Instructional Video Project Assignment Instructions

The flexibility of video allows compression and expansion of time and space, making it a powerful instructional tool. An instructional video should address 3 to 5 specific learning objects for a specific audience of learners. The video you plan and create must be instructional in nature and work to form associations between concepts, provide historical or social examples, or demonstrate how something works. 
 
For this assignment, you will capture a minimum of three separate video segments and then using editing software to edit and merge your segments to produce a quality instructional video with a length of between 4–6 minutes.  Make it fun and informative and use techniques to engage your learners. Speaking of fun, the young man in this video sings with himself!!  Pretty amazing. See Instructional Video Project Example Michael Jackson Medley Video.
The mark of a good video is the ability to take a person who has very little experience or understanding of a concept and help them reach the learning objectives identified which might include accomplishing a task.  If you purchase the game Throw Throw Burrito^TM, the instructions within the box invite the players to grab their phones and pull up the YouTube video to see how to play. See Instructional Video Project Example Throw Throw Burrito – How to Play. During this short 4:41 minute presentation, the audience learns how to play and the rules surrounding the game.  Sure, the players could have read the pdf instructions, but the video engages the audience and teaches the skills necessary to play the game.
 
You can see additional examples of instructional videos on the Instructional Video Project Assignment page. Please note that, in each of the examples, points may have been lost based on missing components identified on the rubric for this assignment. Once your video is complete you will upload it to YouTube and share the link as part of the Instructional Video Project Template, where you will describe the following:
 
The Value for Instruction
In a single paragraph, you will describe the instructional video and your choice to either personally explaining, demonstrate a skill, or teach a concept. Briefly discuss the quality of your video as a valuable resource that you will continue to use.
 
Focus and Audience
Focus the instruction on three to five specific learning objectives for a target audience. Define your audience in a sentence or two and list the objectives.
 
Engagement
In a paragraph, you will discuss how you created interest in your video in order to engage the learner.
 
Explanation of Use
In this section of the template, you will explain how you plan to use this instructional video with your learners, and you will discuss how the video connects to the standards of the broader curriculum.
 
Reflection
In no more than 2 paragraphs with 3-5 sentences each, you will reflect on the process of creating the instructional video, defend the choices you made for video capture and recording (cameras used, etc.), images and sounds, and share why you selected the video editing software used.
 
Link to Instructional Video
In this portion of the template, you will share the link to view your instructional video.
Types of Shots
You are to include a minimum of 3 types of shots, and these should be thoughtfully planned in order to add interest and value. On this portion of the template, you will identify the time stamp on your YouTube video where each shot type can be found.
 
The following section provides tips and additional information for the project.
 
Planning the video
Have an idea. This is important. A good idea is fairly easy to implement and follow. WRITE IT DOWN. 
Refer to the rubric for this assignment often. Your video needs to be between 4 and 6 minutes long. 
Have a plan. The better you plan the less time the whole project will take. This is true in life in general, but it is doubly so in video editing. Storyboard out your idea. Figure out what shots you’ll need, what environment the shots should be in. Iterate!
Do you need any special props or extra hands or expertise to help out?
Do you need to use a “green screen or green wall” to achieve the effect that you want?
Do you have a preset idea of what you want to say or are you just filming something that is happening spontaneously?
What are you going to wear? 
How much time will it take to film? It will take longer than you think, allow for it.
Will you need special sound effects, if so, what are they and where will you get them?
Write a “script” that you can follow and be sure you don’t forget anything. This way you can also do a take a couple of times in case something goes wrong.
Think about your music carefully. If it is important to the film, it is important to keep it in mind from the start. Music is very powerful: use it wisely. Don’t use music for the entire length of the video but do use it to create interest at the beginning, middle, or end.  Overuse can be distracting to the learner.
If you are going to use the microphone directly from the camera or video recorder, make sure that the camera is picking it up well enough. You might need a mic or some other plan of attack. Place the mic close to the subject and point it away from (undesired) noise. Sound is often more important than visuals or pictures.
**Always take more film at the beginning and end of every take than you need. It will make editing easier. Give yourself a little extra recorded content to play with.
Once you have written a great plan and implemented it you will likely have unedited video segments with much more footage and content than you’ll actually need.
 
Implementing the Plan
When videoing, use a tripod whenever possible.
Avoid frequent panning and zooming – it can cause visual distress.
Balanced lighting is important. Get a good contrast between the subject & the background. Be conscious of light sources & shadows on your subject.
Get in as close as possible to your subject – this heightens impact and improves audio. You might also ask your actors to speak up!
Follow the rule of thirds, frame off-center
Record a few seconds before a scene starts and after it ends – this provides you with footage to make transitions.
Be sure that date and time are set on the camera, that NightShot is turned off, and that all video is shot in the same aspect ratio (i.e., either 16:9 widescreen or 4:3 traditional broadcast).
Follow your curiosity on the day of your shoot. Overshoot! Get more than you think you need! More stuff gives you more options when editing. Longer takes allow you some wiggle room for transitions.
 
Editing the video
Make sure you set aside a large block of time for the video editing itself. **Video editing is not a fast process!
Title/Opening and Closing Credits are essential.
When capturing video to the computer, be sure that the capture format is set to “DV full quality.” Then click on Settings and in the Capture Source tab set scene detection to “automatic based on shooting time and date.” “Automatic based on scene content” is the second-best choice if the “time and date” option does not detect scenes.
Make a rough cut of the whole film then go into details. Iterate. Cut early: when in doubt, edit shorter cuts. Also, choose a style that works with quick cuts- don’t get swallowed up by the mechanics.
When editing, use the Save As command frequently and save your project with a different name (e.g., add an incremental number to the end of the name). This can be a lifesaver if you need to go back to a previous edition of the project or if the software should experience an anomaly.
 If any scenes are too light or too dark, you can use Auto Color Correct, and then move the brightness slider as needed. Note that this will adjust the brightness of the entire clip.
 Keep it simple; avoid superfluous animated transitions and shorter is almost always better. Also, keep a critical eye.
 
Create your instructional video using several of the following types of technologies:
Screen Capture video using ScreenCast-o-Matic.com or similar screen recording software.
Live-Action Video using an actual video camera (avoid using your cell phone unless this is the only recording tool you have available.  If the cellphone is used, you must hold the phone horizontally and not vertically to capture the recording.  This will better allow for a 16 by 9 ratio).
Piece-together a minimum of three video segments using editing software such as MovieMaker, iMovie, WeVideo, or Adobe Premier.
Host the video on YouTube and share the link as part of your submission.
 
For the final product make sure that the instructional video:
Is between 4–6 minutes
Is uploaded to YouTube and link shared with no privacy blocks
Is edited and rendered in widescreen (16:9 ratio)
Contains the required screens
Title Slide/Screen
List of objectives, steps, or instructions
Credits slide-cite all sources and contributors
Has smooth transitions (rather than harsh cuts) and sounds are well-balanced
Uses at least one selection of music
Includes at least two transitions such as
Cut Dissolve
Wipe
Fade
The video includes 3 types of shots (1 pt each)
Wide-Long
Medium
Close
At least three separately recorded segments are combined into one video.
Video editing software was used and 2 more additional features were added such as captions, images, or animations.