Project Choice
Alright, you guys. You wanted a choice for your next project. I am OK with that. However, I want full, 100% commitment to whichever project you choose.
If you pick
Documentary I want 90% of the video to show entertaining B-Roll (watching people talk is boring). In screenwriting classes instructors will tell you to write what you know. Documentaries work in a similar way. For example, Sam could document the play, Bryce or Randy could recap the entire Ireland trip, Katie could document a Live Video shoot, or Juan could make a documentary about life at SC for foreign exchange students. I think you get the idea.
Make sure the subject you choose to document will appeal to a mass audience.
If you pick
Re-Create A Scene I want you to replicate the scene down to the very last detail. I want exact shots, accents, clothing, makeup, music, and sound effects.
If you pick a
Music Video I want you to bring something completely new to the table. Not sure what that means? That means I want you to create an original concept or to breath new life into something tried and true.
Many of you in this class are Seniors. The goal for this project is to make your best video ever. Hopefully you are up to the challenge.
You can work solo or in a group of two-three people.
Videos can be as short as three minutes or as long as five minutes. (I am open to longer documentaries).
Videos must fade in and out.
All videos should have quality audio. Remember the
Bryce Rule: don't shoot in the hallways.
Pick new people to work with. Mix it up.
Project Timetable:
- May 2: Treatments and Script/Doc Questions/Storyboards
- May 4: Script/Doc Questions/Storyboards are due
- Shoot over the May 4-6 weekend
- May 7: Raw Footage 1 is due (graded)
- May 9: In class shooting day as needed
- May 11: In class shooting day as needed/editing
- Shoot over the May 11-13 weekend
- May 14: Raw Footage 2 is due (graded) and editing
- May 16: Editing
- May 17: Mandatory after school editing session from 2:30-4:30
- May 18: Editing
- May 21: Turn in projects. The SC/SW Film Festival is May 23.
Please answer the questions below as they pertain to your project. Email me your answers TODAY.
Documentary Treatment
Please answer the following questions in
complete sentences. Email your responses to me.
1. What is your documentary subject?
2. Why did you choose this subject? Why would this be interesting for us to watch(two-three sentences)
3. What do you think your audience can learn from your documentary? Why will it be entertaning (one-two sentences)
4. What type of B-Roll will your video need (four to six examples)
5.
How will you make sure you can cover all sides of this subject? Who
will you interview and where will you interview them? (two-three
sentences)
6. What kind of music will you use?
A Day In The Life of a friend, student, or former student will not be accepted. Pick an issue, team, club, group, or band etc.
Next, please work on the Documentary Text/Organization Assignment
Documentary Narration/Text/Organization
First, read this section on interview techniques
here.
Next,
open up your email account and start working on the assignment below.
When you are done, please email the assignment to me at
trent.mitchell@shorelineschools.org. Also, CC your parent or guardian
CC your parent or guardian so they can see what you are working on.
Intro
Write
three to four sentences describing topic in great detail . Give crucial
information and history as needed. Feel free to use documented
statistics.
For example, if you are doing a piece on gas prices then
find out how expensive gas has been over the last twenty years. Why the
change? What are the factors etc? Do cars get more or less miles per
gallon?
Next, list at least five specific examples of of B-Roll you will use. Provide dates, locations, and shot type of the footage.
Will you use any footage from sources other than your own camera? If so, what will they be?
Again,
if you are doing Gas prices you might want to show people filling up at
the gas station, a shot or two of gas price signs, people driving cars,
and money exchanging hands etc.
Body
Narrate
or use text to move from one interview to the next. If you do your
interviews well, the interviews will tell the story and your narration
will be minimal.
For today’s assignment, pretend you have three different examples and interviews for your topic.
What
will you cover in this section? What will the audience learn? Please
list the people who have interviewed or will interview and also list the
B-Roll that will play underneath those interviews.
Closing
What
did you conclude from your documentary (using both sides of course)?
You aren't trying to prove a point here as this is more of a recap of
what we saw in the body of your documentary.
What should the audience know that ties all the information together? What is next for your subject or subjects?
Your closing narration should be at least three to four sentences.
Finally, create a list of 20 questions you will ask five different people in your documentary.
Music Video Treatment
Music videos must have a concept,theme, or story (not 100% lip-syncing).
Do not pick a song with inappropriate language or subject matter.
Most
videos have an interesting concept such as a fake TV show, a backwards
video, a dance video, a live performance video, or simply an interesting
story. Your treatment should explain in detail your concept and how you
plan to make this concept come to life. Please answer
the following questions and email them to me now:
1. What is your story or concept in great
detail? Don't forget costumes, editing and shooting style etc. Your
answer should be 4-5 sentences.
2. How is this idea or concept different from what we have seen before? Give me specific examples. (1-2 sentences)
3. What song are you using? How long is the song? Why did you pick this song?
Next, start on your storyboards. Four full pages of storyboards are required (62 shots). Storyboards are due Friday. Storyboards can be found on the table behind my desk.
Videos
shots must use proper technique discussed in class: good headroom,
proper white-balance, leading the subject, focus, and steadiness.
Re-Create a Scene Treatment
You will be trying to recreate every shot in the chosen scene as closely as possible: the
setting, lighting, costumes, camera angles, actions, dialogue, and
content. The content of the scene must also be school appropriate and
approved by Mr. Mitchell.
1. What scene will you recreate?
2. Why did you pick this scene?
3. Do you have access to the equipment and costumes needed to recreate this assignment?
4. Where will you shoot?
Now, begin pre-production.
1. Watch the scene multiple times.
2. Create a full script for this scene that includes location, dialogue, camera movements, camera angles, character descriptions, and music. The full script is due Friday.
