Moviemaking

Suggested tool: WeVideo

Description: Wevideo is a browser based non-linear video editor. It supports all the expected features of a timeline based editor, such as titles, transitions, effects, audio, greenscreen, and more, and is similar in function to iMovie.

Project idea: Shoot some video clips (about 4 or 5) on your phone or tablet and upload them to Drive. Logging into Wevideo using the same Google account, add these clips from Drive to a project and edit them into a short video (around 60 seconds long) Add transitions, title and music and publish the finished result back to Drive.

Or if you prefer, here's some clips you can play with.

Podcasting

Suggested tool: Soundtrap

Description: Soundtrap offers a browser based solution for audio editing and music production but is also great for recording spoken content such as podcasts, radio plays, etc. There are lots of effects and audio effects that can be added.

Project idea: Create a shortt (<2 minute) podcast on a topic of your choice. Include a short interview with a colleague. Add some introductory music, and add appropriate sound effects where they make sense. Save your finished podcast as an MP3 file and add it to Drive.

eBooks

Suggested tool: Book Creator

Description: Book Creator was originally released for the iPad but is now available for free as a fully browser based solution for creating interactive multimedia books. You can add text, images, links, audio and even embed other web content.

Project idea: Create a book with at least 4 pages, on a topic of your choice (something you're doing in class?) Add text, images, audio, etc to the book. Publish it to the web, and try out the Read it to me feature.

Screencasting

Suggested tool: Screencastify

Description: Screencastify is a browser based option for recording your screen to create tutorials, lessons, instructions and more. It integrates directly into Google Drive and creates videos that can be easily shared with others.

Project idea: Create a short screencast tutorial describing how to perform an action on your computer. Think about how you would explain this action as clearly and succinctly as possible, to keep your video short and pithy. Publish to Drive.

Stop Frame Animation

Suggested tool: Stop Frame Animator

Description: SFA is a simple to use, free Chrome app that allows you to easily create animations using the stop motion technique. This has many applications in the classroom, from explaining a process, telling a story, or just expressing creative ideas.

Project idea: Using any inanimate objects you wish, turn them into a short (<30 sec) video that brings them to life in an interesting way. Complete your clip by adding audio. and saving to Drive

Hint: Use an external webcam on a small tripod! It's much easier.

Making Music

Suggested tool: Soundtrap

Description: Soundtrap offers a browser based solution for audio editing and music production. It offers both loop and MIDI audio creation, recording of mics and instruments, and has a large number of effects and offers collaboration with others.

Project idea: Write a short (<30) musical piece that could be used as a backing track for a video, or an introduction to a podcast. Use either loops or MIDI, and build up the audio layers. Add some variety in the structure of the music! Export as an MP3 and save to Drive

VR Tours

Suggested tool: Tour Creator

Description: Tour Creator enables the production of multimedia tours based on 360 photos such as Google Streetview. You can add text, images, audio and narration to 360 images and assemble them into a multi place tour of your choice.

Project idea: Create a VR Tour with at least three different Streetview scenes. Base it on something that would be relevant to what you're teaching this term. Add hotspots to each scene with text popups. If you can, also add audio or narration to the hotspots.

Hint: You will need to create the audio outside of Tour Creator and import it in.

Digital Storytelling

Suggested tool: Adobe Spark Video

Description: Adobe Spark Video is one of the tools in the Adobe Spark family. It creates simple video output in the form of narrated slides. Slides can contain images, text, icons or video, and narration and music is easily added.

Project idea: Based on a topic relevant to your teaching, create a short video about it. Add images and icons, and video if appropriate, and narrate the entire thing. Select a theme and music track you like. Publish and save the MP4 to Drive.