A2: Online Documentary Concept Proposal
Weight: 35%
1700 words
Working individually, students develop a concept proposal for an original online documentary, journalistic, factual or non-fiction project. The proposal may emerge from a set of possible topics or themes provided during the teaching session or may be an original concept of their own choice. The proposal will form the basis for the project to be developed for Assessment 3. The concept proposal incorporates visual support materials and must cover the following:-
- A project synopsis that succinctly summarises the concept
- A discussion of the intended audience
- A discussion of the background research that is informing the project
- A description of the major content areas
- A wireframe diagram of the project structure
- Visual support for the proposal, including approaches to interface design, screen mockups, or examples of visual style.
- A discussion of the software tools to be utilised and the planned delivery mode
- Evidence of short-term feasibility in terms of software tools to be used, content gathering or content generation implications in relation to Assessment 3.
Please note that content or genre restrictions may also apply to this assessment item.
Criteria:
Clarity of expression 15%
Depth of research evident in proposal and applied to concept 20%
Level of detail evident within proposal and wireframe 25%
Relevance and professionalism of support materials 25%
Demonstrated feasibility of proposal 15%
Further detail
Here you are submitting an individual proposal for an online documentary project which will be developed individually or in pairs for A3. So you should propose something that you are willing to go on and create for A3. This can be an original idea of your own choice or you may choose to work with the content or thematic suggestion being provided for A2. This semester we are running a “COVID edition” of Online Documentary- exploring some issue or experience etc that has arisen in relation to COVID 19. Below are a number of possible “starting points” for you, but be sure to undertake your own research and conceptually develop the idea beyond what has simply been provided. You only have 1700 words so you will need to be both succinct yet sufficiently detailed in the proposal to convey the approach and scope of the project.
Possible COVID related topics or starting points:-
Love in the time of COVID
COVIDIOTS
Generation COVID
Covid Racism
Toilet Paper Tales
Secret introverts
I Love ISO
The Second Wave
ISO-Anxiety: Mental health in the time of COVID
Starving in the time of Covid
We are the Virus
Far from home in the time of COVID
Unemployment & Coronavirus
On the front line: essential workers aren’t always who you think they are
COVID hoaxes: the rise of misinformation and conspiracy theories
COVID around the world
To mask or not to mask
COVID & climate change
COVID & inequality
COVID diaries
COVID creativity
COVID & the rise of sourdough
COVID comedy
Any of these topics may be a starting point. We will spend more time in classes deep-diving into these and related ideas. If you have a different burning project idea you’d like to explore, you can do this, but you should run it past your tutor.
Writing and structuring A2
To allow us to understand your proposals quickly, please give your project a title & structure it using the following subheadings:
Project synopsis
Intended audience
Background research
Major content areas
Software tools to be used
Short-term feasibility
Also include
A wireframe diagram of the project
Additional visual support such as interface mockups, visual style examples etc.
Include a title for your concept, a brief synopsis – what is the purpose / problem / issue / story you wish to explore in this project? What shape will it take? Eg. Will it be an interactive project with different explorable content areas? A scrollable project with interactive features such as Juxtapose or Storymap? An Instagram-based project? A WordPress blog? Provide an idea of the overall shape as well as a brief statement of the planned audience. What angle are you taking on this topic? What research are you undertaking? What are the major content areas you will be including? You need to visually convey the planned structure of the work as well provide a sense of the visual approach/ interface design you are planning. Include a wireframe diagram using Notely or Miro to show us how the work will be structured.
You need to demonstrate ie prove the feasibility. How?
Feasible means “possible and practical to do easily or conveniently” i.e. it needs to be achievable within the context of the time, resources and skills available to you in this subject. It’s up to you to prove the feasibility of your idea going into A3. How do you plan to create the content for A3? You can use allowable copyright free content such as from Sketch app sources, Noun Project and Unsplash, as long as this content is correctly referenced during A3 production. If you need to include video stories or interview people, how do you plan to do this in a COVID environment? Using mobile phones? Over Zoom? Have you spoken to the people about interviewing them? You might even have a sense of the interview questions – if so, tell us?. On the technical side – what software tools will you be using? How much have you thought about what you are building ( eg is it a Hype project with multiple scenes? Or a scrollable Hype project? Or something else eg Instagram doco?) It is up to you to demonstrate the feasibility especially in terms of content generation, software tools you intend to use, and a sense of the planned interviewees.
If you’re planning on integrating some of the tools we are working with in class (eg. Juxtapose, StoryMap, Google Earth Studio etc), have you experimented with the tool yet? If so, consider including screencaps of your experimentation to prove to us that you know what you’re doing.
Bear in mind that your proposal must involve:
- research which is evident in the final proposal
- visual support to help convey your idea
- demonstrated feasibility in terms of producing the project as A3, especially your capacity to develop the content. Don’t just say you can- prove it to us.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: IN GENERAL NO PROPOSALS ALLOWED FOR FOOD OR COOKING RELATED PROJECTS unless they are exploring a COVID phenomenon eg the “rise” of sourdough.
This means no projects that are just a list of recipes or of local restaurants or cuisines.
The A2 proposal has changed a little from previous versions. So has A3, because now that is individual or just a group of two. Some good examples of proposals from previous classes are below, however we no longer require a blog, and the criteria are a bit different now. And the word count is shorter than some of these older blogs.
Generation (Re)Generation https://sgiartaonlinedoca2.wordpress.com/
Redundant Proof https://briannaberehowyjod19.home.blog/
The Handbag Project https://thehandbagprojectblog.wordpress.com/project-proposal/
Integration or Isolation https://hayleyyan54097assessment2.wordpress.com/final-proposal-integration-or-isolation/
Cheated Culture https://cheatedculture.wordpress.com/proposal/
The Costume Room https://krose2727.wordpress.com
Wildlife Warriors https://bethonlined.wordpress.com/
Good Scar Bad Scar http://aimeemakikokubo.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/bad-scargood-scar/
A2 detailed rubric
| Criteria | Fail | Pass | Credit | Distinction | High Distinction |
| Clarity of expression
15% |
The proposal is poorly expressed and difficult to understand. | The proposal has some errors in expression but the content is generally comprehensible. The work would benefit from further editing to improve clarity. | The proposal is generally well expressed and conveys the key ideas. Some slight issues with clarity and structure. | The proposal is very well expressed and structured. There is a logical flow of ideas and a well thought through project plan emerges. | The proposal is written with a high level of attention to detail and insight. The writer has made excellent use of the available word count to create a highly developed and thought provoking project proposal. |
| Depth of research evident in proposal and applied to concept
20%
|
Little to no research into the project concept or associated issues is evident in the proposal. The research is ad hoc, anecdotal or missing altogether. | There is some relevant investigation into the project concept or associated issues. There is definite scope to expand in both depth and breadth of research. | Good degree of original research into the project concept and any associated issues. The research into the topic is beginning to be evident in the shape, structure and creative approach. | Strong degree of original research into the project concept and any associated issues that have emerged. The research into the topic is strongly evident in the shape, structure and creative approach. | An excellent degree of original research into the project concept and any associated issues that have emerged. The research into the topic is impressively evident in the shape, structure and creative approach, so that the underlaying research will be evident in the final project in a fluid and integrated manner. |
| Level of detail evident within proposal and wireframe
25% |
Limited or inadequate concept development. Inadequate detail in proposal and/ or a missing or unclear wireframe. The proposal appears ad hoc. | Some concept development is evident but is limited and could be explored further. Reasonable detail included in the proposal. A basic wireframe is included that helps to convey the scope and structure of the project but may lack some clarity or detail. | Good concept development that conveys the project detail quite clearly. The wireframe conveys the scope and structure of the project reasonably well. | Strong degree of concept development with a strong level of detail. A detailed wireframe solidly supports the scope and structure and communicates the scope and structure of the project very well. | Excellent concept development with an outstanding level of detail to convey an intriguing and impressive project concept. A detailed wireframe communicates the scope and structure of the project to an impressive degree. |
| Relevance and professionalism of support materials
25% |
Support materials are inadequate, very poor quality, or have not been provided. | Support materials (images, mock ups, archival examples) have a satisfactory degree of relevance to the project. There is scope to improve relevance by more clearly discussing how these elements will fit into the overall project. The support materials may be of variable quality and many may be sourced from the Internet as indications or examples of likely approaches. | Support materials have a good level of relevance and help to illustrate the concepts of the project. The support materials are of a consistent good quality, some may be sourced from the Internet as indications or examples of likely approaches. | Support materials are very relevant and clearly demonstrate the intentions of the project. Interface mockups or other materials are likely to be original and of good design quality. Visual support documentation of exploration with relevant software tools (eg. Figma, Juxtapose, StoryMap Google Earth Studio, Hype, Saola etc) may be included. | Support materials are highly relevant and add significantly to the reader’s understanding of the project approach. Interface mockups or other materials are likely to be original and of a high design quality. Visual support documentation of exploration with relevant software tools (eg. Figma, Juxtapose, StoryMap Google Earth Studio, Hype, Saola etc) have been included in the proposal. |
| Feasibility
15% |
Project is not at all feasible or feasibility has not been addressed. | The project may be feasible but there is limited real evidence of feasibility in the proposal, or feasibility is only addressed minimally. The tutor may yet consider it broadly feasible, although questions about specifics may remain. | A good level of feasibility regarding content gathering and production is evident. This may include discussion of any planned interviewees, some experimentation with data or content tools, or software or platform research. | The proposal demonstrates strong feasibility through evidence such as solid discussion of the software tools or platforms to be used and how content will be integrated, naming any interviewees for video or audio, and discussion of how video content will be safely filmed. Screencaps of relevant individual software experimentation may be included as proof. | The proposal demonstrates excellent feasibility through detailed evidence such as names and locations of interviewees for video or audio, planned interview questions, detail of how any video content will be safely filmed and student’s general experience with video production or platforms. It also includes a detailed discussion of the software, platform, content or data tools to be used and how this content will be integrated into A3. Demonstration of advanced experimentation with software or platform tools is included via visual support, eg. via screencaps of individual work in the various softwares. |