1. Interacting with learning materials

         A. Select a focus for your study such as an important individual from history, or someone who's life you would like to profile.

         B. Review resource materials such as reference books and web resources, talk with experts, collect photographs or other artifacts and information.  Be careful to use only materials that are historically and factually accurate.

2. Developing an understanding

         A. Think about the individual's life, their accomplishments and begin to take notes on the elements of their life and contributions that you would like to highlight in your story.

         B. Discuss your ideas with a peer or teacher.  Talk about your plans for presenting aspects of your subject's life and ideas that would best help others understand about this individual.  Use their feedback to refine your presentation.

Step 2. Planning the Video

1. Creating representations of understanding

             A. Begin to design and type a series of questions and answers that will address those important aspects and ideas of your subject's life.  Be certain to phrase your answers to the questions in a way that reflects your subject's personality (and maybe accent).

             B. Review the questions and put them in the order that makes the most sense for telling the story about your subject.

             C. Add an introduction to your story and a closing at the end.  For example, "Welcome to SNN where...   Today I have ___ in the studio, welcome...", "Well, that's all the time we have today.  Thank you ___ and thank you for watching SNN."

             D. After your written script is completed, cut and paste your writing so all the questions are combined in one new document and all the answers on another.  Enlarge to a #24 font.  Print both documents for use in your presentation.

2. Preparing for the presentation

         A. Think about any visual elements that you would like to include in the presentation. Plan on the appropriate dress for the interviewer and subject.  Decide on any backdrop materials that you would like in the pictures.

         B. Think about any auditory elements that you would like to include in the presentation. Is there an accent that you would like the subject to use, if so this might be practiced?  Are there any other sounds or images that you might include in the interview?

 

Step 3. Recording the Video

1. Setting up the location

         A. Select a location for filming that will be isolated from external sounds and that will provide considerable lighting, more than would be adequate for reading.  Arrange the seats and backdrop so that what is in the visual frame  is desirable.

2. Recording the interview

         A. Set up the camera on a tripod at head level of the interviewer/subject.  Make sure that there is adequate power and tape for the camera.  Place the camera close enough that the microphone will pick up sufficient audio.

         B. Put the individual in the frame in such a way as to balance the interview.  Interviewer on the left side of the frame, later the subject on the right side.

         C. Begin recording the interview by recording all the questions first.  It is not necessary to stop the camera between each question.  Each question should be read with appropriate inflection.  If it is not satisfactory for you, simply stop and start the questions over.

         D. Once the questions have been recorded change outfits, reorient the camera and record all the answers to the questions.  It is particularly helpful to get into character before the filming begins.  Again each answer may be repeated until you feel it has been satisfactorily presented.

3. Editing the interview         

A. Once all the questions and answers have been recorded, the tape should be downloaded into the appropriate computer program such as iMovie

         B. The clips of each question and answer should be reviewed and the best of each of them should be selected and assembled into the planned order.

         C. If desired a logo or introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape.  Titles are added to the beginning, credits to the end, and any desired music or sounds added. The video should now be complete.

 

Step 4. Reflecting on the Process

1. Reflecting on the process.

         A. After concluding the process of designing, recording and editing the video, you should not reflect on what this whole process has shown you about your own learning process and style.  The questions you should examine include:

- What was the assignment
- What process did you use to make the video
- Describe the process of filming
- Describe the process of editing including adding music
- Describe the presentation you gave to your peers
- What did you learn about your subject
- What did you learn about yourself doing the project

2. Recording the reflections

         A. In a similarly prepared visual and acoustical environment to the initial recording, sit down, face the camera and relatively extemporaneously provide an answer to each question until you are satisfied with that answer and move on to the next question.  Add any final information to your reflections that you desire.

 

Step 5. Final Editing and production

1. Final editing process

A. Once all the reflections have been recorded, the tape should be downloaded into the appropriate computer program such as iMovie

         B. The clips of each reflection should be reviewed and the best of each of them should be selected and assembled into order.

         C. If desired an introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape.  Titles are added to the beginning, credits to the end. The reflection video should now be complete.

         D. If it is desired to make a bloopers tape, then all the remaining clips from the two previous tapes should be downloaded into a new movie file.  These clips should be reviewed to select the desired clips. Others should be deleted.

         E. These blooper clips should again be reviewed and the best of them selected and assembled into order.

         F. If desired an introduction could be added to the beginning of the tape.  Titles are added to the beginning, credits to the end, and any effect such as a sound or laugh track added. The blooper video should now be complete.

2. Recording your final Disk.

         A. With all three videos now completed and saved, it is time to burn a DVD.  Opening up iDVD a desired theme should be selected, background, photos and video or audio clips selected.  The three videos can now be connected and the DVD can be burned.