By Jenetta Seeger, Spring 2024
Major: Communication (Video Production Emphasis)
My Senior Project
For my Communication Senior Project this term, I decided to create a marketing video for the BYU-Idaho English Department. Each year, the department takes a group of students to travel with them to the UK and Ireland on the British Literary Tour. This project took over 150 hours in total.
Pre-Production
During weeks one through four (April 23rd to May 23rd), I meticulously planned my project. I immediately reached out to Joelle, Andrew, and Darin to share my idea and see if they would be on board to be involved. I spent over 35 hours planning, preparing, and coordinating with those involved in this project. I created a calendar schedule that mapped out the entire production timeline to keep me on track and organized. Additionally, I created a Creative Brief for the stakeholders and a PowerPoint presentation outlining the goals and specific details. I made sure to have all the required documents, including talent and location release forms, on hand prior to production.
I scheduled meetings with Joelle, Andrew, and Darin to learn more about the department, their mission and value statements, and the history of the Tour itself over the thirty years it has been running. This was a great opportunity for me to refine my communication skills and better understand what clients want to achieve in their marketing materials and media. Through these meetings, I gained a deeper understanding of the department and the value that the Tour provides for students. This insight guided me in creating interview questions for them.
I spent time location scouting around campus, considering several options such as the Rigby Hall offices, Taylor or Hinckley Chapel, and the Spori studio. After reviewing the pros and cons of each space, I ultimately decided to film on the top floor of the I-Center. I held a tech rehearsal on Friday, May 17th, 2024, where I set up the space as intended for the day of production and tested all the gear I’d be working with. Special thanks to Christian Mawlam for guiding me in the setup, and to Gavin Wessman and Vivian Ordinola for being my stand-ins that day!
Production
During week five on Friday, May 24th, 2024, I filmed three interviews in the I-Center on campus. In total, production took eight hours from start to finish. I arrived early with my cart full of gear to set up each set, allowing ample time to prepare and arrange my lighting and camera composition.
The BYU-Idaho Production Office and Christian Mawlam (thanks for that mic stand!) provided the necessary gear to complete this project. I used the Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera 6k Pro with a kit lens (28-70mm f/2.8) to film each interview.
My lighting setup consisted of the Aputure 300D as the key light, which I directed onto a reflector attached to a light stand to bounce light onto the talent. For the backlight, I used the Godox S60 kit, and I added a floor light to create a stripe of light on the cabinet case in the background, adding some dimension.
For audio, I used a shotgun boom mic attached to a mic stand positioned between the interviewee and me. I brought a stinger bag to run all the necessary cables aroud the set to ensure all electrical ports were within a safe distance.
Below are some photos from the day.
Post-Production
During weeks six to ten (May 25th to June 25th), I worked diligently on editing my project in Davinci Resolve 19. With over two hours of interview footage, I successfully crafted a 3-minute and 30-second talking heads cut. Through multiple assembly cuts, achieving picture lock, fine-tuning the edit, and applying a color grade, alongside integrating ample b-roll footage into the timeline, I refined every detail.
After incorporating extensive feedback, each iteration allowed me to enhance various aspects—from refining interview sound bites to selecting b-roll, designing sound, and achieving the final color grade. I accumulated over 80 hours editing in post-production.
This is the British Literary Tour Film.
The Final Product
After spending over 150 hours on this senior project, I am extremely pleased with how it turned out in the final cut. Cheers!
Made With Special Thanks To
This project could not have been created without the willingness, support, and mentorship of my faculty mentor, Christian Mawlam, and all the countless office visits over the last ten weeks.
I would not have had this formative abroad experience without the unwavering support and encouragement from Joelle Moen, Andrew Wells, and Darin Merrill. I am profoundly appreciative of their commitment, enthusiasm, and support for this project and their willingness to be involved throughout the duration. Thank you.
This film was created to inspire other students to take any opportunity presented to them to study abroad while they are in college. Any administration who views this will recognize and honor the value that these travel study programs bring to not only their students, but also to their dedicated faculty.