These instructions were developed for a student film project in Tom Hudspeth’s
ENVS course (see last page). The students created videos consisting of interviews with leaders in environmental projects in the area. Links to finished projects were collected in a Blackboard wiki. Students were also encouraged to share their videos on YouTube if they had obtained the necessary permissions from those who were filmed.
- Hope
Script for Class Activity
1) Show the "Lexicon of Sustainability: Egg" video (YouTube). Ask students to concentrate on aspects of direction and production. Ask them to use the Anatomy of a Movie chart (below) to note how the movie addresses the categories given.
2) After the viewing/note taking, have the students form small groups to share their observations. Then have one person from each group report their findings to the class. Answer questions as needed.
3) Discuss process for gathering, storing, and working with video, including human and equipment resources at UVM. Define terms if this has not already come up during #2 (ex. B-roll, mp3, mp4, m4v, formats, proper citation, etc.)
4) iMovie demo: using the pre-gathered clips, audio files, images, build a short video in iMovie. Address questions as they arise.
5) Have students storyboard a potential idea, then have them generate a list of what they will need. Could include how they will begin to capture, gather and store material; questions for interviewees; potential locations; ideas for b-roll, etc.

Anatomy of a Movie: "Lexicon of Sustainability: Egg" at http://youtu.be/v2vyU-hilrY
View this sample and take notes on the categories below.
Opening
Head Shot
B-Roll*
Title/Text
Lighting/Weather
Music/Sound
Effects
Blank Screen
Script/Dialog
Special Effects
Other:
*B-roll refers to all the video that is shown during interviews that is not an actual shot of the person being interviewed. Good b-roll reinforces what is being said in the interview and helps convey the message of the film.

Gathering:
 Make a folder on zoo for all your materials. ( http://zoofiles.uvm.edu
or use the
Fetch program to upload files to zoo.)
 Use http://www.uvm.edu/mediamanager to upload and store a copy of your video.
This program will generate a link that you can copy/paste into your wiki page.
 To gather images from the web, find a legal image, right-click, Save As. Write the citation when you get the image. Some sites that have copyright-free images as well as searching tips are here: http://www.uvm.edu/ctl/multimedia
 To use the image in iMovie you must import it into iPhoto. Open iPhoto, choose File:
Import to Library.
 Movies: store as .mp4. Don't forget to cite. If you are using portions of movies from
YouTube you will need to download and convert them into a format that iMovie can understand. I use MacX Downloader but there are many others: CMD can help.
 Interviews: good lighting, plain background, get release form.
 B-roll: watch the lighting and the weather!
 Music: mp3, import to iTunes. You can also create/edit in GarageBand (export as mp3).
 Storyboard it first. Here are templates and advice, or Google on “storyboard templates”: http://www.storyguide.net/archives/1027 iMovie
 Turn on Preferences o General: Show Advanced Tools o Browser: Show Fine Tuning Controls
 Command-a: select all
 Insert Blank screens: use the "world" icon
 Ken Burns tool is in Crop Tool icon
 iMovie can't do everything so you may have to be imaginative for special effects.
 As noted above, if you are going to use still images, music files, or video clips that are not on your camera you will have to import them into iPhoto or iTunes. CMD can help.
How do you learn more?
 Google it: there are 100s of tutorials on all aspects of iMovie. Here are a few: o How to overlay pictures and video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjr4HfTkZqo o 4 Tips for Better B-Roll: http://daredreamermag.com/2011/05/02/four-tips-for-better-b-roll/ o B-roll cutaway: http://www.tj-chambers.com/blog/40/
 For iMovie and special media help, visit The Center for Multimedia Development
(CMD) in the Bailey/Howe Library, lower floor, across from Media desk. Hours posted at: https://library.uvm.edu/media/cmd/cmdinfo.php

1.
MESSAGE o
Who is the target audience? o o
What should the audience learn from watching your production?
How long does your video have to be to get your point across?
2.
PEOPLE o
Make a list of all people you will be interviewing or documenting. o o o o
Why is their information or experience crucial to your project, and how long is it going to take to say it?
What is their availability & does their schedule conflict with yours?
Will they be filmed or just used for a voice-over?
Do they need to read from a script? If so, will they need time to practice?
3.
PLACES o
Make a list of all places you will be filming. o o
Do you have permission to access and film in this place?
If you need to re-shoot a scene, could you regain access to this place? o
How is the lighting in this place?

Stay away from filming people and things with bright lights behind
 them.
It is important to make sure there is enough light, but not too much light on the object - natural light is best.
4.
THINGS o
Make a list of objects you may need to film. o o
Do you have permission to film these things?
Film different angles, pans, and zooms in order to get interesting shots.
5.
TIME o
Make a timeline that shows how long you have to complete the project. o
Plan out the time needed to complete:

Preproduction – Where will you film? Who will you film? What

 additional video will you want to capture?
Production – the actual filming: be sure batteries are charged and the light is good!
Postproduction – putting your movie together and making the titles, credits, or adding images and other video clips. This will take longer than you think because you will want to edit and adjust. Also, each change may take a few minutes to process.
*Adapted from Academic Technology Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Multimedia
Projects.

Here is the original Project Description from the syllabus, edited for brevity. [N.B.: the poster requirement was dropped to allow additional time to develop the video.]
ENVS 204: Creating Environmentally Sustainable Communities
Spring, 2013
Tom Hudspeth
---------------------
VII. Term Project: Sustainability Story on an Individual or Group in the Area Who Serves as a
Sustainability Exemplar or Role Model: paper and video and poster art image.
Develop a written term paper--not to exceed 20 double-spaced typewritten pages (it certainly does not have to be that long; far better to have a concise, well-written paper than a longer, rambling one--which features an individual or group in the Greater Burlington portion of the Lake Champlain Basin Bioregion who :
* can serve as a role model or example for others to follow or emulate in bringing about the transition to more environmentally-sustainable communities
* takes action at the local grassroots level to deal with, or minimize the impacts of, global environmental problems
* has a positive vision of a sustainable future environment....and acts to achieve that vision, to turn that vision into reality
* solves sustainability problems
* initiates real change out of concern for the earth and her/his fellow human beings
* is a catalyst for change, a pioneer, a leader, a risk-taker
* offers courageous, creative, innovative approaches
* inspires, encourages, and empowers others
* informs others of the possible beneficial actions that can be taken
* illustrates how one person can make a difference.
In effect, you will serve as “credible biographers” for local environmental heroines and heroes by producing “stories” which profile and celebrate such individuals and groups. Thus, this course recognizes the important role of positive role models in affecting peoples’ sustainable and environmentallyresponsible behavior.
…
Your paper should be written in the same fashion as each chapter in Lerner’s Ecopioneers; Lappe &
Lappe’s Hope’s Edge; McKibben’s Hope, Human and Wild; and other books containing stories. This means:
1. tell that person's or group's story: how what s/he is doing fits in with sustainable solutions (you will probably want to draw on your paper defining sustainability when making the connections with sustainable solutions); and 2. discuss ways in which s/he offers a viable alternative to conventional ways of doing business, to the dominant social paradigm, and in so doing, outline how business-as-usual or the conventional ways are not sustainable. (Good sources for the facts and figures and trends regarding the nature of sustainability problems/challenges include: State of the World 2012 (Worldwatch Institute), Vital
Signs 2012 (Worldwatch Institute), and “Ten Stresses on the
Planet” http://earthleaders.org/publications/stresses ).
The video and poster art image should be on the same subject as your written term paper. The video should follow the example of Douglas Gayeton’s videos broadcast on PBS as part of his Lexicon of
Sustainability project. While you will not be expected to have as technically proficient a final product as
Douglas unless you are already an experienced videographer, you should develop an engaging video that tells your subject’s story in a compelling way (that is, not just “talking heads,” but “b rolls” that make what the talent/subject is talking about come alive visually, etc.). You will share your video with me and your fellow class participants via a blog site, and are also welcome to post it on a public you tube site if you