Course Offerings
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Freshman Media Production
This course introduces students to the world of media making and analysis. It is designed as an overview of a variety of media genres, disciplines and formats. Units include Hollywood-style storytelling, radio production, video and audio post-production, as well as creating narrative, documentary and experimental short film content. Students will develop skills to analyze and evaluate media messages critically as both consumers and producers. Students will develop content for WNTH 88.1 FM and contribute video segments to a new TV show being produced by broadcast journalism students. This course is recommended for students interested in pursuing the film production and broadcast curricula at the Winnetka campus. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Broadcast Journalism
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of broadcasting for radio, television, and other digital video and audio media. Students work in different collaborative roles to write, record, edit, and produce a number of specialized projects including talk radio shows, podcasts, television and radio news, remote television broadcasts and documentary-style short films. Units also feature journalistic ethics, the art of the interview, and writing for viewers and listeners. Tools of the class include cameras, lighting and sound equipment, and digital editing software. Assignments require collecting footage and covering events outside of class. Student work will be shared on school media outlets such as WNTH Radio and a new TV show broadcast out of the Winnetka campus. Students are also encouraged in this course to enter their work in national and regional broadcasting contests and festivals. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Broadcast Journalism 2
This course further advances student skills and experiences in television and storytelling. Students will work in different collaborative and leadership roles to write, film and edit a number of specialized projects that will be part of a weekly news show produced at the Winnetka campus. Students will also create news-style documentary short films throughout the school year on and off campus and submit these to regional contests and festivals. Tools of the class include cameras, lighting and sound equipment, editing software and access to our sound stage for TV and documentary production. Work will be displayed on school media outlets. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Film Production 1
This course introduces students to storytelling, using film and sound production techniques and the principles of screenwriting. Students will work in different collaborative roles to write, shoot, edit, and produce narrative and documentary films throughout the year while learning classic Hollywood techniques of storytelling. Tools of the class include cameras, lighting and sound equipment, and digital editing software. Assignments require collecting footage outside of class. Student work will be shared on school media outlets and students are also encouraged in this course to enter their projects in national and regional film festivals. This course builds a strong foundation for students interested in creating and producing original and commercial film, screenwriting, and broadcast journalism. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Film Production 2
This course focuses on screenwriting and directing. Students analyze professional screenplays and write their own original work. In addition, they will work in different collaborative roles to learn how a screenplay is used to communicate with crews, actors, and audiences effectively. Students will develop their narrative scriptwriting skills with particular attention to dialogue and story structure. Assignments require collecting footage outside of class. Student work will be shared on school media outlets and students are also encouraged in this course to enter their projects in national and regional film festivals. Students will also begin development on their film school college submission screenplays in the spring and then be provided the tools to produce these in the first semester of Film 3. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Film Production 3
This course brings together skills, knowledge and experience gained in Film Production 1 and 2 in the art and craft of screenwriting, directing, cinematography, and editing. In this individualized course, students will complete narrative or documentary film projects. For each project, students will create a "pitch" consisting of a script breakdown and production schedules. Students will be responsible for securing crew and talent under the supervision of the instructor. Students will fine tune their creative portfolios and resumes to be college submissions ready. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.
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Advanced Media Production/WNTH Radio Board 1, 2, & 3
This course is designed to provide theory and practical experience for students interested in advanced work in radio production. Students refine technical skills such as mixing sound elements, communicating with music production companies, sports broadcasting, producing and directing feature-length programs in the areas of news, public affairs, music, and drama, and studio engineering. Course work also includes cooperative evaluation of WNTH programming to help maintain the quality of New Trier radio. The radio control room and studio is the lab for all production work. Only those students selected to serve on the WNTH board will be enrolled in this course. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for fine and/or practical arts.