One of the beauties of video editing in the modern age is that you can make a video with very little equipment. You can use your smart phone, a DSLR camera, found (copyright-free) footage online, or the equipment available on campus.
There are many different applications you can use to edit videos. Davinci Resolve is a powerful, free option available to Mac, Windows, and Linux users. Some operating systems have free and specific editing software like Apple's iMovie. If you want to push yourself and use more professional software, Adobe Premiere Pro is available for use on the machines in the Tenzer and Pulliam Centers.
Both the Tenzer Technology Center and the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media have several resources you can utilize. The Tenzer Center has limited camera kits, and the center machines have the entire Adobe Suite available for students. The Pulliam Center also has resources such as the D3TV lab and a podcast studio for audio recording.
Please reach out to Laurel Tilton (laureltilton@depauw.edu) for utilization of Tenzer Center resources and podcast studio training. To check availability for the D3TV video editing lab, please reach out to Larry Abed (labed@depauw.edu).
Chris Newton (newton@depauw.edu), the Director of the PCCM, and Laurel Tilton (laureltilton@depauw.edu), the Assistant Director of the TTC, are both available remotely via Zoom or Google Meet to discuss project ideas or to answer any questions.
No worries! We encourage you to try out the challenge anyway! There are thousands of YouTube tutorials for video recording and editing. DePauw students also have access to LinkedIn Learning courses for free. Part of this challenge is to push yourself to learn new skills that will be advantageous to your DePauw and professional career.
While we don't want to squash creativity, we do ask that topics be safe for work (no hate speech, harassment, etc). Other than that, we define "Rise and Fall" very loosely! Your video could be a non-fiction and educational account of something that happened on campus, or it could be a fantastical story that your script yourself. As long as videos begin with you rising and end with you falling (please see example), then it fulfills the submission requirements.
Yes! If you submit as a group, please be aware that you might not submit as an individual with a separate entry. Please note that prizes will be dependent on how many individuals are in the winning videos. Group entries should pick a single point person to submit the entry.
Please go to the submit tab of this website in the upper right-hand corner. You can submit your entry via the Google Form that's embedded. All submissions should include a video title, brief description, and MP4 attachment.
Chris Newton of the PCCM and Laurel Tilton of the TTC will be acting as judges for submissions. If a tie breaker is necessary, we may reach out to a third party to act as a deciding factor. Submissions will be judged based on quality of editing, attention to detail, and creative expression.
Awards will be handed out or mailed to a Grand Prize Winner, a Runner-Up, and two Honorable Mentions. These prizes will consist of various tech gadgets and DePauw gear. Announcements of winners will be sent via email to those who submitted to the contest before being posted publicly on this webpage as well as the two centers' social medias.
Clean editing, clear audio, and quality footage is key, but artistic expression and entertainment is also important
Concise story-telling or succinct analysis of a topic is important (i.e. avoid rambling)
Focus on telling a story; do not try to impress us by overloading your video with too many effects, find a balance
Even seemingly small things like pauses, subtle music changes, and strategic sound effects can add a new level of immersion
Check your work carefully; ask yourself if the topic or story you are presenting makes sense to a new viewer
Editing:
Premiere Pro (professional video software that students can access at Tenzer and Pulliam)
Davinci Resolve (free video editing software)
Audacity (free audio editing software)
Audition (professional audio software that students can access at Tenzer and Pulliam)
Copyright free resources:
FreeSound (free sound effects: think dogs barking, creaking doors, things like that)
Free Music Archive (has thousands of background music options for free)
Graphics/Title Cards:
Canva (free graphic making website - lots of students use this)
Photoshop (professional graphic making software, students can access at Tenzer)
Davinci Resolve Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Ln33O4p4c
Premiere Pro Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTCxUXGM6tc