Plotline In Space

Below you will find a detailed outline as to what this online program will cover including by the week overviews. We will be recording the classes and making them available to students in case they miss one. Each class will be online through Google Meet where we will demonstrate the skills, answer questions, and have group discussions. This class can be taken by yourself or with your family members for one fee of $149. Scholarships are available.

Due to the technical nature of the class, it’s recommended for 12 and up. Younger students can still participate will model building and shooting or editing editing if they are more advanced.

Once you sign up you will be emailed

WeVideo sign up link and instructions to join our class. (Free)
A link to join our Google Meet Video Chats

Questions? Contact Us or call us at (417) 986-3286.

Schedule: Mondays & Thursdays 1 – 2pm and runs June 8^th-25^th & July 6^th-23^rd.

No class the week of the Fourth of July

We will have a screening of the completed short movies in August TBD. In total, that’s 12 Classes over 6 Weeks.

Premise: The year is 2520. Through ingenuity and international cooperation humanity has explored and settled many planets around the stars. All is well. Until, the Space Monsters attack. They look like the wildest things out of your imagination or even everyday objects! Why are they attacking your planet? To exterminate all life, to take your donuts or something else? It will take some ace flying skills, several well placed laser beams and a massive sci-fi explosion to stop them.

You will need

A computer (Chromebook, PC, or Mac) with an internet connection.
Basic understanding on video editing in WeVideo.
A camera equipped device. Such as a Smart phone, Tablet, Video Camera, DSLR, GoPro or Chromebook.

We will provide you with

Green Screen
Mini Tripod for smartphones.

Goal: Create your Sci-Fi movie

Edit video and audio to create sci-fi space battles using WeVideo with provided visual and sound fx as well as your own footage.
Build a model space ship and space monster. Mount and shoot them with a green screen.
Film yourself and/or a family member in front of the green screen to place them inside the ship.

Please note: Movies are to be PG rated. Avoid potentially offensive images or content. Any disparaging comments regarding Gender, Politics, Race, Religion and Sexual Identity are prohibited. Laser guns should look like laser guns and not realistic firearms.

Video Chat Etiquette

Be on time, take bathroom break beforehand
Stay on mute when not speaking, do not interrupt others who are speaking
Raise up your hand to let people know you’re about to speak
Speak respectfully in person and on chat
Come dressed for class, be aware of what’s in your background
Don’t distract others with side conversations in chat while others are speaking

Week 1 – Sci-Fi Video Editing & Sound Design

Space Editing Exercise using existing footage . Green Screen Chroma keying with well lit footage and poorly lit. See what a difference that makes! Add lasers and sound effects. Students also add their own photo or short video to be used as a background image.

How to Chroma Key – How to change size of something (person in cockpit)
Sound Design – Layering sounds
Combining Visual FX – Explosions
Laser Gun Effects – Pre made with a black background and students can key them.
Match space ship angles with background footage.
How to upload footage. Students upload a still photo or short video to use in their project. Here’s how to upload to WeVideo through the app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qTS3S7txu8 *Note: Upload to “My Media”

Week 2 – Modeling Building & Painting

Use what you have at home.

Space Ship & Space Monster Model Building Material examples

Hot glue gun
Duct Tape
Cardboard such as a cereal box
Paint
Or, use a model or toy you already own or make something out of Legos

Model Painting – Avoid the color Green! Also, too much black can reflect the green background and cause problems when we are shooting green screen footage.

Stand to Mount Model – Hang your model from a stand with fishing line. Don’t have a stand? Try tying it to a broomstick and hanging it off a bookcase, stools, counter. Somewhere where your green screen can go!

Week 3 – Shooting with a Green Screen

We’ll show you how and where to mount your green screen to avoid shadows and light it evenly. Move light sources, such as a lamp, to illuminate it better and your model.

Shoot
Test
Adjust

Don’t spend a lot of time on shooting only to find that the footage is unusable! If the green screen has a shadow on it then it will not key out! Move your model or yourself further away from the screen to avoid that. Reposition lights to help.

Refer to Week 1 footage where we used a ship that was poorly lit.
Shoot test footage

Week 4 – Fill in the Story

We have a lot of technical details so we are taking more of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” or “Mad Libs” approach to our stories.

How do you tell your story?

Overlays

Voice Over

Live Action: shoot in person

Week 5 -Get Shooting!

Week 6 -Get Editing!

* We will then have a couple of weeks to complete our edits before we have our August screening.