Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Flancbaumproject 1 DD
Flancbaumproject 1 DD
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
September 14, 2014
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
Overview
I designed a video presentation to encourage my audience to have a dream and make it
happen. I divided my presentation into two distinct sections. In section one, I used Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. To set the backdrop of the civil rights
era, I included images from the time period. I included images of Dr. King and the
injustice he was fighting against. To emphasize my central message of have a dream;
make it happen, I repetitively flashed the words, "I Have a DREAM" on the screen while
Dr. King said the same words.
To transition from section one to section two, I used silence. During the silence, I
changed the perspective from Dr. King's dream, and asked about my audience's dream. I
asked my audience to consider injustice in the United States and in the world. Through
text, I asked my audience questions to reflect upon.
In section two, I used Pierre Vangelis' song "Heal the World", the instrumental version of
Michael Jackson's song by the same title. I used "Heal the World" to set a hopeful tone. I
changed the images from black and white to color. I transitioned from black and white to
color to signify a switch from the past to the present. I used images to show inequalities
in the world today. I included images to highlight the inequities of homelessness, hunger,
unclean water, and access to health care.
I initially designed my presentation for fifth grade students participating in a unit on
human rights. My students studied groups, both past and present, which have had their
rights violated. Due to the age of my audience, I had to be mindful of the images and text
used in the video. Certain images were inappropriate for a fifth grade audience. I had to
consider the reading level of my text to ensure my fifth graders would understand the
message. Along with my fifth graders, I targeted the presentation toward philanthropic
organizations, religious organizations, and the people in the world who have financial
resources to help decrease inequities in the world.
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
I designed my video using iMovie. I modified the image of Dr. King speaking in
PowerPoint by adding text. To create the flashing images in my presentation, I used
Adobe After Effects. All of the images used in my presentation, I found in free image
repositories online. My video is stored on YouTube and can be viewed through my ILT
portfolio: https://sites.google.com/site/flancbaumportfolio/projects/havea-dream.
Design Decisions
I designed my project with five main goals in mind: intentionality, simplicity, a central
message, visuals, and avoiding multitasking. Most of my goals had a similar theme of
omitting the unnecessary. Having goals allowed me to set boundaries which allowed me
to provide my audience a focused experience.
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
the video, from 0:03 to 2:21 I used the "I Have a Dream" speech, images, and text to
convey Dr. King's dream. From 2:29 to 3:01 I challenged the audience to consider their
own dreams. Finally, from 3:01 to 4:14 I showed images to give the audience ideas of
how to put their dreams into action today. I used my central message to stay focused and
make design decisions.
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
on the images presented to them rather than the lyrics of the song. I recognize many
people know the lyrics to "Heal the World." Audience members who already know the
lyrics will benefit from their prior knowledge. One way to pack a lot of meaning into a
small amount of messaging is to tap into the existing memory terrain of your audience
(Heath & Heath, 2007, p. 52). Despite Heath and Heath's assertion, I chose to omit the
lyrics so my audience would focus on the images on the screen.
Lessons Learned
Being intentional was the most important lesson I learned through designing my
presentation. I have never thought about each element of my presentation with such
detail. Having to write a design document forced me to think about every design decision
I made. Thinking about each decision prepared me to answer any questions about why I
included or omitted certain elements. I find myself better prepared to justify and defend
my design decisions if questioned.
The second valuable lesson I learned was to write simply. I read a lot about simplicity in
design prior to creating my project. Along with designing simply, writing simply made
sense. Through the writing of the design document, I learned to communicate more
concisely and clearly.
In my presentation I communicated my central message: Have a dream; make it happen.
I made specific design decisions to clearly communicate my message.
Have a Dream
Mark Flancbaum
14, 2014
September
References
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2008). Made to stick: Why some ideas die and others survive.
New York: Random House.
Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home,
and school. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentation zen design: A simple visual approach to presenting
in today's world (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: New Riders.