BTC640/Assignment2-Summer2013

Due date: 19 jul

Late penalties: 10% per day

In this assignment you'll be working in a small team to create an infomercial. That means coming up with a script, filming the parts, editing the audio and video, converting it to formats that the popular browsers can play, and using the newest web technologies such as Popcorn.js to display the infomercial in a web browser.

The project you create will be in a webpage created by you, but can be easily integrated into any other website using just copy-paste (and uploading the necessary files, of course).

The good news is that this will never be aired on TV or anywhere else. The better news is that you will get some practice not only with some new technologies but also with your communication and selling skills.

Teams

I recommend 2 or 3 people per team. If you want a bigger or smaller team - I may allow it, please talk to me about it. You teams must be formed by the end of study week.

If you don't know who to make a team with - let me know and I will assign you to someone else without a teammate.

When you're forming the team - keep in mind that the following are the major tasks:

• Presentation scripting
• Getting filmed (presenting)
• Filming
• Audio/video post-processing (the quality must be good)
• Exporting the resulting video for the web
• Using popcorn.js for your video
• All other web stuff as needed (CSS, HTML, other JavaScript)

As soon as you decide, add your names to the following list (one row per team).

#	Members	Infomercial topic	Progress report
0	Example1, Example2	SampleProject1	9 Mar
0	Justin, Natesh, Ivan	TBD	TBD

Preparation

Note the following:

• Filming has to be done using a camera on a tripod, so a cellphone will not work, and a point-and-shoot camera may or may not work. If you don't have access to this equipment - I can lend you mine, but we have to arrange it well in advance.
• You'll be filming yourselves and though the quality will matter - you can try as many times as you like and assemble the best pieces. You don't have to worry about doing it exactly right the first time for this assignment.
• You'll need to make a video of a reasonable size (that can be streamed over a typical residential internet connection).
• You'll need that video to play in the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer.
• The entire webpage has to look professional.
• There will be a graded progress report in week 10, so don't leave it till later.
• The infomercial must be as professional-looking as possible, so do your best with the set (stage) setup and the dress even though we obviously have limited means there.

Scripting

This is not a Digital Media Arts course so the requirements are not nearly as stringent, but doing this step will help you get verything else done on time.

You're selling a product. This could be something that exists already or something that's being built. It could be one of your projects or someone else's. I don't much care about the product you're selling - I care about how well you sell it. So pick any project you're interested in (that you know stuff about). Please do not pick and existing product and parrot its existing commercial. If you want to use existing material like that - ask me first, I may allow it.

Write a script for how the infomercial will flow. There should be at least 15 minutes of talking and a some of minutes of closeups, "live" demos, etc. Try not to make the whole thing longer than 25 minutes.

If you feel you can do a good job without a script - go ahead, but that will be quite hard for most people unless they're experienced in sales.

Filming

Once you have the script - get the camera and make sure you know how to use it. Definitely use a tripod also, I don't want to see any handheld shaking. This should be quite easy to do since I don't expect you'll need to move the camera during any scene.

You must film the following:

• Yourself talking, this is probbly most of it.
• You answering questions from your partner or if you don't have one - questions that came in from the audience.
• Whatever you're selling in action, though I'll accept a creative use of a screen capture software.

Remember that even though you have a script that doesn't mean you have to do the whole thing right at once. Do it in pieces, expecting you'll be pasting the pieces together later during editing. This is a why a good script is important - you can concentrate on one scene at a time.

Editing, etc

I'll be finishing the rest of the assignment specifications later this week.