Notes after seeing Video project 1

After looking at and grading your first video assignments, I have some thoughts about how to make video assignment No. 2 and your Final Project video work better.

• Read the assignments. I continue to be amazed at how many people are missing things that are in the assignments.
• Lower thirds - Watch your backgrounds. If the default while lettering is getting lost on a light background in your video, then you should look at using a "background" for your text. Backgrounds are inside the lower third "controls" tab. Experiment with them, and seek help if you need it.
• Narrative: Remember, your next videos will be evaluated more rigorously for content and reporting than your first one was. Your video should tell a story - not necessarily like the classic broadcast-style one with a "stand-up." It can be more impressionistic than that (especially for the final project, where you'll have other supporting elements), but it still needs to clearly tell a story. Yo should use the stand-up style if your topic would benefit from it.
• Plan ahead, shoot more than you'll need and deal with problems early. Some of you had some major audio issues that you were scrambling to fix at the last minute, finding yourselves unable to come up with new video or another work-around. Some of you were having content issues of the same nature, where no work-arounds were possible because it was too late. If you have plenty of footage, it makes a plan B much more possible if you have problems approaching deadline.
• Get names and other lower-third info clear, and if possible, get contact info written down for each video subject in case you need to go back and get something else. That's some basic reporting.
• Wide shots should be used sparingly. Remember, your audience is watching on a pretty small screen.
• Don't suffer in silence. Many of you have still not turned in your assignments and at the same time have not been in touch with me to discuss any difficulties you are having. I am eager to help, but I have to know BEFORE the due date that there are problems.