Project #2 – Portrait

Pitch 2/14

Rough Cuts 3/7

FINAL DUE Thursday, March 23

4-5 minutes, 15 points (includes written evidence of pre-production)

This assignment is a 4-5 minute portrait of a person or place. It requires that the team conduct interviews either for research or as part of the piece using techniques and strategies discussed in class.

Parameters:

1) You will work in pairs, sharing responsibility for all aspects of the project.

2) The length of the piece will be 4-5 minutes, including all credits.

3) The piece will be technically and aesthetically proficient in all aspects: sound recording, image quality, image composition, editing and audio mixing. The portrait should move viewers emotionally or intellectually in some way.

4) Any music used in the piece must be copyright free or used with explicit permission from the copyright holder(s).

Steps:

1) Meet with your partner to come up with a list of potential subjects. Bring this list when you pitch your first plan so the class can consider your other options as well. Also determine whether you are working in a poetic, expository, observational, participatory, reflexive or performative mode and be prepared to explain your planned approach in class.

2) Write your interview questions, either for the piece, or as part of the research process. Write a list of locations with notes on how each setting contributes to the piece overall. Also make notes on possible b-roll shots, action sequences, secondary interviewees and anything else visually or aurally that you imagine might become part of the piece. This is all part of the pre-production process and you will turn in these notes with your project as evidence of this process.

3) Plan out in advance a proposed, ideal arc for the piece – how will it flow with a beginning, middle, and end? How can you best organize your interview questions to achieve that flow? What b-roll or action sequences will you need to build momentum or maintain continuity? Also be prepared to answer the following questions: Why is this subject interesting? What will an audience gain from learning about this subject? What background information does the audience need to know? Is there a conflict or dramatic spark that will peak and resolve? If not, how does the story sustain our interest?

4) Be prepared to show a rough cut to the class for critical feedback, and to plan for re-shoots if necessary.

Original assignment design by Sasha Waters Freyer and adapted by Jennifer Proctor