Maddie Schneider

Growth 2013-2014

The Beginning: 
I first started e-Comm my Sophomore year, and it was scary transitioning into a new school. And I would defiantly say that I have learned so much since then.  I started off not knowing how to use the Final Cut Pro program very well to knowing how to use it sufficiently well.

After ending Sophomore year, a very eye-opening experience I came into Junior year thinking that I knew everything and that his semester was going to be a breeze. But there are so many things I have learned about Video, Editing, Communication, Journalism, etc.

The Tricaster:
One major focus that I have learned this semester was learning how to use the tricaster. The tricaster is our production system that helps us shoot our new show ONW NOW. 

We came in the new year with a brand new studio and a brand new production system. Since it was new us, the students had to figure out how to use it ourselves. It was cool playing around with it and seeing what it could do.

The main people that contributed the most and helped gain more knowledge about how to use it was two students from our class. From that they helped me learn how to use it more. I learned how to import export videos, use transitions, switch from camera to camera, play packages,  record the show, etc.

6-shot System and Sequencing:
This year I have gained extensive knowledge to make my videos better through the 6 shot system and using sequencing.

The 6-shot system is a  is a variety of shots together to explain what a subject is doing. The shots include: Close-up of Hands, Close-up of face, Medium, Over the shoulder, Wide and Extra Wide. This system of shots will help your video be more interesting by including shots that catch the eye and have an emotional appeal.

Sequencing is another way to make your video more interesting. Sequencing is when you gather a variety from shots (usually including the 6-shot system) that are all of the same person, object, place or thing and putting them so that it diminishes time and make your video make more sense.

My video about the ELL (English Language Learning) class includes the 6-shot system and sequencing.

Storytelling:
The most important thing I have learned this year was storytelling. A key component apart of your video making process is having a story to tell, if your not telling a story what is the point of your video. Storytelling brings an emotional appeal, it brings you closer to the protagonist or antagonist. It makes you involved in to the video and help root for the character. Storytelling is what separates a good video from a bad one.

When marketing you want to appeal to the audience, a good story and characters can make or break if they may like your video or something your trying to portray.

Stories can help produce a message, stories can make your story unique, they can motivate your audience towards a goal, they can make your viewers emotionally attached, stories are least likely to be shared than resisted, and  they can shape information into something meaningful.

Goals for the Future: 

I hope in the future I can develop my video packages better by having better shots that help portray the story better as you can say get more "artsy" shots. This will help enhance my videos to be more interesting and interesting to catch the eye. 

I also hope that in the future I can learn more about using the tricaster and being able to make our show better by that skill. From that we can gain better knowledge of transition and studio sets. as well as getting better story ideas.

Maddie "Snipper" strikes again!

Why Maddie Schneider?:
With her High School Career ending,  Maddie Schneider has great experiences and stories she tells us through the perspective of her seasons.

Schneider will be attending University of Maryland in Baltimore County next Fall playing on there school volleyball team.

Schneider tells us that she was nominated for Sunflower Player of the Year, First Team All League, All Tournament Team and Player of the year. Maddie states that she is "Most proud of Player of the Year" since last year she was co-player of the year.

Production Process:
Knowing the volleyball Team has brought on great pride for the team getting 2nd in state after breaking there win last year of 4th, it was logical that a feature story about a player.

Coming in I decided to start off getting an interview from Maddie and asking her about her career. Like where she's played,  where she's going to school at, her awards... and more.



I then proceeded to get old footage of her playing from our sports informational class (SID).

Putting it all together with the footage of her playing throughout her season took a while to go through but after that the project took less time to finish.

Learning Process: 
I would definitely say using sequence is a big push in the class making sure the package makes sense would be an overall goal. Using the 6 shot system has been also a big push for the class as well.

In this package it was hard to get different shots because I was pulling in old footage.


What I Would Do Differently:
Next time I would definitely get b-roll of her in the classroom pulling in her as a student with her life as an athlete. I would also have her pull in pictures of her young and playing volleyball or previous pictures of her and her team.

Wrap It Up:
This package was overall achieved the goal I was aiming for, I wanted to incorporate Schneider's awards she has won and how it was a great honor.

I also wanted to show a girl and her pursuit to reach her goals and the handwork she's put in to get to where she is now.

Lets give props to these fantastic students

What is prop box?
Prop Box is an award to the students of Olathe Northwest who do good deeds throughout the school.
The winners include Lloyd Lantz, John Mestemacher and Mallory Newcomb.

Lantz returned money to the office when the vending machine gave him more than needed. Mestemacher gave the next couple students free donuts by letting them keep his 4 dollar change. Newcomb helped out a fellow raven by returning their visa card to the office.

Production Process:
I started off going to each student and scheduling an interview date with them. I then developed my questions for the interview.

I wanted to go for a different feel for this video by incorporating a different technique into it.  I had each three students start to tell their story then cut to all the students telling the middle of their story then finally them telling the end of their story.

Learning Process:
I have learned from this video that there are several different ways you can construct your video. You don't always have to go to the boring guidelines of listing of names, you can get more creative and think of several different ways you can make your video.

I also learning how quick you can make your video when your organized and have everything planned out.

What I Would Do Differently:
What I would have waned to go differently was some of the students to have better answers to the questions. unfortunately i cant make them say more but I can suggest it for future interviews.

I would also next time get b-roll. I probably would have to stage the b-roll so get the students out of class longer.

I would also change the interview places and set them up in a different place.


Wrap It Up:
Overall the scope of my project was a success. I completed the project getting the winners across in a more creative way. I would do this package the same again next time because it was not as boring as previous prop box videos.

5 Tips for Awesome Interviews

1. Plan for your Interview:

When you start the process of making a story a main focus of having a successful story that is completed on time,  is to plan and prepare. Plan: plan Who your going to interview and how many your going to do, plan where you are going to set up the interview and plan for it to fit the situation of your story. Plan your questions when interviewing. You don't want to go to an interview and take up their time and your own just thinking of questions to ask.

2. Prepare for your interview: 

When you are going to start your interview you don't want to be unprepared an have no equipment or anything set up. Make sure you are prepared to have your camera, SD card, battery, tripod, lights, sound...etc.

3. Have Good Lighting:
When starting your interview you want to have good lighting. When starting your interview make sure you pick a place that has good lighting. To make sure your lighting is the best use natural light. Look through the eye piece to look for true color.  Also make sure to white balance your camera.

4. Remember the Rule of Thirds:

When setting up the interview you want you make the shot is not perfectly centered. The Rule of thirds means the plane is cut up into thirds horizontally and vertically. When deciding where to the place the subject use the imaginary lines to your advantage. This will add depth to your shot and not make it so boring to watch.


5. Keep Quiet and away from Distractions: 
In the process of shooting your video keep away from a noisy or distracting place. You need to have good sound bytes in order to have that don't pick a loud place to interview. A noisy place may also distract your subject.

Prop Box Reflection:

The Scope of the project was to inform the Olathe Northwest Student Body of the October Prop Box nominees and winners and How they got to be nominated because of there acts of kindness around the school.

The Start of the production was getting a sheet of paper with a list of names of who was the October nominees and winners. Next we researched video styles to make are video like. So my partner and I decided to go up to the winners rooms and set up an interview date. Next we shot all the interviews and edited the video to be up on ONW Now.

I learned there are different ways you can edit your video story. The way we did it was we had 3 stories and we started of telling the beginning of each 3 stories then started to tell the middle of each the 3 stories and finally tell the ending of each 3 stories. I learned that you don't always have to stick to the book format you can get creative and do it a different way.

What I would do different next time would be get more sound bytes from the interviews. some didn't have good quotes or much to say so I would create more questions that articulate a longer better sounding answer. I would also set up the interview spot in a more interesting place.

What I would do same would be to do the same style. I liked the way we created a different type of video that was different in format I liked the way the video was made and how it was unique. It helped make a not so interested story, interesting to watch.

This will help me next time to make lots of questions so that you can have many answers to choose from because some may not be good. So next interview I will be prepared for that. Next interview will include a different interesting background which will enhance the story even more.

6 shot system

The 6 shot system is a variety of shots together explaining what a subject is doing through the use of sequence. Sequence is where you have b-roll of a subject doing something but cutting to shots (of the 6 shot system). This helps gain clarity and no confusing when watching your video it also helps create a nice flow. When using the 6 shot system remember to use the 180 rule. The 180 rule is when shooting, stay on one side of the subject remembering to not cross the 180 line. This decreases the amount of confusion when developing and watching your video.

Close up of Hands:
Why: To explain what the subject is doing.

Close up of Face:
Why: To gain a emotional attachment with the subject.

Over the shoulder
Why: To show the point of view.

Medium shot:
Why:

Wide Shot:
Why: Reveal the environment.

Extra Wide Shot:
Why: Establishing shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEoKccYnv_4&feature=youtu.be