CM210 Multimedia Storytelling

Project #3: Video Story

Video Project Uploaded and Linked to a Screenshot in Your Wordpress Blog by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 1

Project Overview
Produce a 90-150 second video that features a person, a place, or an event. (See more about subjects below.) Video will be edited in iMovie 09. In some cases, it will be appropriate to record audio with one of our high-quality recorders and synch that audio with your video. The final movie project will be uploaded to the server and linked to a screenshot in your blog, as you did with your audio slideshow project.

Project Guidelines

The Sony Bloggies that have been checked out to youor your phoneswill shoot vertical video. Do not use vertically oriented video in your project! Learn how to set up the Bloggie (or your smartphone) horizontally on the tripod before going to shoot. Project must be 90-150 seconds (1.5 2.5 minutes) in length. Story must include one or more interviews and liberal use of B-roll. Use good judgment regarding audio. Use the digital recorders if necessary. Use your tripod as often as possible. When you are unable to use your tripod, find ways to brace yourself and your camera to keep it as steady as possible. In general, the same rule that applies to stills in audio slideshows applies to video clips in video storytelling: in general, clips should be no shorter than 2-3 seconds and no longer than 6-7 seconds. Do not use one of iMovie themes for your story. Give your story an opening title and closing credit frames. Include the title and credits in the total time of your project.

Video Story Subjects

Feature Profile. Select one aspect of one person and tell a story about that one aspect of that persons life. Be specific. You want to help viewers understand how this one activity, hobby, passion, responsibility, handicap, belief, etc., shapes or impacts your subjects life. Feature Place/Location. Focus on the activity and purpose of a specific place. Your goal should be to give the audience an accurate experience of the place. The place does not have to be an off-campus location, but if it is, you will have a better chance of introducing your main audience to something they are unfamiliar with. Your subject might be a place of business, such as a restaurant, specialty shop, or service provider. Or you might choose a church, school, activity center, or other place where people learn to do something. If you choose a business, do not choose a chain or franchise; viewers will already be familiar with such places. The best subjects are those that are a bit off the beaten path and display the news value of novelty, such as an unusual ambience or unfamiliar activity. Feature Event. Choose an event that will provide good visuals and a significant number of people. Tell the story of the event: the who, what, when, where, and why in the context of a narrative arc. The best events are those that offer lots of color and a variety of activity for your photo sequences.

Evaluation

10 pts. Video project uploaded to server and linked to Wordpress blog post by 5 p.m. Thursday, May 1 10 pts. Video project edited to the required length of 90-150 seconds 15 pts. Quality of editing 15 pts. Quality of audio 15 pts. Quality of B-roll. Adequate variety of interesting shots relevant to story. 15 pts. Quality of interview 20 pts. Quality of story (compelling subject, narrative arc, details elicited, overall interest)