Sunday, January 10, 2010

While I'm Away This Week

You are to be working on your Music Video and Short Film projects. If you haven't turned in your Storyboard for either of these, this will be reflected on your final grade for each corresponding project.
Both projects are due on Tuesday, January 19th.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Vote for My Friend in the Ultimate Filmmaker Competition

I have been friends with Peter Darchuk since High School. Peter and I began 'The Danny Nutter Show', a public access variety show in Seattle, for 2 years. He has since moved on to L.A. to begin his film career and is currently enrolled in the Ultimate Filmmaker Competition.

I would appreciate you voting on this after we watch it this morning, and please send it on to any friends or family to have them vote on it as well.

Click HERE to watch and vote.

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Project Itinerary for the Rest of the Semester

WELCOME BACK FROM WINTER BREAK EVERYONE!!!
CONGRATULATIONS ON CREATING SUCH A SUCCESSFUL LIP DUB VIDEO THAT HAS EARNED NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION AND HAS EXCEEDED 500,000 HITS ON YOUTUBE!!!
BECAUSE OF THIS SUCCESS, I AM REWARDING YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK BY MAKING THE 'VIDEO BULLETIN' REQUIREMENT AS AN OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT.
YOU WILL BE SPENDING THE REST OF THE SEMESTER FOCUSING SOLELY ON COMPLETING YOUR MUSIC VIDEO AND SHORT FILM.
Your Music Video Project (2 minute minimum) AND your Short Film (1 minute minimum) are BOTH due on Tuesday, January 19th.
Your 30 second Video Bulletin is now Optional for Extra Credit.

For the Music Video Assignment you have 6 requirements:

1. Theme/Narrative - Is it clearly presented.
2. Look/Exposure - Proper use of iris, white balance, shutter speed.
3. Framing - Shots are properly framed and use of different Camera Angles.
4. Lighting - You need to have at least 1 scene with a special lighting effect.
5. Composition in Editing - Edits that occur on the beat of the song with NO JUMP CUTS.
6. Length of Video- There is a 2 minute minimum for this project.


Today, you'll spend the rest of the class period Brainstorming your Theme or Visual Narrative. If you finish early, you can begin Storyboarding.
You need to fill out one complete side of a Storyboard Template and have it checked off by the beginning of class Thursday, December 3rd.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Creating Video Bulletin Bumps

Now that we've gone over how to operate iStop Motion, you will be implementing these skills by creating a 10-15 second Video Bulletin Bump Intro, or Outro.
If you create an Intro, you will need to animate the phrase 'Shorewood Video Bulletins'.
If you create an Outro, you will need to animate the phrase 'Thanks for Watching!'.
Each of these phrases must appear up on the screen for a total of 3 seconds, in order to give the audience time to read it. (This was a problem last year, as students only had these phrases appear very briefly, so please remember this requirement for this assignment.)
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IS ANIMATING YOUR OWN BUMP. EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE WORKING IN GROUPS, EACH GROUP MUST PRODUCE AS MANY BUMPS AS THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR GROUP.
THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE AT THE END OF CLASS ON TUESDAY!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Downloading Boinx iStop Motion

Today we'll all be downloading iStop Motion.
Click HERE to link to the iStop Motion site to begin downloading this software program.

The License Key is as follows "A 0FA2 3DDC 8DFD 1F12 381C 37A9 2839 021E A327 BC"

Monday, October 05, 2009

VIDEO CHALLENGE 5000. IT BEGINS!!!!

Your group has a mission.
The mission before you is to produce a short film. Your film can be anything appropriate to be shown in school.
Everyone in your group will receive the same final grade for this project. Teamwork is essential.
Your Short Film will be no longer than 90 seconds, and no shorter than 1 minute.
You're Short Film will have a soundtrack, either made by you, or be something from your iTunes collection (or mine). Make sure that your soundtrack is fitting of the moods you portray in your Short Film. You can have more than 1 song in your Short Film.
Your soundtrack must be NORMALIZED with the NAT SOUND in your Short Film.
Today you will begin Pre-Production on your Short Film. Brainstorm your idea in your designated group. Figure out which moods you'll use and start to plan a visual strategy to effectively tell your narrative. When I have checked off your Storyboard and approved your idea, your group can go out to shoot.
Your requirements for this assignment are as follows:
1. 1 minute - 90 seconds. No more. No less.
2. It must include an appropriate soundtrack.
3. There must be 2 insert shots.
4. You'll need great continuity from one shot to the next. NO JUMP CUTS!!!!!
5. Use proper framing composition and camera angles. (Think 'Rule of Thirds')
6. You must stick to your storyboard. Points will be deducted if your Short Film deviates from your final storyboard.
7. Teamwork will also be a big portion of your final grade.
8. You will turn in one Quicktime per group with normalized sound.

Your Final Project will be turned in by the end of class on Monday, October 12th.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

iMovie Editing Assignment

I have downloaded an "iMovie Assignment" folder onto your Desktop.
Open this.
Your task today is to watch my edited Quicktime version of "I Found A Frisbee". Once you've watched this, keep it open.
Now open up the iMovie Project File.
All of the clips you need are in the 'Clips' bin of your iMovie software. Arrange these clips in your iMovie timeline to look EXACTLY like my edited version. Make sure all of your cuts from one shot to the next happen at the same time and at the same place as my edited version.
There are a few clips that need have the 'Speed' changed to 'Slower' or 'Faster'. There's also one clip that needs to be reversed.
Your assignment today is to complete your edited version to look just like mine.
If you do not find the "iMovie Assignment" folder on your Desktop, here's what to do:

1. Go to 'Go', 'Connect to Server'
2. Type in 'vidstore' and click 'OK'
3. The Name is 'swvid1'
4. The Password is 'vidwood1'
5. Choose 'SW Video Classes'
6. Choose 'Video Production Folder 1'
7. You will see the 'iMovie Assignment' Folder. Drag the WHOLE FOLDER over to your desktop.

REMEMBER: You are going to edit your iMovie project to look exactly like my edited Quicktime version.
NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO GO OUT AND SHOOT TODAY, SO DON'T ASK YOUR SUBSTITUTE.