Coordinating -- Teacher Process for Digital Video
Teacher's Role
In most projects, the teacher may take on the role of the Executive Director. In other words, the teacher is the financial head of the "studio" who decides whether or not a project is appropriate and then grants the "funding" to get the job done. As the Executive Director, the teacher also has input during the project, ensuring that the project stays appropriate throughout the different stages of production. More than a step-by-step instructor, the teacher role is more akin to a coach.
Students' Roles
See the listing of possible student roles.
NOTE: Depending on the number of people involved, multiple roles may be combined and assigned to one person or multiple people may share the same role. For example, one person may be the Researcher and the Script Writer, or you may have two Producers. It is important that all students get a chance to experience each phase of the production process. Each role has its own unique challenges, and mixing up roles keeps the project environment interesting.
Getting Started
Once the objectives are stated, the rubric is explained, the student roles are defined, and the materials are distributed, the project can begin.
Initially, you should hand out a manila folder to each student with some blank work logs. The work logs need to be completed whenever the students work on any part of a project. Each student will record individually what he or she did that day on the project. This will help you assess each student's level of participation on the project, and also allow the student to go back and review what they have accomplished at any given time.
| Optional Enhancement |
| Budget: You may want to assign your students a project budget. For example, you may assign a project budget of $3,500, where each student hour costs them $85.00. The students log each hour on their work log, and then try to complete the project within the assigned budget. You can also have your students create a spreadsheet tracking all "costs" so the students have the opportunity to experience the financial side of a video project. |
Planning
Step 1: Pitching the project - The project proposal is what will be "pitched" to the Executive Director (teacher) before the students can go any further with the project. The students should write or type their proposal and be ready to explain how they will achieve the end result (see video styles). It is very important that the instructor reads the proposals carefully (check spelling, etc.) and meet with the group, rejecting any proposals that may be too difficult or inappropriate. Project rejection and modification occurs often in the world of film. Only once they've received the Executive Director's stamp of approval may the students proceed with their projects.
Step 2: Project Research - Students should research to ensure that their video will include credible information. As part of their video, they should always include Credits or Works Cited to document where facts were obtained. Students can usually start with GUHSD’s Online Research resources. An excellent example of a well-researched project is a video titled, “Sweatshops.” The student author, Connie Molina, conveys important facts about the plight of corporate factory workers. This social problem is dramatically brought to our attention with use of research and well-planned video production.
Step 3: Write/Revise Script - Depending on the style of video, students
may or may not need to complete all scripting prior to filming. For example,
an advocacy video, such as a opinion-based skit, may have dialouge that must
be written prior to any filming. Research-based text might be used for overlaying
narration or showing fact-based captions on screen during the editing process.
Even if parts of a script can be written after the official planning process,
the written content obviously needs to match the storyboard and the actual
shoot.
Step 4: Storyboarding - Upon project approval, the storyboard artist can visually tell the story, shot by shot, on the storyboard template (simple template or detailed template) The storyboard artist need not be a great artist. Students can storyboard even if they do no more than draw stick images that visually tell the story. Each shot should be numbered in order on the top left hand corner of the window, the pictures should be drawn, and a detailed text description should be written in at the bottom of each window explaining what takes place in that particular shot. The Executive Director needs to check off storyboards before students can begin step 5.
Production
(Videography Techniques for Educators)
Step 5: Filming - Once all of the pre-production work has been approved by the Executive Director, the students should begin checking out the equipment and filming their project. Students may be making props, working on costumes, or gathering resources such as music for use in their project. It is very important that the students are instructed on proper use of digital video equipment. Depending on teacher choice and approval, some projects may involve the use of equipment outside of the school campus. Teachers must arrange this with the site administration. Note: Parents must sign a permission slip, and the school should keep a record of them. Coordinate the use of equipment with other groups in your class so everyone has equal access for projects.
Remind students to capture a few seconds of footage both before and after the desired footage to leave media for transitions later in the editing process.
Step 6: Logging and capturing footage - Once the footage has been shot, it needs to be viewed and then captured into the computer via firewire. This process should include all members of the group so they can cooperatively determine which footage should be used in the final piece.
Step 7: Editing - Once the footage has been captured, it needs to be put together in a meaningful way based on the story and storyboards. This process is called editing. Clips may need to be trimmed to make them shorter, and in some cases a shot may need to be redone because of lack of media or bad lighting etc. Students can creatively determine which shots best tell the story. Sometimes a simple change in camera angles makes one shot better than another. During editing, students also may add a soundtrack or narration. This may require hooking up a microphone so the "voice talent" can narrate based on the footage being used for the project. Students can experiment with transitions between clips, as well. Remember it is really easy to overuse transitions. In most cases, simple cuts work well to tell a story.
Step 8: Titles, Text, Credits - Although this may be part of the editing step, this can also be done during post-production as well. Make sure every project participant is in the credits since it may eventually appear in the student's portfolio. Any other graphics or enhancements can also be added at this time.
Step 9: Print to tape/export for web - Once the project is complete, it's ready to be printed back to tape via Firewire or to be exported as a movie for use on the web or CD.
Project Premiere
Students need the opportunity to present their project. There may be a project presentation day wherein each group gets to talk about their project and then show it to the class. Another option is to post the movies on the school web site. Never before has it been so easy to make student work available to families and friends who live in any geographical setting, but be aware of the privacy policies. You must obtain parental permission before posting any video project which may have a face and name relationship in it. We want to always assure our students' safety when it comes to publishing information on the web.
