Instructor Information

Digital Media Department Head

Ryan Wark
(860) 649-5396 x429 x467

ryan.wark@cttech.org

Digital Media Instructor

David Vance
(860) 649-5396 X394
David.Vance@cttech.org

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Course Breakdown

Connecticut Technical Education and Career System’s Digital Media course breakdown by grade. Each student is required to complete four years of a Career Technical Education program.

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
3 Credits 3 Credits 3 Credits 3 Credits
Exploratory and Introduction to Digital Media Digital Media II Digital Media III Digital Media IV

Course Descriptions

Students deciding to enter the field of Media Production are introduced to basic concepts, including pre-production (conceptualization, planning, writing, crew selection and preparation of equipment), production (principles of teamwork, the importance of deadlines, basics of shot composition, lighting and audio principles and proper use of video and audio equipment) and post-production (basic video and audio editing, transitions and graphics).

Students will develop field and studio production team projects utilizing basic video equipment and learn to use Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as other Adobe suite programs to post-produce their project. Students will also be introduced to media communication theory and history.

In Grade 10, students build upon their first-year foundation to practice more advanced aspects of media production. Students will continue to learn and practice the components of field and studio production. In field production, students will expand their knowledge of pre-production (with continued emphasis on narrative development and more sophisticated planning), production (skill development with camera, lighting and audio equipment) and post-production (emphasizing developing greater skill in using Adobe Creative Suite for editing, including graphics, audio and special effects). In studio production, students will rotate through the diverse roles of a studio production team, with a focus on camera setup and usage, audio mixing and equipment usage, lighting techniques, video switching and studio management. Students will work as teams to produce recorded and live production work. They will continue to receive instruction in safety requirements and demonstrate sound safety practices.

In Grade 11, students will develop more advanced skill sets in field and studio production work. Students learn advanced editing techniques using Adobe Premiere Pro and will be introduced to Avid Media Compose. They will also gain a basic understanding of the use of Adobe After Effects to develop relevant special effects for a wide range of production projects. Those students who show an aptitude and interest in creating and incorporating 3D animation elements into media projects will gain a basic understanding in AutoDesk products such as Maya and 3D Studio. Students will work on a variety of field production projects learning to use more advanced video camera technology. They will also continue the development of their knowledge of studio operations. The design and creation of DVDs and developing more advanced audio tracks using music libraries and Adobe Creative Suite will be emphasized.

In Grade 12, students continue to advance their skill sets in Digital Media concentrating on a capstone project that reflects the highest level of their abilities. From pitching their project ideas through writing, production and post-production, students are expected to create a major work that illustrates their creativity, quality and professionalism. Students will demonstrate the ability to complete a job application, to interview and to perform entry-level job readiness and trade skills. They will also continue to receive instruction in safety requirements and demonstrate sound safety practices. Students reaching an acceptable level of proficiency may be eligible for Work-based Learning (WBL). Each student will take the Senior Summative Assessment.

Students successfully completing this course of study will be able to pursue a two-year degree in digital media or communications at a college or go on to a four-year degree.