Teachers all have their pet peeves, rules that are not to be broken at any cost. At this point I think I’ve taught enough Media Arts curriculum to list mine. I plan to print these out and put them on my wall for next year.
- Respect the intellectual property of others. (Cite sources, don’t use anything without written permission.)
- Black borders are to be avoided. (Video, with very specific exceptions, is a HORIZONTAL format.)
- Talking heads are to be avoided. (People can be on camera, but add variety.)
- Proofread EVERYTHING. (A typo in a report? Embarrassing. A typo on the big screen? Devastating.)
- Plan ahead. (One minute of planning is worth 5 minutes of post processing. Use your time wisely.)
- Hide your mistakes. (If it can go in a blooper reel, it shouldn’t be in your final product. If you flub a line, do it over.)
- Don’t zoom in if you can walk closer. (You will have a steadier shot and better audio.)
- NEVER use a digital zoom. (No, really. Only do this if you want your video to look bad.)
- Turn off your built-in flash, and leave it off. (Over 30 ft away, the only thing a flash does is annoy people. Under 30 ft, it annoys people and gives you bad photos.)
- Make each project something you would be proud to show to others. (Media is meant to be shared.)
What are your classroom commandments?