media and Society

2. Video essay: communicating through motifs (+ reflection statement) Due date: By the beginning of your week 12 tutorial (24/26 October 2023) For this assignment, students create a “video essay” (of approx. 2 min. in length), along with a short reflection statement, on how the visual/audio motifs within two Australian short films communicate a specific “message”. Information about how “video essays” communicate (and general resources and examples) will be available on Canvas. As always, please consult the rubric before beginning. General guidelines: Select one Australian short film studied in Week 9 (available in ‘Readings’) plus one other publicly available Australian short film of your choosing (please include the link in your essay) – these are the source films that you will re-edit to craft your video essay (note: you don’t film anything new for this assignment) Identify a common “motif” across the two short films. The “motif” can be ideological or thematic Select and edit together a collection of these “motifs” to make an original argument or observation about your media and its overall “message” or “theme” You are allowed to use explanatory narration, but it must be minimal – no more than five spoken sentences at the start of the video, and limited use of on-screen text throughout. The point is to try to communicate through non-verbal, visual (and auditory) ways You may add any combination of music, sound effects, visual effects, and/or edits to images which you source; your images should mostly come from two short films you’re analysing Students may work in pairs or trios if they choose (video essays will need to be proportionately longer, 1 extra minute for every additional person involved). Individual reflection statements must be submitted by each member of the group. Video essays are due at the start of your tutorial in week 12 There is no lecture and no reading set for week 12 (only tutorials) Your video essay should include a reference list showing where you sourced found footage and sound AND academic references that influenced your concept.