Challenge 5 - Movie by Number

Challenge 

Your challenge is to create a one minute video, using found still images with permission, that represents a single number in a creative and artful way. Show the number as it is represented in the world and nature. It need not always be literal. Be creative. Think metaphorically. Also, add relevant music but not narration. Let the visuals and the music tell the story of the number you have selected.

Objectives

• Create a video, including visuals and audio
• Find and select still images, that you have permission to use, that represent the selected number
• Arrange images and audio in a way that represents the number creatively
• Edit audio to meet the assignment limitations
• Experiment and explore video and audio storytelling tools

Rationale

There are a handful of ways to use copyrighted material in your own creative work. Identifying images, filtered by permissions and editing copyright songs, provide an introductory step toward deeper understanding of the concepts of transformativeness and copyright. Similarly, representing a number, already an abstraction, supports abstract and figurative thinking.

Instructions

There is limit to the number of images you can choose. However, the one minute limitation impacts how many found images that can be used well in your video. Similarly, the one minute limitation has greater implications for the audio selection(s), considering most songs exceed a minute in length. Yet, there is also no limitation to the number of songs you can remix. You may even consider composing your own audio.

Finding Images

Conduct advanced searches using the copyright owner's permissions as a filter. There are a number of tools that allow you to search for license or royalty free and Creative Commons licensed images, including:

• Creative Commons Search - a meta search tool for scanning multiple source sites
• Photo Pin - search engine for Creative Commons and non-Creative Commons images
• Compfight - search engine for commercial and Creative Commons images in Flickr, with clear distinction between commercial and free
• Let's CC - Creative Commons search tool
• Multicolr Search Lab - search engine by color for Creative Commons and Flickr
• imagebase - searchable database of royalty free photographs
• morgueFile - searchable database of royalty free photographs
• everystockphoto - search engine for license-specific and free photos
• Advanced Search and Filtering options for Google, Bing, and most other search engines

You will need to download the images to use with your video editing tool. Additionally, you will want to maintain some method of tracking and including proper attribution for the images and songs.

The video editing tool you use is your choice, but you will need to make a rough cut of your images in preparation for a separate audio track.

Finding Audio or Songs

Since there are already significant limitations on length of the audio you can use, the possibility exists for you to include samples from known, popular music. However, you will need to edit the audio to create a remixed version of the selections to suit your piece. You may also create or compose your own music for this project, if you choose. It may be beneficial to edit your audio separately, using an audio editing tool, and then add it to your rough cut video in your primary editing tool.

Select a Main Tool

There are a number of video editing tool options for combining video and audio, and everyone with a MacBook Air has access to more than one (iMovie and WeVideo - via Google accounts). Feel free to choose the one that best suits your needs. It might be worth exploring some of the options before making a decision.

Legal

• Only use images that you have permission to use (royalty free and Creative Commons).
• Only use relevant samples of songs that you choose to use and remix them.

Exemplars

Here are a few additional examples of videos about numbers that illustrate some possibilities for you.

Challenge 4 - Photo Story

Lily Geoffrey Geval @ Cowbird

Challenge 

Your challenge is to compose a photo story, using a single image, textual story that serves as a script, and audio that serves as vocal interpretation of the material. It is the combination of all three elements working together that tells the story.  It is one of the simplest forms of digital storytelling and can be a great platform and preparation for longer more multimedia forms.

Objectives

• Compose a digital photo story, including visuals, text, and audio
• Capture a moment about an event or a person
• Experiment with visual storytelling tools

Rationale

A photo story is designed to highlight your voice, both speaking and writing, and enhance the story's power for the audience. The image should be compelling, drawing attention and hinting at the story in some way. The text serves as the script and is the heart of the story. The audio includes your voice-over narration, as well as sound effects and possibly music.

Instructions

The power of the piece will derive from three factors: image, words, and sound. The best way to approach this is to try capturing a single moment that is compelling or dramatic. You want to keep the story tight and focused, especially considering that you are using a single image. The more personal the story, generally the more specific and easier it is to capture.

Find an Image

Choose an image that helps focus or illuminate your story in some way. Select an image the represents an event, person, place, or possibly combination. If it is already a digital, everything is easier. If not you will need to convert the analog image into digital format, either by scanning it or using a digital camera. You can be creative if you need to photograph a photograph.

Compose a Text

Compose a sort piece 150-500 words is a good range. It is narrative and should have an arc of beginning, middle, and end. However, keep it about a single moment, involving an event or person, and focus on a clear point that you want to share. Be descriptive and detailed. Consider using an anecdote to make it real. If it is more about a person, provide enough background to give the story some context, but stay focused. Think of it almost as a sketch with words.

Create the Audio

Narrate the piece either by recording your reading. Add appropriate sound, background music or sound effects, if you like, as long as they do not overpower the narration. It will likely require more than one recording take. It is advantageous to record your audio in a separate application like Audacity or GarageBand, which will allow you to edit and layer multiple audio tracks.

Select a Main Tool

Choose a tool that will allow you to combine all three elements in a unified whole. There are a number of possibilities, including presentation software, iMovie, Cowbird, a single blogpost with the separate elements arranged together, a tool you discover on your own. Be creative and try working with something less familiar, challenging yourself.

Legal

• Use your own images, new or old.

Exemplars

While it is not a requirement to use site, Cowbird is an online community and tool that works really well for this kind of storytelling.

The Best of Cowbird offers a lot of fine examples that are worth a look, including the piece "Lily" featured above. The selections with the microphone icon in the lower left corner are the pieces that feature audio narration.

Student Examples

Here are a handful of strong student samples that each make use of different tools and methods of presentation. All are successful but require a slightly different approach to assembly and inclusion of all the required parts.

 

This example used YouTube for presentation, which captures the image and audio, but needed to include the text of the story in the actual blogpost.



This example uses CowBird for presentation, which does a nice job of including all three parts, image, audio, and text.

The Never Ending Road @ CowBird

This example uses SoundCloud for the presentation, which does well with the image and audio, but needed to include the text of the story in the actual blogpost.

Challenge - The Door Scene: Part V

cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo shared by Giampaolo Macorig

Objectives

• Create visual storytelling that communicates ideas in relation to the media and techniques used.
• Edit and solve a challenging visual arts problem independently and collaboratively, using, analysis synthesis, and evaluation.
• Analyze and synthesize elements critical in visual communication, while critically comparing intent and product.   
• Demonstrate understanding in the use of existing technology, with all its limitations and affordances. 

Rationale

Having shot and re-shot the Door Scene based on changes and feedback, it is important to explore editing in the filmmaking process. Part V provides a grounding in Step 4 - Editing, experiencing post-production work, while continuing to strengthen problem-solving, decision-making, and creative thinking.

Challenge

Explore adding transitions, music, titles and effects to enhance the film’s overall impact, making the story clearer, more interesting and more dramatic.

Considerations

• How does using transitions affect the mood, perception of time, and dramatic intent of your scene?
• Does music enhance the overall story of your scene?
• Does the effect distract from the mood or tone of your scene?

Instructions

Import your footage into a software editing system and begin compiling a final cut of your Door Scene, including all of the transitions, effects, music and whatever post production elements that you wish to add. Watch and discuss the edit within the group while making the editing decisions, keeping the following questions in mind:

• Does the final cut conform to the original assignment parameters, including but not limited to time limitations, special requirements?
• Did you address your peers’ suggestions from the rough edit? Is your film better? Why or why not?
• How does the addition of things like music, transitions and effects help tell your story?

Legal

This lesson has been adapted from The 21st Century Educator's Handbook by American Film Institute Screen Education, 2006.

Challenge - The Door Scene: Part IV

Doors to an unknown space in Venasque, France... - cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo
shared by Nate Gray

Objectives

• Re-create visual storytelling that communicates ideas in relation to the use of media and techniques. 
• Define and solve a challenging visual arts problem independently and collaboratively, using, analysis synthesis, and evaluation.
• Identify and synthesize principles, both synthesized and analytical, and visual storytelling techniques.
• Demonstrate understanding in the use of existing technology, with all its limitations and affordances.

Rationale

Having shot a rough-cut in camera version of another team's Door Scene, as well as gaining feedback and analyzing the results, it is important to revise your team's Door Scene production. Repeating Step 3 - Production & Filmmaking provides a chance to improve on the original footage. Given another chance to strengthen shooting and production skills, as well as problem-solving, decision-making, and creative thinking.

Challenge

Revise your original storyboard to reflect your intentions for the scene, if necessary. Shoot the Door Scene one more time, this time from your own group's storyboard, continuing to use in-camera edits and the same parameters as in previous steps. Consider the changes and feedback you discussed in the previous steps, especially in shooting another group's storyboard.

Considerations

• Does the scene communicate what you intended?
• Does it clearly tell a story? What is unclear?
• Have you “built” the scene? Is there anticipation? Tension? Conflict?
• What would you change? Why?

Instructions

Reshoot your revised storyboard, taking into consideration changes and feedback. Assemble shots "in camera" as a rough cut of your new version. Keep the following questions in mind:

• Do all group members feel what you want them to feel watching the scene?
• Was the story clear to them? Why or why not?
• Are there any additional suggestions?

Legal

This lesson has been adapted from The 21st Century Educator's Handbook by American Film Institute Screen Education, 2006.

Challenge - The Door Scene: Part III

door and window at the ostrich farm in Melitopol - cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo 
shared by Matvey Andreyev

Objectives

• Create visual storytelling that communicates another's ideas in relation to the media and techniques used.
• Read storyboard, identifying and synthesizing principles, as well as applying decision making and visual storytelling techniques.
• Analyze and synthesize elements critical in visual communication, while critically comparing intent and product.   
• Demonstrate understanding in the use of existing technology, with all its limitations and affordances.

Rationale

Having shot a rough-cut in camera version of the Door Scene it is important to revisit important, proven steps in the filmmaking process. Since the scenario was provided Step 1 - Script Development is already completed. Part II provides a grounding in Step 2 - Screenwriting & Storyboarding, while continuing to strengthen teamwork, peer-to-peer feedback, and critical thinking.

Challenge

Now that all team's storyboards have been completed, all team storyboards are shuffled and redistributed. Each team films another team’s storyboard, exactly as you interpret it. As you film, take notes on what is confusing and why you interpreted the storyboard and made decisions the way you did.

Limitations

• You may not communicate with the team who created the storyboards you are filming.
• You must shoot exactly what the storyboard you have received communicates to you.
• You may not try to improve the storyboard or add your own ideas.

Instructions

Shoot the storyboard given to your team, as received, assembling shots "in camera." Prepare to present the film in class comparing it to the storyboard. When comparing the film to the storyboard, keep the following questions in mind:

1. How closely does the film you shot match the storyboard and how do you know?
2. How well could you interpret what the storyboard artist originally intend?
3. What misinterpretations, miscommunications, and discrepancies arose?
4. What would have made the storyboard clearer?
5. What kinds of adjustments need to be made to the next time you storyboard?
6. What did the group learn?

Legal

This lesson has been adapted from The 21st Century Educator's Handbook by American Film Institute Screen Education, 2006.