Media Tools

• Working with audio files for MovieMaker (video tutorial)
• Add/Edit audio (microsoft's intructions)
• Adding music (video)
• Extracting audio clips/files
• Splitting/splicing clips (video)
• Combining clips
• Export files
• Adding both music and voice over in Windows Movie Maker (video tutorial; addressing problems)
• How to add two layers of audio in Moviemaker (video)
• How to export files from Audacity to Moviemaker (video)
• Saving files to a MP4 format (video)

• Youtube audio/video file converter to MP3
• KeepVid

Biography/Autobiography Documentary Project: Day 3; Other Upcoming Biography Projects

Please record and prepare your audio script files for your documentary projects. Upload your audio file, gather your JPG's or video footage, and organize your documentary. These projects are due Friday.

When you finish the documentary, please upload your file to Youtube and send me the URL in the comment section below.

For those of you ready to move on (or if you need a diversion) our next projects in the biography unit are as follows (also, see HOMEWORK below):

A biography is a detailed description or narrative story of a person's life. Unlike what is called a curriculum vitae (or resume) that just lists what someone accomplished during his/her life, a biography focuses on the subject's life story: highlighting (like the human interest column in Journalism) what forces drove that person or what obstacles the person had to face--and usually succeeded, until the end of the story.

So biographies tend to analyze a person's life and key moments that helped create the person as the person you are writing about. Some writers focus on the subject's personality, while others usually break their biographies into "ages": including...

• birth & childhood (often discussing the environment in which the subject grew up or social events that helped shape the subject become who he/she becomes)
• Youth & education (these golden years you are living at the moment...enough said)
• Early work & adulthood (formative years focusing on career and profession & society)
• Adult years & social consciousness (how the subject engaged in the social/political world)
• Mature age & end of life (how the person dealt with the inevitable...)

Biographies often point out how the subject struggled and overcame a conflict (or several conflicts), made an important decision in his/her life, and/or often focus on what the person is known for in history--what did the subject accomplish? Most biographies are written in a positive tone. Biographers usually represent their subject matter positively. But what happens when you are writing a biography about a monster? Let's find out.

TASK ONE: Representing the Other 

Step 1: Choose a subject from the list below.

An approved list of some of the worst people in history:

• Pol Pot
• Idi Amin
• Mao Zedong
• Robert Mugabe
• Heinrich Himmler
• Vlad the Impaler
• Ted Bundy
• Charles Manson
• Che Guevara
• Leon Trotsky
• Josef Mengele
• Elizabeth Bathory
• H.H. Holmes
• Attila the Hun
• Nero
• Jim Jones
• Caligula
• Ivan the Terrible
• Talat Pasha
• Adolf Eichmann
• Maximilien Robespierre
• Kim Il Sung
• Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
• Emperor Hirohito
• Genghis Khan
• Leopold II of Belgium
• Tomas de Torquemada

Step 2: Research this subject. Try to find out details about the person's early life, environment or situation, what is the person known in history for 'accomplishing', what was the person's life like growing up, what did the subject do for a living, what major events happened in the person's life to move them toward being on a list of the worst people in history, what was their ending like, etc. Take notes and collect information as you research. See handouts/graphic organizers if you need them.

Step 3: As you research, keep track of your sources (you will need to cite these and attribute your sources!)

Step 4: After you have taken notes (notes will be collected), comb through the notes and structure your essay (750-1,000 words approx. in length). I suggest a chronological sequence (from childhood to maturity), although you can choose a narrative structure that fits your style. You may find writing an outline to be helpful.

Step 5: As you write, consider how to represent this subject in a positive light (if possible). Biographers generally have a positive tone for their subject matter. You may find it helpful to try to explain why these people did the horrible things that they are reported to have done.

Step 6: You may include dialogue and all the elements of good writing and storytelling. Your aim here is not academic scholarship, but biography. Entertain your reader using your subject to do it. Focus your "story" or human interest feature on the most interesting part of your subject's life.

Step 7: Include at least 1 picture or graphic with your subject. Your graphic should have a short caption. Remember to include your picture/graphic on your works cited page!

Step 8: Include a works cited page for your resources. Look here for assistance if you need it.

Step 9: Give your project a catchy title. Proofread. Prepare. And Print!

Your job is to represent the best of these people in a well-researched biography of 750-1,000 words in length.

TASK TWO: Biography Photo Series

Step 1: Choose a subject for a photo series. This should be someone you can follow around or someone who you have some normal contact with. It can be a friend, a relative, a community member, or even yourself (selfies!), etc. I suggest someone that is ethically good (as opposed to the subject matter in Task One).

Step 2: With your cell phone or a camera, shoot 5 photos that you will arrange to communicate some artistic message to the world. See previous Photo Analysis assignments for assistance.

Step 3: Arrange your photos for class viewing. This could be a Prezi, a Google Presentation, or a Padlet.

Step 4: Give your photo sequence a title.

Step 5: Write a brief 100-300 word explanation of your series. What are you attempting to show and/or comment on through your photography? Most photographic series have a point or comment about society, the subject, or humanity in general. What's your message? Explain it.

HOMEWORK: Please read the human interest feature article on Kim Jong Un. Note the example and format of this kind of media/journalism article. In your next biography project you will need to choose 2 subjects (unlike this article which just uses one): one, an infamous horrible person from history that you will research (see TASK 1) and another subject for your photo series (TASK 2). This article is a model for the sort of thing I'm looking for.

Biographical Documentary Project (day 2)

Congratulations on completing your PSA/Commercial Projects! Some good stuff here. Let's take a formal look:

Student PSAs/Commercials:

• Faduma, Fadumo, Delimar, Mariangelis
• Asher
• Emani, Kaneil, Raina, Dominque
• Tyler, Andrea, Genesis, Karina
• James, Justice

Our next project uses the biography/autobiography you chose to read. This is our biographical documentary project. See the previous post for example student films from the past.

How to do it:

• Using your chosen autobiography/biography, summarize some of the most important parts of the subject's story. Pick the most interesting and important information to include (not everything needs to be reported on). 
• From your summary, write a short 250-300 word bio. This should have been done last class, but if you haven't written your script, please do so today.
• Use this script as your VOICE OVER for your documentary. 
• Record your voice reading this script. [Just like your Podcasts!]
• Find pictures, films, clips, videos, etc. that correspond to what you wrote about in your script. [Just like you did in your PSA/Commercials]
• Order the pictures, videos, etc. in Movie Maker. Use your script as your audio track. 
• Give your little film a title page and give yourself credit, along with the sources you consulted. Always attribute your sources!

Work on your documentary projects today in the lab. These will likely be due by Friday this week. Cameras are available to use if you need them to record your "voice over". Use the room next door to record.

HOMEWORK: None.

PSA/Commercial Project Due; Writing Your Bio Script

Please complete your PSA/Commercial projects. When you complete your editing and are all ready to go, please upload your film to Youtube--then send me the URL in the comment section below.

For those groups who finish before the end of the class period, please begin working on our next project (a biographical documentary).

Here are a few student samples from previous years:

• John Dewey
• John Jacques Rousseau
• Alice Guy Blanche
• Gloria Swanson

How to do it:

• Using your chosen autobiography/biography, summarize some of the most important parts of the subject's story. Pick the most interesting and important information to include (not everything needs to be reported on). 
• From your summary, write a short 250-300 word bio.
• Use this script as your VOICE OVER for your documentary. 
• Record your voice reading this script. [Just like your Podcasts!]
• Find pictures, films, clips, videos, etc. that correspond to what you wrote about in your script. [Just like you did in your PSA/Commercials]
• Order the pictures, videos, etc. in Movie Maker. Use your script as your audio track. 
• Give your little film a title page and give yourself credit, along with the sources you consulted. Always attribute your sources!

Depending on where we are with the PSA projects, we'll screen the ones that are done at the end of class!

Student PSAs/Commercials:

• Faduma, Fadumo, Delimar, Mariangelis
• Asher
• Emani, Kaneil, Raina, Dominque
• Tyler, Andrea, Genesis, Karina
• James, Justice

HOMEWORK: Complete your autobiography/biography book. Write a short bio "script" for your first documentary project. We will edit/complete the project when we return from Spring Break! Have a nice break!

PSA Project: Day 3; Autobio/bio Project: Day 2

Please continue working on your PSA project. See previous post for details. Start filming, particularly if you have not yet started filming. Please use the time in class to film, edit, or compile your commercial/PSA, if possible.

Finally, please plan with your partner(s) and create a time line to complete your project by next class!

If you have new footage, please upload that footage and continue your editing process.

You will want to have a brief title/credit page either in the beginning or ending of your PSA/Commercial. This is usually not typical for the Ad Council (although their name appears on their work). Get the credit you deserve!

Remember to separate your group responsibilities. If only two people are filming, the other member(s) of your group can be researching/selecting music or still photos to use in your commercial, etc.

The project is due Wednesday next week!

Biography project:

Biography documentaries...(hint, hint...) If you find yourself sitting and doing nothing, check out the link and explore. You may spend time (if you have already completed your PSA work--or need a break--reading your autobiography/biography.

As you read your biography or autobiography, be ready to write a short bio for your subject. You will be asked to create a short (:30 sec, - 1 minute biography documentary for your chosen subject/reading). Feel free to use the graphic organizer to help you gather your research as you read your biography. Aim to complete your biography/autobiography reading (and note taking) by the end of Spring Break.

HOMEWORK: Read your biography/autobiography. As you read, consider how the author represents his/her subject. How does the author organize the narrative story and information about the subject in this book? Consider why certain information is shared, but other information might not be. What secondary sources are used to "tell" the story (photos, memoirs, diaries, articles, etc.?)

Be prepared to complete and turn in your PSA/Commercial project by next class.

PSA/Commercial Project: Day 2; Autobiography/Biography

Please continue working on your PSA project. See previous post for details. If you can, start filming, please use the time in class to begin filming your commercial/PSA, if possible. Otherwise, please plan with your partner(s) and create a time line to complete your project by next week!

If you have footage, please upload that footage and begin your editing process.

Remember to separate your group responsibilities. If only two people are filming, the other member(s) of your group can be researching/selecting music or still photos to use in your commercial.

By the end of class today, please make sure you have made progress on your PSA/Commercial project. Make sure you know what your next steps are...if you haven't recorded your message, when will you do this? Schedule meetings with your group members. The project is due Wednesday next week!

While this is going on, we will be picking up a biography or autobiography from the library.

Biography project: (library)

Biography: a detailed descriptive narrative of a person's life. Focuses on life events (instead of a list of information) that help shape a person or personality.

Autobiography: a subjective account of a writer's life. Focuses on the memories or life events of the author writing the narrative. Also called "a memoir" when the author only accounts part of his/her life.

Please go to the library to select a biography or autobiography from the choices available. Check out your book and read it by the end of next week.

Biography documentaries...(hint, hint...) If you find yourself sitting and doing nothing, check out the link and explore.

Also: Biography (BrainPOP)

HOMEWORK: Read your biography/autobiography. As you read, consider how the author represents his/her subject. How does the author organize the narrative story and information about the subject in this book? Consider why certain information is shared, but other information might not be. What secondary sources are used to "tell" the story (photos, memoirs, diaries, articles, etc.?)

PSA/Commercial Project: Day 1

The PSA/Commercial Project

PSAs (Public Service Announcements) were originally used by the War Advertising Council (...can you make connections here to propaganda?...) created in 1941, to encourage American to join the war effort in Europe. The War Council (and later Ad Council, after the war) began a large campaign to influence American society on many fronts. Perhaps inspired by propaganda films such as Reefer Madness (1936), the campaigns focus on education (social messages and needs of a country or political system).

A PSA is generally short (about :30 sec. or up to a minute or two) and instead of selling a PRODUCT, the writer is attempting to sell an IDEA. PSAs are a type of propaganda. 

The PSA Project
Please complete the following steps (in order) to prepare for your project!

1. Please check out these links:

• Go to Ad Council website to look over sample PSAs.
• Here are some links to AWARD-WINNING PSAs and to a sample SOTA student model of a PSA.

Watch a few of these to get some ideas of your own.

2. Get into groups of 2-4. I encourage you to work with new people. If you do NOT have a partner, please see me to be assigned a partnership. Please make sure your partner(s) have some ability using Moviemaker or Adobe Premiere. A group that doesn't have anyone who is tech savvy can be very frustrating! Avoid this now by working with skilled peers, as opposed to your best friend with whom you always work! Our goal is collaborative learning, not perfection. Don't sweat the grade. Work with someone new!

3. Together use the Persuasion Map Handout to design your message using a strong thesis and reasons with facts and examples to support your argument.

4. Then work on your PSA outline handouts (see packet & instructions). Work together on an idea and flesh it out on the graphic organizers. Make sure you communicate effectively. Don't just assume the loudest or most talkative student has the only answer.

I would suggest you separate tasks. Someone could conduct research (get the facts!), someone could write the script (what words appear in the PSA, or write a brief voice over (VO) script), someone could find photos or graphics to illustrate your topic's points, someone should keep track of the time, someone could manage the editing, someone could research sound files to use as background music for your PSA, someone should direct the project to make sure all members of the group are being productive, etc.

Divide up the responsibilities fairly. Use your partner's strengths! Help each other where needed. Set tasks and meet goals.

5. Begin working to create your PSA.

NOTE: Instead of a PSA, you may opt to make a commercial. This is similar to a PSA, but instead of selling an IDEA, you will be selling a specific PRODUCT. Come up with a product (real or fictional) to sell. 

Commercial Samples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXBPBNhMBk

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Commercial-Storyboard 

How to Create an Effective TV Advertisement

By Gary Dahl from Advertising For Dummies, 2nd Edition

What you put in your business's TV advertisement depends on your resources, your target audience, how you want to present your business or product, and your own comfort level. Consider these advertising possibilities:

• Appear in your own commercial. You’ve probably seen a store owner step in front of the camera and do his or her own commercial. If you're a natural, then by all means, go for it. No one else could possibly bring the enthusiasm and expertise that you can to this endeavor.
• Promote with a professional. Although you do have to fork out some extra cash, a professional actor may be just what your business needs. Before you decide on an actor, be sure to ask yourself what type of person will advertise your business in a way that attracts your target audience.
• Highlight your place of business. Hiring a remote crew to come to your place of business and shoot the spot puts your business front-and-center. Plus, shooting footage inside your store, showroom, studio, or office may be a lot easier than hauling a bunch of your products somewhere else.
• Focus the camera on your product. Go ahead and cut to the chase — immediately show the products you want to sell. You may be best served by getting right down to business and featuring the items that are going to make you some money.

After you decide what type of commercial you want to make, it's time to start putting it together. An effective TV commercial uses the three basic structural elements: audio, video, and computer graphics. Divide your TV ad's structure into these three elements to make your job much easier.

1. Decide on a big idea or campaign theme to use in your advertisement.
   If you don’t have a theme, you’ll just develop a series of unrelated ads — which won’t help build name recognition for your company or attract customers to your business. [For our project, you will want to identify your goal and/or product.]
2. Choose the audio that you want to use in the commercial.
   The audio can be a voiceover or an on-camera actor. The audio track may also include any music or sound effects that you select.
3. Come up with video that complements the audio you plan to use.
   The video can be anything from you doing an on-camera sales pitch, to product footage, to video you shoot in your store, to anything else you can think of.
4. Add computer graphics, if they fit your advertisement.
   Use computer graphics (CG for short) to flash words and prices on the screen. You can also use computer-generated effects, like making entire scenes fly into the frame, spin, explode, appear out nowhere, or perform other interesting tricks. [Be careful not to over do these effects--you are not selling effects, you are selling an idea or product!]

Don’t get too carried away with elaborate visual elements; they can drive up the cost of your TV ads. You can create visuals that are effective but cheap with just takes a bit of creativity. 

For example, instead of having a herd of wild horses gallop through a scene, you can use the sound effects of a herd of wild horses galloping by off-camera.

[This idea also goes with playwriting...!]

HOMEWORK: None.