Learning activities
Campaigns use powerful persuasive texts to captivate and influence their target audiences. Students will learn how to create appealing video imagery, sound and persuasive words to inspire, motivate and educate. Students will create a sustainability or nature-based video campaign to encourage connections to nature focusing on the bushland found at the Field of Mars Reserve.
Introduction
Students will be introduced to design methodology for creating an engaging text and video based campaign. Students will deconstruct an existing environmental campaign and learn how the creator's perspective and purpose is communicated through the use of camera work, composition, editing, sound and persuasive language.
Fieldwork
Pre-production
On a walk through the reserve students will brainstorm campaign ideas, scout filming locations and develop a word bank of persuasive language. Students will work in pairs to storyboard ideas for a digital campaign.
Filming
iPads and tripods will be taken outside to record footage in multiple locations using a variety of camera angles for an engaging campaign.
Post production
Editing
During this session the students will review, sequence and edit their footage recorded in the field. Students will use iMovie or Clips on an iPad to edit their campaigns. Text and soundtracks will also be added to their film to create a persuasive campaign.
Campaign showcase
Students will have an opportunity at the end of the day to share their campaigns on the big screen with the rest of their peers.
Optional pre-excursion activities
Campaign examples
Ask the students to describe a campaign. View examples of environmental campaigns such as Together Possible and We Are All Connected by the World Wildlife Fund and Nature is Speaking by Conservation International. Develop a word bank of words used in campaigns to persuade the audience.
Filmmaking techniques
All filmmakers use a range of filming techniques to make their campaigns interesting. These techniques include the style of camera shots, camera angles, persuasive language and music. View the videos on filmmaking with a handheld device on YouTube and tips to using different camera angles and shots. Identify the shots and camera angles using the Filmmaking techniques PDF.
A range of videos are available on the Field of Mars website to assist students in preparing for filming. The videos were created for our Documentary program however the information is relevant for campaign making.
