Mission Statement
This is a one-year intensive Master’s of Professional Studies (MPS) degree with a focus on embracing new technology, science, and creativity, to develop unique points of view, experiences, and concepts to advance the art of storytelling.
Fall Semester
Introduction to Virtual Production
Masters Seminar I: Writing & Developing the Virtual Production Thesis
Virtual Production Technical Direction
Producing the Virtual Production
Art Direction and Production Design
Spring Semester
Masters Seminar II: Virtual Production Thesis
Finishing: Sound Design & Post Production
Internship / Apprenticeship / Research
Resume and Reel Building
Elective Course
Fall Semester Course Descriptions
INTRODUCTION TO VIRTUAL PRODUCTION (4 credits)
Introduction to Virtual Production is a class composed of lectures, discussions, screenings, collaborative exercises, group critiques, and presentations. The course is designed to expose students to the fundamental principles of storytelling and collaboration through Virtual Production including producing, writing, directing, cinematography, performance, editing, art direction, and technical direction. The course will explore emerging techniques utilizing creativity and technology. How do you tell a story in this new form of collaboration? How can students apply what is learned to their own creative work? History and theory of Virtual Production will be studied and used to inspire personal and creative work in order to better understand how storytelling through Virtual Production can successfully be expressed and most effectively reach its audience.
MASTERS SEMINAR I: WRITING & DEVELOPING THE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION THESIS (4 credits)
The class is composed of lectures, discussions, screenings, readings, critical and creative writing, previsualization, practical planning, collaboration, group critiques and presentations. The course is designed to expose students to the fundamental principles of Virtual Production storytelling and, through structured exercises, to guide them into imagining and planning the collaborative Virtual Production thesis projects. History and theory of story, visual writing techniques, and analog and digital previsualization will be studied and practiced to inspire professional, personal and creative work in order to better understand how a Virtual Production story can successfully be expressed through imagination and technology.
VIRTUAL PRODUCTION TECHNICAL DIRECTION (4 credits)
This class will research and explore creative technology used in the innovation of Virtual Production. The class will teach the roles and responsibilities of the Technical Director from creative problem-solving utilizing science and technology to relationship development between the Directors, Producers, and key crew members of a Virtual Production team. Collaboration, teamwork, and ethical leadership will be practiced throughout the semester. This class will focus on designing and executing a Virtual Production session with performance capture and camera tracking to adapt thesis projects.
PRODUCING THE VIRTUAL PRODUCTION (2 credits)
This class is a practical workshop designed to teach students how to break down the budgeting and scheduling of a production in order to understand the process and apply it to their own Thesis Production and future professional productions. The students will learn professional budgeting and scheduling software, break down a script for production and post production, to budget assets, crew and talent and to prepare to produce their Spring Thesis Production.
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION DESIGN (4 credits)
This class presents an overview of history and theory of design and artmaking with virtual media. Students will learn how to prepare the design of their Thesis Production through guest lectures, workshops, plans and revisions. This course is designed for students to researchand explore making Virtual Production that spans from the conceptual proposal phase to asset creation through various software, performing look development to final lighting and rendering.
Spring Semester Course Descriptions
MASTERS SEMINAR II: VIRTUAL PRODUCTION THESIS
(6 credits)
This is a workshop for students to put into practice the plan for the collaborative Virtual Production thesis projects. (Thesis projects should be a 2 to 5 minute digital production incorporating learned Virtual Production skills, a visual concept as a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end. Can be narrative, experimental or non-fiction. There will be a final presentation to faculty and student peers, with critical feedback discussion.) Utilizing the materials and plans prepared in the Fall semester, students will make final preparations for the thesis productions, engage in the on-set Virtual Production image capture, working collaboratively in multiple crew positions on cohort thesis productions. This seminar will also serve to monitor the post production process and give feedback for revisions culminating in the final presentations, as well as discuss the future of virtual production, and investigate the research and development possibilities of the dynamic, evolving, and emergent nature of this field.
FINISHING: SOUND DESIGN & POST PRODUCTION (6 credits)
This is a practical workshop in which students will work on the sound design and post production visual effects to finish and polish their collaborative Virtual Production thesis projects. Students will learn the core principles of color theory as it applies to film, tv, gaming and experiential performance. Course is designed as a workshop to perform post production of their captured footage including lighting, rendering, visual effects, compositing, integration, mix, and final layoff for presentation through broadcast, cinema, and stream. Students will collaborate with musicians and sound designers for their mix.
INTERNSHIP / APPRENTICESHIP / RESEARCH (1 credit)
Internships within the Departments of Film and Television are done for credit, with the number of points depending upon the number of hours worked each week. Students register for the internship course after consulting with an academic advisor and considering the amount of time that they can work, the number of credits they need to earn, and the kind of work experience that would be the most meaningful within their programs. In the event that a student is unable to secure an internship or apprenticeship, they may instead pursue a research project under faculty supervision.
RESUME AND REEL BUILDING
(1 credit)
This is a practical workshop in which students will craft creative resumes, build a professional website, and edit a Virtual Production reel to display their academic and professional work. Students will learn the art, commerce and technology to present their work professionally and compellingly. The course is also designed to support students in presentation and the hiring process.
ELECTIVE COURSE (4 credits)
Students can take an open graduate-level course throughout the university to fulfill this requirement.