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It's All In Your Head!
(Jenna Peel & Julie Lindy)

The following video commercial is your text for this two-part assignment. To prepare for the assignment, go get your journal and a pen. Then watch the video. Journal your initial reactions, thoughts about what you see, how the text makes you feel, and whether it makes you want to respond (and if so, how). The purpose of journaling your immediate response is to think the text through thoroughly and to have a resource to refer to later.

media type="youtube" key="nfmdsGrjW7M" height="344" width="425"

This assignment has an individual component AND a group component. Read the instructions for each part carefully.

Part 1: Individual Project - Creative Writing
DUE DATE: One week from today LENGTH: One to three pages OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate that you can combine creative thinking and creative writing.

ASSIGNMENT: Write the story of what's happening in the video as you imagine it. How is the story evolving? What is each character saying? What is the setting? What is the climax? Where is the conflict? What is the final resolution?
 * //Suggestion//: Try watching the video with AND without the sound. How does the sound impact the story? Does it give you a different perspective for how the story unfolds? Notice how the sound influences the tone of the story. As the writer, you may follow the tone of the story that you perceive in the sound, or you may disregard the sound altogether and follow the sounds emerging in your imagination.
 * Remember to be creative and imaginative. Tell a story. Rather than trying to interpret the script, create your own. You may format your story as a script, a short story, or any other genre that appeals to you. Just be sure that your work tells a story that fits into the context of the video. Feel free to draw upon the initial impressions recorded in your journal to develop your story.

SUBMISSION FORMAT: Each student will read their story aloud in class, so bring a paper copy to read from. Afterward, your story will be uploaded to your online student portfolio for this class.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

The following elements will be considered in assessing your story:
 * Did you write a story that corresonds with the action, conversation and setting depicted in the video?
 * Did you use your imagination and creativity?
 * Did you incorporate concepts we have already covered in class, such as similes and metaphors, imagery, personification, alliteration, symbolism, plot, themes, "writing small," and "writing from the heart?"

Part 2: Group Project - Sell The Story (Criticism and Analysis)
DUE DATE: Two weeks from today.

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate that you can work with a team to explore important issues of media literacy and audience-specific storytelling.

LOGISTICS AND EXPECTATIONS: The class will be divided into groups of four. Up to two hours of class time will be allotted to work on this project, but each group is expected to collaborate and possibly meet outside of class to work on this project if additional time is needed. Each group is expected to work as a team, and each member will be expected to account for their role on the team by submitting a brief e-mail explaining their contributions to the group and the project. The subject line of the e-mail should be titled, "How [YOUR NAME] contributed to [THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP]." There will be no team leader; each member's input and suggestions are to be treated with equal consideration and respect.

ASSIGNMENT: Each group is part of the creative team at a major advertising agency (be sure and think of a name for your agency -- that will be your team name). As you know, the above video commercial was created for a Japanese audience. Now the ad's sponsor has hired your team to adapt the ad for an American audience. Your team must decide the following:


 * What type of product does this ad try to sell? What group or groups of people make would probably buy this product? What are their characteristics? For example, are they young or old? Do they have children or are they probably not parents? Are they athletic, or do they hate sports? Do they like music? Movies? Books? Are they rich, poor or in-between?


 * What TV shows will this group probably watch? This is important, because you will have to decide which TV shows to place the ad on. Should it run after the news? During an NFL game? During a skateboarding tournament? During a soap opera? During American Idol? During The Hills? Where will the group you are targeting see the ad?


 * How will you change the ad to appeal to your American audience? You do not need to write a script, but what parts of the ad are good for an American audience, and which are more likely to appeal only to a Japanese audience? Explain why you came to your conclusions.

Use the decisions you make to answer the following questions in a presentation format: - What group or groups make up the targeted American audience for this product and what are their characteristics? - Where might our target audience see this ad? - What message are we trying to communicate to this audience with this ad? - What techniques will we use to make sure that our American audience understands our message?


 * Remember, you may draw upon the initial impressions recorded in your journal to develop suggestions to contribute to the group, but you do not need to share your journal with the group.

PRESENTATION: Each team may decide how they wish to present their project: live skit, video, blog post or wiki (be prepared to give a demo-style presentation), Power Point presentation -- it's up to you. You may do outside research if you wish (for example, finding related links to include in a blog post), but it is not required. Each presentation should be no more than 7 minutes. Remember, it is more important that your presentation show that you explored the important questions and came to conclusions as a team than it is to make a flashy presentation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

The following elements will be considered in assessing your team's work:
 * Did the group explore and address the questions in the "ASSIGNMENT" section above?
 * Did the group incorporate concepts of media literacy previously discussed in class, such as audience and different ways to look at and assess texts?
 * Was there a spirit of team and collaboration within the group? Did all group members actively participate and contribute? Were everybody's ideas welcomed with consideration and respect? Did everybody pull their weight?
 * Did the group use its imagination and creativity?