[253] A4 is not a mashup assignment

[Richard Smith <smith@sfu.ca>]

Dear 253

I have had a question about using video clips from a tv show in  
Assignment 4. In the interests of making sure this is perfectly  
clear, the answer is "no." No non-trivial clips from someone else  
should be in your video. This assignment is not to be a  
"mashup" (i.e., a collection of clips).

An exception to this rule might be where you are showing a clip in  
order to provide commentary on it - as you might see in a movie  
review show, where someone sets up the clip, shows the clip, and then  
follows that up with commentary. But I would hope that that sort of  
thing is not a major part of your assignment.

This assignment is meant to be *your* material. We aren't asking you  
to comment on things that other people have produced, but to do  
original research. The words "original research" are part of the A4  
guidelines. That's why we got you all to do interviews, that's why we  
have model releases, that's why we have cameras to borrow.

Just to remind you, here is the opening paragraph from that assignment:

"For the final assignment, you will produce a short video documentary  
based on primary research.
The purpose of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to:

* Conduct some primary research on a topic pertaining to new media.
* Create something with new media.
* Coordinate and collaborate as a team.


I am sure I could have designed an assignment that asked you to  
create a video collage, but this is NOT that assignment.

Now it may be that you have a short image from somewhere else, even a  
5 second clip, or a bit of music as a snippet/background, but these  
should be at a minimum and only where necessary. The emphasis should  
be on your own work.

I hope this sets things straight.

...r

--
Richard Smith, Associate Professor School of Communication
Simon Fraser University, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, CANADA  
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Phone: 604 291 5116 Web: http://www.sfu.ca/~smith/ Mobitus: 2001 1070  
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