George Washington University Summer Camp

Audio & Music Production Academy

Audio & Music Production participants will master professional music production and learn how to use the industry’s most important instruments, including Ableton Live. Students will record, change sounds, learn layers, mixing, sampling, program, record their own digital music.

Young people listen to an introduction to music production with Ableton: learn how to structure a song, recreate sounds, their own unique tracks. Topics covered include recording, audio sampling, an advanced synthesizer, drum programming, improvisation, mixing basics, mastering.

The program allows students to understand the theory, composition, and music production process, and will study advanced audio techniques. By the end of the week, students will learn to compose, produce their own song, apply advanced concepts of music production.

Participants will learn:

• Music Production Basics
• Technical Theory of Audio
• MIDI audio effects
• Songwriting process
• Composition theory
• Record a song from start to finish
• Using equalizer, effects, automation
• Mixing technique, mastering.

Final projects:

• Original compositions, collages or remixes
• The final mix of ready-made tracks
• Group joint project
• Original composition or remix
• The final mix of the finished song
• Remix of the song of another student.

Filmmaking academy

Young people will master the filmmaking process using high-quality cameras Canon, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects. Each week ends with a film screening, where students' work is shown to the class, staff, and parents.

An introduction to film production and video production with Premiere begins with the basic principles of a short narrative film: script structure, functionality, camera operation, role description. Young people will master teamwork, make storyboards, master direction, editing. Finally, students upload each project to their own YouTube channel.

Young people will get acquainted with the design of captions, the basic VFX Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, will begin work on a short project. Participants will film projects of various genres, including narration, music video, documentary films. Young people will leave the course with several completed film projects.

Students will master:

• The main language of film production, the structure of history
• DSLR Camera Shooting
• Effective use of sound, music
• Advanced post-production editing techniques Adobe Premiere
• The basics of cinematography, the importance of staging
• Storyboard, scene lock
• Adobe Photoshop Basic Workflow, After Effects VFX
• Sound design technology.

Students work:

• Two to three short films
• Original script
• Short dialogue scene
• Short scene of the main character against the antagonist
• The final draft of the narrative film.

Digital Photography & Graphic Design Academy

Each image published by the media today is processed using image editing software. Regardless of whether students are considering a career as a graphic designer or are interested in how it all works, the course will help them further explore the basics. The course allows you to develop your own portfolio of digital photos, students will master all the intricacies of graphic design, apply leading software: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop.

Young people will learn digital photography, Photoshop, learn how to create stunning digital photos, improve images of Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop. Young people will master the methods of digital photography, will move on to software development, editing skills. Students will form a portfolio of professionally shot, edited photos, as well as an understanding of how the photography industry works.

Teens will begin to learn the basics of graphic design using the Adobe Creative Suite, project-based learning. They will master the theory of color, typography, recreate the quality of images of professional media, advertising. Students will receive a portfolio, develop a final product, this will allow them to focus on their passion.

Syllabus:

• The basics of good composition
• Aperture, shutter speed, ISO change
• Correction of inaccuracies, correction of failed photos
• Photo Processing Techniques
• Supervising an online portfolio
• Organization, improvement of photos of post-production
• Using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator
• Differences between Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator
• The inclusion of resources from the Internet in their own projects.

Young people will create:

• Portraits, landscapes, close-ups, product shots
• Fast, efficient way to batch edit multiple photos at once
• A series of images telling a story
• Digital Portfolio
• Original compositions
• Digital illustration.

Artificial Intelligence Academy

The course participants will learn how artificial intelligence, automation will do most of the work that 16-24-year-old workers do today.

Program participants will consider machine learning tools, the leading development language of Python AI, and develop amazing things: they will teach a computer to play a favorite game, recognize patterns that a person does not see, and use interactive simulations. Using programming and mastery of algorithms, students will find use for computers that they never thought were possible.

Young people will master the introduction to artificial intelligence, machine learning using Python: students will work to understand the basics of machine learning, artificial intelligence, influence our world, create their own machine learning projects with block programming. As they progress through the course, students will learn the basics of python programming by creating machine learning projects: chat bots, predictive models, game bots.

Next, students will learn how to apply AI to data, tools, services, as well as ways to apply AI to their own projects, master the theory, mathematics of machine learning, solve data problems using the acquired skills and strategies.

The curriculum includes:

• Learning the basics of artificial intelligence, machine learning
• Using machine learning to recognize patterns
• Search for image information using computer vision
• The basics of machine learning, neural networks
• Strengths, limitations of forecasts of the work of artificial intelligence
• Image recognition application.

Class results:

• Introduced Neural Problem Solving Network
• Image classifier by category (optional)
• Artificial intelligence that allows you to play video games with a webcam
• Data visualization
• Additional projects using artificial intelligence.

3D Character Animation with Maya

Participants in 3D Character Animation with Maya will learn the process of storytelling, character animation, apply the standard 3D Autodesk Maya software. Students will learn how to animate characters using lighting, settings, camera angles. Young people explore the work processes that will take pre-mounted models, animate them in the original short sequence that tells the story.

Based on their knowledge of the basics of three-dimensional modeling, students will take their design skills to a new level - from modeling to animation. By the end of the week, students will understand key frames, facial expressions, character poses, object modeling, the process of preparing for work.

Teenagers will learn:

• Using Autodesk Maya as an Animation Tool
• Keyframes, interpolation of the Maya chart editor
• The process of planning, performing animations.

Learning Outcomes:

• Several moving animations
• Images of characters in expressive poses, showing subtle control over complex equipment symbols
• Animated Snapshot Using Professional Characters
• Demo video demonstrating the work of students this week.

Intro to 2D Animation & Digital Illustration

Young people use professional software, graphic design equipment to revive characters. Students will leave the course with basic knowledge, experience in professional illustration, animation. Participants will see a professional animation conveyor and pay special attention to illustrative preproduction. Young people will use standard tools - Photoshop, Toon Boom Harmony.

By the end of the week, students will form a production package, a portfolio of illustrated works, apply development to the final animation, and reproduce the processes used by industry professionals.

Learning Content:

• Animated pre-production conveyor
• Illustrating Adobe Photoshop
• Animation of Toon Boom Harmony.

Students will develop:

• Digital drawings
• Illustrated Preparatory Package
• Short animation.

2D Animation Production & Character Development

The course teaches students to be a production designer, use Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Photoshop, tools for creating works of art, develop assets ready for work, and study the intricacies of being at an advanced production studio. They will acquire the skills necessary to become software professionals.

2D Animation Production will give potential animators, illustrators a direct experience as a production designer. Through the use of professional production tools, Toon Boom Harmony, Photoshop, students will go beyond a simple passion for art, begin the career of a commercial artist.

Listeners will create a repertoire of ready-to-work assets - characters, backgrounds, props, which can be used as an upscale portfolio. Students will study X-Sheets, Node Viewers, character rigging, camera controls, and artist’s work options. Students will turn their passion for cartoons, illustrations into a career in 2D Animation Production.

Participants will master:

• Character Settings
• Development of complex backgrounds, animated details
• Learning tools - XSheets, types of nodes, camera controls.

Young people will do:

• Cartoon character
• Ready backgrounds
• Props, animation sets
• Animated scene.

Graphic Design with Photoshop & Illustrator

The basis of the program is the development of their own portfolio of digital images: students will learn all the subtleties of graphic design, apply leading industry applications Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop.

Teenagers will learn the basics of graphic design, explore Adobe Creative Suite, project training, color theory, typography, recreate footage from professional media, advertising. Upon completion of the course, students will receive a portfolio of finished projects.

What students will learn:

• Basic principles of graphic design, terminology
• The ways in which graphic design defines the visual world around us
• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator to achieve their vision
• Differences between Photoshop, Illustrator.

Class results:

• Digital Portfolio
• Original compositions
• Digital illustration.

Intro to Game Design with Unity

Digital Media Academy's goal is to give students the opportunity to become creators of digital media, and not just game consumers.

In the first phase of the lesson, students will practice using the Unity editor, the basic structure used to develop most video games. They will develop levels, environments, programs using C #, several managed projects. Participants will work together or independently, develop their own game with assets, mechanics of their choice.

Syllabus:

• Mastering programming as a tool
• Learning Game Development Processes
• Create clear, readable, efficient code
• Elimination of errors, solution of logical problems.

Student Development:

• Two managed projects - flying bird, space shooter
• One independent project
• Several 3D Unity environments, scripts.

Game Development with Unity & VR

Game development is undergoing significant changes, virtual reality continues to push the boundaries of storytelling, games, and interactive experiences. Creating their own game or virtual reality experience allows students to achieve significant results in this developing field.

Participants will learn the skills necessary to create games, virtual reality for a mobile phone or headset, the best ways to use the Unity game development engine, and will solve unique design problems that arise when creating virtual, augmented reality. They will learn how the game engine controls everything from moving platforms to artificial intelligence, and learn the basics of C # programming.

The objectives of the camp:

• Learning 3D Level Design for VR Games
• Creation, editing, work in 3D
• Game mechanics program using C #
• Kraft games or stories oriented to VR or AR
• To form the concepts of “geolocation”, “stereoscopic vision”.

Student work:

• Competitive 3D Levels
• Individual player character
• Unique player abilities.

Intro to Music Production with Ableton

Students will master the production of music using Ableton professional equipment, create their own music, developing audio recording skills. The course teaches young people the technical, creative skills of electronic music production: they will study the theory of music, rhythm, mixing, understand what makes the melody effective.

Young people will learn how to use professional software to record their own musical ideas, how to create a song from beginning to end. Topics covered include beat production, audio, MIDI recordings, wavetable synthesis, creative sampling, mixing, and mastering. Young people will create original tracks, remixes, collages, remakes of popular songs, using templates designed by teachers.

Syllabus:

• Music Production Basics
• MIDI audio effects.

Student Development:

• Original compositions, collages or remixes
• Group joint project
• Remake of another student’s song
• The final mix of ready-made tracks.

Music Production & Songwriting with Ableton

Music is a powerful part of human collective experience, today it is increasingly expanding its borders thanks to technology. Teenagers will learn the creative process of writing songs, the technical theory of modern music, learn the basics of theory, the process of creating music, composing music using the Hookpad editor.

Participants will learn to combine various types of sounds inspired by musical styles, record, edit live performances of Ableton Live 10, and learn advanced methods of music production, audio engineering. By the end of the week, students will compose, produce their own song, apply advanced concepts of music production.

Syllabus:

• Technical Theory of Audio
• Creative songwriting process
• Composition theory
• Record a song from start to finish
• Using equalizer, effects, automation
• Mixing technique, mastering.

Learning Outcomes:

• Original composition or remix
• The final mix of the finished song
• Remix of the song of another student.

Intro to Filmmaking & Video Production w / Premiere

Using the latest equipment, techniques and software, students will learn all the intricacies of video production, make films using an editing kit trusted by professionals - Adobe Premiere.

The course begins with the basic principles of short film production: script structure, camera functionality, camera work, role description. Students will master teamwork skills, create storyboards, master direction, editing. Students will prepare two or three short films from start to finish, get different experiences, share, get constructive feedback. Projects are written, completed, working in small teams of 3-5 people. Students will edit their version of the project using material filmed by the group.

Young people will master:

• The main language of film production, the structure of history
• Effective use of sound, music in films
• DSLR cameras
• Storyboard Lock Scene
• Post-production editing Adobe Premiere.

Students will develop:

• Two to three short films.

Filmmaking & Visual Effects w / After Effects

Videos, movies include a lot of post-production work to create the incredible visual experience that students enjoy today. Based on the students' knowledge of the basic principles of filmmaking, young people begin work, starting with a short narrative project, which they complete after the first day of the course.

Students will develop film projects of various genres, including storytelling, music video, documentary, art, students will master the title design, basic visual effects or VFX using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, before starting the second short film. Participants will learn how to effectively use the basic knowledge of sound design for the production of videos, films.

Syllabus:

• Advanced cinematography, the importance of staging
• DSLR Camera Capture
• Photoshop Basic Workflow, After Effects for VFX
• Advanced post-production editing techniques Adobe Premiere
• Sound design technology.

Student projects:

• Original script
• Short dialogue scene
• Short protagonist versus scene antagonist
• Final Project is a short film.

Intro to Digital Photography & Photoshop

The program is aimed at students who are keen on photography, wanting to find out how the shooting works, the subsequent processing of digital pictures, they will study the technologies used by professional media today and will be able to lay the foundations of a future portfolio.

The course participants will learn how to take high-quality digital photos, improve images of Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop. By the end of the course, students will have a portfolio of professionally shot, edited photos, an understanding of how the photography industry works.

Learning Objectives:

• Basics of composition
• Using aperture, shutter speed, ISO change
• Troubleshoot, fix failed frames
• Photo manipulation technique
• Improving photos, post-production.

What students will create:

• Portraits, landscapes, close-ups, product shots
• Fast, efficient way to batch edit multiple photos at once
• A series of images telling a story
• Curation of your work portfolio online.

Intro to Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence, automation will replace almost half of all the work that 16-24 year olds do today. Outstripping this trend, young people will get acquainted with the programs, mechanisms that will carry out this work.

Participants will get acquainted with machine learning tools, use them to create amazing things: they will teach a computer to play their favorite game, find patterns, create interactive simulations that a person cannot recognize. Using programming, mastery of algorithms, students will find a use for computers that was not previously considered possible.

Young people will master:

• The basics of artificial intelligence, machine learning
• Machine learning mechanisms to find patterns, solve problems
• Search for useful information in images using Computer Vision.

What students will create:

• Introduced neural network to solve the problem
• Additional AI projects and proof of concept.

Applied Data Science & Artificial Intelligence w / Python

The course is based on the student’s knowledge of the basics of Python, machine learning, they will create an application that can report on books, be able to form neural networks that play games, translate text.

At the beginning of the week, students will study how artificial intelligence is applied to data, tools, services, and learn how they can apply artificial intelligence to their own projects. Pupils will plunge into the theory, mathematics of machine learning, solve data problems using the acquired skills, strategies.

Participants will master:

• The basics of machine learning, neural network
• Strengths, weaknesses of artificial intelligence, forecasting results.

Results:

• Image classifier by category (optional)
• Artificial intelligence allowing you to play practice video games using a webcam picture
• Data visualization.

Adventures in animation

Participants will make animated films using the same processes as the animators Pixar, Cartoon Network, Disney. Creating drawings using production methods such as timelines, keyframes, Toon Boom Harmony is the same software that was used to create Sponge Bob, many other popular cartoons. Students will develop teamwork skills, share each other's interests, and learn additional animation methods.

What young people will learn:

• Basic animation skills, storytelling basics
• The technique of "clay animation", "human animation"
• Developing basic cartoon drawing skills
• Cartoon development, character creation
• Using the professional animation program Toon Boom Harmony.

What students will create:

• Digital illustrations, simple drawings.
• Storyboards, project plans for their animation projects
• 2D animated short films using keyframes, simple drawings
• Animation film using clay, props
• The final animation clip demonstrating the work, their final project.