Planning Projects
Whether you're shooting a video, developing a Flash presentation, or creating a website, you need to develop the following.
Script
You should prepare scripts for your multimedia projects. The scripts may contain spoken or written text that will be included with images. Alternatively, you might prepare an outline, if you're planning a web site or text.
The structure of your script should include
a beginning (introduce the topic, people, situation, background),
a middle (the interview, significant documentary elements), and
an end (conclusion, recap, "lessons learned," commentary)
The Mechanics of Scripting
Scripts for films contain certain types of elements that can be useful in all types of multimedia presentations. Although the specifics vary across types (stage play, screenplay, television segment, documentary, Flash presentation, others), your script can include
- Information about scenes (slug lines)
- Information about characters/speakers
- Information about action
- Dialog
- Transitions (from one scene to the next)
- Notes (about dialog, camera angles and positions)
Proper formatting can assist you in ensuring that these elements are covered. Below are links to a sample and a template that follow formatting of film scripting.
Example (The Other Carla, one scene)
Storyboard
If your project includes video or animation you'll want to create a storyboard. Alternatively, you could create a structural diagram if you're planning a web site or other type of web-based material. For Websites that include other types of media, you might develop both.
Storyboarding allows you to work through scenes and action before committing anything to media. As you create a storyboard, you can think through an idea, visualize what it will look like on the screen (whether television, computer, or a portion of a program window), and consider the various "pieces" that you'll need to create your concept.
Pieces might include still images or clip art and chunks of text; video clips that you shoot with a digital camera or create with a tool such as Flash or Camtasia; audio that your record or obtain from a source; titles; diagrams—every visual and audio item that you need
Often during storyboarding, you'll find that you want to simplify some scenes, adjust others, and cut still others.
You don't have to be a great artist to storyboard. You can even use stick figures. Check out the example below:
Here's a sample storyboard for a scene in a video called The Other Carla. Here's the scene written in the script. You need both the storyboard and the script to develop a piece of video.
To create your storyboards, think of comic books. In a way, they are very elaborate storyboards.
- Block off rectangular areas on a sheet of paper or drawing board. (You can create your blocks on a computer and print out the pre-defined sheets.)
- Make sure that the shape of your blocks reflects the aspect ratio for which you're developing.
- Leave some space at the bottom of each block for notes about the scene, the shots, and the dialog.
- Note the scene number on each so that you can organize your boards. (Include a story board number if you have more than one storyboard per scene; i.e. Scene 1.A)
- Use any drawing media with which you're comfortable. Soft lead drawing pencils (B2 - B8) and artist erasers work quite well. If you use pencil, you might want to invest in a spray fixative to avoid smudging.
Programs such as PowerPoint can also be very useful for storyboarding.
Even if your production is "free-form" (an interview or documentary, for instance, in which you can't always anticipate every reaction) you can story board your concept to get a sense of the way you want to shoot the material. For example, if you're planning a taped interview, write your introduction, ending, and questions ahead. Plan your scenes, the shots that will be include in your scenes, and the people who will be included in the shots. Go to the Course Documents section of Blackboard and take a look at my video interview with Dan Dullea about video conferencing.
If you really want high quality storyboards for a professional project, it might be a good idea to work with an artist who can help you capture your ideas.
List of Resources
Include all the human, technology, and material items that that you'll need to complete your project.
Human resources. Depending on the type and scope of your project, you may need to elicit the assistance of other people.
If you're creating a video, for example, you may need "on-camera" people; people to run the cameras, help you set scenes and lights, and editors to help you create a finished piece from your film. (You would be the creator/director). (Read more about types of film personnel.)
If you're creating a multimedia website, you might need people to assist you with web design, database creation, streaming video, etc.
Technology. Decide what software tools you'll need to create your project. You may need more than one software package to accomplish what you want to do.
If you're shooting a video, you'll also need to decide on cameras, lights, mics, and computers for capturing and editing video. (See more in Basic Steps in Video Production)
Materials. Consider in advance all the additional resources you'll need to create your project, for example, video tape, storage media, props and wardrobe (if necessary).
Schedule
You'll need a schedule for your project, particularly if other people are involved in your development project. Beyond the scheduling and milestones traditionally needed for any development project, you'll also need to think in terms of a "shooting" schedule.
Test plan
You will want to test your multimedia presentation with users to make sure it serves the function for which it is intended. For example, if you create a Flash presentation to help people learn to do something, run it by users to make sure they can access it, understand it, and use it successfully.
Budget
I'm not going to get into budgeting in this course, but be aware that creating multimedia can be a more expensive endeavor than print media or website alone in the short term. If you work with multimedia, at some point you may need to think about the costs involved in development.