Communication 355
Video
I: Principles and Practices
COMM 355 is the prerequisite for
Communication video courses including COMM 358 Video II: Producing and Directing,
COMM 360 Video II: Editing, COMM 363 Advanced Media Production, COMM 499
Independent Production, COMM 450 Internship in Video Production, and COMM 452
Media Production Practicum.
Objectives: To provide students
with a basic understanding of camera operation, framing and composition, audio,
editing, and lighting.
Materials: Herb Zettl (2007). Video Basics 5.
(REQUIRED) Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing. Six
high-grade Mini-DV tapes. Make sure
it says “High Grade” or “Premium Grade” on the box.
Requirements: Lecture material
is contained in video modules that you are required to watch outside
of lab time. These modules are aired
on various cable channels (check GMU-TV’s web site: www.gmutv.gmu.edu for times and
channels.) DVD’s are also available for viewing in the Johnson Center
Library. Ask the librarians for the video modules for COMM 355 by lecture
name.
In-class lab time is spent working with the equipment and practicing basic
video skills. STAR also has open lab time for you to come in and practice
newly learned skills and to ask questions. Use this time wisely.
Learning Environment: The goals of
this class include creating an equitable learning environment. We will uphold
all published university policies regarding sexual harassment and equal
opportunity. Appropriate adjustments will be made for students with special
needs. Within two weeks of the start of the semester (or of diagnosis), please
bring a letter from Disability Support Services, or have Disability Support
Services write us directly, confirming and describing your special needs and
identifying the kinds of adjustments you will need to succeed. This information
will be kept confidential.
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Grading:
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Letter Grades:
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Quizzes
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20 Points
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Participation
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10 Points
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Production Crew
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5 Points
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Shot List
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5 Points
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Project 1
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10 Points
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Project 2
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20 Points
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Project 3
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30 Points
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Total Possible Points
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100 Points
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A
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100-93
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A-
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92-90
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B+
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89-87
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B
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86-83
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B-
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82-80
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C+
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79-77
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C
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76-70
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D
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69-60
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F
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59-0
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Equipment Checkout – In order
to complete your assignments, you will
need to schedule time to check out equipment including cameras, tripods, microphones,
edit bays. Please plan in advance.
There are multiple classes that depend on this equipment.
Workload:
Quizzes – There are a total of 11
quizzes. Two are mandatory; they are the practical editing quiz and the
assigned audio/lighting/article quiz. Of the remaining 9 written quizzes, your
lowest score will be dropped, giving you a total of 10 quizzes
overall. This means you may take all 11 quizzes and we will drop the lowest
score or you may elect not to take one written quiz. There are no
make-up quizzes. Written quizzes are
administered on the Internet via WebCT at: http://webct41.gmu.edu Quizzes must be
completed prior to the start of your class. Example: Quiz 1 should be
completed prior to the class on 1/29 for Tuesday students and on 1/31for
Thursday students. Quizzes include questions from class lectures, the modules,
and reading assignments.
Participation – Students are expected
to attend class on time and for the full class, participate in class
discussions, be professional both in and outside of the class, and be careful
with the video equipment. All in-class assignments count toward
participation grades.
Production Crew – Students are
required to volunteer as crew for a video production group for 5 hours over the
course of the semester. You may volunteer at STAR, Fairfax Public Access (FPA),
GMU-TV, Arlington Independent Media, etc. Volunteering for a student production
does not count toward production
crew hours. Please talk with your instructor about where you'll be
volunteering. You must complete your crew hours and submit verification
(Contact name, phone number, location, and number of hours). Crew
hours will not be accepted after the last day of class.
Shot List - See WebCT
site for instructions
Projects: It is your
responsibility to ensure that you are clear about the requirements for each
assignment well before the due date.
(Due dates are listed in the syllabus.) If you have questions, please
contact your instructors. No projects will be accepted after the due
date.
Project #1 – The
Interview
Part One: Working in pairs,
students will script and shoot two interviews on brand new videotape. Each
student will serve as videographer and talent. Each
interview is shot on its own tape.
Videographers are responsible for properly framing
and shooting the following:
1.
Standard interview shot, over-the-shoulder/reaction shot, and question re-asks.
2.
Preparing at least 8-10 open ended questions, booking the guest, preparing the
guest, ensuring talent and guest are appropriately dressed and miced.
3.
You must use a tripod.
Talent is responsible for:
1.
Showing up at the appropriate place/time, and wearing appropriate dress.
2.
Reviewing the questions in advance to ensure the interview runs smoothly.
All footage included in your piece must be original, shot by you specifically
for this project. It is your responsibility to ensure the equipment you
check out from STAR is in proper working order before, during, and after the
shoot. Your project is due the day/time of
your lab. Late projects will not be accepted.
Part Two: Working alone, and using
the footage you shot, each
student will edit the interview down to a 2-3 minute package. The production must
be 2 to 3 minutes in length
(Every 30 seconds under or over a production goes will result in a loss of a
letter grade. Deductions start at 1:59 and 3:01 respectively). Packages must include the standard interview shot,
the question re-asks, at least one over-the-shoulder/reaction shot, and 30
seconds of black at the start and end of your piece. Aspects that will
determine your grade include: Have you met the necessary requirements; the
quality of shot composition and framing; audio quality - you must use an
external microphone - using the on-camera mic will
result in losing points; a general awareness of your lighting environment; is
your production free of jump cuts; did you cross the axis? All footage included
in your piece must be original, shot by you specifically for this project. It
is your responsibility to ensure the equipment you check out from STAR is in
proper working order before, during, and after the shoot. Your project is due
the day/time of your lab. Late projects will not be accepted. You are
expected to review your project before submitting.
Project
#2 – The Training Video
Part One: Working in pairs, students will complete one well thought
out, scripted production. Using a pre-approved theme, each team will create one
original video with a storyboard outlining a "How To" process. Your
production needs to include an on or off-camera narrator. You must
also have 2 people speaking to each other, on camera, each framed in their own
single shot. There must be at least 6
different shots using a variety of tight, medium, and wide shots. And you
must use a tripod. You must use one brand new tape to acquire the footage and a
second brand new tape to edit the master.
To stress the importance of pre-production planning, all footage must be shot
entirely in sequence. As part of your pre-production planning, each team will
turn in a storyboard prior to submitting their productions. All storyboards
must be approved by the instructor
before production begins. The
production must be 3 to 5 minutes
in length (Every 30 seconds under or over a production goes will
result in a loss of a letter grade. Deductions start at 2:59 and 5:01
respectively). Groups will review each
other's storyboards and offer critiques and suggestions. The pre-production
will account for 20% of your grade, and the production and post-production will
be the remaining 80%.
Part Two: Editing. Each group
will edit one master tape using the “best” take of every shot, maintaining the sequential order of the shots
as they exist on the raw tape. Beyond simple assembling of your piece, no
additional editing is allowed (i.e. adding
music, sound effects, titles, special effects, post production voice-overs,
etc.) Each group must turn in their source tape with their master tape. You
must have at least thirty seconds of "black" at the beginning and the
end of your production. The production must be 3 to 5 minutes in length (Every 30 seconds under or over
a production goes will result in a loss of a letter grade. Deductions start at
2:59 and 5:01 respectively). Aspects that
will determine your grade include: Have you met the necessary requirements, the
quality of shot composition and framing, audio quality - you must use an
external microphone - using the on-camera mic will
result in losing points, a general awareness of your lighting environment. Is
your production free of jump cuts? Did you cross the axis? All footage included
in your piece must be original, shot by you specifically for this project.
It is your responsibility to ensure the equipment you check out from STAR is in
proper working order before, during, and after the shoot. Your project is due
the day/time of your lab. Late projects will not be accepted. You are
expected to review your project before submitting.
Project #3 – The
Narrative
Working solo, or in groups no greater than 4, you will produce a narrative retelling
of a fairytale or children's song. The production must be 3 to 5 minutes long (Every 30 seconds under or over a production
goes will result in a loss of a letter grade. Deductions start at 2:59 and 5:01
respectively). Final product must be turned in on a brand new tape. In
addition, your productions must
include the following:
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Two tracks of audio
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Nat sound, music and dialogue
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Five different locations including indoor and outdoor
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You must use a tripod
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Must have a variety of shots including tight, medium, and wide
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Opening titles and closing credits
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Complete Leader (15 seconds black, 10 seconds slate, 10 seconds
countdown) Note: Slate does not count as opening titles
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30 seconds of black at end
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Excellent shot composition and framing, as well as fluid and appropriate
camera moves
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Excellent audio and lighting
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Storyboard and script
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Judicious use of effects
All storyboards must be approved by the instructor before
production begins. This is a production class. You must be part of the
production crew in order to receive a grade for this project. This is not an
acting class. Therefore working as talent does not count toward your grade. If
you choose to work alone, under no circumstances should you appear on
camera. It is critical that everyone on the production team participates
in the pre-production, production, and post-production process. Aspects that
will determine your grade include: Have you met the necessary requirements?
Projects will also be graded on the quality of shot composition, framing and
camera moves, use of axis, motion vectors, the quality of your lighting, audio,
and whether your production is free of jump cuts, flash frames, dropped frames
and other render issues. In addition, each group will submit a peer evaluation.
Pre-production is worth 20%, final product is worth 70%, and the peer
evaluations are worth 10% of your total grade. Peer evaluations are
due the day the project is turned in. Peer
evaluations may be handwritten or submitted via e-mail. All footage included in
your piece must be original, shot by you specifically for this project. It is
your responsibility to ensure the equipment you check out from STAR is in proper
working order before, during, and after the shoot. Late projects will not be accepted.
You are expected to review your project before submitting.
Spring
2008 Tentative Schedule
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Day
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Location
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Module
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Lab Exercise
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Due/Readings/Assignments
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1/22
1/24
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Rob A352
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Camera Operation
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Intro to Course
Sample Quiz
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Chapters 2, 4 and 5
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1/29
1/31
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JC 229
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Framing & Composition
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Camera Operation
Field Shoots (Bring a tape to class)
Assign Shot List
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Quiz 1 (C.O., Chapters 2, 4, 5)
Chapter 6, Page 386 Interview,
and Interview Articles in WebCT
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2/5
2/7
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JC 229
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Framing & Composition
(re-airing)
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Assign Project 1
Studio Interview Shoots
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Quiz 2 (F&C, Chapter 6, Page 386 and Interview Articles)
Pages 320-329 (EFP)
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2/12
2/14
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JC 229
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Editing w/Final Cut Pro
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Review Project 1/Part 1 Footage
Shot List Review (Rack Focus)
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Quiz 3 (F&C, 320-329 EFP)
Project 1/Part 1 Due
Re-shoot footage
Pages 247-248 (Timecode), 250-256, Chapter 13
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2/19
2/21
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Rob A352
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Editing Aesthetics
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Editing
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Quiz 4 (Editing w/FCP, Pages 247-248, 250-256,Chapter 13)
Editing Articles in WebCT
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2/26
2/28
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JC 229
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Audio I
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Storyboard Overview (pg 257)
Project 1/Part 2 Review
Assign Audio/Lighting/Article Exercise
Reminder Edited shot list due next class
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Project 1/Part 2 Due
Quiz 5 (Editing Aesthetics, Pages 242-252, 258-268, Chapter 13,Editing Articles in WebCT)
Pages 114-137
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3/4
3/6
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Rob A352
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No Module
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Storyboard development
Assign Project 2 (Treatments due 3/18, 3/20, and Storyboards due 3/25,
3/27)
Review practical editing exam
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Quiz 6 (Audio I, 114-137)
Edited Shot List Due
Pages 143-145
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3/11
3/13
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No Module
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NO CLASS
SPRING BREAK
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3/18
3/20
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Rob A352
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Audio II
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Audio/Lighting Clip/Article Review
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Audio/Lighting Clips/Article Reviews Due
Project 2 Treatments Due
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3/25
3/27
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JC 229
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Lighting I
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Project 2 – Storyboards review
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Project 2 Storyboards Due
Quiz 7 (Audio II, Storyboards)
Editing Quiz
Pages 148-168
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4/1
4/3
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Rob A352
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Lighting II
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Project 2 Part 1 Due
Titling, Effects Rendering
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Project 2 Part 1 Due
Quiz 8 (Lighting 1, 148-168)
Pages 168-183, 356-367, 383-386
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4/8
4/10
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JC 229
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No Module
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Project 2 Part 2 Due
Assign Project 3
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Project 2 Part 2 Due
Quiz 9 (Lighting II, 168-183, 356-367, 383-386)
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4/15
4/17
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JC 229
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No Module
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Project 3 Storyboard/Script
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Project 3 Treatments Due
Project 3 First Draft Storyboard and Scripts Due
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4/22
4/24
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JC 229
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No Module
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Project 3 Footage Review
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Project 3 Storyboard/Scripts Due
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4/29
5/1
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JC 229
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No Module
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Project 3 Editing Review
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Crew Hours Due
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5/5
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Project 3 Due on or before 4PM
445 Innovation Hall
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TBA
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Video Premiere
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© 2008 Richard, Susan, & Associates
