Syllabus | Schedule | Resources


Assignment: Tell a Story with Video or Animation
 

Visual literacy is basically the ability to interpret and communicate with images. Today we are going to explore a tool familiar to all of us as a means of communication: moving images or video. The goal of our activity today is more than simply learning the mechanics of producing desktop video on our computers; to echo the concern of Nikos Theodosakis (The Director in the Classroom) we must do more than teach

students how to 'do' a spreadsheet, a web page, or how to edit a video. What is needed is the continual asking of the question, "How can these new technologies empower our students to be better communicators of their ideas?" Learning the technology is not enough. What is really required is learning how to use that technology to solve problems, to answer questions, to present ideas, and to communicate.

To encourage your creativity, the requirements of this assignment are deliberately loose. Your task is to:

  • Create a stop-motion ("claymation") video or animation sequence that is about 1 minute in length by putting together a sequence of still images that tell a story, illustrate an idea, express an emotion or point of view.
  • Add a sound track consisting of some combination of music, sound effects and narration that does not violate copyright law

As part of the process—

  • You may use Inspiration to brainstorm ideas for your story, create a storyline or concept map of your story, etc. (optional)
  • Produce a storyboard (link to forms below) to plan your video production

Your video piece will be evaluated along these dimensions:

  • grammar and spelling (the expectation is that there will be zero errors)
  • technical aspects
  • aesthetics (typographic variations are used appropriately, colors of background and text are legible and attractive)
  • emotional/intellectual impact: the extent to which your piece moves us to think and feel
  • attribution (i.e., credits screen).

Clip art source - http://www.rogersgifs.com/clipart/

Project Examples

 

Software Sources

Resources

Resources Relating to Digital Storytelling