Weeks 11-12 :: iMovie Extensions

v    Objectives

Students will be able to create iMovie films with still shots to demonstrate understanding of timing and layout design.

v  Standards

Student iMovies will be within 30 frames of either one minute or two minutes (student choice).  The still frames used will flow together to tell a meaningful story.  Students working in teams will work effectively and quietly together on a single computer.

v  Anticipatory Set

Everybody outside or to the school stage.  Two cameras, two laptops, several hats and wigs for props, and together each of two teams is going to tell the story of “middle school love.”  Crush, flirt, talk, notes, go-with-me, holding hands, exchanging sweatshirts, caught cheating, crushed, crush again.  In 10 pictures we are going to tell this story . . . each team has only 8 minutes to pose and take the photos, then we import them into iPhoto and play the slideshows.

v  Teaching

a.  Input

The instructional phase for this is primarily through discovery discussion.  Students already chose shot angles and layout intuitively, but now we go back and highlight each element of film design (rule of thirds, fades, cuts, pans) and discuss timing.  The art of storyboarding is also taught, though sketching is replaced with still descriptive words and photography for our purposes.

b.  Modeling

After discussing the theory of film layout, we will go back to the pictures that the two teams took and show them both on the digital overheads side by side.  Analyze which principles of design are evident, discuss how to improve.

c.  Check For Understanding

During the modeling phase, students are asked to reflect on design principles.  Also, before the teaching phase is over, camera checkout/checkin procedures need to be addressed.

v  Guided Practice/Monitoring

Students may choose to work alone or in pairs.  They will create a descriptive-word storyline and may sketch the 10-frame storyline if desired.  When this meets with teacher approval, they check out a camera and take their 10 shots.  Upload to computer and create simple slideshow in iPhoto before proceeding to edit the story in iMovie.

v  Closure

Review important points of layout and camera-work.  Remind students of the need to start with quality photos before going to the final phase of creating a polished photo story in iMovie.  Briefly review iMovie skills.

v  Independent Practice

Students continue to craft their photo sequences in iMovie.  Set a finish date for showing student-made videos.

The remainder of the week (once the still-frame project is completed) will be independent practice with motion video.  The process is identical, with approval needed to go from 1. Descriptive-word storyline to 2. 10 still shots to 3. Motion footage.