Start February 1
Due February 29 (with benchmarks!)
Time on Task: In & Out of Class (8 Hours)
Course Points: 5000
We hopefully learned a great deal through the process of developing our first interview podcast. We’ve likely figured out a few things, made some mistakes we know we could improve on in another iteration, and more. Great! That’s how learning happens in the real world. Let’s apply what we’ve learned to this second interview project.
Notice this project has a 3+ Week Timeline. Do not delay, and meet the benchmarks – please, please!
The Task (in a nutshell)
Identify a family member to interview (parent, grandparent, aunt, cousin, sibling, etc.), conduct a 30-40 minute recorded interview, find the central story you want to tell from the interview, edit and mix the project down to a 4 minute Podcast, and publish.
Choose someone you care to connect with about important moments in their life. Perhaps you’ve heard someone tell you about “Aunt Bee and the time…” but never really had the details. Maybe this is your opportunity to reminisce about something important that you shared with a family member. Do not psych yourself out by imposing pressure for a “big” thing. Many of the most powerful, moving stories are made from small moments or experiences.
Some Examples
Content Advisory – The Second Story Remembers a School Shooting)
The Task (unpacked)
- Identify interview candidates and develop a set of 7-10 interview questions to help you stay focused.
- Using your phone, a portable digital audio recorder, or the Rodecaster Pro mixing board, record a 30-40 minute interview with the family member.
- Download the “Basic-5-tracks-template.band” in Podcast Resource Files & Open (Shared Google Folder)
- Import the sound file into the Interview Track in GarageBand
- Identify the Core Story or Meat of the Interview (This is probably the most creative and challenging part of the project!)
- Select appropriate music and/or sounds for the Podcast using Free Music Archive or Freesound.org; drop file(s) into GarageBand Project as separate Track(s)
- Draft an Intro and Outro Script for your Podcast, as well as any Narration your story needs to help you tell it. (Remember, use your ability to edit audio to strengthen the project!)
- Print your Script and Practice reading it. Write “delivery notes” on the script to help you when you’re recording.
- Record Intro, Outro, and the Narration elements
- Import Intro/Outro/Narration into GarageBand Project
- Edit Audio to establish consistent levels, fade in/out of tracks, and use sounds for the effect you want
- Upload GarageBand Project, exported WAV/MP3 Podcast, and Image(s) of Script to Google Folder
Milestones/Steps Along the Way
Due February 15
Complete a single blog post on your ePortfolio that contains the following elements:
- Identify your interviewee and secure consent to be interviewed – Report on blog
- Write at least 300 (to 450) words explaining why you chose this person and any preliminary thoughts about the story you think might emerge (If you don’t have at least 300 words, you need to think some more; you might “pre-interview” your family member to help you)
- Write 7-10 interview questions, including the “warm ups/downs” that help ease into/out of the interview – Get some help at StoryCorps with their Great Questions Resource
- Schedule the interview for sometime between February 8 and February 18 – name the date and time in your blog post
- Use the CMM 225 Category
Due February 19
Make 1 ePortfolio Blog Post with the following components
- Written Script for Intro and Outro Completed – Print & Bring to Class (We have a template in our Resources Folder)
- Brief (100-200 word) status report on interview progress/plan
- Explain RECORDING PLAN FOR INTERVIEW – Do a dry run/test.
- Work ahead if you’d like, please!
- Use the CMM 225 Category
Due February 26 – Rough Cuts DUE
- Interview must be completed, recorded, etc.
- Preliminary Music and any Characteristic or Ambient Sound must be selected
- Script, with Intro, Outro, Sound Transitions, Key Themes in Sections, and Narrations all there. Remember, delivery notes help you with pacing in your narration!
- Intro, Outro, Narration must be recorded
- Intro, Outro, Narration, Interview Content, Music, and any other Sound must be edited and mixed to tell a DRAFT STORY.
- GarageBand File with tracks (at least 3 tracks, but you probably want 5-6 for the bits), as well as MP3 or WAV export podcast is uploaded to your Shared Google Drive folder
- Your DRAFT STORY MUST BE between 6 and 13 Minutes – we will tighten the story in revision, but you must do some work to shape the story
- 300-word ePortfolio Blog Post describing what’s going well in the draft, and what you can tell needs work (be honest!)
- Use the CMM 225 Category!
Due February 29 – Final Cut
- Complete Project meeting all specifications as described in the Rubric & Points section of the assignment.
- GarageBand File, MP3 or WAV export, and Script (with delivery notes!) are in Shared Google Drive Folder
Rubric & Points (Specifications)
The Scoring Sheet for Interview 2 (Family) Podcast
- Podcast fits time constraints (3:30-4:59 minutes) – 500 Points
- 3 Files are Uploaded to Google Drive folder (Band project file; MP3/WAV Podcast; Script with Delivery Notes (photo, probably) – 750 Points
- GarageBand Project makes use of 3 or more tracks (Interview Voices; Intro/Outro; Music) – 750 Points
- Interview Content Meets Specifications (Audio Clearly Edited to Tell a Focused Story) – 1500 Points
- Intro Meets Specifications (5-15 Seconds; Welcomes Listeners, IDs Host, IDs Interviewee, IDs Interview Purpose and/or Content – might include interviewee’s voice!) – 500 Points
- Outro Meets Specifications (5-15 Seconds; Credits Sources, including Interviewee and Music; Thanks Listeners) – 500 Points
- Music and any Characteristic or Ambient Sound Meets Specifications (Creative Commons-licensed; Edited Intentionally/With Care – 750 Points
- Editing Meets Basic Specifications (Levels are Consistent; Fades between Tracks/Clips;; Pops/Hisses/Sonic Junk Edited Out at Clip Ends; ) – 500 Points