Starting a Video production class/unit HELP!

My Colleague and I are starting a new curriculum with two brand new PC labs. Our administration is very supportive and wants us to purchase new video equipment. We have no idea what to buy! What are your experiences with different equipment? I love Canon products and would prefer to go with them, but what type of recording device? Also, what is the best PC video editing software for kids to use? I am thinking about Adobe Premier Elements 3.0, anyone have good or bad experiences with this software?

I forgot to mention we teach middle school! Thanks so much.

Tags: software, video

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on August 28, 2007 at 6:31pm

I'm a video luddite, but I have a tiny piece of advice. We learned the hard way that you need wireless mics. haha! N.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Holt on August 28, 2007 at 9:13pm

Greg, you need to visit the Birdville ISD in Birdvile Texas. They have the best set up I have ever seen for this.

http://www.birdville.k12.tx.us/cate/mediatech/index.htm

You may also want to seek out Marco Torres, his classes in media production are nationally recognized:

Check out what his students do each year:
http://www.sfett.com/

Tim Holt
El Paso

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Permalink Reply by Colette Cassinelli on August 28, 2007 at 11:09pm

I use Premiere Elements for my PC lab and it is great. My first two years I tried using MovieMaker but it would crash a lot and did not have multiple audio and video tracks.

Canons are great - I use Sony camcorder cuz the batteries interchange with my digital cameras. Purchase external mics for the camcorders - it makes a huge difference. Buy extra batteries and battery chargers. Use Audacity for audio editing - its free and easy to learn.

Some video project ideas:
Digital Storytelling - a childhood memory
PSA of middle school issues - like cliques
Instructional videos - watch out food network!
Genre films (suspense, western, comedy)
Interviews
My community

Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on August 29, 2007 at 6:57pm

In 2000, we interviewed 54 WWII veterans. Interviewing older people in your community would make a wonderful video project.

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Permalink Reply by Don Abrams on October 10, 2009 at 4:22pm

Colette,

Sounds like you have a wonderful film course in place! I also teach film at the middle school level and have had great success with interviews. Last spring the boys interviewed their grand parents. We assembled all the interviews, placed them on DVD's and distributed them to each student in the class. From a technical point of view, the project was very "doable", and from an educational stand point, the project was meaningful on a number of levels.