The Project.

Storyboards good.  Video better.

Here are the details for the Sparta/Athens Tourism Commercial Project.

You have just been hired as the ad agency in charge of promoting tourism.  Your client will be either Sparta or Athens.  Your main job is to attract as many new people from around the Mediterranean Sea to move to your city-state and not your rival.

You do not have to produce an actual commercial, but producing an incredible video will result in a terrific grade.  At the very least, you will create a storyboard that will explain how you will create and produce your commercial.  The commercial will be a 30-60 second spot that is reminiscent of the Baltimore and Los Angeles tourism examples we watched in class, found here: Baltimore  Los Angeles

The storyboard will show the viewer, step by step, what they will see and hear in each scene.  The commercial must persuade people that they should live in their city-state based on the beliefs, values and culture of the polis.  You may also show why the rival country isn’t the best place to live. 

On the left side of the page you will explain exactly what you are seeing in the shot.  In the middle section will be a picture or drawing of what you are seeing.  (Remember, you don’t need to be a good artist because a description of the visual is directly to the left.)  On the right side, you will write the exact script and everything else we hear (music, voiceover, sound effects, etc.) during the shot.  

There are many different kinds of storyboards.  The basic style described above has a description on the left, an image in the middle and sound cues on the right.  Here is another example, complete with instructions:

Here is the template, should you choose to use it:

There are lots of other templates online; the above example I found at jasonohler.com .

To review:  You will create a commercial that will be approximately 30-60 seconds.  You will need at least 6 scenes to fill up the time.  (If you shoot an actual commercial, you will want a LOT more than 6 scenes, assuming you want to look more like the LA video than the Baltimore one.)  When you are finished, you can either staple the scenes in order or you may attach them on to poster board for a better, more professional appearance.

You need to be creative with your commercial but appropriate and on task.   Make sure you have a full understanding about your city-state.  You must give a proper view of your polis and make sure you use the correct tone and point of view.  You will be graded upon the overall effectiveness, proper information, and the aesthetic value of the project.  

You may work by yourself, in pairs, or in a group of three.  If you team up with otheres, it is expected that everyone will contribute.  Everyone in the group will not automatically receive the same grade, if it is determined that someone did not do their fair share.

This assignment is worth 100 points.  Be prepared to show your boards or your video at the start of class Friday, March 7, 2014.  Let's see what you've got!