Qualification Unit number and title

Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Production &

Technology

Unit 8 Developing a Creative Media Project

Issue Date Completion Date

18/03/19 24/05/19

Assessor IV

Judith Huntly Phil Broome

Assignment Title: Digital Story Telling

Purpose of this assignmentTo produce a digital story and explore the importance of storytelling using digital technology. You will need to consider the mechanics of storytelling and will construct, plan, capture and manipulate visual and audio material to realise your digital story.

ScenarioStorytelling has always been a significant part of history, but the means through which the stories have been told has evolved with each civilization. From the oral histories presented by bards in ancient courts, to the works of literature and theatre, to newspapers, Film and TV, and now the Internet, personal narrative has been used to communicate the events of the past. Digital media now combines tradition with technology and allows you to tell stories through voice, text, images, audio, and video.

You have been commissioned by S4C to create a short digital film. The short films will be screened at the NPTC NOSCARS on June 19th, 2019.

Throughout this project you will need to reflect on your digital story making process and your screening, drawing conclusions of what went well what went less well on your learning journey. Develop action points from your production process so you can work on in preparation for progression to year 2. Your reflection will need to be presented digitally in a form of a blog / vlog

Project Starters1. Re-tell, reboot, reimagine 2. Fake news 3. Screen life 4. Discarded 5. The role of the Observer – In today’s society and with the digital revolution we are constantly observing and being observed.

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Activity 1: Project Proposal

Using one of the project starter titles prepare your project proposal document using the following headings:

Section 1: RationaleSection 2: Project ConceptSection 3: EvaluationSection 4: Project Plan and TimetableSection 5: Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)

Please use the attached pro-forma.

Activity 2: Research and Idea Generation

Research interesting and engaging stories that you think you could work with. Document and annotate your findings on your blog. Make sure you look at a range of ideas to gain inspiration and document why you have selected you final chosen story.

Create a story breakdown on you chosen story in detail and consider the number of characters, locations, sets, sounds, assets that you will need to produce to tell your story.

Draw a story arc for your story, detailing scene changes, movement, dialogue (if you have dialogue) and story sounds.

Hone the story narration, check and proof-read for flow and clarity and errors. The narration is the blueprint of your story needs careful preparation to ensure it is ready for audio recording.

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – Research and Idea Generation and document your findings

Mechanisms: forms, eg narrative, non-narrative, linear, non-linear, juxtaposition, first person, third person;

development, eg story arcs, character, subject, situation; representation; context

Story ideas: eg themes, subjects, characters, plots, ideas, adaptations, narration, structure

Planning: eg writing, self-generated brief, analysis, project management, tasks, schedule, roles, group-based work, scripting, storyboarding

Research: primary, eg original interviews, focus groups, surveys, questionnaires; secondary, eg observation of existing products, books, magazines, newspapers, journals, internet, CD ROM archives, electronic databases, newsgroups, existing interviews, poetry, music, popular culture

Research from secondary sources: eg books, films, moving images, still images, animations, museums, collections, internet, postcards, magazines, published scripts; factual information; opinion; speculation; existing material from other broadcast and written media for conversion or adaptation

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Activity 3 - Be able to generate Pre-production and audio visual material

Time the narration to work out the minimum duration of your story.

Storyboard your tale. The storyboards must include and indicate use of

Shot types and camera placement. Soundtrack Timing Movement

Research the look and feel (treatment) you envisage for your story and create a mood board.

From your story breakdown in activity 1, use the information to plan how and what you will use to bring your story to life. Create a mood board to outline the look and feel of your digital story (is it dark and moody, or bright and colourful?)

Present your ideas in class for a group critique and feedback.

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – generating Pre-production and audio visual material and document your findings.

Audio and visual material: eg drawing-based, lens-based media, equipment, still images, moving images, collaged material, found material, commissioned soundtrack, narration, readings, sound effects, sampled sound.

Capture material: eg scanning, digital filming, stop motion, in-camera edit, still lens-based imagery, audio recording equipment, digital audio recorder, built-in microphone, copyright free material.

Activity 4 Prepare your preproduction paperwork

From your research prepare the documents you will need to outline your intentions and planning for your digital story.

NotesDevising: finding ideas; developing ideas; narrative structures; character; scripts; treatments; storyboards

Health and safety: risk assessments

Produce: gather research; word process; present in a printed form; track revision changes

Proposal: title of proposed script; overview (identification of genre, concept overview, unique selling point (USP), initial scenario, suggested target audience); product intention (high concept, narrative synopsis, intended communication); message; character briefs non-fiction talent requirements

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – presenting your project proposal and document your findings

Activity 5 - Be able to manipulate and develop audio and visual material / Production

From your storyboard start work on drawings, photographs, digital images for your story idea. Use the techniques and technology you have been experimenting with in class.

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Freehand drawing Tracing using a light box Image manipulation using photoshop Filming Audio recording Photography

Use equipment: importing, eg audio, video; organising, eg labelling clips and images, project folders, namingconventions, project settings; using peripherals; external storage devices

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – Production / manipulating audio and visual material and document your findings.

Manipulate and develop audio and visual material: editing, eg video, audio, timing, pace, imagemanipulation, background effects, motion effects, filters, transitions, titles; arrange; synchronise, eg,scripted narration, action, visuals; develop, eg review, test screen, feedback refine ideas, adapt ideas;

software, eg Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Adobe Flash

Formats: eg file compression, QuickTime, AVI, DV Stream, AVCHD, TIFF, JPEG, WAV, AIFF, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264, PAL, web streaming, podcasting, iPhone, PDA, Smartphone, hand-held device

Activity 6 - Be able to produce a finished digital story / Post-production

Using appropriate software and your digitised drawings, images, photographs combined with your recorded narration to bring your story to life.

Produce a digital story: eg choose format (on screen, projection, print), upload, prepare files for viewing on different devices, suitability, specific purpose, audience, control of lighting, visual impact;

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – Post-production / finalising your digital story and document your findings.

Activity 7 - Screen final digital story to peers for feedback

Screen your digital story to your peer group for feedback before uploading to your youtube channel. You may need to make changes to your story before uploading your final version for marking.

Reflect on the digital storytelling production process – Screening to an audience and document your findings.

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Activity 8 Reflection

Reflective practice is, in its simplest form, thinking about or reflecting on what you do. It is closely linked to the concept of learning from experience, in that you think about what you did, and what happened, and decide from that what you would do differently next time.

This can be presented in a form of your choice, presentation, illustrated report or a vlog

Reflect on your digital story making process and your screening, draw conclusions of what went well what went less well on your learning journey, develop action points from your production process you can work on in preparation for progression on to year 2

You should consider:

Idea generation / Research / Pre-production - Did you plan your project at the start (and is there evidence of this)?- Did you monitor/review your progress in relation to that plan (and is there evidence of this)?- Is your work organised and well-presented?- Did you use a range of research to generate ideas?- Did you link your contextual studies with your work, how will this impact on your production? - Did you/will you complete all your work by the deadline?- Did you complete all of the pre-production paperwork?

Production process - What skills have you developed through the production process? - Did you experiment with a range of lighting techniques?- Did you experiment with a range of camera moves / angles?- Did you record sound effects / create a soundscape for your digital story?- Did you complete all of the production paperwork?

Post Production - What editing techniques did you use and why?- Did you set up your editing production folder correctly?- Did you screen your digital story to the class on the deadline?- Did you complete all of the post-production paperwork?

Final outcome - How well did your digital story turn out?- What would you do differently if you could start the project again- Does your outcome fulfil all the requirements of the brief?- How well did you work with your production team / were there any issues? How did you solve

these?

Overall- What are the strengths and weaknesses of this project?- What have you learned from this project and how will you apply this in future projects?

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Grade Criteria Exemplification

The final graded unit provides for the evidence submitted by the candidate to be assessed and graded.

All internal assessment and grading decisions are subject to external moderation.The grades that can be achieved are:

ReferralIf a candidate provides insufficient evidence to meet all of the assessment criteria then that candidate is referred. The candidate has one further opportunity to redeem the referral by the submission of additional evidence within a timeframe agreed by the Centre and confirmed to the Awarding Body.Referred candidates who are able to meet the criteria on resubmission will be capped at Pass.

FailIf the candidate is unable to provide further evidence that meets the assessment criteria then they will receive a Fail grade.

PassTo achieve a Pass grade a candidate must achieve all of the assessment criteria listed within the final unit.

MeritTo achieve a Merit grade a candidate must achieve all of the assessment criteria listed within the unit and must additionally meet the entire merit grade criteria. Work submitted meets all assessment criteria and is to a high standard

DistinctionTo achieve a Distinction grade a candidate must achieve all of the assessment criteria listed within the unit and must additionally meet all of the Merit grade criteria and the entire Distinction grade criteria. Work submitted meets all assessment criteria and is to a very high standard

The assessment criteria for pass, merit and distinction remain the same but UAL have in addition developed a matrix and set of descriptors for assessors to provide further clarification and ensure that grades are more clearly defined, to ensure that assessors are able to differentiate consistently between learners based on the level of skills, knowledge and understanding shown.

In order to maintain consistency in understanding and comparability across qualifications at the same level the exemplification matrix should be used in conjunction with the UAL grading criteria.

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Learning outcomes

The student will:

Assessment criteria

The student can:

Unit 8: Developing a creative media production project

1. Understand the requirements of a creative media production project.

1.1 Analyse the requirements of a creative media production project.

2. Be able to use research methods to inform ideas for creative media production.

2.1 Review a range of research sources to support a creative media production project.

2.2 Interpret research to develop ideas and effectively communicate to an audience.

3. Be able to use skills, knowledge and understanding in the completion of a creative media project.

3.1 Apply practical skills, knowledge and understanding to complete a creative media project within an agreed timeframe.

4. Be able to evaluate a creative media project. 4.1 Critically evaluate a creative media project against the agreed requirements and parameters.

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Notes:

Notes:

Equipment needed for this assignment:

You will need to make sure you book the studio and the equipment with the technician Mathew Kearney at least a week in advance. All paperwork will need to be signed by Mathew and placed in your production file

Evidence checklist

Activity 1 -

Activity 2 - Research and idea generation

Activity 3 –Storyboard, moodbaord, support material

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Activity 4 – Pre production paperwork – concept material

Activity 5 –production images, designs and sound

Activity 6 – Final Story uploaded to your youtube channel

Activity 7 – Screening and feedback notes

Activity 8 - Reflection

Equipment needed for this assignment:

You will need to make sure you book the studio and the equipment with the technician Mathew Kearney at least a week in advance. All paperwork will need to be signed by Mathew and placed in your production file

Sources of information

Books

Braverman B – Video Shooter Storytelling with DV, HD and HDV, Camera (CMP Books, 2006) ISBN 978-1578202898

Hampe B – Making Documentary Films and Videos: A Practical Guide to Planning, Filming, and Editing Documentaries (Holt, 2007) ISBN 978-0805081817

Handler Miller C – World Digital Storytelling: A Creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment (Focal Press, 2008) ISBN 978-0240809595

Rose J – Producing Great Sound for Digital Video – DV Expert Series (CMP, 2008) ISBN 978-0240809700

Rabiger M – Developing Story Ideas: Find the ideas you haven’t yet had (Focal Press, 2006) ISBN 978-0240807362

Evans R – Practical DV Film Making, 2nd Edition (Focal Press, 2005)ISBN 978-0240807386

Figgis M – Digital Film Making (Faber, 2007) ISBN 978-0571226252

Gloman C — No-budget Video Production: Producing Professional Quality Commercials,

How-to’s, Training and Features – for Virtually Nothing (McGraw Hill, 2002)ISBN 978-0071412322

Hardy P – Filming on a Microbudget, 3rd Edition (Pocket Essentials, 2008)ISBN 978-1842433010

Jones C and Joliffe G – The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook, 3rd Edition (Continuum,2006) ISBN 978-0826479884

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Kindem G and Musburger R – Introduction to Media Production: From Analog to Digital,4th Edition (Focal Press, 2009) ISBN 978-0240810829

Logan J and Schellhardt L – Screenwriting for Dummies, 2nd Edition ( J Wiley, 2008)I SBN 978-0470345405

Millerson G – Video Production Handbook, 4th Edition (Focal Press, 2008)ISBN 978-0240520803

Musberger R – Single Video Camera Production, 4th Edition (Focal Press, 2005)ISBN 978-0240807065

Roberts-Breslin J – Making Media: Foundations of Sound and Image Production, 2ndEdition (Focal Press, 2007) ISBN 978-0240809076

Thurlow C – Making Short Films: The Complete Guide from Script to Screen, 2nd Edition(Berg, 2008) ISBN 978-1845208042

Websites

www.adobe.com Adobe Magazine

www.atom.com Atom Films

www.avid.com Avid

www.bbc.co.uk BBC

www.bbc.co.uk/wales/capturewales BBC Shorts Wales

www.bfi.org.uk British Film Institute

www.channel4.com/film/shortsandclips/shorts.html Channel 4

www.pixar.com Pixar

www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/shortfilms UK Film Council-

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