EditMentor: The Hands-On Way to Teach Video Editing
EditMentor is a web-based program that allows you to walk your students through the production process via an interface that is simple to use and editing software agnostic.
What is Dogme 95 and Does It Still Matter?
Raising above all other film manifestos, the lasting effects of this infamous dogme can still be seen today. Dogme 95 was a manifesto brought forth by Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. This Danish film movement based on a manifesto also known as the “Vows of Chastity” caused quite a stir in the filmmaking community.
How Video Teachers Define Industry Standard Equipment
The following message is a call to arms for video production educators throughout the world. It may be a wake-up call for some. It may be a shot in the arm for others. It may upset some yet put some at ease. The following message is to be used as the surfboard to help you crest the wave of 2021 and beyond because frankly —nothing will ever be the same for you.
How To Teach a Successful Video Production Class
Each year, I work on creating a pacing guide for my courses. It’s my one-stop-shop for what I think we need to cover and when we should cover it. The biggest key to setting up the pacing for my courses is that I am 100% flexible in my expectations. In recent talks about the pacing of his animation course, Jamie Chuven at John’s Creek HS in Atlanta put it perfectly “students take 6 weeks on something that should take 3.” That’s the hardest part, trying to figure out/remember how long it takes students to receive the lesson, comprehend the lesson, and build the product to an acceptable level.
Streaming is Now a Felony
Sunday, Congress passed the newest stimulus package and I’ll admit my understanding of politics isn’t much than being a bill on capitol hill and the research I do about 2 weeks before I vote. I do know that with every “package” there are things you don’t want… unless it’s bubble wrap.
How To Name Your Files To Streamline Your Video Project
Are you looking for a suitable method of tracking projects for grading and archiving? Here is a standard of practice I developed for our students about ten years ago that drastically improved our workflow process. With hundreds of projects, shows, and events being produced each year, we needed a better system in place, and it had to start with project naming.
Keeping Track of Camera Gear for Your Video Classes
During my first year of teaching, I sent a camera back to Sony for repair. When it was shipped back to the school, it was delivered to the main office. The principal called me to let me know it had arrived. I said I would send a student down to pick it up and bring it back to the studio. The principal replied, “Are you sure you trust a student to do that?” True story.
Workflow Pro: Creating an Effective Teaching and Video Workflow
Tt's easy to see that the key to being a successful editor is workflow. And if you work in education, let's add to this scenario 50 to 100 students who will also be editing their project footage in your lab. This series provides you with some workflow strategies that make life easier.
Must-Have Affordable Camera Gear for Beginners
The hardest thing about being a student filmmaker is not having the gear you need to start working on your craft. You are so eager to get started, but you don’t have anything to do so. Maybe you have the advantage of using your school’s gear for your projects, but you finally decide it’s time to start investing in your own because you don’t want to borrow anymore.
Unboxing SmallHD Focus 5" On-Camera Monitor
Watch as Stream Semester Unboxes the SmallHD Focus 5" On-Camera Monitor and walks you through the details for educators and student filmmakers. Let us know in the comments what you think of the monitor! We love it!
Sophomore Slump: It’s Not the Class, It’s You
We all do it. We all get so frustrated that we say something we shouldn’t or handle a situation in a way we shouldn’t. It happens. I tell my students that I still have to work on my teacher filter. Sometimes it works harder than others. Last week, I must have needed a firmware update because the filter didn’t work.
Making Money with Your Video Production Department
The equipment I had was barely consumer grade. I needed to replace it with higher grade equipment as well as massively increase the quantities of everything I had so more students would have access to gear at the same time. I could get everything I needed but for one thing – I needed funds. The following story has a happy ending and it is filled with ideas that you can adopt to create the same solution to the money problem while at the same time giving your students a real-world education.
Sophomore Slump - The Beginning
Last year, we produced over 120 newscasts and over 130 live sports broadcasts. We received a ton of support from the community via social media and brought home a couple of awards from the NFHS Network. A colleague called us the “Rookies of the year” for bringing home the “Best New Program” honor and I called us lucky for bringing home the best highlight. Now that the new school year has started, I have a new concern… how do I follow last year? What can I do to continue to build the program and take it to new heights?
New Kid in School - Turning in My New Kid Card
We did a ton of really cool things. Invented new segments - Word On The Street Wednesday being the most memorable. We had some failures (The Tiger Wood vs. Santa Clause Joke that somehow made it through my review of the script). Overall though, I would say that the first year of the program was more than a success. We won NFHS Network Best New Program and Highlight of the Year but more importantly to me was that we won the hearts, minds, and imaginations of a new batch of students who had never experienced a video production class.
New Kid In School - I Really Want to Complain
I only gave the school about 5 hours to plan for the coverage of my class. I had a sub plan. It wasn’t the best but it would get the kids and the sub through the day without causing me to have to go to a meeting. To be perfectly honest, I was tired. Physically, emotionally, psychologically, mentally wiped out.