University of Colorado Boulder
A Blueprint for Success – Your Video Pre-Production

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University of Colorado Boulder

A Blueprint for Success – Your Video Pre-Production

Emilie Johnson
Paul Daugherty

Instructors: Emilie Johnson

12,622 already enrolled

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6

(44 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

11 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.6

(44 reviews)

Beginner level

Recommended experience

11 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Identify equipment and software needs to create video that maintains high production value.

  • Develop ideas for a visual story in a written document called a program proposal.

  • Compare narrative structures used to tell visual stories.

  • Conceive storyboards, write treatments and scripts.

Details to know

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Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
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  • Earn a shareable career certificate
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There are 3 modules in this course

The start of this module begins with an Introduction to Video Production and to the instructors. You will learn about the most common terms used by industry professionals when describing the elements to your video production. You will also learn to identify the equipment and software needs that will produce video with high production value. We will make recommendations for affordable camcorders, and accessories, and about apps that can convert your smartphone camera into a professional recording device. You will learn about lighting devices, media cards, and microphones. We will also make recommendations on affordable editing applications such as Adobe Premiere, or even free editors like iMovie or FilmoraGo, depending on whether you’re using a Mac, PC, iPhone or Android devices.

What's included

10 videos2 readings2 assignments3 peer reviews

You might have an idea for a video, but you have yet to know the story. Essentially, you need a plan. In this module, you will learn about classic narrative structure for storytelling, and come to understand the difference between print and visual stories. You will also be able to identify different story structures such as the Inverted Pyramid, Hourglass and Diamond. Additionally, you will learn how to cultivate sources through pre-interviews to find compelling characters that personalise the story, generate drama, and show the audience what’s at stake. The main goal will be to anticipate how you want to tell your story.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

Would you ever build a new home without blueprints? A home needs a strong foundation, and so does the story you want to tell. In this module, you will learn how to write treatments, scripts and draw storyboards -- tools that will carefully craft your story before you ever pick up a camera. The treatment is a narrative description of your story, which will help you understand how the parts of your story connect. The script shows the specific words that are written to both images and sound, which typically undergoes many revisions. Storyboards are a collection of drawings that help you visualise a scene, and to troubleshoot potential problems before they occur. These documents are key to helping you reduce the uncertainty that is common in many video productions.

What's included

6 videos4 readings2 assignments1 peer review3 discussion prompts

Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.6 (14 ratings)
Emilie Johnson
University of Colorado Boulder
3 Courses16,980 learners

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4.6

44 reviews

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AA
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Reviewed on Dec 4, 2023

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