10 WAYS FOR SUCCESSFUL CREATIVE CLIENT-CENTERED SERVICE- LEARNING PROJECTS Dr. David Reiss, Associate Professor Electronic Media & Film Towson University, MD - USA

Dan Aykroyd in Ghost Busters: "I've worked in the private sector - they expect results!"

EMF 437: Corporate & Community Video Student teams work on one client-based video project. Over 55 successful videos produced in 9 years. Customized workflow to ensure success.

Bottom Line If the student-produced videos are poorly done… You’ve let everyone down: Your students Your client Yourself

RESULTS MATTER The final product should be the result of: – a carefully prepared and guided experience. – a course design that demands success. – even if that design may be: outside of the normal 15-week academic model NOT typical relationship involved with client-based project.

10 Steps for a Successful Creative Service-Learning Project

# 1 – STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE Your students and you will have to put in overtime. Warn them and be warned yourself. A polished professional video takes: – hours to plan, multiple days to shoot and edit. – prepare for each project to take longer than a standard semester’s 15-weeks. Plan to spend a lot of your time: – guiding and monitoring your students. – reviewing the progress. – putting your time in at the end of the process.

# 2 – DEFINE the FINAL PRODUCT Begin with a clear vision and create a workflow that allows for success. Follow that guide every step along the way. Missing a clearly defined goal – students will make a mess of things – the client will be unhappy – you will have failed.

CLIENTS

# 3 – DETERMINE CLIENT INPUT Don’t let the client micromanage process while it is underway. The goal is NOT to deliver the client’s every hope and dream. The goal IS to deliver a first-rate, professional result within the constraints of course. Yes - this is real world – but not necessarily REALITY for the client. You will need the manage the client’s expectations, even back off from parts of the normal client process. Manage EVERYONE’s expectations within the constraints of the limitations of the course – imposed by the instructor. Almost always, the client will still find themselves happy with the results despite attempts to manage at every stage.

# 4 – SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Determine what can be Realistically Produced. Then Define the entire Scope and Scale of the project. Then set client’s Expectations accordingly.

# 5 – FINDING SUITABLE CLIENTS Place ads in: – the local city paper – state non-profit organization's newsletters Use word of mouth. In the Baltimore, Maryland market this course gets over 100 requests per year. Most don’t make the cut because they don't fit into class objectives.

# 6 - MANAGING CLIENTS Clear communication is important – IN WRITING. A Senior point of contact is required: – If a project has been delegated to a junior staff member, call the client directly and intervene. – Even good client needs management so that expectations don’t creep up – which they tend to do. – This means instructor being IN THE LOOP: If the clients start drifting you’ll need to know about it right away.

#7 - FIRING CLIENTS Be ready to fire the client if they do not uphold their end of the bargain. Be sure to do so within the first weeks of the course if possible. “Fire-able” offenses: – Not responding to the need for interviews by a certain date. – Changing a project to cover an event to fulfill an Audio- Visual need. – Deciding that the project is not what they want. – Handing off a project to junior staff.

# 8 – MAKE THE FINAL CUT Once the team has edited their best final version - Instructor does the finishing work. – Allow at least 8 hours/project – minor corrections and fixes – final titles – color correction – audio mixing before mastering – Delivering to client. Extra hours pile up and will go past the end of the 15-week semester. Constrain the number of projects you take on.

# 9 - PROMOTE VALUE 100 combined student-hours plus + 8 hours of Instructor time = real value. Student video projects are valued at about $8,000. No Charge is different than a “free video”. Instead $8,000 video services donated to the organization. Minimizes “non-use” of student produced video.

# 10 CONTRACT \ Define what the client gets – in this case final video and copyright. Define what client gives – in this case student access, coordination of people, locations etc. Define what students get: – Keep the footage for their own demo reels. – Have use of the finished video for their portfolios. – A reference letter from client at the end.

EMF 437: Corporate & Community Video Towson University