When I started teaching 12 years ago, asking students to create videos took time and careful planning. Most students didn’t have phones that could capture high-quality video, and many were unfamiliar with how to use Windows Movie Maker. Some had the advantage of being Mac users at home or had played with an early version of iMovie. Others had no clue how to save and share their videos. Students did not have YouTube accounts linked to school emails; they were not creating content on various platforms each daily. And if the computer shuts down or froze (which happened frequently) before they saved their edits, they would have to start from scratch.
(See my WeVideo Green Screen doc)
Today, students are far more efficient with their technology use. They may still lack some academic skills or proficiencies in some areas of technology, but they are adept at creating and sharing photos and film content. If they aren’t, they certainly know how to pick partners that are better at using tech tools to complete the job. While they know how to capture the content, I find that students still need support in being innovative and using what they created to tell stories. Posting temporary snapshots of their lives is not the same from engaging people through digital storytelling. Developing succinct stories purposefully with clear beginnings, middles, and endings is not as easy as the goofy faces they make to sustain year-long streaks with their peers.
WeVideo is a tool that my school provides to our students. This web-based application syncs with Google Drive and is easy to use on a Chromebook. Students can also collaborate (not in real-time) on the same video project, which ensures that everyone has access to edit and contribute to the group project. The program has a great green screen tool and allows for layering of images. The paid version also provides access to countless special effects and sound clips that can enhance the video and create professional-looking pictures. What appears time-consuming and complicated is simple and easy to navigate. A person only needs to commit to the editing process or has students who are willing to test out their cinematic prowess in groups.
To play around with the setup and editing, I volunteered my five, four, and two-year-old that they were going to assist Mama with a school project. When it involved wearing superhero garb, they willingly jumped into action. I enlisted my girls to help me gauge student understanding of the creation process. They were part of the entire process, including the editing (although they had significant help with that step).
We started by going to the store to assess the fabric. We choose a green muslin fabric that was not too shear or would become quickly wrinkled. While we chose a green fabric, the material could be any color as long as the subject is not wearing the same or similar colors. My school also has a green screen kit, which we ended up using along with the fabric to make it appear as though they were flying.
Working with a two-year-old to create content is entirely chaotic. Once we had gathered and set up our equipment in a well-lit room, we started crafting our story. We used the extra green fabric to wrap a chair and make it appear as though the kids were flying through the air. We captured lines of dialogue and worked to appear heroic. I would highly recommend having students create a storyboard and script before filming, but our haphazard approach certainly made for quality bloopers.
After creating a script, it is time for the fun part - capturing footage. Remind students to limit the number of bloopers they make or cuts they take. The students who struggle the most with editing or admit to not being proficient with technology should keep the number of shots they take smaller than students who have a natural knack for video creation. Students should also keep in mind what special effects they might want to add in post-production. Different layers of video may affect the composition of their shots. They can even layer their video on video, which I tried with my kids. I went from having three kids to nine quickly, and the results could have created quite a story.
In the editing process, once the background is removed from the original footage, students can search for special effects and features in WeVideo. By selecting the star tab and type your topic (i.e.: fireworks) into the search box. Again, students can also add a green screen image over another video clip or static image depending on the desired effect. In editing mode, students can edit the size of the video line images, sound, and speed. The possibilities are endless.
A green screen is simply a thin piece of fabric, but that fabric is fueled by the creativity, imagination, and ingenuity of the creators standing in front of it. While my children decided to take action and portray superheroes, you can create a daily newscast, travel the world, and even go back in time. This process can empower students to be creative, research, explore, and share their voices. Not all heroes wear capes, but they do find new ways to encourage others to use their voices for good!
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