Production Tips and Tools

the.News is a media literacy and multimedia project which helps students understand and interpret video content through project based learning, including P21 skills of critical thinking and production. Materials produced for and by OPS educators that were used in the classroom during the pilot partnership in Omaha are available in these pdf files and include production tips and tools for managing video projects and for guiding students in the digital media process; equipment handling and care; checklists for creating video segments and sample camera agreements and appearance release forms; and assessment rubrics for pre and post production.

"10 Tips for Making Video" (pdf 48kb) (from Ken Kobreé and Jerry Lazar, www.kobreguide.com), offers guidelines for creating quality news reports for video journalists.
BBTV Broadcasting Manual (pdf 3mb); Sample Storyboard (pdf 32kb); and Writing to Video: Creating a News Segment (pdf 608kb) from OPS middle school journalism teacher, Laura Chytka, provides classroom management and activities, news production tips including suggestions for interviews, story outline, video techniques and sample storyboard; glossary of terms and checklist for writing a news story, etc.
the.News Professional Development/the.News Project (pdf 112kb)from OPS high school social studies teacher, Kelsey Cooper,provides classroom activities and requirements for video competition, production tips, sample video log, contact forms, group evaluation sheet and more (such as a sample parent/guardian release form) (pdf 22kb)
An interview with PBS NewsHour producer Anne Davenport (pdf 62kb) provides professional insights and inspiration to young journalists.
the.News script template (pdf 40kb) demonstrates how to format a final news script including shot numbers, video description, audio and time codes.
A Video Production Assignment (pdf 81kb) used in a professional development training session with OPS consultants can be replicated with students.
the.News Storyboard Rubric (pdf 51kb) created by OPS high school social studies teacher Kelsey Cooper provides a student assessment tool for the creation of a video storyboard.
Video Pre-Production: the.News Project Rubric (pdf 51kb) & Post Production:the.News Rubric (pdf 115kb) generated by OPS middle school gifted and talented facilitator, Jane Laughlin, and middle school social studies teacher, Hope Hibler, provide assessments for the organization, activities, production values, and overall content for a news video.
Free Music & Images Resources (pdf 62kb) collected from the SchoolTube website.
Sample the.News/OPS equipment list (pdf 126kb) suggested by OPS high school journalism teacher, Jerred Zegelis, provides suggestions for equipment for student video production and Sample Video Camera Agreement (pdf 86kb) from OPS high school social studies teacher, Kelsey Cooper, includes a parent/guardian agreement form and provides a way to keep track of equipment students have used.