Family Documentary

Family Documentary
It’s time to put your video editing skills to use, for the power of good.  Over the course of this year you have watched a couple of documentaries, all the while knowing the time would come when you had to create one for yourself.

We looked at:

• How many seconds are normally between cuts
• Different shot types, and why they’re used
• How backgrounds are often staged for filming
• The different between talking heads and additional footage

Instructions:
You must find a willing family member – surely there will be many who care about your academic success, and interest – to regale you with a personal experience or key moment from their life.  You will be creating a short documentary around this moment in their life.  Keep in mind the elements that contribute to a successful documentary that we studies in class.

Requirements:

• At least five minutes in length
• Must include a number of shot types, where appropriate (long, close, etc.)
• Must include an establishing shot of the setting (Extreme long shot)
• Must include both talking heads and appropriate additional footage
• Must document a key moment or experience in your subject’s life
• Background / Film locations must express characteristics of the subject
• Appropriate soundtracks that do not detract from the spoken elements
• These may be instrumental, and quiet – or used during additional footage

Knowledge	Thinking	Communication	Application
Assignment guidelines adhered to. Video editing knowledge is evidenced in final product. Elements of successful documentaries evident in final product.	Assignment guidelines adhered to. Key element is tied into additional footage, and audio tracks used in final product. Filming locations are appropriate to subject matter.	Audio is well balanced; voices are always clear Additional footage complements spoken elements Documentary follows a clear narrative path	Assignment guidelines adhered to. Well-crafted documentary created as final product Video ready to be shared with the world (uploaded to YouTube, properly encoded on hard drive, etc.)
R     1     2     3     4	R     1     2     3     4	R     1     2     3     4	R     1     2     3     4

Due: December 13