multimedia project planning

Today’s Topic: Project Planning

Rule No. 1: Start early!

Rule No. 2: Start early!

Rule No. 3: Start early!

Fact:

Projects involving multimedia take longer to produce than you’d think.

Even elements that look simple…

Working as a Team

Rule No. 1: Working in a team does not have to be contentious.

“Disagreement is different from disrespect.”(Credit: Jennifer George-Palilonis, The Mulimedia Journalist)

Working as a Team

Make sure everyone has a chance to express opinions.

Choose your battles wisely.

Compromise.

Keep an eye out for info that might help your other teammates.

Where to Start: Organize Configure collaboration tools to make your lives

easier.

Share deadlines, documents, schedules.

ExamplesGoogle Drive offers: Calendar, documents, spreadsheets,forms & more.

Virtual Meetings: Skype, Google Hangouts

Where to Start

Pick a great story. (Easy, right?)

Pick something that lends itself to multimedia treatment: text, video, photo, audio, interactive.

Where to Start

Decide on Your Focus (This may change!)

What’s your story? Why would your audience care? What’s the goal?: Inform, enlighten,

educate, “edutainment,” or just tell a powerful/interesting story.

Good Multimedia Stories:  Usually include strong visuals, action.

Have something that can be illustrated with an interactive graphic or animation

Have compelling character(s): People who can tell their story.

Have an emotional component (great for photos, audio, video.)

Good MM: Not Redundant

No: Text version of a story accompanied by a video clip that essentially tells the same story.

Yes!: Elements should complement and support the story.

Don’t do multimedia for multimedia’s sake. Make it count!

Best MM Packages: Non-linear

User choose how to navigate the story.

Where to Start: Next…

Identify what you need to produce to tell the story.

Text, Video, Photos, Map, Data Viz

Reality Check

This will help you:

1. Set deadlines, identify holes, be realistic.

2. Identify equipment, software, etc. required.

Next…

Decide who will produce all of this stuff!

Divvy up Jobs. Examples:

Project manager Writer Photographer Interactive producer Web producer

Then: Research, ResearchHere’s where your focus may change.

Not enough resources/interviews. Too many resources/interviews. No data? Too much data?

Compile content. Create lists, contact info.Look for other ideas/angles in this phase.

Create a Plan

Yes, write it down.

Create spreadsheets, checklists

Set deadlines, goals and try to stick to ‘em.

Example: Project Planning

Rochester, NY Democrat & Chronicle

Project: Day in the Life of a HS

Key Points: HS ProjectTeam created plans for 6, 4, 2 weeks out.

6 Weeks: Decided to present story as a series, began working on summaries for each.

4 Weeks: Started storyboarding

2 Weeks: Started building “dummy” web pages with placeholder content.

Match Stories to MediaProject Planning. Example Grid

Create a Content Budget

List every story, element.

Next: Gather Content

Schedule, schedule, schedule:

Interviews Equipment reservations Anything that requires advance

permission – start early! Select templates, graphics, etc., to give

the project the right look and feel.

Time Management Tips

Give yourselves enough time to recover from:

Disasters (shooting, editing blowups)

Schedule changes (yours, sources)

Things You Can’t Control:Weather, earthquakes, etc.

Next: Storyboard, Sketch

Create site maps, storyboards

Home

MoreVideo Resources

Next: Production

Write, edit, configure

Don’t get too hung up on the technology. Keep the focus on the story.

Identify elements that can be completed early, others later.

Try not to pull all-nighters at the end. Think Phased Deadlines.

Time Management Tip

Do not try to learn complicated stuffon deadline: software, shooting, editing.

It will lead to shortcuts…

Don’t Skip: Testing & Revision

Create it. Test it. Revise, fix problems. Then….Launch!