Submitted by: Leslie St. James
Collaborators: Melissa Carothers
School: Center for Communications – Varina High School
Summary
The 80s Music Video Project has several goals. The first is to provide students with an opportunity to practice and sharpen their videography and video editing skills. The second is to teach them lighting and production design concepts and to give them a chance to put them into practice. The third is to simulate a real life videography experience that requires preproduction, production, and post-production. In the preproduction phase, groups of students research music videos, choose music, come up with a concept, storyboard the production, and generate a shooting schedule, equipment list, props list, and costuming list. In the production phase, groups videotape the music videos taking turns in the roles of cinematographer, director, gaffer, and performer. In the post-production phase, students individually edit the music videos using the nonlinear editing program Final Cut Pro. During this project they learn more advanced editing techniques including transitions and special effects. The project culminates in a viewing and critique by classmates.
TIPC Ratings
Ideal/Target – The 80s Music Video Project is on target for Research and Information fluency. Students are using information and resources to tackle a real-world situation, specifically the production of a music video. The skills involved in this kind of production are applicable to a wide range of projects involving film and video. Students are using their knowledge of cinematic language and production techniques to convey a message to an audience.
Ideal/Target – Each student brings ideas to the table and has to share them with the group. The group works without teacher direction to incorporate the members’ ideas and to find a focus. All parts of this project except for the initial concept assignment and the final edit are collaborative.
Approaching – Achieving a visual image that matches or surpasses the vision in your head is all about critical thinking and problem solving. Inevitably, the shooting plan requires on the spot modification due to unforeseen complications. That’s the nature of film and video. The process of filming is an exercise in problem solving, specifically in finding creative and visually useful solutions to problems that range from how to frame a difficult shot to how to rework the narrative.
Ideal/Target – The 80s Music Video Project requires many types of creativity. Writing, designing, shooting, performing, and editing are all creative endeavors practiced by every student involved in this project. The intended audience are fellow students and innovation is stressed. We are looking for a new and interesting approach to older material, specifically music from the eighties.
