Feb. 1, 2016
Halle Thornton
[email protected]
A new commercial production class is being offered this semester through the Department of Communication.
The class, COMM 4900, will be offered on Fridays from 9:25 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in El Pomar Center room 106, and is taught by instructor Jeff Dempsey.
“This is the only course that is specifically focused on the production of 30-second commercials for TV,” said communication professor David Nelson.
Students will learn how to produce a 30-second commercial from one concept and also focus on pre-production, editing, music and broadcasting.
This entire process will be repeated throughout the semester but with different ideas, contexts and topics, according to Nelson.
Nelson said Dempsey proposed the idea of a commercial production class to him and offered to teach the class this semester.
“The class is great for any student interested in pursuing advertising or production companies that specialize in commercial production”, Nelson explained.
But it can also be beneficial to any student in any field of study, even if it is just taken as a general elective.
According to the course catalog, current topics and issues related to communication will be explored, but these topics may vary from semester to semester if the class is offered again.
Dempsey began his career in 2004. He has worked on numerous video and film production shoots, and has experience as a feature film camera operator for PureFlix Entertainment. He has also directed photography on various national commercial and television projects for companies around the country.
“He is very talented and experienced in commercial production,” said Nelson.
Nelson, who teaches courses such as Contemporary Mass Media, History of TV Programming and Directing Studio Performance, explained that there are a number of different production classes offered.
These include Digital Cinematography, Directing for Film and TV, Digital Film Production and other classes where students produce films or for the TV series “The Bluffs.”