Field Work

Tracing the Steps of the Carbon Footprint

BRISTOL, RI __ Here at Roger Williams University, 17 students are working hard to create a catalog of videos on sustainability issues: This year, the topic is Carbon Footprint, and the team is finding curious and creative ways to illustrate that idea.

One of our videos simply asks random people: "What is the Carbon Footprint?" We knew, before we asked, that many folks were confused about the reference. It wasn't until we hit the streets of Providence and -- soon -- Boston that we discovered how confused Americans really are about the issue.

Measuring Carbon Footprint and understanding its impact are new concepts to Americans. What I think we need now is for someone to clearly explain how what we do and who we are as human animals can affect climate change on a global scale. Of course there have been attempts, but the idea isn't clear yet. I think Planet Forward is certainly a much needed source for that explanation. And my hope, as an educator, is that the work of these students at Roger Williams University will help clarify just a little of that confusion.

As for now, the discussion has begun and soon, the team at Roger Williams University will present its body of work for your inspection and careful review. As for what we've learned along the way: It remains clear that Americans are confused about the idea of measuring "our Carbon Footprint" but what was also abundantly clear to us was the fact that many of the people we asked were also rather eager to learn... and nothing could be more important than that.

Day 3: Planet Forward (RWU)

BRISTOL, RI __ Something happened today: I stopped being the center of attention for the Planet Forward (RWU) project which is a key event. The students are taking over, they're talking to each other, the collaboration is beginning, and I am fading back into an advisory role.

They may not realize it yet, but the 17 students attached to the PF (RWU) project just made the transition from undergraduate to graduate students.

As for the projects: They're scrambling to interview a hotel manager who is recycling used soap; they're plotting a spoof on the "Blair Witch Project," where they search for the "illusive carbon footprint;" and they're filling a bathtub with carbon to make a point.



[where: 02809]

Producing Planet Forward (RWU) 2.0

BRISTOL, RI __ Because Planet Forward (RWU) 2.0 is a production class, I usually open with a video assignment. On day one, I broke the class into four groups of four, I handed them a camera and sent them out into the field to produce. This first assignment is all about team building.

Now, while the body of work for Planet Forward will ultimately be about sustainability, this assignment is about delivering a gift. Each team must go out into the field and purchase an item -- flowers, coffee, a necklace, a danish -- and deliver it to someone on campus. Before they go out into the field, I ask them to storyboard the video.

If you don't know, storyboarding is about mapping out the images. Each scene in the cycle should be divided up into short video clips that help tell the story by placing emphasis on action inside the phrame. We do this with a mixture of long shots, close ups and standard phrame shots. If done well, a storyboard will help cut the amount of B-roll down to the bare essentials. It can also help define the theme of the story.

Here's one of the final videos:


Clearly, there is a narrative thread here with a beginning, a middle and end.

Again, the video is off topic, the idea is to give the students a chance to have some fun with an idea. In the process, they get to know each other, they'll learn the production cycle -- from concept to post to publish -- and they get to learn how to work with each other and the equipment.




For licensing reasons, the music is "home grown" or "house produced" on Garage Band or some other audio software package.

For more video: hit this link: PING.

Now that they've shown me they can shoot video, it's time to get down to business. Planet Forward (RWU) 2.0 has begun.

[where: 02809]