Video/Creative Essay Guidelines

EN2N4/EN3N4: Climate Imaginaries

Download a word copy of these guidelines Here

This project is a form of assessment that includes selective and interpretive practice, identifying and documenting key themes and issues in climate imaginaries. It involves a creative, curatorial and/or collection element. If you choose to write an essay you will extend your compositional and written skills. If you choose the video component this will enhance your transmedia capabilities.

In this, produce either a short film (5mins) or text (1000 words max) that will be a form of creative critical work: creative in the sense of not necessarily being limited to the form of a conventional academic expository essay, but critical in the sense of being driven primarily by an expository essay’s goals of intellectual presentation and persuasion.

Either:

create a video up to 5 minutes in length (minimum length 2 minutes 42 seconds; maximum length 6 minutes 18 seconds) OR write a piece up to 1000 words (minimum 900; maximum 1100). Either should be a creative-critical presentation on one of the following topics:

• A Climate Museum Piece (object, song, paragraph, painting, sound, etc)
• Hope or Despair
• Energy (e.g. coal, oil, wind, electricity, petrocultures, solarcultures, etc.)
• Carbon
• Impacts
• Non-Human
• Climate Media/Spectacle
• Atmospheres
• Weather
• Apocalypse
• Solutions
• Action/Activism
• Landscapes

You can choose to render this as expansively and creatively as you wish. You might, for example, seek to interpret and reflect your chosen theme or topic through one particular thing chosen by you: object or event or image, a newspaper article, a poem, etc (or set of objects, series of images, sounds, etc. clustered around a specific theme). For example, your essay might simply be the narrative of an object you think suitable for the Museum of Carbon Ruins*, or a song , book (one we haven’t covered on the module) or painting representative of climate change or one of the specific topics above. You might want to dramatize a climate imaginary as you see it, present a weather report from the future, collect a series of objects/artefacts as an ‘exhibition’, write a review of a book or website or film, whatever. Be as creative and/or as academic as you like. Consult your tutor about your idea if you need.

*See the object descriptions here, as a possible guide.

The Essay or Video should have a title.

• The expectation is that this assessment should require around one-two days work for you. It doesn’t require the long-term preparation of a written essay.
• You are not being assessed for technical skill in film-making or professional curating. Of course, be as creative and ambitious as you want, but we know you aren’t professional filmmakers or curators and that access to technology is likely to be limited. Some students will produce slick and complex videos; others might simply prepare a script that is read to the camera or over an image. Others might simply use a series of PowerPoint slides with a selection of curated images. You can use a voice over here or add text, to explain the images, feel free to do it the way you find most effective and are comfortable with. It’s about substance, not style. If you choose the essay, then feel free to add visual components, such as photographic images. You are not expected to provide a long bibliography as in more formal essays, but if you quote or cite secondary material then add the full citation at the end. (Usual rules apply re bibliographies and word count).
• With video essays the working assumption is that you can use a mobile phone or tablet to film and record it, and you do not require any more additional equipment (lenses, lighting, microphones, etc.). If you do not phone or tablet, then video equipment can be borrowed from IT services: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/its/servicessupport/av/equipment/. There are various ways to edit your film or sound file, and full computer access is available in the Learning Grids. You can of course be more technically ambitious if you have those skills and that equipment available to you.

When the video essay is made, send me a link (dropbox or other cloud storage, which may be the university’s own at myfiles.warwick.ac.uk, etc.) so I can download the file to my computer.

Alternatively – and often easier – you can upload it to youtube or vimeo, but make sure your file is password protected and include the link and password in your email.

*It is vital that you back up your video essay; technical problems cannot be accepted as a reason for failure to complete the assessment*

Important for video essays: in order to ‘submit’ your assignment on Tabula, which is where you’ll receive your comments and mark, you will need to upload a submission statement. This should take the form of the sentence below uploaded as a Word document or PDF (the point of this is to both identify which group you were in, and to make sure you submit it before the deadline so that you can get your comments and mark back in a timely way):

'I confirm my group has submitted the video essay ‘[insert your video essay title here]’ to the module tutor within the assessment deadline.'

Those writing conventional essays can simply upload to Tabula in the usual way.

• If you are using a voiceover make sure that you speak clearly and that the pace is right. People often try to talk too quickly in the false belief that the more they cram in the better it will be – instead, edit your script and talk slowly.
• Avoid combining voice over with footage where other voices are present; this will be hard to follow for the viewer.
• Try to produce or select visual evidence that convincingly supports the theoretical point you are introducing. As a rule of thumb, less can be more; that is, don’t overload your video essay so that it becomes hard to identify the key insights. A few well-chosen images/scenes with in-depth commentary can often be more effective.
• If you choose text overlays to introduce theoretical concepts and quotations, make sure you give the viewer enough time to read these quotations before moving on.
• Avoid text overlays while another voice can be heard in the footage talking about something else – it’s very hard to read one thing and listen to another.
• Play your video essay to a friend or classmate to make sure it makes sense to another viewer.

The video essay is a short visual argument or exploration. Typically a video essay will make use of original filmed material, sequences from film or television, or still images/photographs, in conjunction with text or voiceover, and scholarly quotations, in order to analyse a concept, image or idea.

Read the Wikipedia page on ‘Video Essays’ for a short definition. Kevin Lee, a prolific video essayist (whose work can be found at Fandor and elsewhere) defines the video essay as follows: ‘[They] take footage from films and reconfigure them using editing, text, graphics and voiceover to reveal startling observations and insights’.

An assessment like this allows you to develop (and share) a variety of technical skills by teaching yourself or your peers how to use editing software, locate open source film and music, and write text or script. You can apply your understanding of theoretical concepts by highlighting specific sequences, scenes, and images in a way that is perhaps even more direct than the traditional written essay. In this way the video essay can work effectively as an option alongside more traditional written assessments and offer innovative, exciting insights.

Don’t panic – we aren’t expecting the production quality of these, we mention them ONLY to give you some ideas.

Film School Rejects – Best Video Essays of 2020

https://filmschoolrejects.com/best-video-essays-2020/

No Film School – Favourite Video Essays of 2020

https://nofilmschool.com/our-favorite-video-essays-2020

Further Guidance on video essays:

http://reframe.sussex.ac.uk/audiovisualessay/resources/how-to-guides/how-to-video-essays-by-greer-fyfe-and-miriam-ross/

Patrick Willems, on Making Video Essays (30 January 2018).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H13yrUgQT4A

How to Do a Video Essay: An Introduction to the Video Essay
https://ecu.au.libguides.com/video-essay/how-to-do-a-video-essay

The Video Essay

https://catoolkit.herts.ac.uk/toolkit/8-the-video-essay/

Appendix: Assessment criteria for video essays

80+ First class

• Research has been exceptionally thorough and wide-ranging, information has been selected and presented very appropriately for the topic, and the video contributes original ideas to the discussion.
• There is a very clear development of argument, which is announced at the beginning, and there are logical links between ideas.
• Very thorough, detailed analysis with highly convincing, wide-ranging evidence to back up arguments, which use existing moving image material in creative and ethically responsible ways, adding value to it and showing awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• Clear evidence of originality in lines of argument, selection of evidence and a strong grasp of the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.
• The video essay is exceptionally well structured and well written, in grammatically correct sentence structures and appropriate style, including a full bibliography and references according to the specified referencing style and with comprehensive and appropriate credits.
• The work responds to the brief in an original and unusual way and shows exceptional creativity, innovation, and conceptualisation.
• A clear understanding of the form of the video essay and a deployment of the form in the service of the argument.

An answer achieving 80+ must be outstanding in every way. It presents an extremely coherent, well structured, immaculately presented, very well informed argument which is very well supported, exceptionally ambitious in scope, shows originality and relates the topic to the broader context.

70+ First class

• Research has been thorough and wide-ranging, information has been selected and presented appropriately for the topic, and the video contributes refined, intellectually advanced, and perhaps original ideas to the discussion.
• There is a clear development of argument, which is announced at the beginning, and there are logical links between ideas
• Thorough, detailed analysis with suitable, wide-ranging evidence to back up arguments, which use existing moving image material in creative and ethically responsible ways, adding value to it and showing awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• Clear evidence of originality in lines of argument, selection of evidence and / or sources and an understanding of the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.
• The video essay is well structured and coherent, with a clear structure and appropriate style including a full bibliography and references according to the specified referencing style and with comprehensive and appropriate credits.
• The work responds to the brief with some evidence of originality.

An answer achieving 70+ must present a coherent, well structured, clear, very well informed argument which is very well supported, ambitious in scope, shows originality and relates the topic to the broader context.

60+ Upper second class

• Thorough examination of the question with evidence of research beyond the essential reading and viewing.
• There is a clear development of argument, which is announced at the beginning, and there are logical links between most of the ideas.

• Thorough, detailed analysis with suitable evidence to back up arguments, which use existing moving image material in creative and ethically responsible ways, adding some value to it and showing some awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• Shows glimpses of originality in lines of argument, selection of evidence and / or sources and some understanding of the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.
• The video essay is well structured and clear and includes a full bibliography and references according to the specified referencing style and with appropriate credits.
• The concept is clear and engaging.

An answer achieving 60+ must be a coherent, well-structured and clear argument which is well informed, uses evidence to back up statements and shows reading and viewing beyond the essential texts. Work in this category tends to be less ambitious in scope than first class work. Originality of thought and very good use of evidence may compensate for lapses in the argument structure.

50+ Lower second class

• Research is generally good but limited in range, and while the information is generally relevant it has not always been selected appropriately.
• There is evidence of an argument, but it is not fully developed or is hard to follow and the introduction and / or conclusion is poor.
• The analysis is adequate but there is not always enough or well selected evidence to back up arguments; the use of existing moving image material is deployed to an extent in creative and ethically responsible ways, adding some value to it and showing some awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• Shows a clear argument for the selection of evidence and / or sources and a limited understanding of the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.
• Ideas are expressed reasonably clearly and whilst there may be some errors or poorly constructed sentences, the video essay on the whole is clear.
• The video essay includes a full bibliography and references according to the specified referencing style and with largely appropriate credits.
• There are some moments of strong analysis.

An answer achieving 50+ must show that the student is reasonably well informed on the core information and uses evidence sufficiently well to present a fairly good argument. Work in this category is competent in most aspects, but lacks the comprehensiveness, accuracy and / or cohesiveness expected of an upper second.

40+ Third class

• There is some evidence of cursory research and attempt to address the question or topic, but only the most obvious sources have been used and little selectivity has been applied to the information gathered.
• The work is descriptive and derivative rather than analytical, with lack of critical insight or evidence of theoretical underpinning.
• The structure is not related to the development of ideas and / or the introduction and conclusion are inadequate. Existing moving image material is deployed without evidence of creativity, ethical responsibility, and adds limited value whilst showing a limited awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• The evidence selected is not always relevant to the question and / or important points have been missed. There is no reflection on the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.

• Relatively competent use of language, but video essay may often be unclear and / or contain frequent errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Sources are referenced, but the referencing style is inconsistent and not fully conforming to the specified referencing style but there is an attempt at appropriate credits.
• The form of the video essay is not exploited in any meaningful way.
• There is a limited attempt at analysis.

An answer achieving 40+ must show some understanding of relevant texts, concepts and theories. Evidence may be lacking or inappropriate. A fully formulated argument may be absent and the question may not be fully addressed. Notwithstanding errors in presentation and communication, there must be sufficient evidence that the student understands a satisfactory amount to warrant a pass.

30+ Fail (but with potential for compensation)

• Little or no research has been carried out, there is over-dependence on class material and no point of view is developed.
• There is little or no analysis and discussion is uninformed and superficial.
• The discussion is not clearly relevant to the assignment and / or too many important points are missed.
• The viewer cannot follow the structure of the argument and the existing moving image material is used in a limited, derivative way with little awareness of copyright and fair use policies.
• The work consists of a string of assertions and opinions which may not be related to each other, with little or no use of supporting evidence and no understanding of the ethics of the scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.

• Poor presentation and linguistic competence, including little grasp of grammar, limited vocabulary, incorrect word use, spelling and punctuation that interferes with the transmission of ideas and information.
• Few sources are cited and / or referencing is inconsistent or not conforming to the specified style; there are some credits.
• There is a partial and problematic attempt at analysis.

An answer achieving 30+ fails to demonstrate understanding of relevant texts, concepts and theories. Evidence is lacking, unconvincing or inappropriate. There are flaws in the argument or an obvious lack in argument directed towards the question making the answer fail to present a sufficient case. There may be grammatical errors or lack of clarity. The overall impression is of a student who does not understand sufficiently well to warrant a pass.

Less than 30 Fail (but without potential for compensation)

• Little or no research has been carried out and no argument is evident.
• There is little or no analysis and discussion is uninformed, with little or no use of evidence relevant to the discussion.
• The discussion is confused and not clearly relevant to the assignment.
• The structure is very poor and disordered and the existing moving image material is used in a limited way with no awareness of copyright and fair use policies.

• There are many errors or gaps and overall, information is not sufficient to demonstrate even a basic grasp of the core information.
• There is no understanding of the ethics of scholarly responsibility of choosing visual sources.
• Very poor presentation and linguistic competence, including little grasp of grammar, limited vocabulary, incorrect word use, spelling and punctuation that interferes with the transmission of ideas and information.
• Sources are not cited appropriately and there are no credits.
• The work is below the required duration.
• There is no documentation of the process in the reflective commentary.

An answer achieving less than 30% shows obvious failure to demonstrate understanding of relevant texts, concepts and theories. Evidence is lacking, unconvincing or inappropriate. There are serious flaws in the argument or an obvious lack of argument. There are many errors or lack of clarity. The overall impression is of a student who has very little understanding of the topic.