Project 3:: art of the real
1 video piece of 3-5 minutes
process
Research and document someone, someplace, and/or something that you know very little about.
Select a person and/or topic that you find intriguing and interesting, but that you don’t know a lot about. Try to find something in the midst of your everyday life. Would you like to learn more about the Food Co-op you just joined? Ever thought about joining a student club? Ever wonder what its like to work at an all-night diner or be a driver’s ed instructor? Or maybe there’s a particular teacher you admire but don’t know very well?
Spend a few days paying attention to people you see regularly, places you frequent, organizations that interest you; be aware of the people, activities, and situations that cross your path everyday. What do you find curious, intriguing, seductive, inspiring? What are the things you would like to learn more about or understand better? Take notes. Make lists.
Select a subject.
Restriction: The subject you select must involve interacting with and documenting another person. It cannot be someone you already know extremely well (not your roommate, your cousin, or your mother).
You will need to research your subject, think carefully about why it interests you and what you want to learn, engage and interact with your subject, collect data, organize your findings, then synthesize your raw materials into a 3-5 minute video that is engaging and communicates your interests and findings clearly.
Students will view and respond to each other’s work.
Section instructors will assign readings and directed writing prompts, screen examples, and generate discussions in class that will help students explore, learn, and discover. They will also provide specific information on due dates, etc.
purpose
This project will give you an opportunity to experience a more intentional approach to video production, and to think more carefully and ambitiously about how to construct a narrative in a time-based medium. It will give you direct experience with a model of creative inquiry, and provide an example of how video can be as a tool for social engagement and research.
assessment
The grading rubric for this module is here.
