Project 1 :: noun, verb, adjective
3+ video pieces of 30 seconds each
noun: a grammatical part of speech that names a person, animal, object, quality, idea, or time.
verb: a grammatical part of speech that expresses action, a state, or a relation between two things.
adjective (and/or adverb): a grammatical part of speech that expresses an attribute of something or acts as a modifier of nouns and verbs
process
Carry a camcorder around with you for a day (ideally, everyday, all the time) and start assembling a collection of very short video clips: try just 10-15 seconds. Try to collect at least a few dozen of these. (suggestion: you could also combine this activity with the 10 Things I Saw Today journaling activity).
Transfer this footage as separate clips into an iMovie project file. After reviewing each clip, name the clip using one of the grammatical terms above: noun, verb, adjective (or adverb).
Once all of your clips are transferred into your project file and named, review your material. Then create at least 3 different ‘video sentences,’ each about 30 seconds in length, using your collection. Each sentence should use between 3 and 9 clips. No one piece should be longer than 30 seconds.
These pieces can be fun, serious, literal, straightforward, or mysterious. It is required, however, that you have a good time in the process.
Your video sentences can be suggestive of meaning, but they do not need to tell a story. I am most interested in you listening to your instincts about the flow of images, the rhythmic nature of the video, and what the images suggest. The main objective of this project is to familiarize you with the editing software and using a visual vocabulary.
purpose
Become comfortable using a camcorder; develop a habit of always looking and listening — paying attention — to what’s going around you; get some experience using iMovie; start thinking of video as a language; experience how editing (choosing content, sequence, and pacing) creates interest and meaning.
assessment
This video project will be graded in conjunction with project 2. The grading rubric for this module is here.
