Hands-On In The Media by Blair Barnes

This year in Gil Garcia’s Intro Media class, students were able to learn with a hands-on approach. This worked really well for my learning style, and I think that more classes should have learning experiences that are taught this way. Although a lot of work goes into the final product and there are many things to learn along the way to truly understand the concepts, I learned valuable things that I will never forget. One of the skills that I learned was how to use Final Cut Pro. This is a software program that is used by actual movie producers and editors to make movies come together. I learned how to sequence clips, add music, and incorporate special effects. It was exciting to actually get into the program and try it out for ourselves on our own projects after the lessons. We also were able to learn how to use the camera. Mr. Garcia taught lessons in the classroom about camera use, but we were then able to use the cameras to practice what we learned. For example, I now know how to shoot various angles to get the best shot for a scene. Rather than just learn about the different perspectives in film, we were able to try them out and learn by DOING. This is really important for kinesthetic learners or people with ADHD, like me. I realize that not every class is as conducive to hands-on learning as Intro to Media, but I know that every class has more opportunities for students to learn while doing. By diving in and getting our hands wet, my classmates and I walked away with a greater understanding of the concepts being taught.


Blair Barnes - A/V Production