For this project, you will translate your DH Report into video format. There are two main aspects to the task: conceptual and technical.
Conceptually, you will need to think through at least four channels for providing information to viewers:
Images. You can use static and moving visuals to provide information. These will likely include screen captures of the project under discussion. They can also include info-graphics, talking head segments, imagistic content, or other materials. These can greatly extend your ability to describe items or share information, delineate processes, etc. They can also raise attention issues for viewers and add ambiguity, among other shifts.
Text. You can include textual content. Pacing and amounts will be a large concern, as reading text in a video can be quite challenging. This can be a good opportunity to distill your prose. You can highlight, make key points, reinforce, etc. At the same time, trying to deliver paper-like textual content on screen is a challenge.
Narration. This channel most clearly resonates with familiar print-essay approaches. For delivering detailed information, making points, or telling a story, your voice will provide some solid affordances. Still, taking in words through the ears instead of the eyes also shifts the experience. Distilling, avoiding too much statistical or highly complex information, reinforcing and forecasting will all be helpful as you develop a script for the narrative elements of your video. There will also be some performative aspects to developing a narration.
Sounds. You can also include music, audio clips--e.g., interviews--effects, or other sonic elements. Some of these will drive content; some might help with tone or mood; some might be structural and help with pacing, transitions, etc.
You can see, there are a number of extra dimensions and compositional decisions that will make the project more than a simple porting of your print report to video form.
At the same time, you can use broad strategies to inform your composing. Think about the needs of your viewers and the message you hope to deliver. Also, in some ways, video reports are akin to essays in that they are mostly linear and tend to aim for concrete messages or experiences. And the narration will form a familiar backbone to help with the piece. To that end, the first step in planning is to create a storyboard and script. I recommend using a template that sketches out media items while spelling out narration. You can use some other method, but be sure to have a rough draft of the narration and a forecast of the media items before just getting started.
You will also need to work through the technical aspects of your video report. These will involve learning to use a video editor. As a class, we will be using Adobe RUSH. This is a bare-bones editor, so if you have expertise with or want to learn some other editor, you can. You will also need to become adept at performing and recording solid narration. This will involve concise writing, clear speaking, and working with the composing environment. We will work through these processes in class.
Once you have a sense of the conceptual and technical aspects, you can develop the project. Here are some of the specifics:
- The video should be between 6-8 minutes. It can go up to 10 if needed.
- It should be in a standard, contemporary online format: 1920X1080.
- It should include a narrative track and visuals and can also include any or all of the other elements above--text, sound, etc.
- It should have a title and include a closing list of any major sources used. (The format of the citations is open.
Challenge: Make your video in vertical format 1080X1920
The Storyboard and Script will be due Thurs Feb 6th
The draft will be due on Tuesday Feb 18th