"Pimp My Blog"

Project due Wednesday, Sept. 4: Create the coolest blog you can.
- Play with design.
- Use the customize options to add features.
- Write a blog entry explaining the process you went through, and why you chose the things you did.
Best blog wins a prize.
Grades:
A -- Blew me away. Fun design, cool features. Lots of extra elements such as pictures, audio or video.
B -- Good blog. A few interesting elements.
C -- It's okay, but it's obvious nobody spent a lot of time constructing it.
D -- It's there, but it looks no different from the ur-blog created on Aug. 28.
F -- It's not there.

Blogger.com and Wordpress.com have helpful tips. Feel free to go online for advice, too:

Blog critique

Due Wednesday, Sept. 4

Go out on the World Wide Web and find a blog. Any blog will do, but I would encourage you to avoid the super-popular ones. Technorati.com can help guide you to blogs on any topic.

I like chickens and Technorati it to find a blog about raising chickens in the city!
In your critique, please tell us:
- what you like and dislike about the blog;
- how often it is updated (avoid "dead" blogs);
- whether the Comments indicate anyone is reading it;
- what media elements beyond text does it use.
Post your critique on your own blog.

Class blog URLs

Post the URL of your blog here, as a comment.

Multimedia examples

Please post the URLs of your multimedia examples here, as a comment.

ENG 2155 teams

Rachel Veitch and Camille Delongis
Courtland Hanley and Elyssa Ellis

Timothy LaRoche and Hannah Frigon
Adam Donelly and Nick Aresco
Kevin Kelleher and Dan Fenton
Joe Gluck and Vincent Boccanfuso
Chris Moriarty and iana Herlehy
Yolanda Liang and Julia Costello
Chris Huppert and JJ Murphy
Shane LaCroix and Mike Raimondi and Andrew Baughn

Video Project 2 Spring 2012

Create a video package that runs 1:30 to 2 minutes, and a 400-word text to accompany it.

As with the audio slideshows, create a journalistic narrative with a beginning that introduces the subject, a middle, and an end.

Post the project on iReport.com, and embed the video on your blog.

Include sound. This can be natural sound or an interview, or both. It can also include your own narration; however, the project must include sound created outside of your group. Do not interview family members or significant others.

Any music needs to be royalty-free.

The text and the video package should complement each other and not simply repeat what the other says. For instance, a team could put together a video about rehearsals for “Pippin,” and the text could review the play.

Intermediate deadline -- Monday, April 16: Post the topic of your video project on your blog, along with the sound source or sources you plan to use. Explain which members of your team will do what.


Final deadline Wednesday April 25:

-- Upload the project to iReport and embed the video on your blog, along with the 400-word text that accompanies it.

Final Project Guidelines

For the final multimedia project in the class, please choose two or more of the forms we have worked on during the semester and tell a fresh story.

You may work in teams or solo.

The more challenging the project, the higher your potential score. You may add a form we haven't used in class, such as an interactive map. The only form that is off-limits is the blog, though you will post your project on your blog.

You may combine podcasts, slideshows, audio slideshows, and videos.
Examples: a podcast, slideshow or video that plays out of an interactive map; or a video that combines still and moving pictures.

This project does not require a text component.

Monday, April 16: Post an outline of your project on your blog. Include each team member's responsibilities.


Deadline:
8 a.m. Monday, May 7: Project is due at the start of this class period, which is the time set aside for your final exams. The final projects will serve as your final exam. Each team will present its project.