CS2C Video Pre-Production Project

You're going to make a short and polished video (between 1-3 minutes) that contains a visual reference to "CS2C". Since we've gotten hundreds of these over the years, we'd like you to spend a bit of time to plan and create a compelling and original video. To start, it may not be the typical infomercial, which is usually just a talking head who tries to sound really enthusiastic about a product but doesn't really require very much creativity in terms of camera work and video editing.

Think about one of your favorite TV show or movie genres -- How might you produce a movie trailer for a mystery / action flick or gameshow? How would you create a mockumentary or reality TV show, and what would be its premise? You can browse through this list of film/video genres to get some more ideas.

For the purposes of this assignment, minimize the dialogue and text/titles needed to drive the story forward. The action and shot selection on screen should tell the story. Also, while we love music videos, we have to uniformly reject music videos that involve copyrighted material that is used without permission, so proceed with caution if you're thinking about that. Finally, if your final video ends up being over 3 minutes, it will be returned to you for further trimming and editing before it can be accepted.

Here are some examples of ideas that could be done in a 1-3 minute video production:  

"Student in the dining hall sees 'CS2C' spelled out in his spoonful of Alpha-bits and his plate of vegetables, then accidentally spills his milk, which also ominously spells out 'CS2C'. Student wakes up startled from this nightmare, and sees his Post-It note on his alarm clock reminding him to sign up for CS2C the next day, which allows him to go back to sleep with a smile."  

"Original gangsta rap 'bout growing up in da hood and takin' CS2C, featuring the bumpin' beats of DJ Phat Mac composed in GarageBand. In the video, we'll alternate between gritty urban settings and shiny computer spaces."  

"Trailer for reality TV show Extreme Photoshop Makeover, where participants acquire a whole new fashion wardrobe and home renovation, all from the comfort of their computer. Wide shot at end shows the revamped dorm room has 'CS2C' painted boldly across its main wall and the residents looking really pleased."

Part 1: The Demand Grid

We want you to develop a wealth of ideas to kickstart the pre-production process, and then refine the best ideas. To do that, generate a Demand Grid of at least 32 ideas on what your video might be about.

• It can be a grid, a list, or a mindmap, or any other brainstorming format you prefer. You will need to turn in some representation of your Demand Grid in CourseWork. (Photo or scan is fine so long as it's highly legible and not blurry.)
• It may help to start with genre(s) and then generate ideas from there. 
• At this stage, the sky's the limit, so write down whatever comes to mind -- possible settings, characters, props, etc. -- You never know if a random and seemingly silly idea may turn into something pivotal for your project! Individual ideas don't have to be more than keywords for elements you might want to incorporate in your video.
• Generate ideas on how you will work in a visual reference to CS2C. It does not have to be literally about the class. "CS2C" can be a secret password jotted on a notepad, or the name adorning the top of a building, or the name of the Chef's Special on a menu, so long as it is easily found in the video. (The CS2C reference should not just be on a title or text screen.) 

Part 2: The Pitch

Once you have generated 32 or more ideas on your Demand Grid, start to combine and refine them. Then take the most viable ideas and develop a one or two-sentence pitch/synopsis for your video idea with details that inform a viewer what they would expect to see. Ambitious ideas are great, but now also keep in mind the actual tools and equipment you realistically have at your disposal. Don't get too invested in doing an intergalactic battle scene between CS2C students and the Forces of Evil unless you have access to a starship and/or a computer graphics team to back you up.

The most effective pitches will include specific details about settings, characters, props, etc., and of course, the basic story line.

Part 3: The Storyboard

Check out the Storyboarding tutorial for an overview of the concepts and tools required for this assignment. Then create a storyboard for your video idea, incorporating some techniques as described in this Cinematic Storytelling PDF. There should be 9 additional frames in the storyboard for each additional member in your group. We encourage you to use the "16x9, 3-Up template" PDF or the "16x9, 9-Up template" PDF to ensure your frames are the correct aspect ratio for widescreen video. 5"x3" Post-It Notes also make a very good storyboarding medium, especially because you can easily rearrange and insert scenes as you see fit. Whatever you end up using, scan it in or take a photo (make sure the photos come out clearly). Make a ZIP file of your storyboard files and upload as directed in Coursework.

Assignment grading criteria:

• Your Demand Grid contains at least 32 ideas. Quantity is the main quality we want to see at this stage.
• Your 1-to-2 line concept pitch is specific and detailed regarding settings, characters, and basic story line.
• Storyboard has 9 frames or more for each group member involved. (So for a group of 3, there should be at least 27 frames.) There should be:
  • a variety of shots (wide, middle, close-up, etc.) used to show the camera/viewer's point-of-view (POV). Feel free to use basic line drawings or stick figures, but try to pay attention to proportions and relationships.
  • indicators of the setting or background. Where are we? Are we in an office or a zoo? Who are the characters and what shoud we notice about them? Are we seeing the point-of-view of a giant looking down from a tower or a mouse looking out from a hole in the wall? Is it daytime or nighttime?
  • indicators of motion if appropriate. What direction are the objects moving? What direction is the camera moving? Is the camera going to zoom in for a closer look? Feel free to draw arrows to help show motion.
  • focus on key shots. Don't just draw the same two shots over and over again of two people dialoging. We want to see a storyboard, not a comic strip. Think about establishing shots, detail shots, and other angles that will add interest to your video and reveal important story elements.
  • Exclude title/text screens and minimize dialogue. For this project, focus on using the visuals to tell the story. This isn't a skit or a PowerPoint presentation -- it's a movie! Don't "waste" frames of your storyboard showing just the title or credits or the same two people talking back and forth. The storyboard should have at least nine key shots for your movie.
  • Some visual reference to CS2C. It can be brief or vague. For example, it could just be a shot of vegetables that spell out "CS2C," or a mysterious box labeled "CS2C." Or you could actually set the movie in the context of CS2C, the class. It's up to you. The idea is that we want viewers to be curious about, "What is CS2C?"
• Do NOT submit a script or outline of your project (though you are welcome to create them if you like for your own planning). We want to see a storyboard that details the camera's POV.
• Included relevant text to explain the shots. You don't need to include the dialogue that's happening in each frame, but rather, descriptions and directions that would help the camera operator.
• Apparent effort.

Storyboards are a work in progress. It may be returned to you for further refining. Do not start shooting your video until your storyboard has been reviewed by a Digital Media Consultant, revised, and approved in CourseWork.