Public Service Announcement
A public service announcement (PSA) is a short video that asks the viewer to think critically about an issue or respond to a situation or behavior in a manner that would be more sensitive to the issue than what s/he might have taken prior to exposure to the information presented in the video. “Don’t Drink and Drive.” “This is your Brain on Drugs.” “Reading is Fundamental.” “Parents: The Anti-Drug.” These are all slogans taken from PSA videos. We are all familiar with these ads. There is a message, there is (typically) action, facts and statistics may be presented, an interview or a story might also be incorporated to help drive home the message.
The Project
You and your video production team will plan, organize, storyboard, shoot and edit a PSA on a topic that is of importance to the community here at Lamar. Possible subjects include, but are not be limited to, Bullying, Smoking, Under Age Drinking, Texting, Teen Pregnancy or High School Dropout Prevention. You may choose any topic that interests your group but you must get approval from your teacher before beginning your video. Your video must be at least one minute but no more than two minutes in length.
Research
You MUST research your topic. Offer solutions to the problems you are presenting in your video. Support your position with facts and statistics. Provide the viewer with the information needed to better understand the issue and provide resources that will help them find additional information if desired.
You will be evaluated on the following:
Timeliness – Did you produce the video in a timely fashion?
Concept – How well does the concept of your ad communicate your intended message? Do we know what your point is?
Storyboard- How complete is your storyboard? Does it contain the script, the setting, props, action, and direction for the actors? ESSENTIAL: Does it include the intended camera action (zoom, pan, etc.)? In other words, the best videos are those that are thoroughly planned. How well planned is this one? And how well did you stick to the plan? Remember to “Plan your shoot and shoot your plan” if you expect the highest possible grade.
Craftsmanship- Can we hear the people speaking clearly? Can we see the action? How smooth is the camera technique? Is the lighting good? Did you choose a location that lends itself to your production? Did you shoot multiple views of key scenes for variety? Did you incorporate creative angles? Did you use the elements of composition? How smooth are the transitions and the final edit?
Editing- Did you include all the required elements: titles, transitions, credits, etc? Are the clips thoughtfully edited? How closely did you follow your storyboard? Does the editing add to the message or are they distracting?
Participation- Were you an active participant in this project? Did you hog the show or did you hang back and allow others to run the show? The entire group will suffer if one person does everything, or if someone sits back & lets everyone else do the work. Each member of your production team must contribute equally, whether as editor, camera operator or on screen talent.
Message- How clearly have you stated the problem and offered solutions? Does everything in your PSA contribute to the message and solutions? Is it the required length? Is it logical or is something missing? Lastly, and most importantly, will your message catch the attention of and have impact on your target audience?
Professionalism- What is the quality of your final video? How professional have you been with your approach to this project?