Why Gooses* make Flipping Useless Librarians, but Great Educators Using edutainment & humour to bang the message home Gareth J Johnson: WTE & University of Leicester UC&R/CoFHE Conference 2008, Liverpool * Yes not geese…

Face Front True Believers Introduction

Introduction

Comedy is Easy, Dying is Hard What makes comedy? “ a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. ” (wikipedia) “ Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die. " (Mel Brooks) “ Monkeys and skulls – the essence of comedy!” (Billy West)

What makes comedy?

“ a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict. ” (wikipedia)

“ Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die. " (Mel Brooks)

“ Monkeys and skulls – the essence of comedy!” (Billy West)

Comedy Is All About… Timing – Short, punchy Counterpoints Reversal of expectations Physical antics Animals Silly words Subjective

Timing – Short, punchy

Counterpoints

Reversal of expectations

Physical antics

Animals

Silly words

Subjective

But how can it be Educational? Breaks the ice Change of focus raises attention levels Serious messages can be sugar coated Reinforcement of message through demonstration Gives speakers a moment’s respite Post hoc viewing aids retention and recall

Breaks the ice

Change of focus raises attention levels

Serious messages can be sugar coated

Reinforcement of message through demonstration

Gives speakers a moment’s respite

Post hoc viewing aids retention and recall

Losing the Plot Basic screenwriting technique helps but not essential Plot & shooting template Helps plan themes, messages and locations Lists required props and stage requirements Script templates Words and motions Uses a simplified screen writing format Let’s look at an example From script to screen

Basic screenwriting technique helps but not essential

Plot & shooting template

Helps plan themes, messages and locations

Lists required props and stage requirements

Script templates

Words and motions

Uses a simplified screen writing format

Let’s look at an example

From script to screen

Video 1 Data Protection

Timing is everything Creation takes a non-trivial amount of time For a 3-5 minute movie Gets easier with practice Careful ambitions don’t outstrip ability! 2-3 hours Editing/SFX 1-2 hours Set-up/Filming 1-2 hours Plotting/Scripting

Creation takes a non-trivial amount of time

For a 3-5 minute movie

Gets easier with practice

Careful ambitions don’t outstrip ability!

Hardware Video Camera formats include Hard drive or Flash DV and MiniDV tape Mini DVD-R or DVD-RAM £150-500 for a reasonable mark Sony DCR-SR52E 30Gig HD model Carl Zeiss Lens, zoom, IR function etc Decent PC/Mac to process

Video Camera formats include

Hard drive or Flash

DV and MiniDV tape

Mini DVD-R or DVD-RAM

£150-500 for a reasonable mark

Sony DCR-SR52E

30Gig HD model

Carl Zeiss Lens, zoom, IR function etc

Decent PC/Mac to process

Software Plenty of cheap but good software Windows Movie Maker Basic but ok Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11 Choice of the professional! Adobe Premier Elements Vista issues Personal preference rules More expensive suites available E.g. Pro versions of Corel and Adobe’s products

Plenty of cheap but good software

Windows Movie Maker

Basic but ok

Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11

Choice of the professional!

Adobe Premier Elements

Vista issues

Personal preference rules

More expensive suites available

E.g. Pro versions of Corel and Adobe’s products

Who Watches the Watchmen? Groups of 3/4 Outline movie concept [ Plot Template ] Think about What is your movie’s core concept? (in 10 words) What is the central message you want to pass on? (in 25 words or less!) Next… Plan 2/3 scenes (or more) [ Plot Template ] Sketch opening 3/4 lines of dialogue Think about What cast, sets & locations would you need? 5 mins 10 mins

Groups of 3/4

Outline movie concept [ Plot Template ]

Think about

What is your movie’s core concept? (in 10 words)

What is the central message you want to pass on? (in 25 words or less!)

Next…

Plan 2/3 scenes (or more) [ Plot Template ]

Sketch opening 3/4 lines of dialogue

Think about

What cast, sets & locations would you need?

Share & Enjoy Your ideas… Concept Message Opening line… Your challenges…

Your ideas…

Concept

Message

Opening line…

Your challenges…

Tips of the Iceberg Careful of information overload One or two core messages only Short and sweet Videos aren’t generally interactive The longer the movie…the more complex the editing & the more time consuming the shoot Clarity, pacing and engagement Keep them ever in mind! A spotlight is a must have aid

Careful of information overload

One or two core messages only

Short and sweet

Videos aren’t generally interactive

The longer the movie…the more complex the editing & the more time consuming the shoot

Clarity, pacing and engagement

Keep them ever in mind!

A spotlight is a must have aid

Forthcoming Attractions If you don’t want to become a Spielberg Plenty of suitable material on YouTube If you don’t want to make a movie – why not a vodcast? Leicester experimenting – not comedy though After today Reflect on any movie skills you lack? Where/how might you use movies? Try expanding your idea to a 1 minute script Come talk with me over the conference (or afterwards) for further advice!

If you don’t want to become a Spielberg

Plenty of suitable material on YouTube

If you don’t want to make a movie – why not a vodcast?

Leicester experimenting – not comedy though

After today

Reflect on any movie skills you lack?

Where/how might you use movies?

Try expanding your idea to a 1 minute script

Come talk with me over the conference (or afterwards) for further advice!

Video 2 Conference Survival Tips

Contact Details Gareth J Johnson Information Librarian (Physical & Bio Sciences) Tel 0116 252 2055 Mail [email_address] University of Leicester David Wilson Library University Road Leicester LE1 9QD Weasel Televisual Enterprises (WTE) Web www.youtube.com/llordllama Tel 07786433103 Mail [email_address] Twitter http://twitter.com/llordllama Facebook http://tinyurl.com/5khq26

Gareth J Johnson

Information Librarian

(Physical & Bio Sciences)

Tel

0116 252 2055

Mail

[email_address]

University of Leicester

David Wilson Library

University Road

Leicester

LE1 9QD

Weasel Televisual Enterprises (WTE)

Web

www.youtube.com/llordllama

Tel

07786433103

Mail

[email_address]

Twitter

http://twitter.com/llordllama

Facebook

http://tinyurl.com/5khq26

References Costello, John. (2006). Writing a screenplay 2 nd edn, Pocket Essentials Julia Cresswell (2000) The penguin dictionary of clichés Penguin Group, London Maria C Novelly (1985) Theatre Games for Young Performers Meriweather Publishing Ltd, Colarado Springs Wikipedia (2008). Comedy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedy (accessed 27/May/2008) Raymond G Frensham (1996) Screenwriting, Hodder Headline Plc, London

Costello, John. (2006). Writing a screenplay 2 nd edn, Pocket Essentials

Julia Cresswell (2000) The penguin dictionary of clichés Penguin Group, London

Maria C Novelly (1985) Theatre Games for Young Performers Meriweather Publishing Ltd, Colarado Springs

Wikipedia (2008). Comedy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedy (accessed 27/May/2008)

Raymond G Frensham (1996) Screenwriting, Hodder Headline Plc, London