Post 5: Details of Project

Clemson Online Film Festival

I hope to create an online space for Clemson filmmakers to be able to post their productions, view and comment on others' works, and to create a space for filmmakers, actors, and artists to join together for projects.

Timeline:
July 15: Print and distribute fliers, talk to Clemson tv channel about getting the word out, talk to student newspapers
July 20: Set up website and test-run video, list serve and comment functions, review advertisements
July 27: Add student films to website and encourage comments
July 31: Put finishing touches, fix any problems with the website

Critical Tasks:
The most important and potentially challenging task of this project will be getting other students and filmmakers involved. Although Clemson is only a medium-sized university, I am sure that there are a number of student filmmakers or students interested in film. Also, it may be hard to reach these students, so I will attempt to advertise using various methods. I will attempt to reach students through the use of fliers, the Clemson radio and television station (http://www.clemson.edu/studentaffairs/studentmedia/index.php), and the local student newspapers. Reaching students will be all the more challenging due to the current time of year. At the very least, I will have a website set up and ready to go for incoming fall students to join.

The website will have two main purposes: to showcase student's works and to have a meeting space for filmmakers, writers, actors, and artists interested in working together. To accomplish this, the website will need to be able to host video, allow for comments on video and allow for members to post messages that can be sent to members who want to sign up for the list serve. This will allow students to get in touch with each other. I don't think this website would last as a meaningful resource for student filmmakers if the only communication occurred completely within the confines of the website. Members would need to be reached via email to get together or answer questions about a project.

To be honest, I am not sure of all of the necessary technologies needed to accomplish this. I am well aware of how to post video online, which will require Flash, and Adobe Media Encoder (or Apple Compressor). I am confident that (with the help of some knowledgeable friends and guides on the Internet), I will be able to set up a comment box under each video and a list serve for members, but I'm not sure how to accomplish this just yet.

Testing the effectiveness of this project may be hard to do. I think this would be ideal, but given the short time frame of this assignment, I feel that it may be impossible. I suppose that if people use the site than it was effective. That is to say that if comments are posted on the site and questions or proposals are sent out to the list serve, than the site was a success. However, I am not sure of how many posts would constitute a successful website. One thing that I will certainly consider is to allow members to comment on the site itself and suggest ways of improving it. I plan to keep this website going after Digital Publishing ends in August, but even if the site is a complete failure, I feel that it will be a worthwhile endeavor to test the film making interests and talents of Clemson as a whole.