Post-production

=Post Production= Now that your students have finished taping, it's time to put together this puzzle of a video.

Elements

 * Importing video footage
 * Editing the footage together - adding transitions, titles, etc.
 * Importing music and other sound
 * Exporting the file product

What can this look like in the classroom?
This process will vary depending upon the project, but the following will probably work in most cases.
 * 1) Import all of your footage and photographs into iMovie (unless you have limited hard drive space, then watch your footage only import the portions that you need).
 * 2) Delete unnecessary clips.
 * 3) Trim excess footage from clips and place them on the timeline - use your storyboards as a reference.
 * 4) Add titles, translations, and other text to video.
 * 5) Determine audio needs (narration or music?). Import audio. Adjust audio and/or footage for length.
 * 6) Insert transitions where needed.
 * 7) Finally do as much fine tuning as necessary.
 * 8) Export your video as a dvd, .mov or .wmv.

Logistics
= = =Resources=
 * If using iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, you will not have to do a lot of technical instruction. It nice if you can identify a handful of students who have some experience to help with some troubleshoot.
 * If you are comfortable, demonstrate some of the basics (see Some Thoughts on Editing and Editing Overview below).
 * Many times you will have to have groups from different periods share the computer, make sure they do not "accidently" do anything to hurt another group's project.
 * Set a limit on time and let students know how much time they have left - some could fiddle for weeks.
 * Save and save often.
 * Music can be an incredible asset or it can ruin the whole thing - make sure students select music because it fits, not because it is their favorite song.
 * If publishing video projects on the Internet (Youtube, etc.) your students (and you) need to understand copyright issues revolving publishing music online (make sure they have permission!).

Some Thoughts on Editing
Editing is an art. Know exactly when to cut takes time and takes some thought. Here are a few topics to think about:
 * 1) Simplicity - Just because iMovie or Windows Movie Maker can spin your scene around and add glitter, doesn't mean you have to use those special effects. Less is more.
 * 2) Cuts #1 - Have a reason to cut, it should be helping tell your story.
 * 3) Cuts #2 - If possible, try and cut "in movement"
 * 4) Cuts #3 - Within a scene, most of your transitions, will actually just be cuts. You are trying to give the appearance of a continuous time line - even if the footage is not continuous. Use fades and dissolves to change scenes or show that time has passed.
 * 5) Trimming - When trimming your clips, leave a little room, especially if you aren't sure where to cut the clip. You can always trim more later.
 * 6) Scenes - Within a scene keep consistent.
 * 7) Adding Music - Be careful about how you add music. It either needs to be "background" music - meaning lower key and unobtrusive or "narrative" music - which helps tell the story.

Editing Overview
iMovie is a straightfoward video editing program that allows you do basic video editing. While Apple has added new features with each release version of iMovie it still lacks many sophisticated features. Programs such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premier are siginificantly more powerful, however, the complexity of these programs can be overwhelming.

Here are some basic tasks we will review as a group before starting in on your video projects.
 * iMovie interface
 * Trimming, cropping, and spliting video clips
 * Importing photos from i