For my video project, I chose to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) to support the Animal Rights PNW Facebook page that promotes advocacy for all animals as sentient beings.
As a part of my “Know Your Audience” theme for this course, I used persuasive language and video to support and tell the story that would appeal to the audience. My target audience consisting of holiday shoppers, moms, and dads, the general public, who care about consuming healthy products that are harvested responsibly and humanely.
I began my video production process with the brainstorming session that helped me arrive at the message I was trying to relay to my audience. The goal is to make the audience think before they buy the products and only purchase responsible, humanely harvested products. I used Animal Rights PNW hashtag #RaiseYourPaws as a common theme to connect this project with the Facebook page.
I wrote the script using generic storyboard template (see below). Using my iPhone’s Voice Memo app I recorded the script several times to provide alternative versions for editing, then I transferred the audio file to my computer and imported the asset into the Adobe Premiere project.
Once in Adobe Premiere, I created a timeline and laid the voice over track to get a general idea of how long my video would be. Once I knew my TRT (total running time), my next step was to begin considering the video footage needed to compose a supporting video track for my PSA.
Following that I captured the footage of the father and son shopping, I re-purposed several graphics for the Animal Rights PNW Facebook page and collected a few copyright-free materials from the internet.
Here is the Story Board:
| TIMESTAMP | AUDIO | VIDEO |
| 00:00:00 | The winter season is a wonderful time of the year for celebrating the joys of life, It is a time of thoughtful sharing with your family and friends. | Montage of holiday decor shots, dinner table, fireplace. |
| 00:15:27 | As you head to the store to get items for your holiday table, think twice before you buy.
Have you ever thought of those who take care of us, who feed us, how keep us warm? |
The sequence of shots father putting his son in the car to go to the store shopping |
| 00:26:11 | Cow keeps your kid’s tummy full of food, lamb keeps you warm when it’s cold outside, goose keeps your blankets and pillows soft like a cloud. | Close Up of the cow with a calf, medium shot of the lamb with the baby lamb, medium shot of geese. |
| 00:41:25
00:52:10 |
But what do these animals treated in return? PAIN? SUFFERING?
Think of those who are in need, in pain, without a home, separated from their family, stressed and hurt and hopeless. |
Video transition and desaturation effect over a sequence of shots of stressed animals. |
| 01:02:00 | Raise Your Paw this holiday season. With a little effort, you can make a difference. | Video transition deep to white
Graphic of Animal Rights PNW with hashtag #raiseyourpaws |
| 01:08:00 | Purchase responsibly grown and harvested products
Google your list before you buy the items Learn which products are created with love and passion for the animals who feed your tummies, keep you warm and comfortable. |
Return to the sequence of shopping in the grocery store. Exterior establishing shot with medium and several interior closeups culminating in the Animal Rights PNW Graphic at the end. |
The video is divided into several sequences. I began my narrative by establishing the time and place of the video. The opening sequence is the introduction of the holiday season (series of images and copyright free youtube shots).
The following sequence is of a father and son getting in the car and driving off. I chose two protagonists father and son – a typical couple going shopping. This would appeal to the general audience on the basic social level of everyday activities. As they go shopping the narrative shifts to animals and how they provide for humans, keeping our tummies full, our feet warm and our beds snuggly.
Followed by the introduction of the animals I began to introduce the conflict. The narration raises the question of what do animals all have in common. And the negative aspects of human cruelty are introduced.
Video attempts to generate tension by first talking about animals and how they feed us, keep us warm and comfortable while in return we as consumers payback with cruelty and pain and suffering by purchasing products that are made using cruel inhumane practices.
The finishing sequences contain a resolution. It starts with the call to action, followed by a series of shots of the father and son shopping in the supermarket, meticulously reading the labels and putting the products in the cart.
The finishing shot is another reminder graphic that asks the audience to repost and share this video and of course like the Facebook page for Animal Rights PNW.
Storyboard (click to view large image):
Hello Mikhail,
I have to comment that your video is well achieved in terms of content. The information that the video provided was new for me. Personally, I had not seen videos which invite the public to purchase responsibly grown and harvested products. I think that the strongest aspect of your video is that you are clear with the message you want to communicate. Besides, through the images of the animals and the voice tone, the video evokes emotions in the audience.
In the video, I understood your message because I read the storyboard. With this said, one suggestion is to edit the volume of the narration and the background songs. The audios compete a little bit in the video. Also, in the moment you are giving the advice, I identified a positive melody. I think the melody came in a little late. I recommend you to start with the positive melody at 1:05 when the voice says: “Raise your paw this holiday season” so you can strengthen the ending.
The second suggestion is to change the photo that appears at 0:06. I think the image is great but the “Shutterstock” logo appears. At the end, only if you want, you could add a transition effect. Maybe you can show the image of the lamb and then add a dissolve effect to the logo so it starts to appear progressively.
Finally, I really enjoyed your video. I will share it with my friends so they can be conscious about the products they will buy for the holidays.
Have a nice day!
Adriana G.C.
Thank you Adriana 🙂
Mikhail,
Your video was both fun and serious. You did a good job balancing both of those moods. The transition between the cute animal pictures and when the horse started crying and the color changed to black and white and the music became more somber was very effective. And bringing it back to a happy mood with the music and color and cute child was also well done.
A couple of things that you might consider: The still photo of the family at dinner didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the video of the man and his son. It just seemed a little out of place.
The transition between the sad music and the return to happy music might be improved by starting the happy music sooner – there is still sad music playing while the car pulls into the parking lot at 1:38.
Over all, a nice video.
Neil McKay
Thank you Neil 🙂
As my peers noted, I have a couple of issues with my draft. Particularly Adriana mentioned the competing audio tracks my voice over was in spots overpowered by my theme music. If the main narration is not heard well, the video is not effective and the message is lost. As my theme to this class I chose “know your audience” it is important to also respect your audience with being attentive by providing clear narration, supporting video footage and sequenced video track that also tells a story.
Another aspect of my video that I need to consider when I am working on my final is the transitions and clear connection of shots between the sequences. Neil noticed that my shot of a man with his son and a family picture did not relate well. The continuity in this case perhaps need to be provided. In order to soften the transition I think should use some sort of a video transition effect (for example dip to white) to separate the sequence. Perhaps I need to think of adding more b-roll to cover the sequence that talks about celebration of the season and sharing with the family so the video line and script go along together better.
At the end I need to finish with a call to action graphic or perhaps add a URL to the facebook page to bring it home for the audience.
Of course in the real world I would not use royalty free footage as much and make sure I have enough of my own footage to edit the story. Using a fully authored footage and sound makes the video authentic, more powerful with communication tool, and allows the editor/producer more control over how the message is delivered to the audience.
Hi Mikhall,
Great work on your video, narration, and storyboard! I was especially impressed by the story that your video tells, and how you cover a very serious topic (the treatment of animals) but still made it approachable to your target audience. I also liked your use of music, specifically transitioning between the two different songs. Well done!
In terms of feedback, I recommend that you move up the timing of the transition between your two different songs so that it syncs up with when your logo appears on screen (around 1:03). When your logo appears, that’s when the video delivers the call-to-action and you share the campaign theme (raise your paws). To add more emphasis and emotion to this moment, consider having the music change at this time.
Finally,to ensure that your audience comprehends and remembers the calls to action (e.g.:Google your shopping list), consider adding overlaid text. That way your viewers will hear and read it, increasing the likelihood of retention.
Great work on this, and all your projects I’ve had the chance to review this semester!