Project: Movie Promo

Project 1: Movie Promo

Assignment

Using Final Cut and the footage provided, create a promotional spot (ad) for the assigned movie.

Specifications:

Size: 720 x 480 (default Final Cut size)

Length: minimum 30 seconds; maximum 2 minutes.

Due Date: week 4

Deliverables: rendered Quicktime file (including a slate), NOT the project file!

Procedure

I will provide you with clips from a movie. Put them all in a safe spot on your computer (such as the Documents folder), and then DON"T MOVE THEM.

Open a new project in Final Cut. Import the video clips (you can drag the clip folders right into the project window).

Watch all the clips that you have been provided. Look for eye-catching movements, dramatic expressions, exciting sequences, breath-taking vistas, whatever would look good in a short promo. Note that a given clip might have several such usable bits. Make notes (you can add notes right in the project window).

The movie studio logo must go first. Place it into the timeline intact (don't shrink it or alter it in any way)

Lay the provided piece (or pieces) of music into the timeline (you may want to use sound channels 5 & 6). The music could play "under" the logo or start afterwards—I'll leave that to you.

Start adding clips to the timeline. Note that the clips may be too small to fil the canvas (I will probably give you clips that are 320 x 240, the project window is 720 x 480). Stretch the clips to fill the canvas window. Here are some other hints:

Don't use whole clips—just short, visually interesting moments. Most should last only a second or two.
Let the music be your guide. Start and end clips on the beats in the music. Serene music should be matched with serene (pleasant, happy) clips. Frenzied music should be accompanyed by edgier, more intense clips. If there is a particularly dramtic moment in the music, use an especially dramatice visual. If the pace of the music is slow, use longer clips; if the pace of the music quickens, use more (shorter) clips.
Clips need not occur in chronological order. In fact, it usually works best to jump around, especially in rapid-fire, fast-paced sections of the promo.
Don't forget the main title! It usually goes last, or very near the end.

To watch a play-back you may have to build a preview. To make a preview, select the clips you wish to watch and then hit command-R.

The penultimate step is to include a slate (see example). Create the slate in the title window. In the timeline, move your entire piece to the right two seconds and insert your slate at the beginning.

Render your promo as a Final Cut (Quicktime) movie. Go to FILE>EXPORT>FINAL CUT MOVIE. Make sure the "make self-contained" option is checked.

Once it is rendered let me know; I will collect it on my hard-drive.

Grading Rubric

Grading Scale
4 3.7	A A–	Portfolio quality work.
3.3 3 2.7	B+ B B–	Above average student work.
2.3 2 1.7	C+ C C–	Average student work. Meets the minimum requirements of the project.
1.3 1 .7	D+ D D–	Below average work.
0	F	Incomplete or very poor.

Grading Scale

3.7

A–

Portfolio quality work.

3.3

2.7

B+

B–

Above average student work.

2.3

1.7

C+

C–

Average student work. Meets the minimum requirements of the project.

1.3

D+

D–

Below average work.

Incomplete or very poor.

Base Grade
Categories	Factor	Points
Creativity / use of clips & naration	x4	0–16
Pacing / synchronization to the music	x3	0–12
Cleanliness of edits (no blank frames, etc)	x1	0–4
Audio mix (volume, audio balance)	x2	0–8
Adjustments
Missing slate		–2
Missing movie studio logo and/or title		–5 ea.
Too short or too long (< 30 seconds or > 2 min)		–.1/sec
Missed deadline		-10/week

VCA221 Multimedia I

Project 1: Movie Promo

Assignment

Specifications:

Procedure

Grading Rubric

See a sample slate.

See samples of student work.

Class schedule

Syllabus

Student resource index