Project 2
This is a group project and has four components: a short documentary, a written analysis, your presentation of that analysis by two members of your group, and a question and answer session.
Group Work: You will select your own groups of three or four students to work on this project together. You’ll be allowed to work together during class, but you’ll also have to meet outside of class. Each group member will present progress reports to ensure that everyone is doing their part. If a member does not do the work s/he has agreed to do, s/he will be removed from the group and will have to complete the project on her/his own.
Short Video: The video should be between 5-7 minutes long. You will work with one of the Westminster Village residents who have agreed to participate in this project. You will meet your particular subject on Sunday, October 1 and do five things: 1. Decide what aspects of their lives your subjects would like to discuss during the documentary. 2. Find a suitable spot (inside) for your interviews. 3. Decide what kind of activities you will film as part of your B-roll and where you will film them. 4. Discuss which photographs your subjects will want to use as B-roll so they can be scanned by Westminster Village’s IT staff. 5. Have your subjects sign the release form, which I will provide for you. Shooting will take place on Saturday, October 15. You must have a film plan when you show up to shoot. The plan will encompass the questions you want to ask, the topics you want your subjects to discuss, as well as the B-roll you want to shoot.
Editing the Footage:
During this section, we will learn basic storyboarding to help you work on your videos. You will also be taught how edit digital video using iMovie. You can use your own video cameras and tripods or borrow them from the reference desk at Hicks Library. If you borrow one from Hicks, they are on loan for three days only, so you’ll have to shoot and capture the footage to a hard drive during that time.
To check out a video camera and/or a tripod from the DLC, you can go to this link: http://www.lib.purdue.edu/hsse/infopages/equipmentCheckOut.htmlor call 765-494-6733.
Cameras and tripod numbers are limited at Hicks, so you need to order them right away.
You will also need to purchase a mini DV tape for your camera. You can buy these at Purdue’s College Bookstores or at places like Target, where they are slightly cheaper. If you change cameras for whatever reason, do not use the same tape but a new one. Groups that have used the same tape on different cameras in the past have lost half their footage, usually the one they filmed with the first camera.
I understand that not all students own Mac computers—which is needed to run iMovie. The DLC has a number of Macs that students can reserve in order to edit their footage. Students with regular Macs will be able to download the footage directly into their computer using the firewire cable that comes with the cameras. Students with MacBook Pros, however, will need to reserve a Mac at the DLC in order to download the footage since MacBook Pros do not have a firewire port.
In order to reserve Mac computers at the DLC, please go here: http://www.dlc.purdue.edu/reservations.cfm. You will be asked to log in using your Purdue ID, then you will go to “Select Operating System” and choose Mac. You will then go to “Search by Computer Name” and choose Macs 1 through 5. Only these five computers have the firewire port required to download footage. Footage is downloaded in real time, so that if you film for an hour, it will take you an hour to download it. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to download the footage, since sometimes it takes a while to get a handle on the process.
NOTE: You must reserve a computer and do so in advance or there may be no computers available when you go to download your footage.
Once you have downloaded the footage, you want to save it into an external hard drive (whether or not you are using your own computer, since video footage takes up a lot of space). If someone in your group owns an external hard drive, please use that one. If not, we have a limited number of hard drives you can borrow from the office in Heavilon 302. Mention that you are Alexandra Hidalgo’s student when you ask for one of the drives that have been reserved to be used by my students. You will save your project on the external hard drive and keep it there till after you have received the graded final result from me. If you borrow a hard drive, make sure to ask to keep it till Friday, October 28.
If you have your own Mac computer, you can use it to edit the footage once you have it in the hard drive. If you don’t have your own Mac computer, you can reserve a Mac at the DLC and work on editing your film there. The staff at the DLC are knowledgeable about iMovie and will be able to answer your questions as you work. Whether or not you decide to work on your own computer, you could do your editing at the DLC so you can take advantage of the staff’s guidance.
I will provide you with templates of releases, which you will ask every one of your subjects to sign before you film them. You will turn in scans of the releases along with the rest of the assignment and keep the originals for yourselves.
Once you have finished your video, you will create a free account on vimeo.com or YouTube.com by going to either http://vimeo.com/join or http://upload.youtube.com/my_videos_upload and you will post your video on vimeo or YouTube.
You will also burn the DVD onto two discs that I will provide for you, which will be due on Friday, October 28. I will not grade your assignment unless I have the disc versions as well as the online ones.
Written Analysis: Your analysis essay should be double-spaced and 5-8 pages long (around 1,500 - 2,400 words). You will need at least three sources. One from the web, one from print (newspapers don’t count as print for our purposes) or the library catalogue, and a third that can be whatever you wish as long as it’s credible. You can have more than three sources but don’t get carried away. No more than eight would be advisable. The essay serves two purposes: it reports your research findings and then it analyzes your video.
Your subjects will talk about different things: their education, hobbies, profession, family situation, the aging process, losing a spouse, etc. You will pick one of these topics and research it for the first part of your paper. You will narrate your subject’s experience and you will situate it within the experiences of others as understood through your research. For the second part of your paper, you will analyze your choices as documentary filmmakers. How did your questions, camera angles, editing and mise-en-scène help you make the points you wanted to make about your subject?
Presentations: Two group members will present the video during our screening days. The first member will speak before we watch the video and will share the research information that was found on the issue. The second member will speak after we have watched the video and will analyze it for the class. The information you are presenting will come from your written analysis. You are welcome to use Powerpoint but you can also do an oral presentation. It’s up to you.
Question and Answer Session: The whole group will answer questions from classmates about both the video and the analysis. You will be evaluated on your ability to reply in a coherent and knowledgeable manner.
Keep in mind the concepts of ethos, pathos, logos and having a clear thesis that we have discussed in class, as well as audience awareness, tone and language. Remember to take into account what your audience knows about this topic and what their already established opinions are. Visual rhetoric is vital to this assignment. Make sure to integrate what we have discussed and read about visual rhetoric as you work on your videos and the analysis.
Your names must be on the assignment and you need to give the video and the written analysis a title. The film plan, screenplay and storyboard workshop will take place on Friday, October 14. Bring one hard copy of each to share with other groups. Video screenings and presentations will take place on Monday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 26. You will email me the vimeo link, the written analysis and the scanned releases on the day of your presentation. I will return work electronically. Everyone will receive their graded assignments within a week of turning them in, but not all at the same time. I will return them as I grade them, and I will grade them in the order that they reach my inbox at: [email protected].
A “C” project should:
• Meet all requirements of the assignment.
• Provide appropriate description so that an audience can understand the situations and issues involved.
• Have a thesis that follows logically from the body of the written analysis.
• Control surface errors.
• Use MLA citation to document all sources.
• Demonstrate an understanding of film elements such as editing, framing, mise-en-scène and lighting.
A “B” project should do everything a “C” paper does but should also:
• Show evidence that possible audience objections have been anticipated and responded to.
• Incorporate sources smoothly.
• Include an analysis that interrogates the experiences, observations and sources critically.
• Create filmic images that correspond with the topic being explored.
• Craft an entertaining and informative video.
An “A” project should do everything a “B” paper does but should also:
• Arrive at a thesis that is original, insightful and sensible.
• Show a flair with language and/or visual rhetoric.
• Have a clear organizational strategy based on audience needs.
• Use B-roll in an original and pertinent manner.
• Create a video that produces a strong (intended) reaction in the audience such as laughter, compassion, admiration, etc.
Group Work: You will select your own groups of three or four students to work on this project together. You’ll be allowed to work together during class, but you’ll also have to meet outside of class. Each group member will present progress reports to ensure that everyone is doing their part. If a member does not do the work s/he has agreed to do, s/he will be removed from the group and will have to complete the project on her/his own.
Short Video: The video should be between 5-7 minutes long. You will work with one of the Westminster Village residents who have agreed to participate in this project. You will meet your particular subject on Sunday, October 1 and do five things: 1. Decide what aspects of their lives your subjects would like to discuss during the documentary. 2. Find a suitable spot (inside) for your interviews. 3. Decide what kind of activities you will film as part of your B-roll and where you will film them. 4. Discuss which photographs your subjects will want to use as B-roll so they can be scanned by Westminster Village’s IT staff. 5. Have your subjects sign the release form, which I will provide for you. Shooting will take place on Saturday, October 15. You must have a film plan when you show up to shoot. The plan will encompass the questions you want to ask, the topics you want your subjects to discuss, as well as the B-roll you want to shoot.
Editing the Footage:
During this section, we will learn basic storyboarding to help you work on your videos. You will also be taught how edit digital video using iMovie. You can use your own video cameras and tripods or borrow them from the reference desk at Hicks Library. If you borrow one from Hicks, they are on loan for three days only, so you’ll have to shoot and capture the footage to a hard drive during that time.
To check out a video camera and/or a tripod from the DLC, you can go to this link: http://www.lib.purdue.edu/hsse/infopages/equipmentCheckOut.htmlor call 765-494-6733.
Cameras and tripod numbers are limited at Hicks, so you need to order them right away.
You will also need to purchase a mini DV tape for your camera. You can buy these at Purdue’s College Bookstores or at places like Target, where they are slightly cheaper. If you change cameras for whatever reason, do not use the same tape but a new one. Groups that have used the same tape on different cameras in the past have lost half their footage, usually the one they filmed with the first camera.
I understand that not all students own Mac computers—which is needed to run iMovie. The DLC has a number of Macs that students can reserve in order to edit their footage. Students with regular Macs will be able to download the footage directly into their computer using the firewire cable that comes with the cameras. Students with MacBook Pros, however, will need to reserve a Mac at the DLC in order to download the footage since MacBook Pros do not have a firewire port.
In order to reserve Mac computers at the DLC, please go here: http://www.dlc.purdue.edu/reservations.cfm. You will be asked to log in using your Purdue ID, then you will go to “Select Operating System” and choose Mac. You will then go to “Search by Computer Name” and choose Macs 1 through 5. Only these five computers have the firewire port required to download footage. Footage is downloaded in real time, so that if you film for an hour, it will take you an hour to download it. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to download the footage, since sometimes it takes a while to get a handle on the process.
NOTE: You must reserve a computer and do so in advance or there may be no computers available when you go to download your footage.
Once you have downloaded the footage, you want to save it into an external hard drive (whether or not you are using your own computer, since video footage takes up a lot of space). If someone in your group owns an external hard drive, please use that one. If not, we have a limited number of hard drives you can borrow from the office in Heavilon 302. Mention that you are Alexandra Hidalgo’s student when you ask for one of the drives that have been reserved to be used by my students. You will save your project on the external hard drive and keep it there till after you have received the graded final result from me. If you borrow a hard drive, make sure to ask to keep it till Friday, October 28.
If you have your own Mac computer, you can use it to edit the footage once you have it in the hard drive. If you don’t have your own Mac computer, you can reserve a Mac at the DLC and work on editing your film there. The staff at the DLC are knowledgeable about iMovie and will be able to answer your questions as you work. Whether or not you decide to work on your own computer, you could do your editing at the DLC so you can take advantage of the staff’s guidance.
I will provide you with templates of releases, which you will ask every one of your subjects to sign before you film them. You will turn in scans of the releases along with the rest of the assignment and keep the originals for yourselves.
Once you have finished your video, you will create a free account on vimeo.com or YouTube.com by going to either http://vimeo.com/join or http://upload.youtube.com/my_videos_upload and you will post your video on vimeo or YouTube.
You will also burn the DVD onto two discs that I will provide for you, which will be due on Friday, October 28. I will not grade your assignment unless I have the disc versions as well as the online ones.
Written Analysis: Your analysis essay should be double-spaced and 5-8 pages long (around 1,500 - 2,400 words). You will need at least three sources. One from the web, one from print (newspapers don’t count as print for our purposes) or the library catalogue, and a third that can be whatever you wish as long as it’s credible. You can have more than three sources but don’t get carried away. No more than eight would be advisable. The essay serves two purposes: it reports your research findings and then it analyzes your video.
Your subjects will talk about different things: their education, hobbies, profession, family situation, the aging process, losing a spouse, etc. You will pick one of these topics and research it for the first part of your paper. You will narrate your subject’s experience and you will situate it within the experiences of others as understood through your research. For the second part of your paper, you will analyze your choices as documentary filmmakers. How did your questions, camera angles, editing and mise-en-scène help you make the points you wanted to make about your subject?
Presentations: Two group members will present the video during our screening days. The first member will speak before we watch the video and will share the research information that was found on the issue. The second member will speak after we have watched the video and will analyze it for the class. The information you are presenting will come from your written analysis. You are welcome to use Powerpoint but you can also do an oral presentation. It’s up to you.
Question and Answer Session: The whole group will answer questions from classmates about both the video and the analysis. You will be evaluated on your ability to reply in a coherent and knowledgeable manner.
Keep in mind the concepts of ethos, pathos, logos and having a clear thesis that we have discussed in class, as well as audience awareness, tone and language. Remember to take into account what your audience knows about this topic and what their already established opinions are. Visual rhetoric is vital to this assignment. Make sure to integrate what we have discussed and read about visual rhetoric as you work on your videos and the analysis.
Your names must be on the assignment and you need to give the video and the written analysis a title. The film plan, screenplay and storyboard workshop will take place on Friday, October 14. Bring one hard copy of each to share with other groups. Video screenings and presentations will take place on Monday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 26. You will email me the vimeo link, the written analysis and the scanned releases on the day of your presentation. I will return work electronically. Everyone will receive their graded assignments within a week of turning them in, but not all at the same time. I will return them as I grade them, and I will grade them in the order that they reach my inbox at: [email protected].
A “C” project should:
• Meet all requirements of the assignment.
• Provide appropriate description so that an audience can understand the situations and issues involved.
• Have a thesis that follows logically from the body of the written analysis.
• Control surface errors.
• Use MLA citation to document all sources.
• Demonstrate an understanding of film elements such as editing, framing, mise-en-scène and lighting.
A “B” project should do everything a “C” paper does but should also:
• Show evidence that possible audience objections have been anticipated and responded to.
• Incorporate sources smoothly.
• Include an analysis that interrogates the experiences, observations and sources critically.
• Create filmic images that correspond with the topic being explored.
• Craft an entertaining and informative video.
An “A” project should do everything a “B” paper does but should also:
• Arrive at a thesis that is original, insightful and sensible.
• Show a flair with language and/or visual rhetoric.
• Have a clear organizational strategy based on audience needs.
• Use B-roll in an original and pertinent manner.
• Create a video that produces a strong (intended) reaction in the audience such as laughter, compassion, admiration, etc.