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VIDEO CHUCK’S GUIDE TO TEACHING
VIDEO/MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION
WITHOUT HAVING A DUMB ATTACK!
The only book you need to learn how to teach broadcasting, video production, and the use of multimedia equipment - even if
you have no idea what you’re doing!
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CHAPTER TWELVE: RECAP.................................................................................PAGE 218
APPENDIX: PRE/POST TEST ANSWER KEY, CLASS OBJECTIVES AND MODULE OUTLINES.....................................................PAGE 223
GLOSSARY ..........................................................................PAGE 240
INDEX ................................................................................PAGE 248
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: AVOIDING THE DUMB ATTACK.............................................PAGE 4
CHAPTER ONE: TEACHING AS A TEACHER -- NOT A BROADCASTER...........PAGE 16
CHAPTER TWO: THE FIRST STEP -- ASSESS! ................................................PAGE 21
CHAPTER THREE: STEP-BY-STEP CURRICULUM-- THE KEY TO LEARNING........PAGE 30
CHAPTER FOUR: EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR CLASSROOM .................................PAGE 56
CHAPTER FIVE: NEXT LEVEL -- THE MULTIMEDIA/VIDEO CAREER LAB.........PAGE 66
CHAPTER SIX: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TEACH TOMORROW?................PAGE 71
CHAPTER SEVEN: PRODUCING A VIDEO .........................................................PAGE 111
CHAPTER EIGHT: STUDENT PROJECTS AND INTEGRATION -- PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER................................................PAGE 118
CHAPTER NINE: CLASSROOM POLICIES AND GRADING...............................PAGE 191
CHAPTER TEN: EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS................................................PAGE 205
CHAPTER ELEVEN: GRANTS AND FINANCING ...................................................PAGE 212
www.teachmultimedia.com
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• Chapter Two: The First Step--Assess!: classroom assessment checklist and link to online assessment survey, the six rules for assessing your classroom, and a diagram of student positions.
• Chapter Three: Step-by-Step Curriculum-- The Key to Learning: teacher’s guide, hand-outs, the P.lan, R.ecord, and E.dit process, Outline of basic and advanced sessions(lesson plans)
• Chapter Four: Equipment for your Classroom: a guide to all necessary equipment that includes advice on what to buy, what not to buy, how your students’ learning level affects equipment, and how each piece of equipment is used.
• Chapter Five: Next Level--The Multimedia Career Lab: the four phases of the lab are explained in detail, student positions are explained, and the acquired and applied skills relationship to Common Core is discussed.
• Chapter Six: What are you Going to Teach Tomorrow?: a brief history of television, and complete instructions on how to storyboard a news story.
• Chapter Seven: Producing a Video: types of camera shots and how to use them to tell a story, sequencing and time-code, and the four steps of video production.
• Chapter Eight: Student Projects and Integration -- Putting it All Together: what makes a successful video project?, how to grade projects, a complete interview setup and script, a TV news broadcast script, a and a list of all the many types of projects to produce.
• Chapter Nine: Classroom Policies and Grading: rubric, ground rules, grading handouts.
• Chapter Ten: Educational Standards: explains all competencies and relationships of Teach Multimedia with Common Core, SCANS, STEM, an STEAM.
• Chapter Eleven: Grants and Financing: A sample grant proposal and goal statement, information on where to obtian grants, funding resources.
• Chapter Twelve: Recap: Review of learned material and teacher post-test
• Appendix: Pre/post test answer key, classroom objectives, and an outline of all student modules.
As you can see, I’ve set up my guide to encompass all the elements you’ll need to get yourself going. Starting a new program can be overwhelming, especially one that requires so much technical knowledge, but I’ve got you covered. Keep reading, absorb every word, and I promise you, I’ll show you that anyone can do this.
INTRODUCTIONAvoiding the “DUMB ATTACK”
ThefirsttimeIwasinvitedtospeaktoahighschoolmultimediaclass,IsufferedamajorDUMB ATTACK. “Video Chuck is here to save the day,” I thought as I puffed up my chest and struttedtowardthefrontoftheclass.“Whattheseeagerstudentsreallyneedismyoverflow-ing fountain of broadcasting expertise,” I thought again, preparing to blow a mushroom-cloud of counter-productive babble in their faces. I was completely prepared to teach them how to produce a super-fancy live newscast, CNN-style. I glanced over at their teacher, who looked atmelikeIwasacertifiablelunatic.ItjustsohappenedthatIwas.Ididn’tknowitatthetime,but I was making the most common mistake people with broadcasting experience make when they are trying to teach multimedia to students: the dreaded DUMB ATTACK. If it weren’t for myfirstDUMBATTACK,Imayneverhaverealizedhowimportantitistostoptreatingaclass-room of students like a TV station news crew.
So, what is a DUMB ATTACK? There are many ways to describe this little bugger of a pest: Life Ruiner, Classroom Destroyer, Brain Melter, Teacher Killer… I could go on for days. Quite simply though, a DUMB ATTACK is a failure to teach students outcomes and processes whilegettingcaughtupinfancyequipmentandprettyflashinglights.It’samistakeI’vemadeand one you’ll probably make too, if you haven’t already. Luckily, you have my book- which is thefirststeptowardavoidingthiscatastrophe.Thingsarelookingupforyou,because,unlikemyfirstdayofteaching,VideoChuckisheretosavetheday.
My experience in both broadcasting and educational multimedia has allowed me to createaformatthatblendsbothindustries,afusionthathasproventobenefitteachersandstudents alike. There is so much more to multimedia than operating a camera, and failure to realizethisisthemostcommonDUMBATTACKofall.Whatallvideo,multimediaandbroad-casting teachers need (and what this book and the Teach Multimedia curriculum provides), is an outcome based program that teaches students how to create a video presentation from the planningstagetothefinaledit.
This book alone provides the basic tools you need to succeed, because, like the title states, it was designed as a guide. Even if you aren’t acquiring the Teach Multimedia curric-ulum or career lab, you can use Video Chuck’s Guide to build a successful multimedia class-room. Before I continue explaining how to circumvent dumb attacks, let’s take a closer look at what this book entails. Here is a summaryofwhatyouwillfindwithineachchapter.
• Chapter One: Teaching as a Teacher-- Not a Broadcaster: teaching smart, how to teach outcomes to kids with short attention spans, and a teacher pre-test.
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Teacher Training:• Would instructors be available for online and/or on location training?
• Are you interested to host an in-service multimedia training at your school?
Funding:• What is your budget for this project?
• What is the primary source of funding for this project?
• Where would additional funding come from for this project?
Current Outcomes:• Do your students currently produce school or classroom orientation videos?
• United Way videos?
• Sports videos?
• Corporate sales or training videos?
• History videos?
Additional Uses for Your Program:• Do you plan to offer classes to the community?
• Offer Internet broadcasts for adult education?
• Provide weekend adult workshops at the school location?
Chapter Two also provides details regarding the assessment of your classroom.
ThefirstthingIalwaysaskteacherstodoisvisitourwebsiteandfillouttheSchoolProfileSurvey,whichbasicallyasksthequestionsfromthischecklist. If you would like help assessingyourclassroom,followthisdirectlinktofilloutthesurveyandourstaffwillcontactyou: http://www.teachmultimedia.com/index.php/get-started.html
Teach Multimedia Lab Checklist
Existing School Conditions: • Do You Already have a Multimedia Program?
• Are you under construction or remodeling?
• What is the grade level of your students?
• What is the number of students in your school?
• What type of room/rooms do you have to work with?
• Will the room/rooms be in a quiet location?
• What are the dimensions and ceiling height?
• What type of lighting is in your room/rooms?
• Do you want all students to be on task at once for each studio position?
TV Studio:• Do you have furniture for the control room and edit stations?
• Do you currently have any equipment or software?
• Is there AC power and internet access for each studio?
• If yes, what curriculum do you use?
• Are lesson plans and grading systems included?
• How many time per week does each class meet, and for how many minutes per session?
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Thecommunicationsindustryisever-changing,andifthoseenteringthisfield(someofyour students) have a thorough understanding of production, they will be able to update their knowledge and skills when necessary. However, if all they learn from your class is how to use a fancy camera and point it at pretty stuff, they will be in big trouble, doomed to spend the rest of their lives in occupational purgatory, suffering from major DUMB ATTACKS every single day for all of eternity. No pressure, right?
Herein resides the reason I decided to create a Common Core based multimedia cur-riculum. My years of experience have taught me that although most teachers have acquired valuable classroom experience, they generally need to learn more multimedia skills and the best ways to teach this technology to their students. Building a foundation of technological skill setsisvitalforstudentswhowanttocontinueinthisfield.
80% of the job market is overshadowed by the need for multimedia production within corporate venues. Sales and training videos are trumping the need for broadcasters or TV production crews. Although it’s fun to use your camera to follow all the action, most employ-ers need an individual who can develop and improvise upon the fundamentals to create well-planned projects and professional videos.
SocialmediahashelpedrevolutionizethisideabecausetheInternetisfulloffreede-livery systems like Google and YouTube, which are viewed by millions of people every day. Businesses everywhere are taking advantage of these sites by using them as a marketing tool.Everytypeoforganization(non-profit,governmental,educational,etc)needsmultimediaexperts to create high-quality, attention-grabbing presentations that captivate viewers and help advertise their message.
In order to be relevant in the “real world,” students need to understand and experience themanyfacetsofputtingtogetheravideoprojectfromtheplanningphasetothefinaleditanddelivery system. A successful multimedia instructor teaches students to plan and produce a video project that incorporates these very important skills:
• effective camera techniques
• appropriate audio levels
• proper lighting
• successful interview methods
• logical scene sequence
• dialogue, interviews or voice-overs to explain the action
• meaningfully inserted titles, music, and effects
A well-balanced mix of these elements yields continuity, context, and story-telling- all the per-tinent characteristics that make a video presentation not only “watchable,” but enjoyable.
I know what some of you are thinking. “Video Chuck mustbecrazy!Idon’tknowanythingaboutmultimedia.MywholeclassisaDUMBATTACK!HowamIsup-posed to teach my students to do projects??!”Well,guesswhat?I’mnotcrazy.Allyouhavetodoisabsorbthe information in this book to increase your knowledge, and experience the hands-on training that will expand theteachingabilitiesyoualreadyhave.Youcandothis!I have faith in you. If you don’t believe me, remember what I said before: Video Chuck is here to save the day. In fact, teachers like you are the reason that Video Chuck even exists.
I wasn’t always “Video Chuck.” As a child, life dealt mesomewhatofadifficulthand.Aftergrowingupinsixfoster homes, living in six different states, and attending
22 different schools, I was a confused kid without direction. In the 10th grade, two teachers took my best friend Everett McGill and I under their wings. If it weren’t for them sharing their experiences, providing their nurturing protection, and showing us our own potential, the two of us may never have turned into the successful men we are today.
Mr. Shepard and Mrs. Miller are two wonderful teachers that helped mold us into highly functional members of society. Their support and encour-agement gave us purpose and enabled us to acquire suc-cessful careers and support and nurture our own families. I went on to teach both teachers and students at univer-sities, produce training programs for companies in other countries (like The Sadat Group in Egypt), create national commercials and syndicated television shows, and I even worked for a President of United States.
My friend Everett became a movie star. He’s been successful in front of the camera, and I found my love working behind it. So thank you Mr. Shepard and Mrs. Miller!Thankyouforcaringenoughtonotonlygiveustheskills, but taking the time to ask, “What are your outcomes
“Video Chuck” Dolbeare
Everett McGill
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or objectives?” I know in my heart that you saved our lives, and I know many of you will be the teacherwhoinspirestheirstudentstofindthemselves.
Years and years of my own teaching experience and hearing stories of other teachers’ successes and failures turned on a light bulb in my head. That’s when I began to notice how many teachers were also suffering from DUMB ATTACKS. Even today, schools across the country are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on programs and equipment and their studentsaren’tevenproductiveorontask!
Everywhere I went schools were drowning in high-end equipment and software, but their teachers and administrators were providing no objectives, producing no outcomes, and failing to prepare their students for a career in multimedia. So I, being the incorrigible Video Chuck thatIam,createdthefirstrealvideo/multimediacurriculumforstudentsagesK-12,whichledme to where I am today: teaching teachers how to teach broadcasting like a teacher.
I’ve trained over 5,000 teachers, both new and experienced, in the methods of teach ingmultimedia,andI’vecometofindthatmostofthemweremultimediachallengedandtheirclassrooms were in a M.E.S.S., or lack of:
M.anagement
E.quipment
S.tep by Step Curriculum
S.tudents on Task
• Management of spending and resources is a huge issue. When teachers are setting up a video class, they often make gratuitous purchases and end up hav-ing a few pieces of fancy equipment that nobody knows how to operate. Then they buy books, manuals, or online tutorials, but students can’t follow this materi-al because it doesn’t match up with the existing equipment or software.
• Equipment, both hardware and software, must be age appropriate. Many schools select broadcast quality equipment and do not plan for the learning curve of their students. This is not only an age issue, but also an issue of resources.
Even older students can’t learn how to put together an effective project when there are 24 students in a class with two state-of-the-art edit stations and one big, fancy camera.
• Step-by-Step Curriculum. Bits and pieces of curriculum or tutorials are not suf-ficientforamultimediaclass.Mycurriculumwascreatedwiththreemaingoalsin mind:
1. Teach students how to operate equipment and software
2. Demonstratefundamentalproductionskills,fromstoryboardtofinaledit
3. Complete a video project for the class, school, or community
• Students on Task, all the time, is the result of proper resource Management, acquiring age appropriate EquipmentandutilizingaStep-by-Step Curriculum. Itisimpossibletoobtainawell-plannedandorganizedclassroomifyoudon’thave the resources to keep students on task. You and your students will greatly benefitfromhavingeveryoneproductivelyengagedforthedurationoftheclassperiod.
At this point, you’re probably telling yourself one of two things: 1. “This MESS thing soundshorrible!I’mgoingtomakesurethatdoesn’thappentome.”Or,2.“I’malreadydrowninginagreat,bigMESS!”Sowhatdoyoudonow?Reviewthefollowingbreakdownofwhatthisbookcandoforyou,andthenutilizeeveryword.Ifyoustillaren’tfeelingconfident,look over all the additonal support and resources that Teach Multimedia can provide.
WHAT CAN THIS BOOK DO FOR YOU?
You might not know this yet, but you aren’t just reading a teaching guide. There’s so muchmoreinfrontofyou!NotonlywillIexplainhowandwhattodoforjustabouteveryas-
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pect of your classroom, I’m also giving you:
• A classroom assessment checklist
• A detailed guide of how to assess your resources
• A brief history lesson
• An equipment guide
• A rundown of all the Teach Multimedia sessions, or lesson plans, within the cur-riculum
• A different job for each of your students
• Project ideas
• A storyboarding lesson plan
• A news broadcast sample script
• A step-by-step guide to producing a classroom orientation video
• Intstructions on how do conduct and record a proper interview
• A grading rubric for your class as a whole as well as each individual project
• Adviceonobtaininggrantsandfinancing
• Outcomes
• Adviceonhowtogenerate$$INCOME!!!
WHAT CAN TEACH MULTIMEDIA
DO FOR YOU?
My company provides schools with total turnkey multimedia labs, modules, projects,
support, online training, teacher in-services, and curriculum- but it doesn’t stop there. We’ll stickwithyouforfiveyears,yesFIVE YEARS,tohelpyouasyourclassroomflourishes,ex-pands, and maybe even hits a few snags along the way. Let’s get a little more in-depth about what Teach Multimedia provides.
• Multimedia Curriculum: Our curriculum is completely aligned with Common Core, SCANS, STEM, and STEAM competencies. No matter which educational standard you are set to follow, the Teach Multimedia curriculum meets the criteria. This curriculum-teaches you and your students everything you need to know in a step-by-step format. Each lesson plan has template videos for your students to work with so they aren’t out oftheirseatsandfumblingwithgizmosandgadgets.Thesevideofileshavebeenfor-matted to take up as little space on your computer as possible. You will have access to allthetemplatefootageandyouwillbeabledownloadthemandcopythefilestoeachcomputerinyourlab.Themastertemplatefootagecontainsallthefilesyourstudentswill need and is divided into each lesson.
Every part of the curriculum is set-up Online,alongwithabuilt-inorganizationalsystemthatincludesagradebook,tests,interactivequizzes,homeworkassignments, teacher’s guide, and lesson plans that students can view from their computers. We pro-vide up to 36 different lesson plans for either 50 minute or 90 minute class periods, and each one can be shortened or lengthened to your liking.
What’s equally wonderful about our curriculum is that we have several different versions in order to cater to your needs depending on whether you use a MAC or a PC, what software you have, and the grade level of your students. Because editing and multimedia software is continually advancing, having our curriculum online means that wecanupdateitregularly,savingyoutime,paper,toner,andmoney!
• Multimedia Career Lab: My team has designed and installed multimedia career labs in schools across the country. We provide full-blown multimedia labs based upon your budget, number of students, and available space. We also give you the option to pur-chase individual modules, and we set up and order every piece of equipment you need. Afterhavingyoufilloutouronlineform,wetakeintoaccountalloftheinformationyouhave provided in order to give you an accurate bid.
• Projects: Our projects and processes come equipped with roadmaps that literally give you step-by-step instructions from shot to shot. Once your students have learned the fundamentals outlined in the Teach Multimedia curriculum, they will be able to success-fully produce projects like these:
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nahearaboutitandsteeryouclearofit!Notonlythat,butyoucansendusyourstu-dents’ completed projects and we will grade them for you and offer advice on improve-ment!Icanguaranteeyouthatyou’renotgoingtofindanothercompanythatoffersthismuch training, support, and curriculum.
It should now be obvious to you that DUMB ATTACKS can be a big M.E.S.S. This book was designed to clean up your messes and help you learn how teach smart. Further chapters will discuss how to teach creative elements while learning to operate the equipment, how to assess your classroom needs, how to tackle student projects, and much more. The teachers I work with frequently give me feedback on their successes and the innovative tech-niques they are using in the classroom. All of their triumphs and failures, along with my own, are compiled within the pages of this book, so that you and your students can avoid making a M.E.S.S. while running far away from the dreaded …
DUMB ATTACK!!!
~Classroom Orientation or School Orientation videos
~School TV news
~Morning Announcements
~Video Yearbooks
~Hometown History videos
~Corporate Sales or Training videos
This is just a short summary of the possibilities you will encounter in your multi-media classroom. In addition, I will give you suggestions on how to turn corporate video projects into incomeforyourprogram!IfyoufollowallofVideoChuck’sinstructions,your multimedia class will be the biggest money maker in the district.
• Online Training: My staff and I provide web-based conferences that give you a com-plete rundown of our program in order to show you what we have to offer, provide ad-vice, and answer any questions you have.
• Teacher In-Services: I’ve led numerous teacher in-service trainings on understand-ing, experiencing, and communicating the concepts of the Teach Multimedia program. These training sessions last up to 3 days and provide one–on-one training and in-depth instructions. I split teachers into teams of 2 and ask them to produce their own projects fromscratch.Teachersarecrazyaboutthisprocessbecauseithelpsthemtolearnhowtohelptheirstudents,anditcanalsobeusedasupto3hoursofcollegecredit! You can watch them talking about their success stories for yourself through the teacher testimonials on our website, which can be found here:
http://teachmultimedia.com/index.php/services/73.html
• Continued Support-AsImentionedbefore,mystaffwillbeavailableforthenextfiveyears in order to provide support and guidance. I’m involved with so many teachers that if there’s terrible equipment on the market that’s making its way into their labs, I’m gon-
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CHAPTER ONETeaching as a Teacher -- Not a Broadcaster
Most video/multimedia instructors have either a background in broadcasting or they’ve come straight from the college classroom where equipment operation is the most important skill to acquire. To a novice this may seem like a blessing, but it’s actually somewhat of a curse. Video equipment operation, as I mentioned in the introduction, is only about one third of what is needed to build a compelling video narrative, and it’s all too easy for seasoned broad-casters to become caught up in the tangled snare of the desire to teach students how to use it. While it is certainly important to teach the fundamentals of equipment operation, studying all aspects of video production – both technical and creative- is paramount for devising an effec-tive curriculum.
IrecentlycompletedanonlinetrainingwithahistoryteacherfromAlabama.Thefirstquestion I asked her was “What are your main concerns?”
“I’m just a history teacher; I didn’t necessarily want to teach this class. I have absolutely no idea whattodo!”shereplied.
I promptly explained to her that she was the perfect candidate for my program. In spite of her surprise, I was able to clarify that teachers who come into this program knowing nothing are far easier to train than ones with broadcasting experience. The tech-savvy teachers are the ones I end up having to re-train in order to get rid of pre-conceived notions or bad habits.
Even if you don’t have a background in broad-casting,video/multimediaproductionisnotadifficult
class to teach. Video Chuck is on your side, and I’m here to prove to you that you can effec-tively teach broadcasting to your students, no matter your skill level.
“ButChuck,IknowNOTHING!”yousay?That’sok!Noreally,itis.I’llproveittoyou. I’m going to give you a 12 question pre-test to take before you read the rest of this book. Then,whenyougettothefinalchapter,I’llgiveyouapost-testsoyoucanseeforyourselfhowmuch you have learned. Before you start, be warned: you probably won’t get a perfect score on the pre-test, and that’s ok. But I promise that by the time you take the post-test, you will
know all the answers. The answer key is located in the appendix of this book, but no peeking untilyou’refinished!Let’sgiveitatry.
_______________________________________________________________________
VIDEO CHUCK’S TEACHER PRE-TEST
1. iMOVIE, Pinnacle, and Adobe Premier are examples of a __________ editing process.
A. Tape-to-Tape B. Linear
C. Non-Linear D. Reel-to-Reel
2. Storyboarding is the arrangement of scenes in a video that best tells the story
A. True B. False
3. __________ is the process of bringing video from an outside source into your computer.
A. Trimming B. Outputting
C.Transferring D.Digitizing
4. A monopod is a necessary piece of equipment for video production.
A. True B. False
5. High-quality camcorders are absolutely necessary for educational programs because they are essential for creating professional-looking videos.
A. True B. False
6. The three main types of camera shots are _______________.
A. Wide, Narrow, and Medium B. Close-Up, Distance, and Panoramic
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C. Wide, Medium, and Close-Up D. Wide, Medium, and Zoom
7. What are the 4 steps of video production?
A. Shooting, Input, Editing, and Output B. Planning, Recording, Editing, Distributing
C. Scripting, Shooting, Cutting, and Uploading D. Storyboarding, Shooting, Editing, Output
8. A stick microphone is attached to a long stick and held over the heads of the people who are talking while recording a video.
A. True B. False
9.Quartz(tungsten)lightingisthebesttypeoflightingforindoorvideorecording.
A. True B. False
10. iMovie is the best educational editing software you can buy for your PC.
A. True B. False
11. A storyboard is a video preview of a project.
A. True B. False
12. According to the Imaginary Line Rule, the camera should always stay on the same side of the Imaginary Line.
A. True B. False
___________________________________________________________________________
Atthispointyou’reeitherfeelingconfidentbecauseyouacedthetest,oryou’refeel-ing even worse than when we started because you bombed it. Either way it’s ok, because it provesthatyouknowwhatyou’redoing(whichisthedesiredgoal-goodjob!)orthatyoumadethe right choice when acquiring this book. If it’s the latter, trust me and don’t be afraid. The ef-
ficacyandcommunicationskillsyouhaveacquiredthroughyourteachingexperiencewilleasethefearofteachinganunfamiliarsubject,becauseallyouneedtosucceedisyourconfidenceandVideoChuck’steachingguide.So,relax!You’vegotbothrightinfrontofyou!
Like teaching any other subject, objectives, competencies, and outcomes also apply to the multimedia classroom. Outcome based education has been around for decades, and the multimedia classroom is a model setting to illustrate the practical result of learning a particu-lar set of skills. When creating my curriculum, which is designed to align with Common Core, SCANS, and STEM standards, I had no trouble incorporating key concepts from general edu-cation subjects.
Forexample,mathisrequiredforplacingscenesofvaryinglengthsintoaspecificallytimed project, local history must be researched for a community video project, and writing skills are necessary for building storyboards and teleprompterscripts.Proficiencyinallofthesecompetencies is required to achieve the primary outcome in a multimedia class: a completed video project. A fully detailed example of how my curriculum relates to popular educational standards can be found in Chapter Ten.
Asateacher,youknowhowdifficultitcanbetoholdtheattentionofalargeclassroomfull of giddy students. Over time, modern technology has evolved our brains into rapid-wave machines that thrive on bouncing from one idea to the next. There are two television shows that began airing in the 1960s which initiated a format of using quick scene changes every few minutes, eventually decreasing viewers’ attention spans. Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in only ran from 1968 until 1973, but Sesame Street, which began in 1969, employed the same quick-scene format for teaching kids and is still airing on PBS today.
Since shorter attention spans and decreasing reading skills have made teaching more challenging in the modern classroom, the fusion of education and entertainment has become the norm, and most teachers are constantly seeking material that will help keep their students focused and on task.
Nearly all students would love to know how to produce a fun and attention grabbing video, and as their instructor you will be teaching the skills needed to do so. One of the most important lessons to instill in your students is the ever-present need for these skills in our soci-ety. The communications industry is at the forefront of every type of business, and the need for programming and training is at an all time high.
Nearlyeverybusiness,nomatterthesize,isinneedofasales,training,ormarketingvideo. Instant communication is a part of our culture that is here to stay, and those who have the ability to provide it in a meaningful and effective way will always be relevant in the work-force.
If you happen to have broadcast experience, keep in mind that the high-end equipment
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and complicated software you have used in the past is not practical for inexperienced students. MyfirstandmostfrequentDUMBATTACKSoccurredwhenIbeganteachingstudentsasifI were still in television broadcasting. It may seem like going with what you know is the best option, but it is simply not a functional concept for the classroom. Former broadcasters and re-cent college grads will have to overcome the hurdle of transitioning from being a broadcaster to going back to basics and being an educator. Becoming familiar with the teaching methods and techniques found in the pages of this book will help you to avoid the awful DUMB ATTACKS I was plagued with in my early years of teaching broadcasting.
When I visit schools today, I always ask the multimedia instructor to show me a com-pleted video. Nearly everyone shows me a sports video with clips from a game, which is an example of “camera follows action.” This was once the traditional way of teaching video, but constantpanningandjerkymovementsprovidezerocontinuityanddonotproduceeffectivestorytelling. Generally the viewer is worn out from following along with the erratic scenes and they have no intriguing narrative to relate to. As we have already learned, our attention spans needtobenurtured!Itisnotveryoftenthatateachercanshowmeaneditedvideobasedona planned storyboard with a script, voice-over, and effects, which is exactly why you need our curriculum to guide you in teaching effective outcomes.
Once your students learn the basics of video production, they can have fun letting their creativityflowwhileapplyingthefundamentals.Thisresultsinanentertainingandfunctionalfinishedproduct.Thethrillofbroadcastingtheircompletedprojectstotheclassroom,andpos-sibly to the local community via streaming video, is an event that is fun for everyone involved. Imagine the sense of accomplishment your students will feel when they are able to produce a “WelcometotheCommunity”videoforalocalrealestatecompany!Therearenumerousopportunities at hand when you arm your kids with the tools they need to let their imaginations run wild. A completed video project is not only motivational, it is what your class will thrive upon.
Teaching smart and avoiding the antiquated “camera follows action” method will make yourmultimediaclassthemostpopularchoiceamongthestudentsatyourschool!SticktoVideo Chuck’s teaching guide and you can avoid the predatory DUMB ATTACKS in order to makeithappen!
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CHAPTER TWO The First Step: Assess!
Once the decision is made to invest in a multimedia program, there is a sequence of events that must be followed in order to avoid not only over-spending and inappropriate equip-ment, but also a class full of restless kids who are just hanging out with a bunch of expensive cameras and computers. Do NOT order anything for your lab until you Make an Assessment of your students, existing space, and equipment.
Beforevisitingaschoolforthefirsttime,Iwillaskthemultimediainstructortocompletethe following form: http://teachmultimedia.com/index.php/get-started.html.
Reviewing this form helps the teacher and I assess exactly what we have to work with. The form includes the same information listed within the table in the In-troduction of this book. If you haven’t already, spend a few minutes evaluating the form and take note of what you already have available in terms of classroom space and video equipment. This will help you to gain a better understanding of how to assess your classroom as we move forward.
Multimedia labs are structured to resemble a production studio where programs are written, recorded or broadcast live, and edited. Each function within the lab is called a student “position.” Examples of a few of the student positions are: camera operator, audio technician, news anchor, storyboard designer, and teleprompter operator. This is a diagram of a full-blown lab and its corresponding student positions:
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2. LENGTH OF CLASS The length and frequency of your class also affects the setup of your lab. Is your class-room scheduled for 55 minutes or 90 minutes? Do you meet every day or only two to three times a week? Will you have semester-long classes? There is no need to blow your budget by over-purchasing if you will have limited class time to begin with.
3. GRADE LEVEL OF STUDENTS A“one-size-fits-all”approachtoteachingmultimediaiscompletelyineffective.Everygrade level presents a body of students with different capabilities and comprehension levels. Younger students in the upper elementary levels are most successful when engaging in explo-rations that introduce them to multimedia technology. Grades 8 -12 are able to tackle lengthier and more advanced courses. For these reasons we have curriculum to correspond with vari-ous classroom times and structures. Elementary school is the ideal time to begin multimedia education. Technology is already an integral part of the lives of young children, and this is a natural progression in learning.
4. CLASSROOM SIZE There are three areas of learning that need to be accommodated in a multimedia class-room: The multimedia lab and its four phases, a lecture space, and supply storage, all of which will be discussed later. Room can be made for each of these regardless of your space. The smallest of classrooms have successfully been converted into multimedia labs. Here is a link to two short videos of recent lab installations.
http://www.teachmultimedia.com/index.php/tv-studio-example-video.html
Example 1 demonstrates how two 10x10 rooms can effectively become a lab for 3rd to 5th gradestudents.Althoughthespaceisverysmall,everythingfitsintoplace,and15studentsare kept on task.
Example 2 is a contrasting demonstration of a more advanced lab-model for high school stu-dents. In a lab of thissize,35studentsaresuccessfullykeptontaskfortheentireclassperi-od.
Iwantyoutokeepinmindthatlabscanvaryinsizedependingonbudgetrestraintsandclass-room needs. This link directs you to a page on our website that shows you the diagram as a larger scale image along with other classroom layout information:
http://teachmultimedia.com/index.php/schtvstud.html
When planning a multimedia program for your school, there are seven essential factors that must be taken into consideration. Always account for the following when you are deciding what equipment you will need for your classroom:
1. NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER CLASS The greatest number of students you will have in a given class determines what equip-ment you will purchase, the number of editing stations you will need, the classroom setup, and the student positions to prepare for. Students work together in teams of two at an edit station, and only half of the class edits while the rest of the students are occupied with other tasks. For example, if you have a maximum of 24 students in a class, you would need 6 edit stations be-cause 6 pairs (12 students) will be editing together simultaneously while the other 12 students are elsewhere.
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Since they will need to take notes, a combination desk with chair is ideal for this part of the classroom.
Fortunately,notalotoftimeisspentlecturing!However,youdoneedtohave a space for this traditional classroom environment. Lecture is approximately 30% of classroom time, and Teach Multimedia has already developed a power point to keep you on target as you teach the class. Hands-on learning accounts for the remaining 70% of the time, but remember to leave time at the end of class for shutting down com-puters and checking in equipment. There will also be days when students spend 100% of their time on projects in the video lab.
SUPPLY STORAGE
This does not have to be a particularly large space, but you will require an area where student notebooks and equipment can be stored and then picked up when en-tering the classroom. Storing notebooks in the classroom storage area means all the necessary materials to participate in daily activities will be available and they will not get lost in backpacks, lockers, or at home.
The notebooks contain many items your students will need at all times, including assignments, graded tests, time-code sheets, storyboard sheets, scripts, equipment inventory sheets, media cards, permission slips and other forms to be used for class. One of the most important components of the notebook is the Journal Entry form, which is to be completed each day.
Be sure to store all of the equipment with security in mind. Number each indi-vidual item, and keep each item in a designated area so you can see at a glance that everything is present and accounted for as you walk in and out of the classroom. I also recommend keeping a trash can at each station rather than having just one at the front oftheclassroom.Thiseliminatestrafficandkeepsstudentsattheireditstationsandontask.
MULTIMEDIA/VIDEO CAREER LAB
The lab is where the majority of student learning will take place, so it is
New schools under construction, and older ones being remodeled, can plan ahead for the appropriate amount of multimedia space. If your school is in this position, sitting down withthearchitecttosetuptheproperroomsizewillworktoyouradvantage.Itisimportantto account for distance between edit stations and each of the four phases to eliminate sound overflowandexcessheatemissionsfromstudioequipment.Lastyear,Isatdownwithadis-trict where two new high schools were being built, and we were able to design an ideal space according to their needs and budget. They are currently up and running, and enjoying a suc-cessful program that is extremely popular with the students.
Whether you have a new building or are using pre-existing space in an older school, the rooms that house the multimedia lab must meet certain criteria. Because multimedia equip-ment is so sensitive to sound and light, the rooms need to have these features:
• soundproof from outside noise
• unobtrusive sound from heat and A/C
• proper lighting
• partitions for dividing areas
• ample power outlets
5. CLASSROOM SETUPA proper classroom setup is a great start toward building a successful classroom. Now it’s time to set up areas for learning the basics and applying them. Arranging your classroom into three primary areas is of key importance, because it will not only keep students on task, it will eliminate confusion and allow you to supervise each area. Here are the three necessary classroom areas: The Lecture Area, the Supply Storage Area, and the Multimedia/Video Career Lab.
LECTURE AREA
When students arrive to class each day, they will sit in the lecture area where you will explain new material, present power-points and hand out assignments.
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This is the area where students introduce their completed projects to view-ers. Broadcasting to classrooms, to the community via cable, or to the Internet via video streaming, can be done from a small room or a small section of the TV Studio. Very little space is required for the broadcast system, which is operated by two students using PowerPoint or a sophisticated 24-hour signage computer.
• STUDENT PROJECTS:
Projectscanbeproducedeitherintheclassroomorinthefield,andtheyrequire work at the edit station, in the TV studio, and in the cable broadcast area. A more in-depth description of student projects can be found in Chapter Nine.
6. BUDGET Manystateshavegrantmoneyspecificallyfortechnologylabs.Somelargerdistrictshavetheirowngrantwriters,butsmalleronescanhireanindependentgrantwriter,orfindonethrough Craigslist or through the links provided on the Teach Multimedia website. This link provides information on how to obtain grantsorwheretofindhelp:http://teachmulti-media.com/index.php/grants.html.
If you are looking to gain support or funding from you school district, present them with a plan that details the outcomes and potential income produced by this program. If you can givethemaplaninsteadtalkingaboutgizmosandgadgets,youwillgetthefundingyouneed.Ifyouaren’tconfidentyoucanbeconvincingenough,Iwillpersonallycomeoutanddothepresentation for you.
We base the cost of a lab on the number of student positions. As described earlier, a student position is a function that is necessary to perform a task in a production studio such as camera operator or teleprompter operator. Since each position requires certain equipment, itisrelativelyeasytofigurethecostofalab.Also,sinceourlabsareturnkeypackages,eachof the positions include not only the equipment, but the software and curriculum that go with it.
7. ROAD MAP
very important to have ample space for all of the furniture and equipment that will be placed in each of the four sections, or phases. These are the required setups and ac-commodations for each of the four phases:
• P.R.E. MULTIMEDIA:
The edit room, where students P.lan R.ecord E.dit, should be large enough to hold the required number of stations. Keeping in mind that each 8x8 edit station is built for two students, if there are 24 students in your class, you need 12 edit stations. These stations are ideal for working through curriculum and templates that teach the basics of video production. There should be enough room in your space for students to move freely between each desk and also to minimizetheobtrusionofsoundsfromotherstations.
The editing stations are the most critical part of your lab. Each station needs enough space to accommodate a desk and chairs for two students, one computer, software, one camera with power supply, one tripod, two headsets for audio, one stick microphone, one lapel microphone, one 8x10 portable chro-ma key curtain, and dividers between desks to prevent sound interference. I also recommend purchasing headphones equipped with “Y” connectors so students can hear simultaneously during recording and editing.
• TV STUDIO/CONTROL ROOM:
The Control Room should be approximately 15x20 feet. This space allows for a news desk which seats three students, three cameras on dollies, two to threeTeleprompters,onelargeTVmonitor,anintercomsystem,avideoamplifiersystem, one wall for a green screen, and a lighting system.
Your TV studio may be slightly smaller or larger than the recommended size,butthemainconcernisthericochetofsound,heatproduction,andthecloseproximityofstudentsworkingtogether.Carpetonthefloorandwallskeepssound from bouncing and decreases the chance of picking up the hum of air conditioning and heating systems. Lighting should be soft, as discussed before, eliminating shadows and heat in the studio.
• STREAMING BROADCAST:
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The roadmap offered by Teach Multimedia is a Teacher Training In-service and is also included in our turnkey packages. Installing a new lab without this feature would ultimately leave your program in limbo. Refer back to the video testimonials of several of the teachers whohavebenefitedfromtheseworkshops,whichcanbeviewedhere:http://teachmultimedia.com/index.php/services/73.html
Once you have successfully completed a full assessment of your number of students, how much time and space you have, and your budget, you will be on your way toward the beautiful beginning to your newly-structured multimedia classroom. Don’t forget, the success of your program is going to lead to more students in your classroom (and more income), so alwaysplanforthefuture!
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CHAPTER THREEStep-by-Step Curriculum: The Key to Learning
The number one essential tool for ensuring a successful multimedia classroom is an effective step-by-step student curriculum. It should be written to encourage logical student pro-gression through basic concepts while incorporating software, equipment operation lessons, and daily tasks to reinforce and build upon previously learned material- which is exactly how my curriculum is designed. There are two main driving forces behind the success of this pro-gram:
1. Agreatteacher(whichyoualreadyhave–that’syou!)
2. Projects with a guiding curriculum
Equally important to the curriculum is an ac-companying Teacher’s Guide. Students aren’t the only ones who need to learn concepts and equip-ment operations.
A teacher’s “bible,” as I like to call it, is a vital piece of the roadmap that provides teachers with an explanation of student material, pre and post tests, answer keys, and additional resources such as classroom forms and handouts. The following pages provide several images and brief descrip-tionsofsomeofthehandoutsyouwillfindinyourTeacher’s Guide.
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• OFF-CAMPUS CONSENT FORM: A form that allows a parent’s signature to give your sdent permission to leave school grounds for recording video productions.
• TIME-CODE SHEET: A spreadsheet designed to plan out each scene in hours, min-utes, seconds, and frames.
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• STORYBOARD TEMPLATES: There are several different storyboard sheets available, all of which give you a space to plan the dialogue, camera angle, type of shot, and addi-tional notes for each scene or frame.
• DAILY RECORD SHEET: A self-evaluation sheet students use to keep track of their daily progress, and teachers use as part of the grading process.
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• GRADING RUBRICS: These include a Supervisor Evaluation Sheet, Peer EvaluationSheet, and Self-Evaluation Sheet as well as the basic Video Project Evaluation Sheetfor teacher grading.
• STORY PLAN SHEET: A worksheet designed to plan out the basic ideas of the projectname, storyline, audio and video requirements, additional notes, and abbreviations fortypes of shots and subject movement.
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• TASK SHEET: A weekly breakdown of each day’s tasks and time spent on task for each student.
• JOURNAL ENTRY SHEET: A sheet for each student to record the date and their daily journal entries for video broadcasting class.
• LIGHTING GUIDE ARTICLE: A complete guide of how to apply the lighting triangle, howtousefilllightandbackgroundlighting,lightinginthefield,alightplotforatwo-per-soninterview,usingreflectors,interiorlighting,andmore.
• NEWS STORY BREAKDOWN SHEET: Lays out each scene of a news story, what is heard and seen, and for how long.
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• SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR ORIENTATION VIDEOS: Several pages of sample questions to ask when interviewing teachers for classroom orientation videos.
• COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: Nine pages of information detailing everything you’ve ever wanted or needed to know about what copyright is, who can claim it, what works are protected, how to secure a copyright, publication, and more.
Copies of each handout as well as additional resources are available at www.teachmultimedia.com/dumbattack/. When you visit this web page you will be asked to enter your email address. You will use this as your user ID for return visits. Also, on your firstvisityouwillbeaskedtoenterthenameofyourschoolandyourphonenumbertoincludeinyourprofile.
If you research student curriculum for multimedia/video production and editing, you will onlyfindequipmenttutorialsandquick-starts.What’sthatIsmell?ADUMBATTACK?!Thesesorts of info-sessions won’t get you very far. Learning how to operate your two overly-ad-vanced cameras is not going to keep 30 students on task. In fact, the main issue multimedia teachers consistently approach me with is how to keep students “on task, all the time.” Teach-erseverywherearebangingtheirheadsagainstthewall,tryingtofigureouthowtomonitorstudent progress when each and every student has to proceed through the material at a differ-ent rate because they are forced to take turns with limited equipment.
This is another reason why I designed my curriculum to allow two students to work as a team as they proceed through each lesson. The corresponding Teacher’s Guide allows the instructor to observe each team’s progress while remaining available to the entire class. Aside from daily tasks, student manuals and instructional video templates can be downloaded for even more online learning, which allows the kids to work at their own pace and master each skill.
An effective curriculum incorporates the process of production into its overall format. As I mentioned several times earlier, failing to teach outcomes and the process of production leaves your class in a M.E.S.S.!Theproductionprocess(P.R.E.) is comprised of three essen-tial parts:
• PLANNING
• RECORDING
• EDITING
• CROSSWORD PUZZLE: After students have completed several learning sessions, theyhavetheoptionofcompletingacrosswordpuzzleinvolvingsomeofthenewtermsthey learned in their lessons.
• TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION GUIDE: Explains the basics of recording your subjects, proper camera operation, using a tripod, focusing, setting white balance, leveling the camera, scene composition, avoiding visual distractions, recording lead time, recording sound, and recording precautions.
• SCHOOL PROFILE FORMS: A school information log that contains school policies, hours, website, staff member names, breakfast and lunch menus, and any other rele-vant announcements for students to broadcast to the class, school, or community.
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As the instructor, be sure to encourage your students to record more than enough raw footage in order to ensure plenty of quality footage for editing. Experienced videographers know that it is far better to have too much footage rather than not enough, because you can never recreate a scene exactly as itwasthefirsttimeafteryou’ve left the location. You can always cut out the
excess, but if you return to the lab without enough footage, there is nothing else you can do at that point.
Your ultimate goal should be teaching your students to learn how to stay one step ahead of what could go wrong during recording, like audio issues, low battery, and poor camera angles. Decades ago, during the 1950s, Cecil B. DeMi-lleproducedanddirectedafilmcalledTheTenCommandments.Thisfilmwasshotwithonlyonetakeforeachscene.Whateverhappenedonthefirsttakewas all he had to work with later.
There is a famous scene where Charlton Heston, who plays the role of Moses, stands at the edge of the cliff and parts the red sea. In order to capture plenty of footage from every angle, DeMille had 20 cameras rolling simultane-ously. After the take, he went around to each camera operator and asked them if they were able to get a decent shot.
“It’s the darndest thing,” one of them replied, “my camera stopped working.”
“Well, I tripped over a cord right at the beginning,” another said.
DeMille made his way around to the last camera operator, and, hoping for better, asked again about shooting the scene.
While your students may be chomping at the bit to get behind (or in front of) a camera, planningmustalwaysbethefirststepinordertoproduceanappealingproduct.Toillustratethis reality to your class, simply give them visual proof. I recommend showing them a short, haphazardvideowithpoorlightingandaudio,followedbyawell-plannedpiecethathooksthem with quality production and a dynamic message.
• PLANNING a video begins with a storyboard, which has a script on the left with corresponding visuals (sketches or drawings) on the right. A storyboard is needed from the opening scenetothefinalscene.Designingastoryboardrequires many Common Core elements learned in other classes; articulate writing, teamwork, and math are necessary to build a coherent story-board. Having such a detailed plan will help each teammembervisualizetheirprojectstofruitionandfulfilltheirassignedroles.
Storyboards also help to ensure the video is the right length. Every scene mustbecalculatedtofitintoaspecifictimeframe,andleadtimesforeachscenechange(includingopeningandclosingcredits)needtobefiguredintotheequa-tion. Never let your students pick up a camera before they have shown you a detailedplan!
• RECORDING with the camera is the next step in the process. This is done either in the studio or in the field (any location away from the studio). Camera operation techniques, such as knowing when to use a wide shot, medium shot, or close-up shot, are taught during this phase, as well as effective audio, lighting, and interview techniques.
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Editing should always begin with the audio. Your students will edit the best au-diofirst,andthenaddcorresponding video. When determining how long your video will take to edit, remember that:
one finished minute of video equals one hour of editing time. This may seemlikeanexaggeration,butitdefinitelyisn’t.Justimaginethatyouareput-ting together a power point that will last several minutes. Think about how long that would take you, then imagine having to add audio, music, video, and effects whilesqueezingthemintomatchupwithatime-code sheet.
1 min = 1 hour
When Planning, Recording, and Editing are properly executed, a compelling overall impression begins to manifest. Continuity can go a long way by holding the attention of the viewer and eliciting a response. As your students gain more experience in the video produc-tion process, they will become more innovative and their projects will begin to take on a more professional appearance. Eventually they will be legitimate pros, but until then, the Student Guide lays out everything they need to know. Here is a run-down of the basic and advanced learning sessions that are included in the student curriculum:
“Sounds great,” the operator said, “when do we start?”
Soyousee,eventheworld’sgreatestfilmmakerscanhaveplentyofmis-haps. All kidding aside, anything that could potentially go wrong, will. It is your duty to teach your students how to prepare themselves for disaster.
• EDITING occurs after the raw footage has been recorded. This is where the students complete the project by selecting the best scenes, connecting seg-ments, and adding titles and effects. Many skills are required for this stage of
production (especially math) because each clip is timed to the tenth of a second in order to stay within the established length of the project.
Ever since the advent of video cameras there hasbeenvideoediting.Thefirstmethodofvideoediting, the “Cut and Paste Method,” used scissors to physically cut the raw footage videotape and then use tape or glue to paste the used scenes
together. As you can imagine, this process was quite time consuming and ex-pensive.
Eventually, linear tape editors were invented. Linear tape editors use two VCR’s, a Source VCR and a Recording VCR. In linear editing, a tape with raw footage is placed into the Source VCR. The source VCR is connected to the Recording VCR through an Editing Control Unit (ECU). As the Source VCR plays the raw footage, the ECU con-trols the recording VCR so that only the raw footage that you want is recorded onto the new tape. This process is much faster than the old Cut and Paste Method.
In the digital world of today, linear editing has been replaced by non-linear editing. In non-linear editing, raw video footage is captured onto a computer or standalonenon-lineareditor.Oncecapturedasadigitalfile,rawfootagecanbeedited in any order before outputting your video projects to any of today’s digital media forms (DVD, DV Tape, MPEG, Media Card, etc.). Once projects are finishedonanon-lineareditingsystem,youcanoutputyourprojectstomanydifferent multimedia formats.
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• Basic Session 3:
Trimming and Splitting Clips
Students will learn the basic video editing techniques of trimming and splitting video clips. Trimming and splitting will form the basis of how they edit all projects in iMOVIE. Make sure that the students are well versed in these two techniques, and that the students have deleted their foot-age as they will no longer need it.
• Basic Session 4:
Titles and Transitions
Studentswilllearnhowtoapplybasictitles,transitions,andfilterstoavideoproject.Theabilitytocreatetheseeffectsisthefirststepincreatingmoreprofessional looking video projects. Students need to be able to create titles and to add transitions easily in all future projects.
BASIC SESSIONS
• Basic Session 1:
Introduction: Basic information
You will need to provide the students with a Pre-Test and a Student Test Sheet. The students will use the same Student Test Sheet throughout the Ses-sions. Instruct the students on where you want them to keep their Student Test Sheets. There are two versions of the Pre-Test to discourage students from shar-ing answers. Students will learn the basics of iMOVIE as well as learn the import-ant topics of Time-Coding and Continuity. Make sure the students have removed their scenes and/or audio clips from the Storyboard and deleted them from the system at the end of the class period.
• Basic Session 2:
Importing Media
Studentswilllearnaboutdigitizingfootagefromanoutsidesourceontotheir computer. Also, students will become familiar with the different editing views available in iMOVIE.
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GLOSSARY
AAMBIENT SOUND: The background sounds which are present in a scene that establish mood and provide audiocontinuitybetweenshots,likewind,water,birds,crowds,traffic,etc.
ANCHORS: Responsible for reading out and presenting pre-written news stories on camera.
AUDIO TECHNICIAN: Responsible for setting up microphones, making sure they are work-ing and turned on before beginning the broadcast, and adding background music and sound effects during the production.
BBROADCAST: To transmit by radio or television.
CCAMERA OPERATOR:Responsibleforcontrollingthecamerainaseriesoftaskslikezoom-ing, panning, focusing, and framing.
CHROMA KEY (GREEN SCREEN): An effects function that renders a particular color (often blue or green) transparent in a video image, allowing another color or image to appear on top of a second image. For example, a weather forecaster to appear against a background of a computer-generated weather map.
CLOSE-UP SHOT: A close shot of characters, their actions, or other elements in the scene that establishes the details of what is happening.
COPYRIGHT: The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform,film,orrecordliterary,artistic,ormusicalmaterial,andtoauthorizeotherstodothesame.
CONTINUITY: A consistent existence of the characteristics of people, plot, objects, and
places seen by the viewer over the duration of a video.
DDIGITIZING: To convert pictures or sound into a digital form that can be processed by a com-puter.
DIRECTOR: Responsible for running the entire broadcast, and sending verbal cues to each position.
DOLLY: A piece of equipment that moves on wheels and holds the camera and the tripod.
DUMB ATTACK: A failure to teach students outcomes and processes while getting caught up in fancy equipmentandprettyflashinglights.
EEDITING: Arranging raw footage in a way that effectively tells the story outlined on the story-board by using splitting and trimming, as well as adding audio, effects, and titles.
EXPORTING:TransportingfinishedvideosfromwithintheiMovieorediting software to a savedfileofthedesiredformat.
FFADE IN: A gradual increase in the visibility and/or audio of a scene.
FADE OUT: A gradual decrease in the visibility and/or audio of a scene.
FIELD: Any location away from the TV studio or Multimedia Lab.
FINAL EDIT: The last phase of editing in which the time-coded footage paired with audio and effects is touched up to match the storyboard from the planning phase.
FLUORESCENT LIGHTING: The preferred lightingformoderndigitalcameras,fluorescentlights have a greater longevity and provide a soft output with less heat.
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FRAME:Previouslyaseriesofexposuresonastripoffilm,aframeisthebordersoftheimagewithin which the subject is contained.
GGREEN SCREEN (CHROMA KEY): Aspecialeffectsfilmtechniqueinvolvingfilmingactorsagainstagreenorbluescreenonwhicheffectssuchascomputerizedgraphicscanbeaddedlater and integrated into a single sequence.
HHARD LIGHTING: A harsh and direct light with no diffusion and hard-edged shadows.
IIMAGINARY LINE RULE: Also known as the 180 Degree Rule, all recording takes place on the same side of the imaginary line in front of the subjects in order to provide continuity of sub-ject placement from the viewer’s vantage point.
iMOVIE STUDIO: A digital, non-linear video editing software package that operates on a desktop computer.
IMPORTING:Digitizingtherecordedrawfootagefromyourcamera,SDcard,orflashdrivetothe iMovie software on your computer.
INPUT: The process of transferring media to the computer software via the provided options.
J
JUMP CUT: An undesirable joining of two shots that do not match in action or continuity.
LLAPEL MICROPHONE: A battery operated microphone that attaches to the collar of the speaker’s shirt, remaining a consistent distance from the mouth and therefore generating con-sistency in the audio.
LEAD TIME:
LIGHTING TRIANGLE:
LIGHT PLOT: Documentation that illustrates a plan for lighting each scene.
LINEAR EDITING: Scenes from the raw footage media are placed one after another.
MMASTER RECORD PLAYBACK OPERATOR: Sends news stories to the technical director and records the entire broadcast program as seen by the audience.
MEDIUM SHOT: Any shot that shows the characters or subjects from the waist up, usually consisting of dialogue or action that introduces the subjects.
MODULES: The project modules provide all the equipment needed for students to produce and broadcast the particular project on which they are working.
MONOPOD: A worthless, easily dropped or knocked over, one-legged stand that holds the camera. Do not buy one.
MULTIMEDIA: The convergence of two or more media types.
MULTIMEDIA CARD (MMC):Aflashmemorycardforthecamcorder that stores the recorded footage which can be used to import media to the computer software.
NNON-LINEAR EDITING: Ability to place any visual, audio, or still frame anywhere in the edit
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sequence without having to start from the beginning.
OOUTPUT:Recordingthefinishedvideoontoaformatwhereitcanbedistributedtoviewers.
PPICTURE-IN-PICTURE: Simultaneously shows two different shots of the same event on one shared screen.
P.R.E: To Plan, Record, and Edit as follows:
• PLANNING: Planning out your entire video on paper by using storyboards, light plots, and scripts before any video is recorded.
• RECORDING: Following the storyboard and using the camera, in either the studio or thefield,torecordmorethanenoughrawfootagetouseforediting the video.
• EDITING: Completing the video after enough raw footage has been recorded by select-ing the best scenes, connecting segments, and adding titles and effects.
PLUG-IN MICROPHONE: Any microphone that requires a cord which plugs-in to the camcord-er. Wireless microphones are far more functional and are encouraged.
PRODUCER: The leader of the studio team, responsible for producing broadcast scripts and overseeing each step in the production of a broadcast or project.
QQUARTZ (TUNGSTEN): The most expensive type of lighting, which creates a very hard light with lots of heat and shadows. Not recommended for students.
R
RAW FOOTAGE:Theunedited,unfinishedscenesthathavebeenplannedoutonthestory-board and shot with a video camera.
REFLECTIVE LIGHTING:Utilizinglightfromanothersource,andthenbouncingitoffanob-ject.
RULE OF CONTINUITY: Never place a wide shot next to a wide shot, a medium shot next to a medium shot, or a medium shot next to a wide shot within the same scene of a video segment.
SSCRIPT: The written text, lines, and dialogue of the video or broadcast.
SCRIPT MANAGER: Proofs and delivers scripts to the cast and crew before broadcast pro-gram begins.
SHOT:Asegmentoffilmproducedbyasingleuninterruptedrunningofthecamera.
SOFT LIGHTING:Anevenfloodofsoftlightthatproducesfewshadows.
SPLITTING: An edit transition from one shot to another where the picture and sound are synchronizedbutthetransitionsineacharenot.
STAGE MANAGER: Responsible for the appearance and readiness of the set and crew, all propsandmaterials,andsetconfirmationbeforeandduringtheproduction.
STICK MICROPHONE: A wired or wireless microphone that the speaker holds in hand, resem-bling a stick.
STORYBOARDING: The planning stage of video production on a storyboard template which contains rough sketches of each scene in the video, as well as written ideas and notes for each scene.
STREAMING: A method of transmitting or receiving data over a computer network as a steady, continuousflow,allowingplaybacktoproceedwhilesubsequentdataisbeingreceived.
STREAMING BROADCAST: Transmitting a live broadcast over a computer network or the Internet.
STUDENT GUIDE: The step-by-step roadmap for students, which includes lessons, project tutorials, terms to know, diagrams, and more.
STUDENT POSITIONS: The necessary functions for performing tasks in a production studio, such as camera operator or teleprompter operator.
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TTEACHER’S GUIDE: Also known as the “Teacher’s Bible,” this is a vital piece of the step-by-step roadmap that provides teachers with an explanation of student material, pre and post tests, answer keys, and additional resources such as classroom forms and handouts.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Responsible for operating camera switching, transitions, effects, and chroma key during the broadcast program.
TELEPROMPTER OPERATOR: Responsible for loading pre-written scripts on the teleprompt-er computer and rolling the scripts for the anchors to read during the broadcast program.
TEMPLATE VIDEO: A series of templates included in the Teach Multimedia Curriculum that students will use to complete their lessons.
TIME-CODE: A series of numbers that enables precise editing by giving each frame in a video sequence a code of numbers (hours: minutes: seconds: frames).
TITLE/CG CONTROLLER: Sends screen text and graphics to the technical director and gen-erates weather maps electronically to be shown behind the weather person.
TRIPOD: Holds the camcorder steady, allowing for smooth movement when panning left to right and tilting up or down. Fluid head tripods are recommended.
TRIMMING: Removing the leftover portions of a scene after the selected section has been usedinthefinaledit.
VVIDEOGRAPHERS:Peoplewhofulfilltheneedforcommunicationsviamultimediaandvideoproduction.
VIDEO PRODUCTION: Theprocessofproducingavideofromanideatoafinishedproductthat you can show to an audience.
VIDEO SEQUENCE: The arrangement of scenes in a video that best tells the story.
WWHITE BALANCE: A camera setting that adjusts for lighting in order to make white objects appear white in the video footage.
WIDE SHOT: Explains the environment, context, and mood for the remainder of the scene and is used to establish location. A wide shot often may not show the characters or subjects of the scene.
WIRELESS MICROPHONE: The best option of microphone that operates via battery, eliminat-ing the need for cords.
ZZIG-ZAG FORMAT: A technique for assembling different shots in a video in a back and forth arrangementtofillspaceduringaninterviewornarration.
248 249
Index
AAssignments. See Curriculum: assignmentsAssistant Audio Technician. See Students: positions: assistant audio technicianaudio 245, 246, 248Audio 43–55, 245, 246, 248
editing of 43Audio Technician. See Students: positions: audio technician
BBatteries. See Equipment: camcorders: batteriesBudget
funding. See Grantsgrants. See Grantsincome 14–15, 27–28, 70, 187–190over-spending 21–28purchasing 21–28, 65
CCamcorders 248, 249, 251. See Equipment: camcordersCamera Operator. See Students: positions: camera operatorCamera Shots
telling a story with 115–116types of camera shots. See Camera Shots
close-up shot 40–55, 114–117, 148–190medium shot 40–55, 113–117, 148–190wide shot 40–55, 113–117, 148–190
Career Lab. See Multimedia Career LabChapter Summary 4–5Checklist. See Teacher Tools: Classroom Assessment ChecklistClassroom
assessment of 21–26length of class 23necessary features of 24setup of 24–28
three areas 24–26lab 25lecture area 24–28supply storage 25–28
size of 23Classroom Areas. See Classroom: setup of: three areasClassroom Orientation Video. See Projects: classroom orientation videoClassroom Policies 5–15, 191–204
sample syllabus 192–197Close-Up Shot. See Camera Shots: types of camera shots: close-up shotCommon Core. See Curriculum: Common Core
Curriculumassignments 13–15, 25–28, 54–55Common Core 5–15, 19–20, 40–55, 70, 205–211forms and handouts 29–34
Daily Record Sheet 32Grading Rubrics 35News Story Breakdown Sheet: 36Off-Campus Consent Form 31Storyboard Templates 33Story Plan Sheet 34Time-Code Sheet 30
learning levels 56–57lecture 25lesson plans 13–15, 54–55, 200–204, 238–239
Advanced Sessions 49–53Basic Sessions 44–47History of Television 72–83
Online 13–15, 220–222SCANS 13–15, 19–20, 70, 205–211, 212–217STEAM 13–15, 205–211STEM 13–15, 19–20, 70, 205–211step-by-step 11–15, 29–55Student Guide 43–55, 250Teacher’s Guide 251Tests 251video templates 54–55
DDirector. See Students: positions: directorDolly. See Equipment: dollyDUMB ATTACK 4–15
EEditing 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251
Cut and Paste Method 42editing stations 22–28, 63–65, 238–239Final Edit 246linear editing 42–55, 66–70, 213–217, 238–239non-linear editing 42–55, 66–70, 213–217, 238–239Non-linear Editing 248software 64–65Software 246, 247, 248
Equipment 246, 248Batteries 248, 252budget 56camcorders 58–65
batteries 58–65white balance button 58
chroma key curtain (green screen) 62
250 251
In-service. See Teacher Training: in-serviceInterviews. See Projects: the interview
LLab. See Multimedia Career LabLighting 246, 248, 249, 252
three types of lighting 61Lights. See Equipment: lightsLinear Editing. See Editing: linear editing
MMedia Card. See Equipment: media cardMedium Shot 250. See Camera Shots: types of camera shots: medium shotM.E.S.S. 10–11Microphones. See Equipment: microphonesMorning Announcements. See Projects: morning announcementsMultimedia Card Source Operator. See Students: positions: multimedia card source operatorMultimedia Career Lab
cost of 27diagram of 5–15, 22–28, 69–70four phases of 5–15, 23–28, 69–70
P.lan R.ecord E.dit 26–28projects 27Streaming Broadcast 27TV Studio 26
Module Stations 231–244production studio 21–28
Music. See Video Production: music
NNews Anchor. See Students: positions: news anchorNon-Linear Editing. See Editing: non-linear editing
OOnline Training. See Teacher Training: Online training
PPositions. See Students: positionsProducer. See Students: positions: producerProjects 248, 249, 250
classroom orientation video 12–15, 120–145community projects 189corporate projects 189–190Family Tree 151fundraising 150–190hometown history 14–15morning announcements 14–15, 221–222, 231–239sample broadcast script 152–176
Chroma Key/Green Screen 245, 247Computers 245, 246, 247, 248, 250, 251dolly 60–65Dolly 246furniture 63headsets 26–28, 60–65high-end 10–15, 19–20, 56–65, 218–222learning curve 56lights 61
fluorescent 62media card 58microphones 54–55, 58–65, 227–239Microphones 245, 248, 249, 250, 252monopod 60operation of 16–20, 29–55, 214–217teleprompter 19–20, 60–65, 70, 237–239Teleprompter 250, 251tripod 26–28, 58–59Tripod 246video switcher 62warranty 56–65
FFour Steps of Video Production. See Video Production: Four Steps of Video ProductionFunding. See GrantsFundraising. See Projects: fundraisingFurniture. See Equipment: furniture
GGrading
quizzes 199–204rubrics 35–55, 201–204tests 199–204video projects 200–204
Grantslinks to resources of 216–217sample grant proposal 212–214
Green Screen. See Equipment: chroma key curtain (green screen)
HHandouts 251Headsets. See Equipment: headsetsHistory of Television. See Curriculum: lesson plans: History of TelevisionHometown History Video. See Projects: hometown historyHomework. See Curriculum: assignments
IIncome. See Budget: income
252 253
school projects 187–188School TV News 151the interview 120video yearbooks 14–15, 188–190welcome to the community video 20
SSCANS. See Curriculum: SCANSSoftware. See Editing: softwareSTEAM. See Curriculum: STEAMSTEM. See Curriculum: STEMStoryboard Designer. See Students: positions: storyboard designerStoryboards 19–20, 47–55, 67–70, 213–217, 236–239
step-by-step instructions for 85–110Templates 33
Storyboard/Script Supervisor. See Students: positions: storyboard/script supervisorStorytelling. See Video Production: storytellingStreaming Video 20, 237–239Student Guide. See Curriculum: Student GuideStudent Jobs
Camera Operator 245Director 248, 251Master Record Playback Operator 248Script Manager 250Technical Director 251Teleprompter Operator 251
Studentsattention spans 4–15, 19–20grade level 6–15, 23–28, 231–239number of 6–15, 22–28, 151–190, 214–217positions 5–15, 21–28, 67–70, 231–239
anchor 68assistant audio technician 67–70audio technician 21–28, 227–239camera operator 27–28, 41–55, 68–70, 114–117, 226–239diagram of 5–15, 21–28, 69–70director 67–70, 232–239multimedia card source operator 68–70news anchor 21–28objectives and outcomes 225–230producer 67–70, 232–239storyboard designer 21–28storyboard/script supervisor 67–70tech director 67–70teleprompter operator 27–28titler/CG operator 68–70
Support. See Teacher Tools: continued support
TTeacher Training
in-service 7–15, 55, 200–204Online training 14–15
Tech Director. See Students: positions: tech directorTeleprompter. See Equipment: teleprompterTeleprompter Operator. See Students: positions: teleprompter operatorTestimonials. See Teacher Tools: testimonialsTime-Code 5–15, 25–28, 43–55, 116–117, 237–239Titler/CG Operator. See Students: positions: titler/CG operatorTripod. See Equipment: tripod
VVideo Chuck 9–10Video Production 250, 251
camera follows action 20Four Steps of Video Production 111–117Imaginary Line Rule 247music 116projects. See ProjectsRecording 247Scripts 249, 250, 251Storyboarding 246, 249, 250storytelling 20, 111–117video sequence 114–117
Video Sequence. See Video Production: video sequence
WWhite Balance Button. See Equipment: camcorders: white balance buttonWide Shot 250, 252. See Camera Shots: types of camera shots: wide shot
