Final Blog, goals and doc project.

First of all, the finalized Documentary film can be found at: http://youtu.be/-FTWJQbTczw


It is also uploaded above...I hope...or perhaps It will refuse to upload...in which case, check the YouTube link.

The previous post discussed this assignment and my responses to putting it together.  The purpose of this post, I believe, is to revisit my goals for the first of the semester, see how well I did with them and what would have helped me better achieve my goals.  In the original blog post, I discussed how I knew little to nothing about production.  Now I know how to set up a camera, hook up a mic, attempt to create decent lighting, set up a tripod - something I had never touched before - shoot, upload, and edit film.  I know how to capture sound and use the basic tools of Premiere.  I have taken those skills and used them on class projects as well as personal projects.  In a few short weeks, I'm not afraid of the camera and editing anymore.  I realize that I still have a way to go, but I feel so much more prepared to create projects on my own and teach my students to do so as well.

I spoke about not being so literal and being a better storyteller in my film projects.  The focus on story in this class really aided this goal.  I learned about screenwriting, storyboarding and narrative on a film level that really helped with some of my projects.

As I proposed in my early goals, I learned how to edit and use something besides my YouTube-learned version of iMovie.  I learned about different types of shots and better ways to teach my students about them, beyond a layman's understanding.  I think this will also help with the stage work my students do.  I wanted to know more about sound and lighting in film, and while I did learn a lot, I know I need lost more practice to help it really sink in.  I apparently only learn by doing.

I initially though that I don't really have subjects around me that are all tat compelling, but I have changed that.  I think my final documentary project, which is about my best friend is a celebration of the special and the interesting found in the everyday.  Further, the lesson plan that accompanies it should help my students to see the same.

I was able to learn much more about documentary and might be able to find a way to incorporate docu-drama into my thesis project...I need to flesh that idea out a bit more.  But I think I'm starting to see ways where I can incorporate media projects onto the stage as well, which is really exciting for me.

My overall goal was an attempt to gain the skills necessary to more fully integrate media into my curriculum, and I can honestly say that I am more prepared to do that this year than in the past 8 years of my teaching!  The opportunity to create lesson plans...which really translated into units for me...is most helpful in accomplishing this final goal.

So, where do I see myself in a few years, in terms of using production skills for pedagogical purposes and how do I propose to incorporate these practices and technologies into my classroom practice?

I would love to be able to get access to some of the equipment and programs in my realm at the school.  I'm wondering if I can do some cross-curricular stuff that proves the necessity and then write some grants.  Perhaps there is money out there to be had if one knows where to look and can prove the need.  Giving my students the opportunity to work with technology is a major goal.  But I would also like to find a way to incorporate the things I have learned using equipment that they have ready access to.  I need to plan more lesson plans and units to give all of my classes a way to incorporate media and production skills into my curriculum for each class.  I know I will be incorporating some documentary skills and creation of documentary films into my action research project for my thesis and also into a cross-curricular production that I am doing in the spring with the english department and my musical theatre class.  These projects are born out of what I have been doing in this program and I am excited to see where they go.  If they work, and they will obviously need revisions, but I think it would be amazing to find ways to continue to work with production and technology in my classroom, adapting it for years to come...because, let's face it, I will probably stay at LHS until I die and they burry me under the stage!

Blog Post 7 - Doc learning

First and foremost, like many of the projects in the class, I find that they are oftentimes much more difficult than I expected!  After having taken Brad's Doc class, I think I have a better understanding of what is required for a documentary.  Further, I have an understanding of how to interview and just how difficult it is to really fit a documentary into a perfect little mode - when there is clearly overlap.  Even if I start out, with a clear intention of doing a participatory doc, there will be observational moments, or even expository moments.  But I don't think any film can be particularly interesting if it can be contained in one tightly wrapped little box.  I'm a fan of asymmetry...

But in doing the project, I found that I did far more pre-production with this one.  I planned on what I would be able to capture, asked many many questions in the interview, brought my camera as much as possible to be able to capture the right footage that would allow me to easily edit.  I had lists of the footage I captured and a proposed flow for them as well.  But even with all the planning, as I was editing, I wished I had a few other b-roll segments.  My subject interviewed fairly well and my final film is a giant mash-up of all the bits I took from his interview.  But he said some things that made me think about moments that I failed to capture on film.  Moments I witnessed, but I was busy doing other things instead of filming.  So, one thing I learned, is that when creating a documentary, to make sure that the actual creating of the documentary and the capturing of footage is the most prime focus.  While I might think that I'm good at multi-tasking, it is impossible to film a documentary and be torn in so many other places.

But I am pleased with the final version.  I came in several hours early to work on it, in the hopes of being able to complete and upload at BYU; which I was able to do.  I think that this example will be a great springboard for my lesson plan with my students into a character study.  I think it's also a project that they will enjoy doing.