0-495-50188-6 ISBN-10: 0-495-50188-3
Television Production CyberText by Ron Whittaker; accessible at
http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp_ind.htm
The textbook is a resource and road map for the course. It provides background information for
class discussion and exercises. You are expected to keep up with the readings according to the
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schedule in this syllabus. All exams are directly from the text. Material in the book provides the
foundation for the skills developed in the course – but it is not the course.
COURSE EVALUATION
Grading Formula
Final grade is broken down as follows:
Deadline
Attendance: 10%
Class participation: 5%
Discussion & In-class exercises: 5% (30pt)
In-class
Assignments: 12%
[Assignment #2] Coffee commercial storyboard: 3%
1/28
[Assignment #3] Reaction paper on Super Bowl ads: 3%
2/4
[Assignment #4] Reaction paper on “Art & Copy”: 3%
3/11
[Assignment #5] PSA treatment and Script: 3%
3/25
In-class exam: 10%
5/11~17 (TBA)
Exam (1): 10%
Project 1 “Coffee”
Commercial: 10%
Project 1-1 video: 5%
2/19
Project 1-2 video: 5%
2/26
Project 2: 13%
Project 2-1 video: 5%
3/5
Project 2-2 video: 5%
3/5
Proposal package: 4%
4/2
Project 3 production: 6%
4/9
Project 3 video: 6%
4/16
Proposal package: 4%
4/23
Project 4-1 video: 6%
4/30
Project 4-2 video: 6%
5/11~17 (TBA)
Project 3 PSA: 16%
Projects (4): 60%
Project 4: 16%
Overall project
participation: 8%
Team members’ evaluation: 5%
Instructor’s evaluation: 3%
Total: 100% (600pt)
Grading Scale
A: 93~100%
B+: 86~92.9999%
B: 82~85.9999%
C+: 78~81.9999%
C: 74~77.9999%
F: ~73.9999%
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICY
Readings and Exams
There are a lot of assigned readings. Some will be discussed in class while other won’t be. Keep
up with the readings since they are relevant to what we are doing in the class at the time.
Exams. One (1) exam is planned for the semester. They must be taken during class. The quizzes
will be based on the readings and/or materials presented in class. Lecture slides will be uploaded
on Blackboard.
Policy for make-up quizzes and missed or late assignments
1. Makeup exams and presentations are given at the instructor’s discretion, as is the format of
the makeup exam. Be prepared to provide official documentation of the legitimate reason
that caused you to miss an exam, class activity, or not deliver a presentation on the day
assigned. Dire illness, death in the family etc. can all be documented with obituaries, funeral
cards, official notes from healthcare providers.
2. Since the class is participatory, no guarantee can be made for acceptance of late assignments
and grade penalties are applied to late assignments at the instructor’s discretion.
3. Late assignments
 Same day late submission: -5pt
 -5 point per day (e.g., one-day late -10, two-day late -15)
Attendance & lateness policy
1. Attendance is mandatory, and taken by the professor at each session.
2. Students will be marked late when they arrive up to 30 minutes after class begins. After 30
minutes, the student may be marked absent.
 1 absence (normal) = -10
 1 absence (production or shooting day) = -20
 3 tardiness = -1 absence
Description of Assignments
1. Weekly readings from the textbook and assigned articles (see attached schedule)
2. In-class exercises, storyboard, and reaction papers (will explain later)
3. 4 Projects (see attached description)
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TV COMMERCIAL PROJECTS (Group project); 61% of final grade
*Throughout this semester, you will be involved in 4 projects and produce 8 videos!
PROJECT 1: Topic-limited



Topic: Coffee TV commercial
Project 1-1: “Coffee” TV commercial (60”)
Project 1-2: A brand new “Coffee” TV commercial (45”)
PROJECT 2: Format-limited



Topic: Free topic
Project 2-1: Picture/video + *music (+VO) (30”) (*use non-diegetic sound); editing is more
important
Project 2-2: Same topic, but different version (dramatic action required; *use diegetic
sound); production is more important
PROJECT 3: PSA (Studio production): 3 groups



Topic: Free topic (but PSA)
Project 3: PSA studio production
Project 3: final video (30”, 45” or 60”)
[Submit proposal package; topic description, storyboard, and script]
PROJECT 4: TV commercial (free topic + free format)



Topic: Free topic (brand)
Project 4-1: TV commercial
Project 4-2: A brand new commercial (could be either same topic or different one)
[Submit proposal package; topic description, market analysis report, storyboard, and script]
*****Submissions must be typed, proofed for spelling and grammar, and submitted on time
*****
GOOD LUCK!
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Project Summary Table
Project #
Project 1
Project 2
Project 1-1
Project 1-2
Project 2-1
Coffee
Coffee
Free
Project 2-2
Same
topic
with
Project
2-1
Free
(PSA)
Free
Free
Project 3
Project 4
Topic
Project 4-1
Project 4-2
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Free
Free
Picture/video + Music
(+ VO) *Non-diegetic
sound
Dramatic action
required *Diegetic
sound
(brand-new)
60”
45”
30”
N/A
N/A
N/A
Final
Video Due
date
2/18
2/25
3/25
30~60”
N/A
3/25
Free
(Studio production)
Free
Free
30~60”
4/2
4/15
16%
30~60”
30~60”
4/23
N/A
4/29
5/11~16
16%
Format
Length
Proposal
due date
© Youjeong Kim p. 6
Grading
10%
13%
Withdrawal policy
A student may withdraw from a course without penalty through the end of the 8th week of class
during a 14- or 15-week semester and through the 8th meeting during an 8week course cycle.
After this, the student must be doing passing work in order to receive a W grade. Students who
are not passing after the 8th week or equivalent will be assigned the grade of WF.
It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of his/her intention to withdraw from a
course. If a student has stopped attending class without completing all assignments and/or
examinations, failing grades for the missing work may be factored into the final grade
calculation and the instructor for the course may assign the grade of WF. The grade of F is used
for students who have completed the course but whose quality of work is below the standard for
passing.
Withdrawal forms are available in departmental offices and once completed must be filed
with the registrar. Students should be reminded that a W notation could negatively impact
their eligibility for financial aid and/or V.A. benefits, as it may change the student’s enrollment
status (full-time, part-time, less than part-time). International students may also jeopardize their
visa status if they fail to maintain full-time status.
Academic integrity and plagiarism policies
Each student enrolled in a course at NYIT agrees that, by taking such course, he or she consents
to the submission of all required papers for textual similarity review to any commercial service
engaged by NYIT to detect plagiarism. Each student also agrees that all papers submitted to any
such service may be included as source documents in the service’s database, solely for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.
Plagiarism is the appropriation of all or part of someone else’s works (such as but not limited to
writing, coding, programs, images, etc.) and offering it as one’s own. Cheating is using false
pretenses, tricks, devices, artifices or deception to obtain credit on an examination or in a college
course. If a faculty member determines that a student has committed academic dishonesty by
plagiarism, cheating or in any other manner, the faculty has the academic right to 1) fail the
student for the paper, assignment, project and/or exam, and/or 2) fail the student for the course
and/or 3) bring the student up on disciplinary charges, pursuant to Article VI, Academic
Conduct Proceedings, of the Student Code of Conduct.
Library Resources
All students can access the NYIT virtual library from both on and off campus at
www.nyit.edu/library. The same login you use to access NYIT e-mail and NYITConnect will
also give you access to the library’s resources from off campus.
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On the left side of the library’s home page, you will find the “Library Catalog” and the “Find
Journals” sections. In the middle of the home page you will find “Research Guides;” select
“Video Tutorials” to find information on using the library’s resources and doing research.
Should you have any questions, please look under “Library Services” to submit a web-based
“Ask-A-Librarian” form.
Additional resources for further learning
All class materials (excluding the textbook) are posted on the Blackboard site created for the
class. The class syllabus, assignments, additional readings are posted on the site. Refer to it
regularly for updates, which will occur throughout the semester.
All homework assignments are posted on the Blackboard site, and students are expected to
check the site if they are absent from class, and complete all homework assignments on schedule.
Articles related to class discussion, along with the PowerPoint’s from class lectures are posted on
the class Blackboard site.
Support for students with disabilities
NYIT adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the
rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. The Office of Disability Services actively supports
students in the pursuit of their academic and career goals. Identification of oneself as an
individual with disability is voluntary and confidential. Students wishing to receive
accommodations, referrals and other services are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability
Services as early in the semester as possible although requests can be made throughout the
academic year.
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TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
Note: Assigned readings and due dates may vary from this schedule. Changes will be
announced in class.
Date
1/21
1/28
2/4
2/11
2/18
2/25
Class Topics
Assignments/ Quizzes
Week 1: Introduction/ No reading
Introduction, course overview.
An introduction to TV commercial
In-class exercise #1: advertise yourself
- What is TV commercial? (AD vs.
In-class exercise #2: What is advertising?
promotion)
- Communication model
- Techniques of TV commercials
Week 2
Basic elements of TV commercial
Group formation for projects
production
- Field & Studio production
In-class demonstration: Studio/ field
cameras
In-class exercise: Camera (hands-on)
Individual homework #1: upload
“Coffee” TV commercial storyboard
(60”) on blackboard by 5:30pm
WEEK 3
Project I shooting: “Coffee” TV commercial Individual homework #2: Reaction
paper on Super Bowl 2015 Ads; Pick
your best 3 and worst 3 ads and
provide your reactions/reasons
(*upload your reaction paper on
blackboard by 5:30pm)
WEEK 4
Lighting, Editing, VO recording
In-class exercise: Editing your project I
video
WEEK 5
Screen Project 1-1 final video
Project 1-1 final video due (60”)
Additional shooting and editing based on
In-class exercise: project 1-1 video
comments
evaluation
WEEK 6
Screen Project 1-2 final video
Project 1-2 final video due (45”)
Explain Project 2 and group discussion
Project 2 shooting
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3/4
3/11
3/25
4/1
4/8
4/15
4/22
4/29
Screen Project 2-1 & 2-2 final video
Screen “Art & Copy”
WEEK 8
Market Research
Individual homework #3: Reaction
Target Audience
paper on Art & Copy (*upload your
PSA (Public Service Announcement)
reaction paper on blackboard by
Explain Project 3: PSA
5:30pm)
WEEK 9
Project 3 PSA shooting
Individual homework #4: PSA script &
treatment
WEEK 10: Reading Chapter 13 & 14
Project 3 PSA shooting
Team homework #1: Project 3 proposal
(storyboard, script, & topic description)
(*upload your group’s proposal on
blackboard by 5:30pm; 1 proposal per
group)
WEEK 11: Reading Chapter 18 & 19
Screen Project 3-1 final video
Project 3-1 final video
Additional shooting and editing
WEEK 12
Screen Project 3-2 final video
Project 3-2 final video
Project 4 group discussion and shooting
WEEK 13
Project 4 shooting
Team homework #2: Project 4 proposal
(storyboard, script, & topic description)
(*upload your group’s proposal on
blackboard by 5:30pm; 1 proposal per
group)
WEEK 14
Screen Project 4-1 final video
Project 4-1 final video
Additional shooting and editing
MAKE-UP WEEK
5/6
5/11-16
(Final Exam
week)
TBA
WEEK 7
Project 2-1 & 2-2 final video
Make-up week
Final exam
Screen Project 4-2 final video
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WEEK 15: FINAL WEEK
Project 4-2 final video
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