Instructional Objectives: Students will brainstorm and utilize previous research create television commercials.
Time Required: three to
four hours
Advance Preparation: Remind students that the commercials must be 30 seconds or less. You may want to show or look at a storyboarded commercial example . You should videotape several television commercials and show them to the class. Make copies of the storyboard checklist to hand out to student groups. You may want to view another TeachNet site on making commercials: Vivian Nacionales provides good student storyboard examples at the bottom of her Web page.
Materials / Resources Required: Internet access, a projector, video camera and a television with a VCR.
Focus Questions, Generalizations and Key Points: What makes a consumer want to buy a product after seeing a commercial? Selling is also known as the art of persuasion. Consumers are convinced that the product they are willing to buy offers many benefits for the dollar. A commercial can be funny, dramatic, joyous or combinations of them, but it must always be interesting.
Before commercials are actually produced, they are laid out in storyboard fashion. A storyboard is a sketch of how to organize a story and a list of its contents.
A storyboard helps you:
1. Define the parameters of a story within available resources and time
2. Organize and focus a story
3. Figure out what to use for each part of the story
A storyboard doesn't have to be perfect, it's just a sketch, a draft.
Procedures:
1. Producer/Director: Writes script for commercial; selects the talent (actors, actresses, etc.) involved; decides upon the tone of the commercial. The producer/director also contributes to the generation of ideas.
2. Art Director/Graphic Designer: Determines layout of storyboard; directs the creation of the rough and final drafts of the storyboard; incorporates all group members' ideas; contributes to the generation of ideas and creation of the script.
3. Discussion Leader/Illustrator: Insures that all group members are heard; leads discussion about specifics of the commercial; insures that all areas are covered (storyboard checklist, persuasive tactics, etc.); insures that items are completed in a timely manner; contributes to the generation of ideas; aids in the creation of the script.
4. Presenter/Recorder: Aids in the creation of the script and generation of ideas; presents information regarding the group's creation to the rest of the group; maintains a written record of the implementation of storyboard checklist points, persuasive tactics, etc. into the final commercial storyboard.
Copies of the storyboard checklist should be handed out to each group. Students should begin brainstorming their commercial. Groups should create a rough draft of their storyboard.
With their group members, groups should edit their commercials. Afterwards, groups should create a final draft of their storyboard.
Hand out copies of the commercial rubric and go over rubric criteria with each group. Groups should make any necessary revisions to their commercials. Groups should practice their commercials, keeping in mind the time.
After groups have made any other revisions, groups should begin recording their commercials.
If necessary, groups can edit their commercials afterwards.
Activities: Commercials are presented to the entire class and are evaluated based on the commercial rubric.
Tips: Remind students that their story's main idea about their product should be clear. If using music, be selective, they only have 30 seconds for the commercial. Running through the commercial before taping will help students see what mistakes or changes need to be made before the actual commercial is made.
Evaluation: storyboard checklist & commercial rubric
Click on the picture to return to the index