Multimedia for Social Change

Not only did I find the objective of this course to be exciting and necessary, I found the execution process to be invaluable. This semester has been very insightful and enlightening. I have learned a lot about the world and how to make an effective impact by using multimedia tools.

Growth

I learned new programs like Zotero, Wiki, WordPress, Prezi and Final Cut Pro. To be honest, I have had little to no experiences with any of these programs prior to this class. This class has given me a new perspective on technology and how it can affect the world. I have learned ways to be resourceful and creative in helping KEEN.

I’ve enjoyed discovering innovative ways to evoke change. One of my favorite lessons was the Games for Change session. After playing a few of the games online, I saw that there is plenty of opportunity to reach young minds through online game play. Large corporations who partner with organizations of change should further explore this area. As a huge game person, I found the game we played with Susanna to be really interesting and thought provoking.

On a different note, I was able to apply some of the principles of Final Cut Pro to other class projects. For my advertising class, I had to create a radio spot. The cutting and moving of video bytes in Final Cut Pro helped me navigate through GarageBand (which I had never used).

Some of my favorite lessons/readings were grassroot initiatives and multimedia literacy.

I loved that we learned by reading, watching, talking, playing and doing. I feel like this is the definition of multimedia and was an integral part of our class. I’m eager to continue to expand my multimedia literacy.

Difficulties/Challenges

One of my biggest challenges in Multimedia for Social Change was being less tech-savvy than the class. Although this was difficult in the beginning, I learned to use the class as a resource instead of a barrier. By asking questions and learning new tactics, I was able to expand my multimedia and technological knowledge. Because the class was small, it lent itself to a very collaborative and interactive experience.

The other challenge that I had was learning a new software editing system: Final Cut Pro. Prior to this, I had had no experience with filming or editing video footage. I overcame this challenge by asking questions and seeking the guidance of more experienced friends/classmates. It was a great learning experience and I feel much more confident using a camera and editing software.

Suggestions for future students

• Engross yourself in the non-profit. Become familiar with their mission, needs, objectives and team. This is essential in growing their multimedia. By knowing what they have, what has worked and what hasn’t, you can cater your project specifically around their needs.
• Google everything that comes to your mind for the project. If you think you can’t do something, there is a solution for it. I learned that there are plenty of blogs, comments and websites that explain or provide resources for thousands of technological bumps.
• Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to seek the help of the instructor and your peers. Initially I was shy when it came to asking questions that seemed obvious to the rest of the class but then I realized it was my learning experience too and the best way to learn is to ask questions and get hands on with the work.
• Open your mind to learning about different global problems and expand it to create innovative solutions. Part of this class is about exploring problems, creating answers and finding creative ways to enact change.

Overall, I truly loved this class and learned so much this semester!

YOUTH RADIO – Adam

Adam’s experience with Youth Radio is very compelling. I think he brought an acute vision to their program by evaluating their specific needs. Particularly, I enjoyed how he set up varies programs with specific numbered steps for Final Cut Pro and Soundslide. I feel that this was an effective and interactive way to reach his audiences, the teens and employees of Youth Radio. This method was simple, concise and could be repeated with a different proctor.

In terms of Adam’s final presentation, I enjoyed the structure of his powerpoint. I liked the layout with different color schemes. However, there are still a few typos in the final presentation on slides 4 and 12.

Tutorial Reviews

• Slideshare: I loved the screen shots and the detailed directions. I feel like it would be pretty easy for a less tech-savvy person to figure out. This is my favorite tutorial.
• Final Cut: Very detailed! I like how you laid out the objectives for each step and incorporated new steps that apply previous ones.
• Photo: Great suggestions! I think they are very helpful to teach the teens how to effectively tell a story.

Overall, I think that Adam did an excellent job! Not only did he include a few media pieces that he created with YR students, but he provided them the tools to sustain such projects. The tutorials and steps are very straightforward. Great work!

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KIWA – Amanda & Sylvia

Sylvia and Amanda made a really positive impact on KIWA. I like that they provided KIWA with materials and also taught them how to sustain them. Their two-part approach to the project provided KIWA with deliverables and knowledge. The training was an integral and successful aspect of this. I hope that more KIWA members interact with the blog to keep it relevant and engaging.

I think they did a really great job incorporating a strong branding image of KIWA throughout all of their media. By keeping KIWA’s logo and coloration within each channel, they have generated a consistent, recognizable image for KIWA.

For the video, I like a lot of the elements. The live fonts and drums in the beginning are very engaging and peak your interest. I like the quick shots that go with the music. I also liked the combination of voiceovers, clips and stills. It incorporated the culture of KIWA while engaging audiences. My only suggestion for the video is to use different music for the second part or to make it quieter. It gets a bit distracting toward the end.

My only critique is that I would have liked to Sylvia present the video and Amanda present the website so that they could demonstrate what they learned from each other.  Overall, they did fantastic!

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LACAN – Katie & Meghan

Katie and Meghan did an excellent job assessing LACAN’s needs and developing a project around it. They successful created online cohesion with LACAN’s fragmented media. In particular, I liked how they used to map to incorporate LACAN’s different projects/info. This is very sustainable, concrete and unique.

The interactive map is very engaging. I like how they incorporated small images and categories for teach point. My only suggestion would to incorporate a distribution strategy so that others can use it. It’s a terrific resource that I would hate to see untapped.

The video is very good. I like that it is black/white, gritty and raw but still looks professional and produced well. The music is also very appropriate for the content. Here are a few suggestions for the video. The bolding and the shadowing of the font make it a little difficult to read. I like the idea of incorporating stills of newspaper articles, but I think they would be more effective with music behind them. I’m not sure if there was supposed to be music, but with that gap in sound toward the end, it seems like the video is over. I would make sure that there is sound throughout all of it so that viewers don’t close the video prematurely and miss the cool stills at the end. Also, the ending seems a bit abrupt…I think you should put LACAN’s website on the final frame.

I really liked the structure of their Prezi. The layout was interesting and captivating, both up close and from a bird’s eye view.

Overall, I think you guys made a really positive impact on LACAN. I’m glad you gave them sustainable tools! Great work!

After perusing the Games for Change websites, I wondered about how well these games are promoted. Are they just known within communities of activities? Are children and adults actually playing them?

This got me thinking about publicity strategies. I think it would be awesome if the U.S.A. could host a National Game Day where, in each school/workplace, people are taught and encouraged to play several different social change games.

I feel like playing a game, especially in this day and age, can be an effective way to educate people. I look at games like World of Warcraft that have such a cult following and wonder how massive an impact these social change games could have if they had that same kind of hype. People are willing to become fully engrossed in a fantasy world. If we could translate that into the actual world (in which some communities seem so far from the realities of the game players), we could create a tremendous amount of awareness, which could hopefully turn into action.

So, I already shared this update with Sasha via email, but I thought I’d share it with the rest of the class and bring up some areas I’d like to work on.

I’ve been working on the KEEN video and have a rough cut with music and copy. Although I initially had a rough time with Final Cut, I’m starting to get the hang of it and I’m really enjoying the process. I had a friend help show me the ropes, and I’d like to share some of the techniques I learned.

• Narrowing footage. I initially had a hard time letting go of some of the footage because I was very close with the material. My friend explained to me that it will be more effective to show shorter clips that will make the most impact. I ended up cutting a lot of clips almost in half, which really helped with the transitions.
• Cutting to music. I ended up choosing the song “It’s a Beautiful Day” by U2. Cutting to music has made a world of a difference in the order and quality of the clips I’m using. My friend and I also worked on finding good transitions so that the clips tell a story with the music.
• Using appropriate transitions. I now have a much better understanding of which transitions to use based on clip length, creative impact and story-telling cohesiveness. I learned when it’s a good idea to use a cross dissolve and when it might not be necessary because it may distract. I also worked on using the transitions and blank space with the music. There is a pretty cool transition that works well with the music and the footage.

I am very excited to share the video with the class. I’d love as much feedback as possible. Here are some of the areas I’d specifically like to focus on:

• Do any of the clips feel too long?
• Does the storyline (timeline of the day) make sense to you?
• Does it feel too long? Are there any spots that I should consider shortening?
• Does it make you interested in KEEN? If not, do you have any suggestions for improvement?
• Do you have any suggestions for a stronger ending?

FYI, I’m still working on the copy to use inbetween some clips, but I wanted to focus on making the actual cuts first.
Also, I’ve been communicating with Leah regarding the distribution strategy and she likes a lot of the ideas I have. She shared with me, too, that there are over 2,000 people on the KEEN LA listserve, so the video should have a fairly wide distribution in email alone.

Thanks so much!

KEEN_DIstribution Strategy

Attached is a draft of my distribution strategy for my KEEN video. I’d love feedback.

Thanks!

Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) Los Angeles
Video Distribution Strategy
Claire Villard

Objective: To effectively distribute KEEN’s new 60 sec video clip through various media channels, including:
•    Email
•    Social Networking Sites
•    Mobile Phones
•    Blogs

Target Audiences (Greater Los Angeles):
•    Potential KEEN volunteers
o    Psychographic: Already interested in (or active in) community service
•    Potential KEEN parents
o    Demographic: Males/Females 30+
o    Psychographic: Parents of children with special needs
o    Geographic: Greater Los Angeles area
•    Potential KEEN donors
o    Demographic: Male/Female (30+), Income $60,000+
o    Corporate sponsors

Media Breakdown (short copy & link to video)
•    Email
o    KEEN List-serve
o    Los Angles Special Needs schools
o    Los Angeles Libraries
o    Current KEEN parents (suggest forwarding to friends)
•    Social Networking Sites
o    Facebook
o    Myspace
o    Twitter
•    Mobile Phones
•    Blogs
o    Los Angeles Parenting blogs
o    Special Needs services blogs
o    Autism blogs
o    Volunteer blogs
•    Service-Oriented Websites
o    www.californiavolunteers.org

Timeline
Compile Email Media List
•    Contact name, phone, email, etc.

COMM 366 – Reflection 6

I very much enjoyed last class. I thought it was beneficial to work on our individual projects and to offer insight to each other’s work. This class is very special because we get to create a positive impact on society while also learning and honing invaluable technological skills.

I have been having a blast with Final Cut. It’s really given me insight into filmmaking and the overall creative process of producing a multimedia piece. I have been working on video concepts to facilitate the most effective 30-40 second clip for KEEN. Once I finish a rough cut, I plan to showcase my video to friends and KEEN leaders to find ways to improve its effectiveness. Based on a lot of our class discussion, I feel that it is essential to create a piece that will have viral and engaging components so that KEEN’s message can transcend different media platforms.

This ties in with our last class discussion about subcultures (or “tribes” according to Bennett) because I want to find the best way to reach broad audiences with my video. I hope to create a video that touches and inspires individuals’ hearts to participate in KEEN volunteer work. Although it may seem difficult, I hope to create a short clip that empowers people at a very basic ethos level without the inevitable consideration of age, class, gender, geography, sexuality. interests and other factors.

I am very appreciative of this class and the power it has to positively change our lives and those in the community.

Multimedia for Social Change
KEEN Presentation

KEEN – NOW
•    Mission: KEEN is a national, nonprofit volunteer-led organization that provides one-to-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities at no cost to their families and caregivers.
•    How does KEEN work?
o    2 Sundays a month
o    Special needs children aged 3-18
o    Parent’s role
•    501(c) 3 non-profit
•    Started in Oxford by Elliot Pornoy
•    Nation program (DC, Chicago, NY, Pheonix, London, Oxford, York)
•    KEEN LA: started in 2005
•    Current Multi-media
o    Images of KEEN events
•    Poorly displayed on website
•    Images aren’t current
•    Only a few embedded in website
o    Training video
•    Not available on website
•    Only shown to volunteers occasionally
o    Social Networking
•    Facebook
•    Twitter
o    Email
•    Weekly updates/reminders of KEEN events
•    Areas for Improvement
o    Structurally
o    Multi-media
o    Publicity
o    Brand Recognition
o    Volunteer Interest/Registration

KEEN – FUTURE
•    Goals
o    Recognition
o    Outreach
o    Create Buzz!
•    Solidify marketing/publicity strategy with

Competition/Inspiration
Los Angeles
Special Olympics – Southern California (http://www.sosc.org/)
Exceptional Children’s Foundation (http://www.ecf.net/home)
Big Fun Los Gymnastics (http://www.bigfungymnastics.com/)
Valley Village (www.ValleyVillage.org)

National
Utah: Friday’s Kids Respite (https://www.fridayskids.org/)
Florida: The M.O.R.G.A.N. Project (http://www.themorganproject.org/)

International
KIDS (http://www.kids.org.uk/)
Action for Kids (http://www.actionforkids.org/)

Projects
Part A: Slideshow/Video
•    Purpose:
o    To use a short, effective presentation of media (images, video clips and music) to create awareness about getting involved with KEEN as a volunteer, parent or donor. Implement viral components to boost online video sharing.
•    Audience:
o    Potential KEEN volunteers
•    Psychographic: Already interested in (or active in) community service
•
o    Potential KEEN parents
•    Demographic: Males/Females 30+
•    Psychographic: Parents of children with special needs
•    Geographic: Greater Los Angeles area
o    Potential KEEN donors
•    Demographic: Male/Female (30+), Income $60,000+
•    Corporate sponsors
•    Deliverables/Tactics:
o    Video (30-40 seconds)
•    Shoot Oct. 11 at KEEN session
•    Film athlete coach interaction
•    Interview parent
•    Interview Leah
•    Story board
•    Letters bouncing onto screen
•    Incorporate still shots
•    Challenges/Barriers:
o    Timing
o    KEEN’s meeting rarity

Part B: Distribution Strategy
•    Purpose:
o    To effectively distribute Part A: KEEN Video on various online media channels including blogs, social media networks, emails, etc.
•    Audience:
o    Potential KEEN volunteers
•    Psychographic: Already interested in (or active in) community service
o    Potential KEEN parents
•    Demographic: Males/Females 30+
•    Psychographic: Parents of children with special needs
•    Geographic: Greater Los Angeles area
o    Potential KEEN donors
•    Demographic: Male/Female (30+), Income $60,000+
•    Corporate sponsors
•    Deliverables/Tactics:
o    Formatted Distribution Strategy Document
•    Outlining platforms, tactics, strategies and channels
o    Summary of distribution completed
•    Quantify effectiveness of distribution (impressions/views)
•    Challenges/Barriers:
o    Timing
o    Reaching the right people
o    Using the most effective channels

Timeline
September (Focus: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT)
10 – COMM 366 Lab: Web Design Lab #1
– Select KEEN
14 – Contact Leah @ KEEN
16 – Conference Call w/Janelle & James (Discuss semester objectives/plan)
– Create Timeline
17 – COMM 366 Lab: Presentation Tools VuVox, Prezi, etc.
18 – Conference Call w/Leah, Janelle & James
21 – Submit semester Expectations & Multimedia Strategy to Leah
24 – COMM 366 Lab: Web Design Lab #2
25 – KEEN: Develop Video Content/Story Board

October (Focus: FILM – shoot/edit)
1 – COMM 366 Lab: Shoot/Edit Video
8 – COMM 366 Lab: Peer Review (PRESENTATION)
11 – KEEN: Shoot video
12 – Upload video content at IML
13 – Develop video storyboard
15 – COMM 366 Lab: Video Editing Workshop
17 – Edit video & Search for muisc
22 – COMM 366 Lab: Video Remix/Critical Commons
23 – Edit video
24 – Edit video
25 – KEEN: Potentially get more footage
29 – COMM 366 Lab: Check-in
30 – Submit video for banquet (IDEAL DEADLINE)

November (Focus: DISTRIBUTION)
1 – KEEN Banquet
5 – COMM 366 Lab: Sophie
7 – Distribution Tactics
12 – COMM 366 Lab: Social Change Games
14 – Distribution Enhancement
19 – COMM 366 Lab: Independent Work
21 – Distribution Follow-up
26 – NO LAB: THANKSGIVING

December (Focus: FINAL PRESENTATION)
3 – COMM 366: Final Project Presentation

Feedback/Questions ?

KEEN Los Angeles
601 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 2500
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213-892-2935

info@keenlosangeles.org