Mr Ballew's Video Production Class

While I'm Away This Week

2010-01-10T18:15:00.000-08:00

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.

Vote for My Friend in the Ultimate Filmmaker Competition

2010-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

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.

The Project Itinerary for the Rest of the Semester

2009-10-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Creating Video Bulletin Bumps

2009-10-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

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!

Downloading Boinx iStop Motion

2009-10-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

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"

VIDEO CHALLENGE 5000. IT BEGINS!!!!

2009-10-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

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.

iMovie Editing Assignment

2009-09-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

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.

The 3 Phases of Video Production

2009-09-10T07:43:00.000-07:00

The production process is commonly broken down into preproduction, production, and post production.

The Pre-production Phase

There is a saying in TV production: "The most important phase of production is preproduction."
The importance of this is often more fully appreciated after things get pretty well messed up during a production and the production people look back and wish they had adhered to this axiom from the start.
In preproduction the basic ideas and approaches of the production are developed and set into motion. It is in this phase that the production can be set on a proper course or misdirected (messed up) to such an extent that no amount of time, talent, or editing expertise can save it.

The Prime Directive

Star Trek has its prime directive, so does TV production:
"Hit the target audience!"
In order for the program to be successful, the needs, interests, and general background of the target audience (the audience your production is designed to reach) must be studied and kept in mind throughout each production phase.
In order for your program to have value and a lasting effect it must in some way affect the audience emotionally.
This assumes both knowledge of the prime directive and the target audience, and it ends up being a key to your personal success.
More on that later.
During preproduction, not only are key talent and production members decided, but all of the major elements are also planned. Since things such as scenic design, lighting, and audio are interrelated, they must be carefully coordinated in a series of production meetings.
Once all the basic elements are in place, rehearsals can start.
A simple on-location segment may only involve a quick check of talent positions so that camera moves, audio, and lighting can be checked.
A complex dramatic production may require many days of rehearsals. These generally start with a table reading or dry rehearsal where the talent along with key production personnel sit around a table and read through the script. Often, script changes take place at this point.
Finally, there's a dress rehearsal. Here, the talent is "dressed" in the appropriate wardrobe, and all production elements are in place. This is the final opportunity for production personnel to solve whatever production problems remain.

The Production Phase

The production phase is where everything comes together (we can hope) in a kind of final performance.
Productions can either be broadcast live or recorded. With the exception of news shows, sports remotes, and some special-event broadcasts, productions are typically recorded for later broadcast or distribution.
Recording the show or segment provides an opportunity to fix problems, either by making changes during the editing phase or by stopping the recording and redoing the segment.

And, Finally, the Post-production Phase

Tasks, such as striking (taking down) sets, dismantling and packing equipment, handling final financial obligations, and evaluating the effect of the program, are part of the post-production phase.
Even though post-production includes all of these after-the-production jobs, most people only associate post-production with editing.
As computer-controlled editing techniques and post-production special effects have become more sophisticated editing has gone far beyond simply joining together segments in a desired order. As we've noted, editing is now a major focus of production creativity.
Armed with the latest digital effects, the editing phase can add much in the way of razzmatazz to a production. In fact, it's pretty easy to become enthralled with the special effect capabilities of your equipment. But, then there is this...

Confusing the Medium With the Message

As fun as all the razzmatazz effects might be to play with, all this high-tech stuff should only be considered a tool for a greater purpose: the effective communication of ideas and information. If that sounds a bit academic and stuffy, you might want to look at things from a broader time line.
If you think about it, today's latest high-tech effects will look pretty lame a few years from now. (Ever look at the special effects in some early films?)
It's only the ideas and feelings that have a chance of enduring. How many times have you seen a movie, and forgot about it almost as soon as you left the theater? In contrast, then there are the movies that seem to "stick with you" — that you may think about for days or even weeks.

In 2004, the average American spent 1,669 hours, the equivalent of 70 full days during the year, watching television.
This medium that you are learning to control can either be used to provide audiences with time-wasting, mindless, drivel...
...or ideas that can make a positive difference in the overall scheme of things. (And, as you may have noticed, there's often a definite need in the world for people to make a positive difference.

Welcome Video Production Students

2005-09-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to having you as active participants in this class. This website is designed to help keep you informed on all projects, updates, and class discussions during the course of the semester. Whenever you have any questions regarding Video Production 1 assignments, you can first look on this website for details. If your questions remain unanswered, feel free to email me at marty.ballew@shorelineschools.org.

Please return all materials that require a Parental/Guardian signature, and the $20 Lab Fee to me as soon as possible. Students will not have access to cameras and camera equipment until the Lab Fee, Academic Plan, Out of Class Permission, and Movie Viewing Permission forms are signed and returned.