CECS 5111: Digital Video

1. CECS 5111:Digital Video Planning and Pre-productionfor Classroom Video Written and produced by: Dr. Terry Holcomb May, 2002

2. Topics • Early Planning • Team and audience analysis, equipment etc • Defining the problem and solution • Planning tips • Pre-production • Research • Treatment • Storyboard • Scripting • Formative evaluation

3. Planning is Key • A well developed plan is crucial to the success of your final project. • A well planned project is easier to: • Film • Edit • Distribute • Enjoy!

4. Know Yourself! • Know your limitations as teacher • Know limitations of students • Analyze the intended audience • reading level • interest/motivation • cultural differences • etc.

5. Define the Problem • Determine the topic based on interest and need (why produce a tape on the school when another one already exists). • What is the solution? If video is the answer… do you have the tools (both equipment and skills ) and budget?

6. Define the Problem • Outline the topic or problem, and the solution. • Outline the objective/goal of production.

7. Tips from Research • Make this project interdisciplinary • researching, • reading, • writing, • thinking, • co-operation • Teach formative and summative evaluation skills

8. Tips from Research • Ensure that planning includes ‘purposes’ so students can inform future viewers. • Overproduction can kill the module: • KISS • When in doubt, throw it out • Use extra visualization and subtitles. • Minimize distractions (sounds,background)

9. Organize the Team • Determine • the size of the team • basic skills • learning styles of students • Form Teams • research team • production team • talent team • evaluation and promotion

10. Organize Team Leadership

11. Timelines • As a group work out • the day a task begins • the day a task needs to be complete • which tasks feed into other tasks • Post the timeline as a reference for everyone

12. Research Team • Determine key content by meeting with full team. • Search: • WWW • Library • photo archives • interviews Be clear and keep the group focused!!

13. Research Team • Organize content • cards • word webs • Treatments • historical? • flashbacks/forward? Be clear and keep the group focused!!

14. Research Team • Script and storyboard feeds back to production team. Be clear and keep the group focused!!

15. Production Team • Camcorder and assistant • read instructions • practice with camera • Check wires and batteries • Sound Crew • test & set up microphones • “Quiet on the set!” • Location Crew • arrange location • track extra equipment Oil Change Scene #3a

16. Production Team • Review Script and Storyboard • add ideas, • check abilities of cast and crew, • equipment, • etc. Oil Change Scene #3a

17. Talent Team • Help research team to create script • Learn the terms of the production team • ready, action, cut, etc • Practice your lines and moves… visit the locations • Be on time! And be quiet when you are not on camera

18. Evaluation & Promotion • Provide formative and summative feedback. • Attend meetings of other teams and check for quality and focus. • are teams on time • ready to go

19. Evaluation & Promotion • Promotion (marketing) • determine who needs to see the final product (who’s your audience?) • provide recommendations on audience needs and skills • contact potential viewers • handbills • school intercom…

20. Organization Tips • Besides the meetings of all the teams and sub-teams, there should also be an executive committee that meets with and reports to the Executive Director (teacher) • Executive Director (teacher) • All Associate Directors (Suzy, Jaime, Keisha) Now to Pre-Production:

21. Pre-Production • Research • Treatment • Storyboard • Script • Formative Evaluation

22. Research: Finding & Linking • Determines scope and authenticity of content • Reads, evaluates, selects best resources • Gathers all content for script: • Includes topics/questions to ask in interviews • Begins writing script • Works with production team and storyboard creator, team will suggest visualizations

23. Research: Finding & Linking • Keeps in contact with other teams • Ensures that the research is used • Suggests ideas for treatment

24. Video Treatment Handout The Treatment Video Treatment Handout • Between the organization of research and the creation of the script the team leaders must agree on how they will ‘treat’ the material. Style, pacing, narration, etc.

25. Chicken or the Egg • All writing teams are different. Some prefer to storyboard first, and then write the script. Others argue they must have the words (script) before the visuals (storyboard combo). • In truth, you almost always redo both of them at least once, and often, many times. Either way is ok… just keep them in synch!

26. Storyboarding xxx Production Storyboard Checklist There is a storyboard for each page, screen, or frame. Each storyboard is numbered. All relevant details (color, graphics, sound, font, interactivity, visuals, etc.) are indicated. All text or narration is included and cross referenced with its corresponding storyboard number. 1 2 3

27. Storyboard Example Card # Producer/Director Project Time: 12 Ms. Jones change battery VIDEO AUDIO Mechanic: Be sure to have the right tool when you check the battery. [add anything of value when you edit] [photo’s/stick figures/cutouts - all ok if “readable”] INSTRUCTIONS: slow zoom from long to MCU cut to CU of battery & hands. NOTES: use interview questions Mr. Smith interview

28. Storyboard Online Resources Pause the video and research the links in Resources.

29. Scriptwriting: Overview • This is the TEXT plan document. It will be the guide for all that will be said, shown and performed in your production. • One standard format is a two-column page with visuals (and camera movements) on the left and audio (and audio actions such as “dissolve to street noise”) on the right.

30. Scriptwriting: Two approaches • Subjective • Storytelling- where the video establishes the location. Often attempts to elicit an emotional reaction from the audience. • Objective • Based on need of audience, often is very goal oriented. Exists to fill a need of the viewer. P.S. Do not confuse with subjective and objective camera views that are discussed in books and lessons.

31. VISUAL: (Mike walks in and dog grabs the cuff of his pants) [camera widens to show both Mom and Mike (with dog)] (Cut to MS of dog. After he barks, dog follows Mike out of room) AUDIO: MIKE: Brownie, why are you doing that? MOM: He is hungry Mike, feed him and water him. DOG: bark, bark, pant, pant, slobber Sample Script:Feed the Dog [All students should receive copies of the script]

32. Talent Team Tips • The talent team might be the actors or participate in choosing people to be actors (teacher may prefer to do this). • Arrange practice sessions with feedback for all talent BEFORE real shooting. • Find information, props, clothing, etc. for actors. • Talent permissions: Check school policy for students who will perform. Use standard ‘talent release form’ for all other performers. • See Sample on Next Slide:

33. Sample Talent Release Form Talent Name: ____________________ Project Title: ___________________________ I hereby consent, without further consideration or compensation, to allow the use (full or in part) of all videotapes taken of me and/or recordings made of my voice and/or written extraction, in whole or in part, of such recordings or musical performance for the purposes of illustration, broadcast, or distribution in any manner for this school production _________________________________________________________ (Title) at __________________________ on _______________________________         (Recording Location)                             (Month) (Day) (Year) by ______________________________ for ______________________________        ( Student Producer)                                             (Grade and Teacher) Talent's signature__________________________________________________ Address ________________________________ City _____________________ State ____________________ Zip code _____________ Date: ____/____/____ ======================================================================= If the subject is a minor under the laws of the state where modeling, acting, or performing is done: Legal guardian __________________________________________________ (sign/date) Address _____________________________ City ________________________ State ______________________ Zip Code ___________ Date: ____/____/____

34. Evaluation:During & After • Formative Evaluation: • Steps taken AS you create the script and do the production (is the light correct, is the script at the right reading level, etc.). • Summative Evaluation: • Reviews completed project • Does it hold interest… can students identify with it… do viewers seem to have skills needed and information (schemata)? • Appropriate levels of content…with good examples • Is the information current? • Is the cost in time and money “worth it?”

35. Final Comments on Pre-Production for Video • Pre-production is important and challenging. • KISS is THE principle. • Humor and animation are not NEEDED to make a good module. Only use them if they significantly add to the learning, etc. REMEMBER: learning is taking place during the production as well as during the showing of the module!

36. Bibliography • Using Technology in the Classroom, Gary Bitter & Melissa Pierson, Allen and Bacon, 2002 • Digital Video for Dummies, Martin Doucette, IDG Books, 1999 • Creating Video’s for School Use, William Valmont, Allen and Bacon, 1995 • Other resources including web links are available through the Resource link below.