Video1

Photo Montage

60 Points Possible

Project Time: 3 Days

 

Objective:

In this assignment you will learn the basic features of the video editing software iMovie.  You will learn how to import still photos and music, apply transitions, effects, and titles to your movie.  You will also use a website to obtain free music for your video.  At the end of this project, you will have a 60 second movie that uses still photos to explore a theme of your choice. 

 

Take a look at these examples:

Photo Montage Example 1

Photo Montage Example 2

Photo Montage Example 3 Avril’s Life

 

 

Instructions for Photo Montage Assignment

 

  1. Take the production company logo you made in the previous assignment and animate it with Slick Motion software.

 

Slick Motion Interface

Set the duration to five seconds.  Click on the Ease Out box (but leave Ease In unchecked.) When you are ready to select Make Movie you will title this file mylogo.dv and place it in you Movie folder. You do not need to save the Slick Motion file when you are done, because you now have the DV video file you need.  View a short video tutorial on how to use Slick Motion (Click Here).

 

  1. Create a folder titled, Photo Montage, in your Movie folder.

 

  1. Use Google or Yahoo advanced image search to find 18 photographs that are all related by a theme.  Select large or medium size for your search. Some possible themes include: your favorite city; actor; movie; cartoon; sport; team; athlete; musician; singer; or band.  The theme can also be more abstract, exploring a feeling or political idea. Make sure that your subject matter is appropriate.  You should not have images that are violent, sexual, drug or gang related.  Save each image you want by either dragging it into your Picture folder or by holding the Control key down and clicking your mouse, then selecting Save.

 

  1. Open iMovie by going to your Applications folder OR by clicking on the shortcut located on your Dock at the bottom of the screen.  Select Create a New Project from the iMovie menu window that opens up.



  1. Name the new movie with your last name and the word montage (i.e. clark montage) MAKE SURE YOU SAVE IT IN YOUR MOVIE FOLDER!

 

 

  1. IMPORT PICTURES:  Import the 18 photos into iMovie by going to File on the Menu bar, select Import, and then find the Pictures folder on your drive and select the photos. 

 

 

  1. IMPORT LOGO: Import your production company logo. The logo should be five seconds long and animated in Slick Motion.

 

  1. Drag the other photos into the timeline in the order you desire.  You can rearrange the order at any time by simply dragging the images around.

  2. Adjust the Size and Duration of each image. Use the slider between the small and large “person” icon to adjust the size of each image and use the rabbit and turtle slider to adjust the length of time the slide will run in the movie.  DECIDE IF YOU WANT ALL IMAGES THE SAME LENGTH TO KEEP YOUR MOVIE CONISTENT OF IF YOU WANT TO VARY LENGTHS.  If you want image length to be even length set it to 3:22. Click on Update when done deciding.

 

 

  1. Select the Ken Burns Effect and adjust the start and End of how the image will appear.  Click on the middle of the picture to set the composition you want.  Make sure you do not show any black edges. 



  1. Save your project as you work. DO THIS OFTEN!!1

 

 

  1. Click on Trans to add transitions. 



  1. Select Transitions from the Menu that appears.  You must add transitions to every photo.  Use a variety of transitions.  You can delete the ones you don’t like by selecting them and pressing the delete key.  Transitions are placed between each photo. Transitions take time AWAY from the time your photos appear in a movie.  You can control length of the transitions by adjusting the Speed slider and then previewing the results by clicking the Preview button.  For this assignment set the Speed at 00:22. 

 

 

 

 

  1. EFFECTS:  Next Add Effects, which is located to the right of transitions.  You should have a minimum of five photos with effects.  Note: You can put an effect on top of an effect.  If you want to remove effects from a clip, push down the control key and then click on the clip.  A menu will appear that will allow you to “restore clip.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. OPENNING TITLE:  Next think up a short title that describes your theme.  Click on the first photo after your logo in the timeline. Select Titles next to Trans and select a Title style and name your movie. Select the Speed and Pause you want. Select the Font, Size and Color. Preview when done. When you are done you must drag the small icon of the Title you selected in FRONT of the first picture in your project. Make sure NO transition is between the clips, or it won’t work.  Make sure the “Over black” box is unchecked. 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. CLOSING CREDITS:  Add credits end of movie and put your name on the upper line and Video 1 Period (your number) on the lower line.  Check the “Over black” box to make this title over a black background. 

 

  1. MUSIC:  Go to www.freeplaymusic.com and find a 60 second music selection.   It must match your theme.    Find the Feel section on the website and select a category that matches your theme. 

 

 

  1. Select only 60 second MP3 files. These will download to your desktop.  You can then double-click them to listen to them after they have downloaded.   When you find the music you want, place the file in your Music folder. 

 

 

  1. Import the music file into your iMovie project. It will appear on your timeline.




  1. You shouldn’t have to cut the length of the song for your movie because it should be 60 seconds in length. If you do have to, or for future projects, move the Playhead to the spot on the timeline where you want to cut the movie.  Under Edit on the menu bar select Split Selected Audio Clip at Playhead or press Command T.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21. SAVE:  You next need to save a small version of you movie and put it on the server.  Go to File and Share. Select QuickTime and CD-ROM quality.
Save (Share) the movie into your Movie folder.  Movie Name: Write your last name with a number 3, signifying that this is the third project to go on the server. 

 

 

 

22. TURN IN ASSIGNMENT:  Connect to the server and place your CD-ROM movie into the proper folder.  

 

Extra Credit

If you finish early, you can create a second Photo Montage assignment.  It also should include 18 photos and all the other requirements listed above.  All extra credit assignments are due at the same time as the main assignment. 

 

 

GRADING CRITERA

  1. Project is exactly 60 seconds long.
  2. Project incorporates 60 seconds of music selected from the proper website.
  3. Project contains 18 pictures of medium to large size that all have a common theme.
  4. Ken Burns Effect photo movement is composed in a meaningful way, with no black edges. 
  5. Project starts with production company logo that is five seconds long and animated in Slick Motion.
  6. A title after your logo lists the name of the theme of this video. This title is superimposed on a photograph.
  7. Transitions are between every photo.
  8. Effects are placed on a minimum of five photos. 
  9. An end credit “over black” lists your name and Video 1 and your period on two lines. 
  10. Project is saved at the proper quality level (QuickTime CD-ROM Quality).
  11. Project is placed in the proper folder on the server on time.