New Media’s First Assignment of the Quarter, due in 3 weeks

Informational Video 1-3 min. 90 sec, ideal. Program featured: SCCC’s informational technology department, which includes web design, operating systems (cisco) and networking.

The pitch:

Project: Information Overload: Information Technology at SCCC

Description: Journey of students and teachers, connections they make, the tools they use.

Goals: to demonstrate all the technology at SCCC featuring students and faculty using tools to connect, educate and learn.

How: Document commute, personal use of computers, classroom, teaching and other actions creating a quick cut montage featuring two or three story-lines in the life of information technology learning.

Post critique:

Tim and Doris thought this outline was too simple. My approach is always to have a general outline of what’s going to happen, and then things occur along the way to make it truly unique. It’s true that you cannot rely on chance to make a video good.

Marc and Chris said that it was a little too much (multiple storylines) and too bland (cut to wires, it’s like a bad commercial for IT). Robbie recommended addressing the issue of technology in a silent way, black and white is effective. Tim and I asserted that the overlays we had planned would make it cool and interesting. I mentioned “visual analogies” and Chris’ face lit up. So, we definitely need to run with that. As a side note: Never call your teachers old as an attempt to say that your idea is too hip. You’re usually wrong and they kind of smugly sit there while you waste your breath on some idea half or over baked.