Multimedia Project, Instructions, Engl 3050 Literature and the Environment, Spring 2020, O'Donnell, ETSU

Multi Media Project--Instructions

Engl 3050 Lit & the Environment Spring 2020

Kevin O'Donnell, instructor

last updated: January 13, 2020

I. Overview with Examples

This semester, you will create a 2 to 4 minute audio file, convert it to an MP4 video file, and publish it on youtube. The basic formula I have in mind is this: 1) Introduce a short lyric poem, with some of your own commentary; 2) read/ perform the poem; 3) then sign off.

Here's a youtube playlist of projects that students did in this class last spring, in response to basically the same assignment:

- Sadness and Celebration: ETSU students read poems and comment. Lit & Environment class, Kevin O'Donnell, instructor; April 2019. Youtube playlist, 10 videos.

Another model is what Garrison Keillor did for his "The Writer's Almanac" radio spots. Here are three examples:

- Writer's Almanac, Feb 12, 2016. Jesse Graves, "AM Radio". Running time: 5:00. www.writersalmanac.org/index.html%3Fp=7484.html

- Writer's Almanac, Apr 7, 2017. Wordsworth, "It is a Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free". Running time: 5:00. www.writersalmanac.org/index.html%3Fp=9782.html

- Writer's Almanac, Sep 17, 2017. Mary Oliver, "Morning in a New Land." Running time: 5:00. www.writersalmanac.org/index.html%3Fp=10677.html

II. Assignment Goals

The purpose of the assignment is to give you experience with...

- producing multimedia,

- using keywords, titles, and categories to find audiences on the internet,

- using software tools to record and edit audio and video files.

III. Assignment Sequence

You will submit the assignment in a sequence of 6 steps -- steps "A" thru "F", as described here, below. I will record a check mark every time you submit an assignment step on time. (See calendar for due dates.) However, only the final project will be graded.

A. Proposal. Due Weds Feb 5.

You'll write a memo, to me and your classmates, proposing a poem that you'd like to read. In your proposal, address these questions: Why and how did you choose that particular poem? In what ways does it speak to you? What are some of the things you might discuss in your commentary?

B. Script, with poetry text. Due Monday Feb 17.

You don't need a formal script. I myself do best when extemporizing. I just get into the mind set of talking to a friend, and try to concentrate on what I'm talking about. However, some people are more comfortable reading from a straight-up script. Whether or not you'll read from a fully prepared script, you'll want to include notes for your intro and your sign off, and include the text of the poem you'll read.

1. Intro: Should clearly introduce the topic in the first line.

2. Sign off: How will you identify yourself? Will you use a stage name? Do you have a verbal sign-off tag that you want to identify yourself with. (ETSU's president, for example, always signs off with, "Godspeed, and Go Bucs". Garrison Keillor's sign off is "be well, do good work, keep in touch." I wanted my own sign-off tag to be "where-ever you are, I hope this finds you there," but I flubbed it.)

C. Music and image to accompany your reading. Due Weds Feb 26.

1. The Free Music Archive -- freemusicarchive.org -- has a lot of free, non-copyrighted music that you can mix with your voice recording, for the final product. Go to that archive, choose something that you like, and download it.

2. Decide which still image you want to accompany your video. Produce the image yourself, or download a noncopyrighted image.

D. Text that will accompany your youtube posting; and keywords. Due Weds March 11.

Look at any youtube video, and under the title you will see some descriptive text and the words "SHOW MORE." If you click on "show more," you'll see the full text that the poster included with the vid.

For this "step D" of the assignment, you'll submit to me a printout of the text you plan to post there on youtube, to accompany your audio/ video. You'll also include your title, keywords, and category. For more about those important concepts, read the "YouTube SEO" article at the bottom of this page.

Also include credits for text, still images, and music that will accompany your recording.

E. Recording and editing process. We will visit the AT recording studio in Campus Center room 303 on Weds Feb 19, during class time.

By enrolling in this course, you'll be licensed to use the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite, which includes Audition, which is a nice sound recording and editing tool. If this is something you're comfortable doing on your own, you can record and edit your own sound file, using Audition -- or you can use any other audio software that you're comfortable with, for that matter. Or, if you're comfortable recording but not editing, you can record your voice, and then pass the audio file off to me to edit. Or I can do both the recording and editing with you, on campus.

Another option: You can read/ perform in front of a live audience at the monthly poetry open-mic in Johnson City, which is the third Wednesday of every month, 7-9pm at the Down Home in Johnson City. I can record that, and edit it into a sound file that you can use for this project. Also, we'll hold a few class sessions at the University Woods Gazebo, on campus. You might choose to record your piece, with other class members there as an audience, at the gazebo. We'll talk about these options in class.

F. Final MP4 file, posted on YouTube. Due Mon Apr 6.

You are required to post your own MP4 multimedia file to YouTube. In order to do that, you will need a google account (basically a Gmail account). You can use an existing account that you already have, or you might choose to create a separate Google account for this project.

I use the Adobe Premiere, or the Adobe Rush Premiere, video editing software, available to you as part of the Creative Cloud suite, to convert audio files to MP4 video format with a still image. You may use that software, or any other sound and video editing software that you're comfortable with.

You will upload the resulting MP4 file to YouTube, and then email me the link, in order to complete the project.

IV. Related readings

- "YouTube SEO: How to Optimize Videos for YouTube Search," by Amanda Zantal-Wiener, blog.hubspot.com/marketing/youtube-seo. Published May 31, 2017, updated April 23 2018. This site is a blog for HubSpot, an internet marketing company. SEO means "search-engine optimization," and refers to a set of practices designed to find an audience for materials posted on the internet.

- "Adobe Audition CC Tutorial for Beginners - Getting Started," by Mike Russell. Apr 19, 2018. Running time: 13:45. www.youtube.com/watch?v=en3qUvJG42s&t=725s