Assignment #1: Make a video

NOTE: Okay, this one is a bit lengthy. For my own purposes I included the outline for the whole unit (I needed to do this for September anyway). The rationale is up front, followed by the lesson plan and the assignment is at the end, so feel free to skip down there.

Next fall I will teach a Mass Media Studies class, and I plan to revamp the curriculum this summer. The same person taught it for ten years, and most of her materials and lessons never changed. I will spend July giving it a total overhaul including a new focus. Instead of concentrating on the history of mass media, we will briefly examine a timeline of developments, but then hone in on the current applications, their impact on society, and where we may be headed next.

When it comes to music, most of my students rarely stray from the mainstream. Their exposure to contemporary pop music comes from a very narrow stream of sources, particularly considering all the various vehicles made available by technology. Their usual consumption patterns are limited to listening to their iPods and Top Ten pop radio stations, watching some videos on BET, VH1, and the various MTV channels, and spending time searching for and watching videos on YouTube.


Assignment #1 Rationale
One assignment I will have them do next year is the creation of a music video. First, we will study the conventions of music videos, from the early promotional versions that were shipped only to clubs to show between bands or dj sets, through the beginning of MTV, up to the winners of this year’s VMAs. My goal is to get them to think critically about them, removing their own biases regarding artists and musical genres, and instead consider them through a series of critical lenses.

Next, they will select a song and produce a new music video to go with it. The object of this exercise is for them to wrestle with the challenges of multi-model communication, develop communication skills that go beyond creating traditional texts, and gain a greater appreciation for the sophistication of today’s artists. The only limits I will put on their creativity are those required by the school district regarding depictions of violence and drug use, as well as my own admonishments regarding the use of clichés or stereotypes.

My rationale for this assignment is that I want the students to become more than just passive consumers of music videos. I want them to consider that every one they see has gone through not only a multistage creative development cycle, but also has experienced the mediation and articulation steps discussed last week in our blogs. By becoming active participants who have to navigate through the technical elements of developing a digital re-mix project, as well as negotiating the meaning-making aspects with their partners, they will come to a fuller understanding of just what is happening every time they watch one on TV or on their computer.

Music Video Lesson Plan

Day One: Music Video Unit Intro
Icebreaker activity: Divide into groups of 3, then show a :30 music video compilation featuring clips from approximately 45 different songs. Groups write down all the ones they know. Show it a second time, then let them finish their lists. See which group gets the most right.

Mini-lesson: Brief lecture on the history of music videos, including timeline and samples of early videos.

Writing activity: Students write about their top three all-time favorite videos, explaining why they made the list. Make sure they understand we are not making a list of the three greatest videos, but rather their own personal favorites.

Discussion: Small group sharing of lists and reasons, then agree on the best three from their group and write them on the board.

Large group discussion of the videos listed, pros and cons, similarities and differences. Introduce discussion of stereotypes, misogyny and homophobia in music videos.

Day Two: Music Video Unit
Video of the day: Watch Dreamscape 3

Day Three: Music Video Unit
Writing activity: Students write a reaction to the previous day’s video. It is an intense piece that leaves them stunned, and with 24 hours to reflect on it, they will be able to write both a personal reflection and an analysis on the “fairness” of the piece.

Mini-lesson: Brief lecture on the technology and techniques of making music videos, including clips of examples. Explain the differences between straightforward performances, narratives that are literal matches to the lyrics, as well as more conceptual executions.

Discussion: Follow-up discussion of stereotypes, misogyny and homophobia in music videos. Introduction of discussion of stereotypes of rap and hip-hop videos.

Day Four: Music Video Unit
Video of the day: Watch Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

Day Five: Music Video Unit
Writing activity: Again, students produce a quick write with their response to the previous day’s video.

Project Intro: Assign groups for the project.
Distribute assignment sheets, timeline, and grading rubric.
Explain the project, answer questions, get them started.

Days Six – Nine: Music Video Unit
Work on their projects.

Day Ten: Music Video Unit
Student presentations