Christine Spurgeon
ENG 328
Collaborative Movie Essay- Final
December 5, 2010
When first considering the assigned collaborative movie project and how it differs from traditional writing and essays, I felt completely overwhelmed by a process unfamiliar, thinking I had very few skills worth contributing to making or posting a video. This was the first major and clear difference between more conventional writing and expanding into other literacies- I did not know the basic language of creating a video. Most of us have developed our own writing process, a familiar and solitary procedure done on our own time, and some of us had experience with video software and Youtube but I was not one of them.
It did not take me long to decide writing an essay is much more restrictive in form than the process of video making. Collaborating on a video posed its unique challenges, but was unconfined and allowed us to be completely innovative and learn new skills from one another. While working and reflecting on this project, I noted multiple similarities and differences between these two types of assignments. Writing is often an integral part of multimedia presentation, though separate and distinct from it. Collaborating on the group video, I revisited all of the information we had studied in our readings and interpreted it, similar to an essay. While working with skilled members of my group, I realized that the task of video making was not nearly as daunting as I thought it would be. Our group members contributed varied resources to bring the movie together. Contrary to typical writing assignment, Daniel Anderson says that “putting technology first promotes opportunities for play and experimentation that can lead to new learning,” and I couldn’t agree more (Anderson 43).
I have written dozens of essays in college and the process is virtually the same for me, writing by myself, every time. A) Read and understand assigned texts. B) Isolate an interesting idea and develop a thesis. C) Research thesis to get breadth of the topic at hand and be sure this is the thesis that is right for me. D) Assemble arguments and research. E) Revise and edit. F) Final polished product. I enjoy this, researching new information and learning how to become a better writer and an informed critic, but it is very similar every time.
When I met with my group to discuss our collaborative project, it was new and exciting! I had no idea what to expect or what we would accomplish in that session together. One primary difference between a traditional essay and a collaborative movie is that participants have a responsibility to each other, and not just for their individual grade. Each group member must be able and willing to commit to a schedule of communication and/or appointments, and be courteous to other members of their group. It is great that most fellow students at this stage of the game are invested in their education- generally others at this level work hard to succeed in their studies. That being said, it wasn’t the group experience I felt was a challenge, but the reality of four people to communicate effectively via the internet about such an expansive project. Everyone has full, erratic schedules and often time lapsed between our dialogues. The exchange of ideas was limited and our progress was there, but sluggish the entire first week. Fortunately all members of our group agreed that it was best to meet personally to discuss the movie, and were able to make arrangements to do so. Reconciling schedules was by far the most challenging part of the collaborative process. It was difficult to get four people in one location when all live, work, and attend school in all different places at all different times. I feel fortunate everyone on my team had good attitudes and all were flexible and accountable. For other people who are skilled with computers, making the video may have been easy for them to do on their own, communicating via internet. Personally I don’t think I would have gained anything from this project if we had made the entire thing by means of virtual communication, it was only when we met and worked in real time that I was engaged and enjoyed the work.
In a broad sense, the brainstorming process for making the video was very similar to the process of writing. As a team we had to determine the premise or thesis of our movie, and develop an engaging introduction that clarifies the scene and introduces the action to come. We had to decide what made sense for the plot, and formulate a cohesive conclusion. We gathered tools as one does increments of research for an argument, searching until we found the right pieces that fit in the right places- the bloody font, monster mask, appropriate location, etc. Making a video and writing an essay are both essentially like putting together one puzzle from a large pile of pieces from which any number of puzzles can be made. We first isolated the idea of what to write about from the expanse of material at hand, then build an outline or the framework for how to write about it or present in another media, and slowly the pieces come together. When writing an essay I do this by myself, and it is necessary to let a day or so go by before rereading my work so I can look at the pieces in a new way. In a group setting the scope of our own mind was delimited, and with four unique brains working together things progressed rapidly.
Writing an essay is far more of a confined process than creating a video with peers. Written work is a product of one’s attention to detail, and the words and sentences must be scrutinized. Rhythmic, accurate, and nuanced writing is a product of careful revision to be sure each word and idea is in the best place, no more and no less. Our group did a good deal of writing for the project, while brainstorming and for the quotes on film, but the project itself was not writing. Almost the entire project came together from our verbal discussion. We had a very generic script and premise for the movie in place but my acting mate and I improvised nearly the entire dialogue, though we did require three takes. This video was of course far less formal and polished writing and communication than an essay, but more entertaining to make and watch. Through the “interplay of people and machines” we as creators can learn and understand the information at hand, and viewers are more apt to learn and remember this information when they enjoy watching the video (Anderson 45).
I had notions that movie making was demanding and required highly proficient technological skills. The actual mechanics of making a movie- splicing and attaching the scenes, adding sound effects and slides or visual effects, etc- would have completely frustrated and overwhelmed me attempting to navigate this on my own. Instead of being just informed questioners, Anderson points out, students need to be engaged agents of change (Anderson 45).When I was working hands on with group members who had knowledge in this area, I learned quickly and was interested to do so. Having someone immediately at hand who is pleasant and willing to teach the basics makes all of the difference when diving into completely unfamiliar territory. It makes sense that Daniel Anderson advises that we avoid “definitions that would fix computer literacy as a set of skills, in favor of processed through which multiple literacies can flow” (Anderson 41). Anderson discusses students who have a talent and aptitude for creating what is definitely critical and artistic analysis through non- traditional multimedia, such as the Tyger and the Lamb collages. I can see that with a little guidance and direction, people can discover new means of expression, interpretation, and communication using computers. I think it’s important to engage technologies “while avoiding lenses through which both utopian and dystopian visions [of technologies] are exaggerated” (Anderson 41). The collaborative movie project is an ideal example of how technology can be implemented in various capacities that enhance and encourage learning and collaboration. Exposure to this kinds of experiences can inspire people to become involved in things they didn’t know they were interested in- production, photography, music, and design are just a few things I can think of. Essays are fairly rigorous, and generally for people who know they want to pursue that type of work.
Daniel Anderson writes that “the making that occurs through interplay of things and humans yields creative and personal transformations” (Anderson 44). Our video project was the product of an hour and a half’s worth of brainstorming and experimentation, and I learned a great deal about developing a script, filming, and actually creating a video during this time. Not only did I learn about it, I became interested in it and interested in learning from my team mate. The technology of a video was the foundation of this project, as we would never have had cause to work as a team and be creative while writing a formal essay. Technology facilitated this project, but all of the creative energy came from our personal interface and discussion. Our team wrote what could have been an essay, except we wrote it out loud and in pictures. The video project was so much more fun than writing a traditional essay. While it is necessary at times to compromise and adapt personal style somewhat, when working collaboratively multiple people bring together multiple perspectives and skills. These can combine and create things that would have been impossible separately; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The video project was energetic in a way that essays are not. Coming together as a group we were not only critical but creative; our ideas complemented and built off one another’s. Because the movie was fun, we understood, analyzed and remembered the information we were studying. I really enjoyed the process of making the video and found it to be a fresh take on group work and originality.
