Introduction

I chose to use my prior understanding of video essays to make my first week video in a unique style that would set me apart from others. While I speak to the camera and go over the same basic information, I try to give my video a personality through "humorous" writing and very brief skits. I started with the barebones script (Process Document A). However I soon realized that I needed a more unique approach to the video. I started to brainstorm ways to integrate other rhetorical techniques into my video. I wanted to make full use of the video medium, and I decided that cutaways are an effective way to insert humor into the otherwise mediocre speaking parts. After filming I needed to revise my visuals that were outside the camera work. This lead me to creating interesting animations and finding ways to fill gaps in my video. The first week video gave me a taste of what the course is like. I definitely enjoyed making it, and I think that it helped me take my abstract ideas into the physical through the writing and creating process. 

Artifact 0

Reflections:

Goals: The goal of the FWV was to reflect on a mode of communication that I was weak in. My FWV required me to improve my oral communication skills as well as my skills in communicating visually through the video medium. We also needed to find possible avenues of practicing said skills in order to improve our communications skills throughout the course. 

Purpose: My argument in the above video was that I lacked oral communication skills. I did this intentionally by using rhetoric in the writing of my script. I also accomplished this unintentionally by showing my lack of oral communication skills by the way of speaking in the video. I gave evidence using my prior experience to defend my viewpoint. 

Audience: My audience is primarily Dr. Rose. However I tried to make my FWV appealing to my fellow classmates through the use of humor and interesting visuals during the cutaways. The choice to mainly appeal to my professor is apparent in the content of my speaking. I chose to talk heavily about the communication skills that I lacked in order to meet the expectations of Dr. Rose.

Features: I see two main features of the video format. Both the visual and auditory parts of the video medium were used in my artifact. I tried to make my visuals differ from the audio at times because it can draw watchers attention better. I incorporated interesting images in the FWV in order to make use of all the affordances that the video form has.

Process: If I could change the video, I would spend more time on the editing and filming processes. I was getting used to iMovie at the time and had not fully grasped all of the editing tools available to me through the software. I think I could make the transitions smoother and the audio slightly clearer. For the filming changes, I would re-film the segments where I am obviously reading from a script. I unfortunately did not take the necessary time to fully memorize the script. 

Process Documents