Soundslides Assignment

You will gather audio and shoot photos for one story and then combine those assets in an audio slideshow for the Web, made with Soundslides.

Weeks: 6, 7, 8 and 9

Grade value: 20 points

Assignment Part 1

In the first week of the assignment, you will shoot photos to practice. These photos will NOT be used at all in your slideshow. They must be from a DIFFERENT story. (This assignment is designed to help you identify problems in your photo technique so you can improve on them.)

IMPORTANT: Before you shoot, please make sure the settings on your camera are for a high resolution. This is often a number such as 2345x1000. Check your camera's manual if you don't know how to check or set this. (If you have lost your manual, it is probably available online from the manufacturer. Just Google the brand name and model number to find it.)

Choose a story that has some visual interest: An event, a crowd, a demonstration, people working or playing, etc. Not a speech. Not a press conference.

Shoot at least 30 photos at one time, on one day, for ONE STORY. Several photos can be of the same thing, but change your position, the angle, etc.

Number of photos: Minimum of 30

Due: Week 7 (bring unedited photos to class on your camera)

Grading: 2 points - 30 photos that meet the requirements listed above

Submitting the assignment: First you will upload the 30 or more photos from your camera to your own L: drive (network drive in lab). After selecting the best photos with your assigned partner, you will copy those into a new folder. Copy and paste that folder into Homework according to these instructions.

Assignment Part 2

Shoot all the photos and gather all the audio for your slideshow. The raw audio may be in one file, or more than one file (your choice). All the photos must be shot by you and related directly to THIS story. The audio must also be gathered by you and appropriate for this story.

These are all NEW photos. Nothing from last week!

For this assignment, you are turning in ALL the raw materials for the slideshow.

You will also write a one-sentence summary of your story for me. I hope you know what your story is about!

Number of photos: 200 (yes, TWO HUNDRED)

Audio: At least one interview that tells the story, plus some nice natural sound; the length is your choice

Summary text: This can be a Word document or a Notepad text file; include it on the CD

Due: Week 8 (bring all files to class on one CD)

Submitting the CD

Before coming to class on the day this assignment is due, follow these instructions.

Grading (3 points)

3 points if you have 200 photos and adequate, suitable audio

Assignment Part 3

The photos that are good enough to use in your slideshow must be edited (preferably in Photoshop!):

You may include the caption info in each photo file, but if you do, that will not be graded at this time. It's optional.

Number of photos: Minimum of 25

Due: Week 9 (bring all photos to class on one CD)

Grading (5 points)

5 points if you have 25 photos that meet the requirements above.

Points will be deducted for incorrect width, incorrect resolution, incorrect JPG quality, lack of an obvious subject, and gross errors in composition or image quality (e.g., too dark, too blurry).

Submitting the CD

Before coming to class on the day this assignment is due, follow these instructions.

Assignment Part 4

You will hand in the fully completed slideshow on a CD. Remember to SAVE and EXPORT before you copy the Project folder to the CD.

  1. Make sure the photos and audio match up reasonably well.
  2. Tell a real story.
  3. Use a variety of shots (distances, angles).
  4. Write a good caption for every photo. Be sure to identify all significant people in each photo. First and last name are necessary for each significant person (that is, a person who could be recognized); some other identifying information is also recommended for each person (for example, "an economic major," or "a diving instructor at the YMCA," or "a nurse at Shands hospital").

FOLLOW AP STYLE FOR PLACE NAMES, DATES AND EVERYTHING ELSE!

Audio Trouble

IF YOUR AUDIO SOUNDS LIKE CHIPMUNKS after you EXPORT and play your Soundslides: You did not follow the instructions for the Audacity settings:

Instructions for Audacity Settings

Length: 90–120 sec. (this means your AUDIO file must be this length)

Number of photos in the slideshow: 18-25 (you may have more than 25 photos if you have one or more fast sequences; you must have at least 18 photos)

Captions: One for EACH photo in the slideshow

Due: Week 10 (bring your complete Project folder on one CD)

Submitting the CD

Before coming to class on the day this assignment is due, follow these instructions.

Grading (10 points)

Points will be deducted if the length or number of photos is inadequate (see above).