A Blueprint for Success – Your Video Pre-Production (Coursera)

Course 1 of 3 in the The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization.

What You Will Learn

- Identify equipment and software needs to create video that maintains high production value.

- Develop ideas for a visual story in a written document called a program proposal.

- Compare narrative structures used to tell visual stories.

- Conceive storyboards, write treatments and scripts.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Introduction and Gear Recommendations

The start of this module begins with an Introduction to Video Production and to the instructors. You will learn about the most common terms used by industry professionals when describing the elements to your video production. You will also learn to identify the equipment and software needs that will produce video with high production value. We will make recommendations for affordable camcorders, and accessories, and about apps that can convert your smartphone camera into a professional recording device. You will learn about lighting devices, media cards, and microphones. We will also make recommendations on affordable editing applications such as Adobe Premiere, or even free editors like iMovie or FilmoraGo, depending on whether you’re using a Mac, PC, iPhone or Android devices.

WEEK 2

Finding and Telling Your Story

You might have an idea for a video, but you have yet to know the story. Essentially, you need a plan. In this module, you will learn about classic narrative structure for storytelling, and come to understand the difference between print and visual stories. You will also be able to identify different story structures such as the Inverted Pyramid, Hourglass and Diamond. Additionally, you will learn how to cultivate sources through pre-interviews to find compelling characters that personalise the story, generate drama, and show the audience what’s at stake. The main goal will be to anticipate how you want to tell your story.

WEEK 3

Script Formats, the Treatment, and Pitch

Would you ever build a new home without blueprints? A home needs a strong foundation, and so does the story you want to tell. In this module, you will learn how to write treatments, scripts and draw storyboards -- tools that will carefully craft your story before you ever pick up a camera. The treatment is a narrative description of your story, which will help you understand how the parts of your story connect. The script shows the specific words that are written to both images and sound, which typically undergoes many revisions. Storyboards are a collection of drawings that help you visualise a scene, and to troubleshoot potential problems before they occur. These documents are key to helping you reduce the uncertainty that is common in many video productions.