NOTE: The "Learn Modules" are definately "under development" and clearly not anywhere near complete. However, we felt we should make them accessible now so as to get feedback and to solicit advice from experts who may help us enhance technical details. Please send comments, questions, and suggestions to SCA's station manager. Or, you can participate using Google's Moderator to ask and/or vote on content.
Welcome to SCA TV's Video Production Learn Website...
Use the navigation panel at the top to go through the five Learn Modules: Plan, Design, Shoot, Edit, and Distribute. They have been developed using the mind map model shown in this graphic. You can take a closer look at the mind map as well.
In each, module, read the Overviews where we have summarized the scope and goals. As you go deeper in each, through Discussion and Details, you'll find that a lot of our content consists of links to other websites which we have found invaluable in our own understanding. Rather than repeating material that is better covered elsewhere, we use links to it. We simply organize and summarize things to get you started, leveraging the combined knowledge of the Internet. Of course, where it makes sense, we add the personal experiences of various individual contributors we have available to us.
Types Of Projects
Anyone who's watched television more than even a few times is likely to know that there are many different types of projects and intended uses.
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Various Project Styles |
Various Intended Uses |
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For each, there are questions to be answered before attempting to produce a similar program. How many cameras? How to handle sound? What's the plan for lighting? Who does camera work? Who is the talent and are they really ready? Are there legal issues? How soon, how big, how much...
The interesting thing is that, for each of the project types, even though they may seem so different, the list of questions is probably always the same. First-time producers may not know all the answers, but serious problems can be avoided when they learn to ask the right questions.
These Learn modules are an attempt to get you to the point where you've got your list of questions in order.
How To Get Started With A Video Project
Starting a project can happen as easily as getting an idea for a neat video you just wish someone would do, you decide to pursue it yourself. Or, it's possible that you offered to help someone else on their project, or volunteered your time to a cable station "just to help out a bit", and now you're being groomed to do an actual production. Either way, how you take the next steps could lead to a fun filled experience, or a really bumpy ride.
Here's what we recommend:
- read the Learn pages, at least all the Overviews, better the Discussions!
- talk to as many people who have done this before as you can
- find a mentor who is willing to answer your questions throughout the project
Getting A Green Light
When you've asked all the right questions, talked to everyone you could find, and you think you have a handle on how to do your project, you'll want to go forward. OK. That's you. You're all set. What about all the resources you need? Are they ready, too? Hopefully, your list of good questions will have provided really good answers to help you figure this out. And don't forget you, you have stakeholders. Do they still want you to do it?
You need to get a green light from yourself, your resources, and your stakeholders.
You
Do you still want to do this? Really? Do you have spare the time in your "other" life to let you proceed? Yes? Great!
Resources
Do the human resources - your people - understand that schedules can wiggle around? Not everything falls in place as planned. How about material resources? ...wiggle room there, too? Is money involved? Ouch. OK, is there enough?
Stakeholders
These are the folks who have a real interest in getting your project done. After all the planning and buy-in, are they really still interested? ...still excited?
You could end up at the conclusion of the work with what you think is a terrific video and there's no one around who wants anything do to with it. Stuff happens. Stakeholders are your friends. You need them. But they may not always need you.
If you're the only stakeholder, this is probably a labor of love. That's a good thing, too. Then, you are your own Green Light!