What do I have to do?
In this assignment you will create a feature story with photos (800 words and at least 3 photos) and a short video (2 min). You will also need to submit some planning material.
To support this assignment, we will be learning skills in feature story writing for the web, basic photo editing, and introductory skills in video storytelling.
You will develop some skills in multi-media production, including storyboarding, audio, image use, visual literacy, and video production and editing.
What is the topic?
Select a business in Kamloops OR a type of activity/tourism industry popular in Kamloops (such as wine tours, hiking, mountain biking, sports tournaments, skiing, etc.).
Your task is to promote your business or activity to a general audience through the media. You want people to know why they should come to Kamloops for this particular business or activity. What’s special, unique and interesting about your business/activity? What will visitors get to experience? Who will really enjoy this?
Imagine that your Story and your Video will be published on the web by Tourism Kamloops. They might be published, for example, on a national newspaper’s website or even just on the Tourism Kamloops website for all to see!
What are the details?
A) Feature Story with Photos
Your story should tell a story and, in the process, promote your chosen topic. It’s not enough to just write information about your topic (like a guidebook). This time, you need to find a unique story or angle to focus on. You might base this on your own experiences and/or on interviews as well as any other research you might do. If you quote information from others, be sure to quote it accurately and include a reference or link.
Support your story with at least 3 photos. You must take these photos yourself! You can be creative in how you connect the photos to the story; they can illustrate points that you are making, add additional information or simply set the tone. It’s up to you.
Skills include: professional writing, writing for the web, and effective photo editing.
Instructions:
Part 1– Planning your project
• Goal. What is the goal of your story? What do you need the reader to know by the end?
• Audience. Who is the likely audience for this information? How will this shape the style and content of your story?
• Core Information. Do you have all the information and details you want to include? Where will you get this information? Do you know how to cite information if you take it form somewhere else?
• Outline. Produce a point form outline of your story in the outline template. From this, you can start writing.
Part 2 – Writing the Story
• Introduction. Hook your reader and draw them into the story. What will they learn and why will it be engaging and useful?
• Body Paragraphs. Provide the information in well-organized and small paragraphs.
• Conclusion. Write a short conclusion that tells the reader what to do next.
• Revise your writing to ensure it is professional and grammatically accurate.
• Consider a tone and style suitable to your topic.
Part 3 – Collecting and Editing the Photos
• Select Photos. Gather 3 photos that resonate with your story.
• Editing. Edit your photos so they are aesthetically pleasing.
• Placement. Try to place photos is logical ways through the story.
Part 4 – Submission
• Submit your story as a PDF on Moodle
B) Promotion Video
In this assignment, your task is to produce a 2-minute video.
Your video will promote the business or tourism activity you have chosen to feature. The goal is to make a story that will engage an audience, expand their curiosity and knowledge of this Kamloops business or tourism activity, and want to come to participate themselves. Aim to avoid a simple montage piece that shows the activity – tell a story! You might showcase a particular event, interview interesting people, or follow someone as they experience the activity. It’s up to you!
Tech Skills:
Work with multiple video clips to compose a thoughtful story. Consider a diverse range of video to draw on. You do not have to include interview, but you should have multiple video sources of some kind:
• Interviews – offer different perspectives and points of view to generate curiosity or emotional response in your viewer.
• Video Narrative – your own voice – synthesizing information, explaining points or issues and offering transition
• B-Roll video for background context and information. You can have this with audio narrative or audio interview over top.
Submit:
• Competed video uploaded to YouTube and link pasted to Moodle.
• Storyboard
Instructions:
- Pre-Production
a. Plan the story idea – what is the focus of the story? What question will you ask? How will you engage the viewer’s curiosity? What do you want them to know from the video?
b. Prepare a working storyboard for your video
c. Prepare interview questions if necessary. - Production
a. Leave lots of time to gather video. Use all the suggestions and tips covered in class. Gather more video than you think you will need!
b. Record any additional transition video or audio that you might need to link segments together.
c. Use a media log to take notes of what you have and where you can fit it into your project. - Post-Production
a. Outline and organize your video clips roughly according to your storyboard outline. Modify outline to include any unanticipated footage that you want.
b. Edit material into a complete video package.
c. Produce the final video. Instructions in Class. We will host our videos on YouTube and paste links to Moodle.
Sample Solution
