Making an Engineering Film

Issued by Penn State College of Engineering

Earners of this badge have a fundamental understanding of how to make a short film about an engineering topic, process, or design and have successfully (as part of a team) created a film about the autonomous robot they designed and created. Areas of knowledge include message creation; audience analysis; the rule of thirds, principles of headroom, background, and lighting; B-roll and its sources; stabilization, slow motion, titles, credits, and background music.

Type Learning

Skills

Earning Criteria

The 3-hour workshop covers key topics of filmmaking: planning, shooting, and editing. The first hour focuses on developing a one-sentence main message for the video and created a script or storyboard. The next topic is shooting, with 30 minutes dedicated to interviews and b-roll. Participants evaluate past interviews and b-roll citing best practices and mistakes to avoid. The last twenty minutes, covers editing techniques, tricks for manipulating visuals & audio, and using music for mood.
In the workshop, students spend roughly 10 minutes using what they learned on the spot in a practice interview with their group
Earners create a 3-5 minute video as part of a group. In the video, the competitive advantage of the robot is well communicated, a compelling argument for the robot's success and team's design is presented. Visual evidence supports the overarching message and presents a cohesive visual story. Technical features of the robot are well supported via video, graphics, or images. Video script is well written and concisely describes the technical aspects of the system.