This course is part of the The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization

Emilie Johnson +1 more instructor

Offered By

The Art of Visual Storytelling SpecializationUniversity of Colorado Boulder

About this Course

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In this course, we will learn about pre-production, which requires levels of planning before you ever pick up a camera. We will share with you the terminology used widely in production work, along with our ideas for affordable camera gear and editing applications. We’ll also discuss strategies to help you generate story ideas and the focus, find characters, write treatments and scripts, draw storyboards, and even pointers on how to pitch your stories.

Flexible deadlines

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Course 1 of 3 in the

The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization

Beginner Level

No special background knowledge is required. This course jumps head first into video production and explains the necessary concepts.

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Identify equipment and software needs to create video that maintains high production value.
Develop ideas for a visual story in a written document called a program proposal.
Compare narrative structures used to tell visual stories.
Conceive storyboards, write treatments and scripts.

Skills you will gain

Video Editing
Linear Editing
Video Production
video pre-production

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 1 of 3 in the

The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization

Beginner Level

No special background knowledge is required. This course jumps head first into video production and explains the necessary concepts.

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Emilie Johnson

Media Production & Technology Manager and Lecturer

College of Media, Communication and Information

772 Learners

3 Courses

Paul Daugherty

Teaching Associate Professor

Department of Journalism, College of Media, Communication, and Information

772 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

6 hours to complete

Introduction and Gear Recommendations

The start of this module begins with an Introduction to Video Production and to the instructors. You will learn about the most common terms used by industry professionals when describing the elements to your video production. You will also learn to identify the equipment and software needs that will produce video with high production value. We will make recommendations for affordable camcorders, and accessories, and about apps that can convert your smartphone camera into a professional recording device. You will learn about lighting devices, media cards, and microphones. We will also make recommendations on affordable editing applications such as Adobe Premiere, or even free editors like iMovie or FilmoraGo, depending on whether you’re using a Mac, PC, iPhone or Android devices.

6 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 33 min), 2 readings, 5 quizzes

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Finding and Telling Your Story

You might have an idea for a video, but you have yet to know the story. Essentially, you need a plan. In this module, you will learn about classic narrative structure for storytelling, and come to understand the difference between print and visual stories. You will also be able to identify different story structures such as the Inverted Pyramid, Hourglass and Diamond. Additionally, you will learn how to cultivate sources through pre-interviews to find compelling characters that personalise the story, generate drama, and show the audience what’s at stake. The main goal will be to anticipate how you want to tell your story.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 17 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Script Formats, the Treatment, and Pitch

Would you ever build a new home without blueprints? A home needs a strong foundation, and so does the story you want to tell. In this module, you will learn how to write treatments, scripts and draw storyboards -- tools that will carefully craft your story before you ever pick up a camera. The treatment is a narrative description of your story, which will help you understand how the parts of your story connect. The script shows the specific words that are written to both images and sound, which typically undergoes many revisions. Storyboards are a collection of drawings that help you visualise a scene, and to troubleshoot potential problems before they occur. These documents are key to helping you reduce the uncertainty that is common in many video productions.

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 19 min), 4 readings, 3 quizzes

About the The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization

The ability to shoot and edit video is rapidly becoming a sought after skill. Many businesses seek people who can bring more than just a single skill to the table, and video creation can be a key one. In this hands-on specialization, you will do more than just understand the concept of creating a professional video, you will actually produce one for your portfolio!

Component courses are broken down into the Stages of Video Production: Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production. In Pre-Production, you will learn how to generate ideas, write proposals, scripts, and draw storyboards. In Production, lessons include basic camera functions, composition, depth of field, getting the exposure right, and shooting for the edit. You will also learn how to light and frame an on-camera interview and how to record professional audio. In Post-Production, you learn editing basics using non-linear editing programs like Adobe Premiere, how to create aesthetic graphics, and how to avoid copyright issues. Among those who would benefit from this course are teachers producing video content for their students, real estate agents using video to showcase homes for sale, small-business owners/entrepreneurs generating video for a website, non-profit staff creating video for fund-raising efforts, and amateur vloggers looking to produce more professional content.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
What background knowledge is necessary?
No special background knowledge is required. This course jumps head first into video production and explains the necessary concepts.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
Yes, the courses should be taken in the order in which they are offered. Each course builds on the previous one.
Will I earn university credit for completing this Specialization?
No, this specialization cannot be completed for university credit.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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