Page 2 - Fall 2017 VPA Espresso Newsletter

VPA + PACE + Big Brothers Big Sisters (from Page 1.) my students will work. Will the client be responsive, but also understanding of student learning? Will students approach the project with diligence? Spring 2017 was no different. In previous semesters, students had worked to meet the communication needs of clients like the Clayton County Library System, Henry Council for Quality Growth – Leader in Me initiative, Clayton State University’s Theatre Department, Multifitness, Sarah’s Home and BK International Consultancy.
third video project, and I wanted to do something a little different. I’m always looking for the students to have real experiences in
the classroom especially ones that involve creating content in the corporate sector. Big Brother and Big Sister was the perfect project! Having my students to model the advertising environment as video creators was an invaluable experience. They worked in teams to write and film the video, but when it came time to edit, everyone in my class produced their own version. Prof. McFarlane-Alvarez’ class chose videos from sixteen that my students submitted, which became another teaching tool. My students loved the final videos that were chosen and were honored to produce content for such an amazing organization as Big Brother Big Sister under the professional guidance of the advertising class. “
The communication objective for Big Brothers, Big Sisters was to increase awareness among potential mentor volunteers, through
the strategic use of video. Students learned to host productive client meetings, analyze a client brief, write a TV commercial treatment and an Audio-Visual script. They also learned how to recognize when in-house talent is insufficient to meet the needs of a project, and
Epilogue: Just recently, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta launched two more of the Clayton State-produced videos to their YouTube channel, bringing the total number to three: Just Dive In!, Workshop Fun, and Monster Trucks & Being a Big Brother. In the short time since their launch, the first of the videos has been cited by Big Brothers, Big Sisters corporate, and mentioned in their e-newsletter for agencies around the country as a good example of social media tactic and for its potential for building of their mentor base.
how to outsource. By this point, we were almost halfway through the semester. I contacted my colleague, Shandra McDonald recognizing that it was a long shot request and that her class might not have the bandwidth to take it on.
Shandra: “Suzy’s timing for reaching out to my Intro. to Field Production class could not have been better. We were nearing the
Students Produce Videos for Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
By Shandra McDonald
In the Spring of 2017, Professor Shandra McDonald’s Modes of
Video Production class created two videos for the Fayette County Sheriff’s office. The project was a PACE project, and one of the videos was a handbook video for the jail, while the second was a stylized, high-energy promotional video for a jail extraction team known as Viper. The planning for the videos extended across many weeks, whereby students simulated a real, production company experience with all of the essential professional production requirements from script approvals, preproduction schedules and paperwork, shooting deadlines to post production. The students filmed in the jail for
two days, which involved their being in the actual cells under the
supervision of the Lieutenant Joseph Waldrop and other officers. The officers served as the actors for a portion of the videos with students performing many tasks including directing talent.
The community engagement component was very rewarding for the students as they learned invaluable lessons about jail sentencing
and the day-to-day experience of inmates. “They also learned how
to work together as a team to net optimal results for a real client,” according to Professor McDonald. “They were extremely professional throughout the entire process and went over and beyond in my
eyes and the client’s in the final execution of these videos.” The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has put both videos into immediate circulation at the jail and they are also using them at their Viper team recruitment and training sessions.
VPA ESPRESSO | p. 2 Newsletter of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clayton State University