Playing Response for Plotagon

    Plotagon seemed to be the easiest tool for translating a script into a video. The first step is creating the script in the program with is formulaic and easy to learn. You choose to set the scene, characters, dialogue and action with drop down boxes and selections linked in the script you create. Writing your own script in the program also allows it to offer a closed captioning option for viewers of your video. There are even music selections and sound effects within the program that you can add into your script. Timing the music and actions together is simple because it is all done within the script.  I really liked that in Create Mode the screen is divided between the script you created and the actual video. While it is easy to create, the only settings and characters available are either school, hospital, or business related.  Most of the basics are free, but you have to purchase to use some characters and backgrounds. I think I could change my script to fit the restrictions of this program because I really like how easy it is to use, but I’m not sure if it has characters and visuals that would be most effective in telling my story. 

A Quick Preview

Here is a draft to my Unit 1 Video Production. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to upload this to YouTube in time and some of the transitions, sounds, and texts are lost in this particular format.

Plans For My Unit 1 Production

What's the point?

My production for Unit 1 is meant to educate Morgantown residents, particularly college students that may not know much about the area, about the benefits of eating locally and to influence them to support local restaurants. Morgantown has a lot of local eateries and surrounding farms are often overlooked as valuable resources.

Why students?

College students of Morgantown tend to eat out often or rely on ordering food and their buying habits can heavily influence local businesses.


What will the video be like? 

There's really no better way to advocate for local food than using pictures like this:

  Pictured: Deliciousness from Tailpipes 

The video will be positive, uplifting, and upbeat with fast transitions, colorful pictures to contrast fast food with fresh, local food, and a modern and fun feel for a college-aged audience.

With my production I want viewers to experience the kind of impact they can have on their community as well as with themselves just by choosing to eat locally. At the end of the video, I want to leave viewers with feeling a sense of pride in eating locally and to think about their options the next time they decide to eat out.

Playing Response - Stupeflix

The first thing I noticed about this program was how easy it was to add new slides. The best part of its layout is that it was easy to visualize the slide order and transitions as a whole. It was also easy to set the mood of the video with the option to change the pace of transitions with one click under the “Theme” option. That would be a useful tool in deciding whether or not I wanted my video to have a sad or hopeful and upbeat tone. In addition to pace, it is easy to time slides with a soundtrack to help set a mood because of the layout.

Stupeflix also allows you to download your video with soundtrack as a single file and to share that file. One feature that I hadn’t thought of before was the map feature. It allows you to show a location on Google Maps as a slide. I considered using something similar in my video to show how many local businesses there are in Morgantown.

While Stupeflix was simple to use, it was almost too simple. Slides were made from entering text or uploading a picture. To create interesting or more personalized slides you would have to design them within another program and upload them as a picture. There weren't many transitions to choose from, either. I liked that they gave pre-made themes to help in making polished looking videos, but I would prefer to make my own slides and transitions in PowerPoint.