Peers Educating Peers Handbook

Part 3: Documentary Film Projects

Section 1: Curriculum Overview

The PEP documentary film curriculum seeks to connects cultures and build a global community by asking youth to create, share and collaborate on documentary film projects. The ubiquity of cell phone cameras, and the simplicity of the current generation of film editing applications make it possible to integrate filmmaking into almost any subject area or curriculum. Film is also one of the most direct and engaging ways for students to connect with and teach each other. They can create documentaries and share them with their peers online, or they can go a step further and collaborate with their peers around the world to create films on international issues that touch all their lives. 

Documentary Film in the Curriculum

There are many ways to integrate documentary films into a curriculum. A student-made film can be an exciting an authentic replacement for a traditional essay, PowerPoint, or oral presentation. 

Students can record their own live shots, voiceovers, interviews and still photographs, mix in online resources, and create documentaries on literally any subject. Please see Figure #3 for a sample list of film topics that students in the humanities, math, and science have completed at the schools in the PEP network in Boston, Washington DC, and Qatar. Though more time consuming than essay writing or throwing together a PowerPoint, film projects tend to be a lot more exciting and authentic for students. Film is a significant part of everyone’s daily lives, and when students create a film, they are much more likely to feel that they are engaged in a real-world project that has value outside the classroom.

One of the strengths of student-made documentary films can also be a drawback—the incredible flexibility of film empowers students to take risks and be creative, but it can also leave them lost in a seemingly limitless world of possibilities. To avoid this, it is often helpful for teachers to pick a specific genre of documentary films, limit student to a certain resources, and set clear parameters of what is and is not required. The genre of oral history films—documentaries based on interviews with an elder—is a great place to start for students and teachers new to filmmaking.

Oral History Films

Learning from older generations through oral history is a powerful way of reconnecting young people with their heritage and community, and helps students gain a deeper perspective on the dramatic changes that have occurred in our way of life over the last century. The skill set associated with the collection and sharing of oral history—undertaking historical research, crafting interview question, conducting live interviews, and then either writing an article, producing a film or radio piece, or designing a lesson reflecting on what they learned—are also invaluable skills for success in college and the 21st century economy.  

Oral history-based films can also fit into almost any curriculum. Teachers can ask students to interview elders within their family and community to find out about specific historical events or to gain context on how their city, country, or natural environment has changed over time.  Teachers can also give students a chance to explore the real world application of their subject areas by setting up interviews with professionals who use relevant skills and information in their work.

International Collaborative Oral History Project

Once you are comfortable including filmmaking in your curriculum, you might want to consider a collaborative film project where students work together with their peers in other cities or nations to create original documentary films. While this kind of international online collaborative work is more challenging to orchestrate, it is also richer. You can build empathy and a sense of community by talking, but there is no substitute for actually working together with people from different cultures and backgrounds. 

Figure 3: Selected Examples of Films Created by students from Boston, Washington DC, and Qatar, 2011-2013

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) Based Films

Thanks to Jean Binjour, Stephen Garschina-Bobrow, Mostafa Elbestawry, Ramiro Gonzalez, Amanda Hanna, Tess Mandell, and Valerie Pastorelle for volunteering these examples from their curricula.

The Six Phases of a Documentary, Oral History, or Collaborative Oral History Film Project

The following outline provides guidance for a generic documentary film project on any subject, as well as specific instructions for both a regular and a collaborative oral history project. These examples span three to four weeks, or about 15-20 hours of class time, depending upon how much work can be done outside of school. Once students are experienced with filmmaking, they could complete this kind of project in much less time. As always, feel free to pick out pieces of this curriculum, to revise, cut, or expand the project requirements to fit the needs of your students. 

Phase 1 Photo-Video Practice and Reflection (3-4 classes)

Students practice photography and film making, examine examples of professional and student work, and begin to develop criteria for excellence in these media. They also create short practice films to learn how to use video editing applications such as iMovie, Moviemaker, or Wevideo. 

OHP (Oral History Project): Oral history project students would also use this time to conduct practice interviews with classmates and teachers so that they become comfortable writing and asking questions, and learn the most effective way to capture an interview on film. 

Phase 2 Collaboration and Research (3-4 classes)

Working in pairs or groups (these can be in-class partnerships, or international collaborations via email and videoconferencing) students choose topics and begin their research, gathering both information as well as still and moving images to use in their documentary.

OHP: In this phase OHP students choose a subject to interview from their family or community, conduct preliminary research on subject’s life and times or line of work, and write interview questions.

Phase 3 Film Planning (2-3 classes)

Students plan their film, writing a film treatment (an overview of their documentary goals) and an outline of their shots and script.

OHP: Because the film will likely only include one extended interview, this phase is not required in an oral history film project.

Phase 4 Filming Expeditions (2-3 classes)

Students shoot live photo and video footage, and collect still and moving images online.

OHP: OHP students film at least two interviews with their subject. After the first interview is completed, students watch the footage to see where there are gaps in the story, and places where they need to go deeper. They then write a second round of follow up questions to use in their second interview. 

Phase 5 Film Production (3-4 classes)

Students upload their materials and edit their films. 

OHP: OHP students may choose to seek out “cutaway images” to show during the interview to illustrate what their interviewee is talking about. Students involved in an international collaboration or sharing may also need to add subtitles in a common language.  

Phase 6 Presentation and Revision (3-4 classes)

Students present and revise the first and second drafts of their films. 

OHP: In this phase, students engaged in a collaborative oral history project would post their interviews online. They would then form filmmaking groups mixing students from different cities and countries. Each group would examine the interview footage posted online, and identify a theme and essential question for their documentary. They then work together to create a film that uses footage from a variety of oral histories to explore their chosen theme. The final products would again be shared and discussed online.

The following materials are included in this curriculum guide:

• Project assignment description and list of assignments for the PEP Documentary Film Project*
• Overview of lessons for the PEP Documentary Film Project
• PEP Documentary Film Project Rubric & Blank Rubric*
• PEP Documentary Film Project assignments:
• #1 Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary*
• #2 Film Making Shot Tally*
• #3 iMovie Practice Assignment* 
• #4 Topic and Essential Question Worksheet* 
• #5 Treatment Requirements* 
• #6 Script Outline and Shot list (with samples)* 
• #7 Filming Expedition Planning Sheet*
• #8 Interview Preparation* 
• Project assignment description and list of assignments for a the PEP International Collaborative Oral History Film Project*

*Item can be found in the file available for download below, formatted for printing and distributing to students.

Peers Educating Peers Documentary Film Project Description

For this project you will team up with students in another city or country to create a three to six minute documentary film examining a topic in history or current events —it can be an event, person, movement, issue, or theme—that is relevant to both locations.

For your project you will submit:

I. ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Write an essential question that your documentary will explore. In order to have an interesting film that asks your audience to really think critically, the essential question should be:

• Clear and direct
• Open-ended, not leading
• Debatable, with no one right answers
• Provocative
• Timeless, relevant to multiple places and times, including the present

II. TREATMENT

Your Treatment must:

a) Provide a draft outline of your documentary film and the story it will tell.

b) Explain how your documentary might answer essential question, backing up your argument with as much information as you know right now.

c) Provide some examples of the kinds of shots, images, and resources—locations, human or material resources—you might use to tell this story.

III. SHOT LIST AND SCRIPT OUTLINE

Use the shot list t-chart to write out the script and list of shots. For each line of the script provide a brief description of the shot, and words and sounds that will accompany it.

IV. FILM

Your film must include the following elements:

a) Original video footage and/or photography

b) Clips from at least three interviews on the subject

c) A voiceover narrating the story and stating your views

d) Titles, credits, and sources

e) Images from Boston’s history and/or current events (photographs, drawings, paintings, films, etc.)

f) Information from at least three textual sources

g) The full range of film-making techniques (see practice assignment)

V. PROCEDURE

a) Research your topic.

b) Write the treatment.

c) Gather textual and visual sources online and in the library

d) Write the first draft of your shot list 

e) Write interview questions

f) Film your own video and still footage

g) Write the second draft of your shot list 

h) Create the 1st draft of the documentary film

i) Present first draft for feedback

j) Edit, gather more footage as necessary

k) Final Presentation

PEP Documentary Film Project Assignment List

#1 Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary DUE________________

Working in pairs, photograph and video a series of shots demonstrating the techniques listed on the Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary handout. In Assignment #3 you will use these still and moving images to create a practice film that shows your mastery of iMovie

#2 Film Making Shot Tally DUE________________

Watch one-minute clips of two professional documentaries. For each, tally the number of shots that were used in a minute. Watch again and tally the number of each kind of shot that were used.

#3 iMovie Practice Assignment DUE________________

Make a 1-minute movie using the photographs and videos you collected in Assignment #1, as well as materials downloaded from the internet. In making your movie, you must try out and include the techniques listed in the iMovie Practice Assignment Handout.

#4 Topic and Essential Question Worksheet DUE________________

Write down your group’s topic, essential question(s), and what you want the audience to take away from your film.

#5 Treatment Requirements DUE________________

Write at least four paragraphs explaining your topic, essential question, an overview of your story and how you might film it, and the hoped for audience take aways.

#6 Script Outline and Shot list DUE________________

Use the Script Outline and Shot List to plan out your documentary film.

#7 Filming Expedition Planning Sheet DUE________________

Plan out where you will film and who you will interview.

#8 Interview Preparation Worksheet DUE________________

Write your interview script, questions and follow up questions.

#9 First Draft of your Film DUE________________

#10 Second Draft of your Film DUE________________

PEP Documentary Film Project: Overview of Lessons

1. Project Introduction: What makes a good documentary film? (1-2 lessons plus homework)

GOALS

• Review the project goals and requirements
• Develop criteria for excellence in documentary filmmaking
• Introduce filmmaking techniques

MATERIALS

• Blank Film Rubric
• PEP Collaborative Film Rubric
• PEP Collaborative Film Making Project Description
• C2C: Posts with student and professional documentaries
• Photography and Film Making Vocabulary Handout
• Shot Tally Sheet
• Cameras which can shoot video and still photography

a. Creating Criteria for Excellence (30-40 Minutes)

i. DO NOW: What makes a good documentary film? What are the criteria for excellence? Write this prompt on board and let students write responses individually before working in groups of 3-4

ii. Students work in groups to create rubrics using the Blank Film Rubric. Each rubric should include 4 criteria, and the group should use the space provided to describe what excellence looks like in each criterion.  

iii. The groups can now share their criteria and compile a single class rubric.

iv. Hand out and review PEP Film Rubric, is there anything missing we should add?  Anything to cut?

v. Hand out and review the PEP Collaborative Film Assignment

b. C2C: Critiquing Past Student Work (30 Minutes)

Watch 2-4 student films on C2C and post responses in which students rate each film using the PEP Film Rubric.

c. C2C: Critiquing Professional Examples (30 Minutes)

i. DO NOW: C2C Watch and post comments on brief clips of professional documentaries. At BAA we used clips from such works as Africans in America, Sicko, Ken Burns’ Civil War, and various news shows from the BBC, Al Jazeera, and PBS. Students should respond to the following prompts:

1. Which style would be best for your documentary idea? 
2. What might you take from each?  What might you avoid?

d. Photography and Film Making Vocabulary (45-60 Minutes)

The best way to learn the techniques of filmmaking is to try it out and look at professional examples. The lesson below is best done in pairs.

i. Hand out cameras and the Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary List. Each pair should now shoot photographs and video footage demonstrating their mastery of each of the techniques listed in the vocabulary sheet. Ideally this assignment should be completed outdoors so students can search for interesting shots.

e. Further Study of Professional Examples (20 Minutes)

Hand out the Shot Tally Sheet, and watch one minute each of two different documentaries. The class should watch each clip twice and fill out the worksheet.

i. During the first watching students should tally how many shots used in one minute.

ii. In the second watching students should try to count the different kinds of shots that were used in one minute. Every student will get a slightly different count. This is okay, and will lead to students discussing the filming techniques. 

iii. During the above activities take a moment to ask students to compare a few different kinds of shots, and discuss the different feeling you get from each. 

2. Practice Film (2-3 Hours)

GOALS: Students learn basic iMovie film editing techniques

MATERIALS: iMovie Practice Assignment, cameras

a. Students will use the iMovie Assignment to create a one-minute practice film that demonstrates their mastery of various iMovie techniques. The whole class can either use the same footage—supplied by the teacher—or the students can gather their own footage individually or as a class. Students at the Boston Arts Academy, for instance, made practice films showing Boston’s architectural styles. They spent one class photographing and videoing Boston’s architecture and one more class putting together their practice films. 

3. Film ideas Brainstorming and Collaboration (45 Minutes)

GOALS: Students brainstorm ideas for documentaries

MATERIALS: List of past PEP Film Projects (see p. 10)

a. Students look at a list of past film topics, and use the Film Ideas Brainstorming sheet to generate a list of film ideas. Every student should come up with 2-4 ideas.

b. C2C Post: Students should then create a discussion on C2C where they post their film ideas. They should read each other’s ideas and give feedback asking clarifying questions, making suggestions, and giving praise.

c. Once students have gotten a chance to read each other’s ideas (from your class and others in the PEP network), they should hand in a list of students in their own class and at other schools they are interested in working with. In order to match students up, make sure students have selected at least first and second choices from both within their class, and at other schools. 

4. Film Collaboration Videoconferences (45 Minutes)

GOALS: Plan film collaborations

MATERIALS: Topic & Essential Question Worksheet

Teachers can use the PEP Collaborative Film Making Spreadsheet to group students and enter the email addresses and Skype usernames students need to communicate (this should be shared with all participating teachers and students on Google Drive. There should be no more than two students from each school, with no more than five students per group. Now students can meet via Skype or Google Video Chat to share ideas and begin planning their documentary. As a group they should complete the Topic & Essential Question Worksheet in which they lay out their essential question, topic, and take away. This document, and all following, should be completed using Google Drive, so that all group members can collaborate on every assignment. After the first videoconference, while some class time may be used for videoconferencing, students will need to communicate largely via email and arrange their own videoconferences outside of class time to discuss research, filming locations, and final film production.

5. Initial Film Research (2-3 classes and homework)

GOALS: Research and finalize film topic and goals

MATERIALS: 

• Topic & Essential Question Worksheet
• Documentary Treatment Assignment

a. Groups should now begin researching their topic. Each group should create a Google Document where they share resources and notes. It is essential for all group members to use the same document so that they can collaborate efficiently and exchange feedback and suggestions on possible sources. Students need to keep in mind that their film research should have two goals. Just as if they were doing research for an essay, they need to find out information about their topic from a variety of sources and points of view. At the same time students must conduct visual research; they need to collect still and moving images that they could use in their film. 

b. Treatment Writing: Using Google Drive, and the PEP Documentary Film Treatment Assignment, each group should write their documentary treatment. The treatment should be 3-four paragraphs and include:

• The essential question students will be exploring
• An overview of their topic
• A description of the kinds of shots and materials they will use
• The “take away” message they hope their audience will get from the documentary

6. Film Preparation (2-3 classes plus homework)

GOALS

• Create an outline for the documentary film
• Plan out interviews and filming expeditions

MATERIALS

• Shot List and Script Outline
• Samples of student work
• Filming Expedition Planning Sheet
• Interview Preparation Handout
• Cameras

Shot list and Script Outline: To prepare for this assignment students need to see examples of excellence. They also need to be made aware just how detailed a shot list needs to be if it is going to serve as a useful guide to film making. Try out the following to prepare your students:

a. Practice Shot list & Script Outline (20 Minutes)

i. Once again, watch two minutes of a documentary and keep a tally of shots. This will bring home to students just how many shots they need.

ii. Watch one minute of the same documentary two more times. As students watch, they should use a blank template to create a shot list and script overview for just one minute of this documentary.  

b. Examining Past Exemplars (20 Minutes)

Student should now examine a couple of examples of Shot lists and script outlines from past PEP programs. They should write comments on each outline, and then discuss how successful each outline is, and whether or not it gives a complete picture of the documentary.

c. Creating a Shot List and Script Outline: Using Google Drive, each film group should now create a Shot Outline and Script Overview. Groups that include students in different locations may want to create one outline for their whole documentary, or they might choose to work separately and then put them together at a later date.

d. Filming Expedition Planning: Students should now plan their filming expeditions. Where will they go to get the live shots and interviews they need? Students should fill out the Filming Expedition Planning Sheet and submit it for feedback. Keep in mind that some locations and interviewees may need to be arranged in advance, while others can be filmed without prior notice. 

e. Interview Preparation and Practice: Conducting an interview is a skill all to itself. Before students go out and interview family, friends, or members of the public, they need to prepare for their interviews by writing an interview script and interview questions. Students should also practice doing interviews with each other in class before the real thing. See the Interview Preparation Handout for details of this assignment. After students have practiced interviewing each other and discussed the dos and don’ts of interviewing as a class, each group should write it’s interview script, questions, and follow up questions.

7. Filming Expeditions (2-3 Classes plus homework): 

GOALS: Gather photographs and video footage for documentary

MATERIALS: Cameras, Locations and Interviews Worksheet

Each group should now gather the footage they need to make their documentary. Before going out to film, students should fill out and share/hand in the Locations and Interviews Worksheet and submit it for feedback. Some locations and interviewees may need to be arranged in advance, while others can be filmed without prior notice. 

8. Film Production (3-4 Classes or homework): 

GOALS: Edit documentary film

MATERIALS: Cameras iMovie or other video editing software

Students will now upload their shots and begin editing their films. Even though group members at different schools may be working on separate pieces of their documentary (they will combine them at the end), group members will still need to communicate frequently during this time to coordinate their production so that, for instance, they’re using the same titles, making sure music goes well together, and generally sticking to their goals.

Additional research and revision of their shot list may also need to be done during these classes. Students might have to change plans due to weather or access to locations or interviewees, and the information students find out in their interviews, or the subjects they film may change the direction the film takes. Additional filming may therefore be necessary. 

Combining Group Members’ Work: There are a few different ways group members in different schools can combine their work into one unified documentary. Students can use Google Drive or Drop Box to share work. Once students upload the sections they’ve completed, their partners can download the files and use iMovie or another film editing program to put the pieces together. 

9. Presentation of Documentary Film First Drafts

GOALS: Assess work so far and exchange constructive criticism

MATERIALS: C2C, PEP Documentary Film Rubrics

It’s now time for students to give and receive feedback on their films.  This should be done both on C2C and live with classmates. Students should post their film projects on C2C with 2-3 questions on particular issues they would like feedback on. Their colleagues around the world can then respond with praise, questions, and constructive criticism. It is also ideal for students to use class time to watch and critique each other’s work. Students can take turns showing their films, and the audience can use the PEP Film Rubric to give feedback. Students can then use the rubrics and the advice they received on C2C to inform the creation of their second draft.

10. Final Film Production (1-3 classes or homework)

While some students may only need to make a few small changes, others may need to put in a lot more work—doing more research, gathering more photographs and video footage, and refining their editing. 

11. Final Film Presentation 

GOALS: Celebration and reflection

Students now post their final products on C2C, watch each other’s work and exchange a final round of feedback. The films can also be watched all together during class, or a special evening event can be staged to share students’ work with the community.

Assignments

Assignment #1: Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary List

DIRECTIONS: Working in pairs, photograph and video a series of shots demonstrating the techniques listed on this hand out. In Assignment #3 you will use these still and moving images to create a practice film that shows your mastery of iMovie.

1. Vertical Pan: Move the camera up and down as you film. Try to get a smooth shot, without bumping or jerking the camera. Try panning both with and without a tripod.

2. Horizontal Pan: Move the camera left and right. Try this both with and without a tripod.

3. Zoom: With the camera rolling, zoom in from a wide shot to a tight shot and from a tight to a wide shot. Try this both with and without a tripod.

4. Combination Pan & Zoom: Try panning and zooming at the same time, both with and without a tripod.

5. Moving Camera: In this shot, the cameraperson moves as they film. Try this moving at different speeds, keeping the shot as smooth as possible.

6. Close Up: In a close up shot (also called a tight shot), the frame is almost entirely filled up by the subject. The subject is right in your face.

7. Medium Shot: A medium shot shows the subject and the middle-ground just behind subject or the foreground in front of the subject. A medium shot describes any shot that is somewhere between a close up and a wide shot.

8. Wide shot: A wide or long shot shows the fore, middle, and background. It shows the subject and a wide are around it. A wide shot is the opposite of a close up, and often includes feeling of distance.

9. High Angle: In a high angle shot, the photographer is above and looking down on the subject. This can be done standing up and pointing the camera down. You will often get a more interesting shot, however, if you dramatically change your height—go to a roof or the higher stories of a building, climb a hill, or just stand up on a chair or the back of a car. 

10. Low Angle: In a low angle shot, the photographer is below and looking up at the subject. 

11. The Rule of Thirds: The rule of thirds is a way to make a portrait of a person more interesting. Instead of placing the subject in the center of your frame, you place them higher or lower, and off to the side. The frame is divided up into 9 parts by four intersecting lines (see diagram). The subject is then placed on one of the intersection points. The horizon line can also be shifted from the center of the frame to either the higher or lower horizontal line.

12. Action: An action shot creates a feeling or tell s a story by showing motion and action.

13. No-Look: A no-look shot is used to take a photograph of someone without them knowing. This way the person does not pose, and the photograph is often more realistic, catching a person as they are, not as they want to be seen. To take a no-look shot, do not give yourself away by holding the camera up to your eye. Instead, hold the camera away from yourself or lower down and take the photograph quickly. Sometimes you may need to fake out the subject by looking away from whoever you are photographing.

14. Juxtaposition: In a shot that makes use of juxtaposition, two very different things are contrasted within the frame of the picture. It could be old and new, beautiful and ugly, dirty and clean, large and small, happy and sad, etc.

15. Light: Frame the photograph so that it uses a pattern of lights and darks to draw in the viewer. Create a feeling or tell a story with the darks and lights you find around you.       

16. Color: Frame the photograph so that it uses color to draw in the viewer. Create a feeling or tell a story with the colors you find around you.

17. Shapes & Lines: Frame the photograph so that it uses interesting shapes and lines to draw in the viewer. Create a feeling or tell a story with the shapes and lines you find around you.

18. Texture: Frame the photograph so that it uses texture to draw in the viewer. Create a feeling or tell a story with the textures you find around you.

19. Focus: Frame a photograph that uses focus—both clear and blurry images—to create a feeling, tell a story and draw in the viewer.

Assignment #2 Shot Tally

What are the qualities of a good documentary film?

What kinds of shots should I use to tell my story?

1. Watch one-minute clips of each documentary film. For each tally the number of shots that were used in a minute. Remember, every time the camera cuts, it counts as a new shot.

Tally of Shots Documentary #1:

Tally of Shots Documentary #2:

2. Watch the same one-minute clip again. For each tally the number of each kind of shot that were used.

Kind of Shot

Tally of Shots Documentary #1:

Tally of Shots Documentary #2:

Vertical Pan

Horizontal Pan

Zoom

Combination Pan & Zoom 

Moving Camera

Close Up

Medium Shot

Wide shot

High Angle

Low Angle

Rule of Thirds

Assignment #3 iMovie Practice Assignment

Make a 1 minute movie using the photographs and videos you collected in Assignment #1, as well as materials downloaded from the internet. In making your movie, you must try out and include each of the following functions:

1. Create a new project.

a. Select New Project in the File menu, or press “command N.” 

2. Take clips from the event library

a. After selecting the event you want to use, click on the event library. 

b. Adjust the edges of the yellow box until you have the clip you want. 

c. Drag the clip into the place you want it in your project library.

3. Edit the beginning or end of a clip

a. Click on the arrows in the bottom left or the bottom right corners.

i. Adjust the orange box to edit the beginning or end of the clip.

4. Edit a clip.

a. Use the yellow box to select a piece of the clip.

b. Press Delete.

5. Insert a photograph

a. Click on the camera button in the lower right of the screen. This will open iPhoto.

b. Select an image and drag it into your project.

6. Adjust the time duration on the photo

a. Either select Duration from the Edit tab, or click on the clock in the bottom left corner of the photo.

7. Use the “Ken Burns” feature

a. Click on the crop button in the image, then click on Ken Burns.

b. Adjust the size and location of the Start and End boxes.

8. Crop a photograph or video clip

a. Click on the crop button in the image, then click on Crop.

b. Adjust the green box.

9. Add music

a. Click on the notes in the lower right of the screen. This will open iTunes.

b. Select a song, then drag it into your project.

i. Adjust the length by dragging the yellow box. 

10. Add a transition

a. Click on the (hour class shaped) Transition box in the lower right of the screen.

b. Choose a transition, and insert it between two clips in your project.

11. Add a voice over

a. Click on the Microphone tab. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen. 

12. Add titles or subtitles

a. Click on the T tab. 

b. Select a subtitles style, then type.

13. Extract audio from a video clip and put it over a photograph or video

a. Select a video clip with sound you want.

b. While holding down shift & command, drag the clip on to the image or video you want it on.

14. Download and insert a video clip from the web.

a. Open Firefox, then go to YouTube.

b. Find a clip you like, and if a “download” button IS there, press select it

c. Download the film as an Mp4.

d. If there is NOT a “download” button, do the following:

i. In the Firefox Tools tab, select Add Ons

ii. Type “YouTube Downloader” into the search box.

iii. Install the YouTube Downloader, then repeat the above steps a-c. 

   If you cannot access YouTube, do the following: 

iv. Find a video clip on the web, and copy the URL.

v. Go to www.keepvid.com in another tab), and paste in the URL in the box provided

vi. Right click on “download MP4 High Def,” and select “Save As…” link

vii. Import the movie into iMovie. If it will not import. Do the following:

1. Open it with QuickTime
2. Go to the file menu and choose export…
3. Save as an MPEG with a new name (same Mp4 extension).
4. Import it into IMovie

15. To extract a still frame from video:

a. Let the pointer hover over the video frame that you want to extract as a still image.

b. Hold down the Control key and press the mouse button to open the menu, and then choose “Add still frame to project.”

c. The image is added to the end of your open project as a four-second clip. If you created the still frame from a source video clip, the Ken Burns (motion) effect is automatically applied; if you’ve created the still frame from a project clip, the Ken Burns effect isn’t applied.

When you are finished, upload your movie onto Google Docs or C2C and share it with the whole class.

a. Go to the Share tab in IMovie.

b. Select “Export Using Quicktime”

c. In the next window make show the Export bar at the bottom says “Movie to MPEG4”

d. After it has been saved, upload your practice movie onto your Google Drive and share it with your teacher.

Assignment #4: Topic and Essential Question Worksheet

Group Members:_________________________________

Topic:

Essential Question:

Keep in mind a great essential question should be:

• Clear and direct
• Open-ended, not leading
• Debatable, with no one right answers
• Provocative

Take Away:

• What’s your point? 
• How do you think you will answer your essential question? 
• What do you want your audience to learn? What do you want them to ponder?

Assignment #5 Treatment Requirements

Your Documentary Treatment should include four paragraphs explaining the following:

1. An essential question that your documentary will seek to answer. It should be an open-ended, debatable question, which is relevant to history and current issues. Feel free to revise this as you work.

2. An overview of your story, and how you will show/tell it. Your treatment should make clear how this will unfold in your film, and what will be in the beginning middle, and end. 

3. A description of the kinds of shots and materials you will use:

a. Who/what kinds of people will you interview?

b. Where will you shoot?

c. What kind of historical images, video footage, sounds will you use?

4. What do you hope the “take away” will be for your viewers? What conclusions do you want them to reach and what questions do you want them to ponder? What are your predictions for Boston’s future in the theme you have chosen?

Assignment #6 Script Outline & Shot list

Shot #

Script Outline

Shot Descriptions

SAMPLE SCRIPT OUTLINE & SHOT LIST

Occupy Boston Documentary Script Outline & Shot list (2011)

Shot #

Script Outline

Shots

1

Occupy movement started in Wall Street, then spread around US and world

Shots from Occupy movement around US and world

2

Came to Boston in October and drew thousands

Boston shots of protests, camp site, etc.

3

Both inspired and embarrassed, created controversy

More shots of rallies, speakers, also embarrassing moments, drunks, mess, etc.

4

Ended in December after court order

Shots of end of protest and mayor speaking

5

What sparked this movement in Boston? What brought people out onto streets? Where will it go now, or is it over?

More shots of protests, camp site, shots of Wall street and Arab spring inspirations, etc.

6

Interviews about what inspired Occupiers to join, and why they’re there

Interview clips, clips illustrating inequality—fancy cars and mansions, unemployment lines, homeless, graphs and statistics

7

Interviews with sympathetic observers 

Interview clips

8

Interviews with critical observers

Interview clips with illustrative clips of what they’re saying

9

OB like most other Occupy movements, was broken up in December. What did it achieve, and what next?

Clips of end of movement

10

Interviews on what achieved and what next

Interview clips

11

Influence in government and other actions still going on

Clips of laws passed or proposed in other states…occupation of foreclosed homes, interviews with participants and experts about what is next

12

Will it influence the presidential and Congressional elections?

Clips of politicians and candidates responding to Occupy movement

13

Last thoughts on goals of public protest. Hard to tell the effect of a movement until long after it’s over…perceived success may lead to failure, or supposed failure may pave the way to progress.

Last shots of actual protest, mixed with protests movement footage from history and other nations

Assignment #7 Filming Expedition Planning Sheet

Group Members:_________________________________________________

DIRECTIONS: Please list 3-5 locations in the Boston area you need to film. For each location list the shot numbers from your Shot List, and briefly explain the kinds of shots (subjects, feeling, angles, etc.) and the role it will play in your film. Use Google Maps Street View to help you find exact locations.

Location

Explanation

DIRECTIONS: Please list 3-5 individuals or kinds of individuals you would like to interview. For each list the shots numbers from your shot list, and explain why you chose them, and the role you hope their interview will play in your film.

Interviewee

Explanation

Assignment #8 Interview Preparation Worksheet

i. Pair up with another group, and complete a series of practice interviews. Make sure everyone in your group gets a chance to film, ask questions, and be interviewed.

ii. Complete the following before the interviews:

1. Write an interview script. Think about how you would introduce yourself and your project to a stranger who knows nothing of your work. For instance: 

“Hi I’m a student at _____________, could I ask you some questions for a student project on_______________?”

2. Write at least five interview questions and follow up questions for each. Try to avoid yes/no answers.

iii. When you film use a tripod, and set up your camera with the following in mind:

1. Frame the subject using the Rule of Thirds (see vocabulary sheet)

2. Be thoughtful about the background

3. Make sure there is no backlighting—The subject should generally be brighter than their background, so avoid filming in front of windows—otherwise you’ll be interviewing a shadow!

iv. Make sure you have good sound quality. Here are some tips:

1. Place the video camera no more than a foot or two (half a meter) away from the subject

2. Make sure you can clearly hear the interviewee 

3. Avoid background noise

Collaborative Oral History Film Project Description

For this project you will team up with students in another city or country to create a three to six minute oral history film examining a theme that you identified in the oral histories collected by the students in our network of schools.

For your project you will submit:

I. Oral History Preparation Assignments

You will complete a series of assignments preparing you to film an interview, including filming practice, research on your interview subject and writing interview questions.

II. Oral History Film (Two Drafts): 

Your film must include the following elements:

a. Original video footage of your interview

b. A voiceover introducing the interview and a conclusion following.

c. Titles, credits, and sources.

d. Subtitles for interviews conducted in a language other than English.

e. Cutaway images showing what the interviewee is talking about (photographs, video, maps, drawings, paintings, etc.)

f. The full range of film-making techniques (see practice assignment)

g. The film should be 3-6 minutes long

III. Oral History Film Theme & Essential Question Explanation

After forming a filmmaking group including students from two-three cities, each group will examine the interview footage posted online, and identify a theme and essential question for their documentary. 

IV. Final Draft of Film

The final draft has all the same requirements as the first and second draft, but must include clips from at least three different interviews.

PEP Collaborative Oral History Film Project Assignment List

#1 Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary    DUE________________

Working in pairs, photograph and video a series of shots demonstrating the techniques listed on the Photography and Filmmaking Vocabulary handout. 

#2 Film Making Shot Tally    DUE______________

Watch one-minute clips of two professional oral history based documentaries. For each, tally the number of shots that were used in a minute. Watch again and tally the number of each kind of shot that were used.

#3 iMovie Practice Assignment    DUE______________

After filming an in-class practice video, use this footage, as well as materials downloaded from the internet to make a 1-minute practice movie. In making your movie, you must try out and include the techniques listed in the iMovie Practice Assignment Handout.

#4 Oral History Preparation Worksheet     DUE______________

Identify an interviewee, and research their life and times

#5 First Round Interview Questions     DUE______________

Write your first round of interview questions

#6 Second Round of Interview Questions     DUE______________

Write your second round of interview questions

#7 Cutaway Images     DUE______________

Gather cutaway images to show what your interviewee talked about

#8 First Draft of Oral History Film      DUE______________

#9 Second Draft of Oral History Film      DUE______________

#10 Collaborative Oral History Film Theme & Essential Question    DUE______________

#11 Final Version of Collaborative of Oral History Film        DUE______________