teaching
Shaina teaches in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Within the Television Radio Film department, she has developed curriculum for a handful of courses focusing on various aspects of the post production industry.
She employs immersive hands-on learning and collaborative methods in her classes, mirroring real-world professional settings. Additionally, her course designs emphasize the seamless integration of skills and assignments across multiple classes, enabling students to develop a comprehensive and interconnected proficiency.
“Professor Holmes amazes me every day. She makes time for every student in her classes, teaches skilled-based and discussion-based classes well, and pursues extracurriculars outside Newhouse. She is invested in their education, passions, and aspirations after college. I feel Professor Holmes observes what her student's strengths are and puts in an astounding effort to help those students grow in their strengths. She effectively challenges her students out of their comfort zones. Her classes are hard, yes, but worth the challenge! Exiting her courses, I am proud of my work and confident in my education. I have never learned so much from a professor.”
— student quote from anonymous end-of-semester course evaluations
connecting teaching to creative activity & service
Students who crave more immersion into the world of post production outside the classroom join her at Syracuse University Post (SUP!) and Park Post, two organizations she created to promote peer-to-peer learning through mentorship and industry networking. From here, students can join Shaina’s post production and VFX company, Flying Turtle Post, where they have the opportunity to apply their classroom-honed skills to real-world projects, as well as practice collaborating with clients.
accomplishments & awards
Since joining Syracuse University, Shaina’s efforts have resulted in numerous course regularizations, development and approval of a new TRF Production Track for our undergraduate degree, as well as being awarded Newhouse Teacher of the Year (2021) by the students.
While in her class, Shaina’s students produce high-quality work that performs well at film festivals.
courses
Visual Effects for Live Action
This hands-on Production course enhances students’ live action storytelling abilities, from correcting “fix-it in post” shots (e.g. equipment/crew removal), to invisible effects (e.g. screen replacements, greenscreen), to creative effects (e.g. supernatural abilities or events). Students are involved in all aspects of VFX from Producing to Shooting to Editing to Artist, beginning with how to prepare for VFX in pre-production - ensuring that they have the best footage to be successful.
Animation for Film & TV
This hands-on Production course provides new possibilities to tell your stories through shape and text animation, including main title/lower thirds, kinetic typography music videos, and 2D characters. Each project will rely heavily on finding creative ways to implement the techniques introduced and discovering your unique artistic style. You do not need to be good at drawing to excel in this course.
Advanced Production Capstone
This Capstone is for filmmakers interested in showcasing advanced creative editing skills by integrating color grading, sound design, visual effects, animation, and motion graphics into their work. Working in small groups or as individuals, students in this course will develop a production-oriented project to complete over the course of the semester.
Post Production Practices
This course is more discussion based and less hands on. Students will not be making a project in the course, but instead will learn a lot about the post production industry’s past, present, and future through technology, innovation, diversity, equity, and business practices. Additionally, students will gain experience with client management, project management, and are presented opportunities to network with some of the top post production professionals working today. The course includes a 24-hr trip to NYC (to be virtual depending on COVID travel restrictions).
Visual Effects Analysis
This mini-course explores Visual Effects techniques utilized in Photo Real and Fully Animated projects. Examines VFX Reels for Compositing, Character Performance, Environment Creation, Modeling, and Effects Simulations. New Technology advancements and visual effects integration into the Post Production pipeline will be introduced. Students do not learn software or create projects in this course. Instead, students analize behind-the-scenes videos from the best real-world projects of the previous year, learning about awards season and voting procedures, plus engaging in live discussions and debate over the course of one weekend.
Sight Sound & Motion
This course involves the study and practice of the aesthetic concepts and production processes involved in creating all forms of film and television, digital media. The emphasis of the course is to enhance each student's command of the production process in effectively reaching television, radio, film and digital media audiences with their stories and messages. Students leave the course with a fluency in the language of sight, sound and motion.
