Teams of 2-4 students will research and produce a documentary on an issue, topic, or person of importance to your community.
Main Event
Event Description
Teams of 2-4 students will research and produce a documentary on a LOCAL issue, topic, or person of importance to your community. The documentary should strive to add value to the general discussion by bringing in new information, identifying unrecognized problems, providing or suggesting new solutions, or offering a unique perspective. The final project must be submitted by 10:00 pm on March 15, 2024, to the TOT App Submission Portal.
If the documentary is a biography: Whether your subject is living or deceased, he or she should have a strong connection to the Central Valley, and the film should utilize student interviews with the subject, his or her friends and family, or those who have expert knowledge of him or her.
If the individual is deceased: Photos and/or video footage of that person along with testimonials and interviews from the subject’s friends and family should be the backbone of the film. This is NOT a typical class biography report translated into a film; it must emphasize topics or people of LOCAL importance.
Common Core Standards
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples.
Designing and Creating Your Project
The process of creating your project should take on the following steps:
- Research a Topic – Pick a topic for the documentary and find some factual information about the person/topic.
- Prepare the Script – Create a script that includes a narrative and describes the scene. Use cards, pictures, or drawings to represent the sequence of the shots for your project.
- Filming the Project – The actual shooting of the video and pictures to be used in the project.
- Video Editing – Use software to edit the video, mix in sound, graphics, and animation.
Technical Requirements
- Adobe Premiere, WeVideo, Open Shot, and Microsoft Windows Video Editor editing software can be used.
- Videos MUST BE uploaded in mp4 format. Use one of these free online video converters: freemake, Kapwing, or zamzar.
- The video file needs to be less than 200 MB.
- The video needs to be 5 minutes or less (The credits DO NOT count as part of the time limit).
- The final project must be uploaded by 10:00 pm on March 15, 2024, to the TOT App Submission Portal.
- Complete all release forms for likenesses and locations and follow all copyright requirements.
Reward Points
| Points | Judging Criteria |
| 5pts | The documentary meets the time limit maximum of 5 minutes or less. The credits DO NOT count as part of the time limit. |
| 10pts | The research was well conducted on the topic of the video and includes a minimum of 2 interviews if it is a biography. |
| 10pts | Video emphasizes the importance of the topic covered and how it relates to the Central Valley. |
| 10pts | Driving focus for the entire length of the film. |
| 10pts | General audio quality is balanced throughout the film. |
| 10pts | The music selection matches the tone of the video. |
| 15pts | The film follows basic film techniques (rule of thirds, transitions, lighting, jump-cuts), and is well-executed (focus, exposure, audio, composition, graphics, special effects). |
| EXTR 10pts | Drone footage is used to create a unique view. |
| 30pts | Live Challenge (See next section). |
Live Challenge
Scenario
During the live challenge, teams will produce a video on specific person of importance in Technology. Teams will be given the person’s name and are then required to research this individual and determine 3-5 key points to emphasize about them. Teams will collaborate using approved software to produce their video and must be prepared to answer follow-up questions.
The film should answer a few key questions:
- Introduce your person of importance and provide some interesting Biofacts.
- What contributions has this person made to the “topic”?
- How has this person impacted the way we think as students?
- How has this individual impacted society?
Challenge
- Conduct research to determine key points
- Create a video that emphasizes 3-5 key points
- Video must have an intro slide with person’s name, audio/music, images/video, voiceovers, transitions, and flow.
- Video MUST be a maximum of 2 mins.
Time
Your team will have:
- 50 minutes to import, review and edit the video
- Judges will view the original Blockbuster after students leave.
- IT will export the MP4 file to the team’s thumb drive (Do not leave until this is completed and IT has received your file).
Judge Questions/Check-In
As teams are working judges will approach each group and may ask questions about their work based on participation, collaboration, and creativity. Each group member is expected to be ready to answer these questions.
- What was something new you learned while working on this project?
- What was the hardest part of completing this project?
- Did your team face any challenges working together and making decisions?
- How did your team handle the many different roles/responsibilities of the project?
- What are you most proud of?
Scoring
You will receive up to:
| Points | Judging Criteria |
| 5pts | Timing – meets the time limit of 2 mins or less |
| 5pts | Team collaboration during the planning stage. |
| 5pts | Incorporation & participation of all team members when answering judges’ questions. |
| 5pts | The creativity of the video. |
| 5pts | Video emphasizes the person’s bio, contributions, and value to the “TOPIC TBD” |
| 5pts | Video contains the Intro slide, flow is well managed with the use of audio, images, voiceovers. |
Tips
As with most of the Live Event challenges, teams will need to be very careful with time management. They should allocate at least a few minutes to review their video and prepare for the judges questioning.
- This year, students can only use Adobe Premiere Pro CC, WeVideo, or Microsoft Video Editor for the Live Challenge.
- IT will provide laptops that contain Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2017) and Microsoft Video Editor and students will have access to use online video editors such as WeVideo.
- Students that use We Video will need to know how to access the website and log in to We Video.
- Students that use We Video will need to know how to access the website and log in to We Video.
Day of
- Each computer will contain the files necessary to complete the event.
- When Teams complete projects and BEFORE leaving the room:
- Teams must verify their file exists on their application of choice.
- With the help of an IT technician, teams must export the video as an MP4 onto the master flash drive with the team’s name and event abbreviation:
- Example: TechGirlsDoc.mp4
- Teams may leave the event room ONLY when the video is verified on the flash drive (with a judge or IT person) as a working mp4.
Getting Help
Contact Erin Smith at Erin.Smith@fresnounified.org or Lisa Milazzo at Lisa.Milazzo@fresnounified.org if you have any further questions about this event.