Software Comparison

A friend of yours is new to movie making. They have a Mac and wonder about the differences between software choices. What do you tell them? For full credit for this week's blog, be sure to explain the similarities AND differences of iMovie HD, iMovie '08, and Final Cut Pro.

Final Blogging Assignment for Seniors

As you know, you have been piloting 24/7 Learning for us this past semester. Please give us some feedback to help make learning improve for OHS students in years to come.
The following survey will only take a few minutes of your time, and you only need to take it once. Thank you again for all your efforts in paving the way for 24/7 Learning at OHS!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=hrGo5DZiV94sBG7_2f8bQT8w_3d_3d

Your blogging is being read!

This is a message that I got this week from ScreenNation. Remember, when you publish to a blog, the world is hearing your voice! Make it COUNT!

Mrs. Morrow-
Just a quick note to that you for featuring ScreenNation as part of your classroom assignment.
The team here at the AFI ScreenEd Center got a lot out of reading your students' honest assessment of the new site. As we continue our roll-out many of their comments will inform how the site will look and feel.
I'm very interested in in they types of projects you are producing with your students. I hope you will encourage them to upload and exhibit on Screenantion. We plan to issue our first filmmaking challenge around the theme "Hometown Claim to Fame" early next week.
You can see how other educators have used filmmaking in their practice and shared them on ScreenNation.
Here is a playlist of Shakespeare adaptations
http://screennation.afi.com/playlists/20
Here is one of Frankenstein adaptations.
http://screennation.afi.com/playlists/22

Please stay in touch. Welcome to ScreenNation! Best Frank Guttler
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Frank J. Guttler
Associate Director
Screen Education Center
American Film Institute
2021 N. Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-856-7641
323-856-7875 f
www.afi.com
screennation.afi.com

Blog - Week of April 18th

Watch this video and blog about it. More points awarded for quality and quantity of insights.

Final Project - Documentaries

Everyone has a story to share.

Sometimes we fail to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Let's begin to brainstorm ideas for our final project - a mini-documentary on an issue or event of choice.

1) Please read the following short article:
Teenage filmmakers sharing a message:
http://www.edutopia.org/teenage-filmmakers

2)To change the world?
Browse through this site to spark some ideas:
http://www.mediarights.org/

3) Go to iTunes - iTunes Music Store- and search for Film School Online. Subscribe to the free podcast and download and listen to the episode called "Documentary Filmmaking Crash Course" (only a few minutes long)

4) Visit Angel for updated content including:
a) New Contests and Student Video Promotions
b) New Content folder for Documentaries with a page of topic suggestions

5) Respond to this blog with any possible ideas you are currently considering.

AFI ScreenNation

Another collective website for teenage moviemakers looks to be another positive resource for you budding filmmakers. It is called ScreenNation and I want you to check it out and share some things that you discover for this week's blog post. Visit http://screennation.afi.com/. Create an account, if you can. Browse through the videos. Click on the Challenges link. Any ideas for an entry from you? After your commercials you will have one more final movie project due. This site may give you some ideas. You could also post your previous productions to this site and get feedback from all over the globe. Finally, you should click on the "LEARN" link on the left side of the homepage and watch at least 2 of the teaching videos. Tell us what you learned in this week's blog post.

Creating Commercials

As we begin our next project, your blog assignment for the week is to spend some time studying commercials and the process of creating them.
Read a little at this site: http://advertisingprinciples.com/creating.html
And then read #4 and #5 on this site: http://www.entrepreneur.com/advertising/adsbytype/tvads/article168390.html

Finally, your REAL assignment:
Watch 1 hour of TV. Tell what channel, what time, and list all the commercials that you saw in that hour. Be thinking of techniques that you think would work in your commercial.

FlickSchool

We have viewed segments from FlickSchool before, but for this week's blog, I would like you to find some additional tips and advice from this great website. Visit http://web.mac.com/cinedelagente/, click on a few episodes of FlickSchool, and share what you learned.

SchoolTube

For this week's blog, please visit: www.schooltube.com and see what you think. Click on the Contests tab for sure as well as any other sections of the website you find interesting.

iCan! (Blog - Week #8)

This is not just a pun, but an actual student Film festival held every year in California. Click on the link to the student-produced movies here: http://www.sfett.com/html_movie/Ican/4.html
Notice that you can click on the numbers across the top to view additional years of entries. Watch as many as you like... then review at least one of them. What did you like, not like, wonder, etc... Pretend you are Siskel and Ebert and give your candid review. Make sure you leave us the URL so that we can go watch it as well!

"And the winner is..." Blog Week #7

With the Academy Awards shared last night on television, it is time to do Digital Media Current Events. Choose the one Oscar category in which you think you will have the best shot someday. In which category do you think you excel the most? (You can visit www.oscar.com if you would like.)Do a little additional research and teach us something about this year's winner in that category... or about past history in that category. It is up to you... but enlighten us a little with your knowledge of the famous Red Carpet ceremony and what it means to you.

"I want my MTV!"

The blog for Week #6 involves your ideas on music videos. Whether CMT, MTV, or YouTube, you have all watched your share of music videos. Tell about techniques you like, don't like, or are indifferent about. What captures your interest and makes you want to listen to the song even after you are away from your TV or computer? Let's share some ideas about video in the production of music videos.

Videographer's Perspective

It's Week #5 and everyone is learning a lot of new information. How is your view of moviemaking changing and evolving? Do you see certain things differently, have a different appreciation for digital media, or have new insight into movie production at this point? Just take a few minutes and compose a paragraph or so with your comments on how you are seeing things through your eyes right now.

From SuperBowl commercials to Shot Selection

Your blog post this week may take a little more work. Find a commercial that you can access online. Here are two links you may try: (I hope they aren't blocked by the filter... if they are, search for your own).

1. SuperBowl Commercials: http://www.superbowl-ads.com/

2. Classic Commercials: http://www.retrojunk.com/list_commercials.php

Now, post the link to the commercial and then write your "play-by-play" analysis of the shot selection that it uses. Obviously, if the commercial only has 1 or 2 different shots, it would not be a good choice for this assignment. Check on your fellow classmates... how well did they recognize the different shots we have been learning about in class?

GOOD LUCK!

Week #3: 24-7 Learning is Underway!

Ok... honest thoughts. You've finished one whole week with a MacBook by your side 24/7. What are your initial reactions to this whole initiative? Is it going to mean more work? more learning? more distractions? more opportunities? What does it feel like to be "cutting edge?" Were there more or less problems during the first week than you thought? What do you think will be the best thing about the rest of the school year with a MacBook? What do you think will be the worst thing about it? Any constructive criticism towards the teaching/administration end can be offered as long as we all understand that everything is a "work in progress" and we're all learning together! Anything else you wish to add on the topic of 24-7 Learning at O'Neill Public Schools would be great for this week's blog. For the SMH students, you can give your honest opinions looking in from the outside.

BONUS points this week for anyone who submits a MacBook picture to the KBRX website at: http://www.kbrx.com/macbook.htm SMH kids can substitute any photo with technology and submit it to me at mrsmorrow@mac.com

Week #2 Blog Post: Childhood Classics

Before we put you behind the lens, put yourself back in the audience. What was your favorite movie growing up? You know, the movie that you went to see 10 times in the theater and then purchased the VHS tape that you watched so much that you wore out. I can't name one, but I can name several: E.T., Ghostbusters, Footloose, Flashdance, and my all time favorite "The Sound of Music" all come to mind right away! Even though we grew up in different times, I think it safe to say that a movie classic is a classic forever. Do we hear any common Hollywood hits? Remember that a big part of your job as a moviemaker this semester is to be a movie-"watcher." Analyze, critique, and enjoy watching what you are learning about in life come to life on the big screen. And don't forget to leave your comments to this post to share some of your "Childhood Classics."

Digital Media Blog Post #1

Welcome to a new semester and a great new opportunity. This is the first time that a class like this has been offered in O'Neill and the first time you can receive credit through TANN for taking it. Digital Media looks to be a challenging, mind-stretching, enjoyable experience for all of us involved this semester. For your first blog post, please comment on your hopes, fears, and expectations of this course. What projects are you thinking about creating this semester? What types of learning will most directly mesh with your learning style? Finally, where do you think you will use the knowledge gained from Digital Media in your near or distant futures?

As with all blog postings, make sure that you leave your name on your comment and that you utilize good composition skills (including spell-check) before publishing.