assignment overview

Vlogging is the video equivalent of blogging. Instead of composing and uploading text, vloggers compose videos and upload them to their online video service of choice. Just as in blogging, vloggers create a space where they discuss a topic or topics that are important to them. They can be personal, informative, and/or about a specific topic that a certain group of people would be interested in: gaming, education, writing, cooking, the NFL, board games—whatever strikes your fancy. Many just vlog about themselves and their day. Often they adopt a personality. Regardless of topic, vloggers friend and accept the friend requests of other vloggers. Please do so, as well, and in class we will dicsuss the vloggers you have friended and what you are learning about YouTube from watching and responding to their vlogs.

Vlogging assignment rubric (.doc). Please complete and email to Dr. Wolff by class-time, May 4. Remember to put your name on it.

assignment specifics

As vloggers, you have the choice of adopting a personae or appearing more “real.” The topic(s) of your vlog posts can be whatever you want as long as they adhere to the following criteria:

• refer to yourself only by your username and never by your first, last, or middle name
• do not disclose your location
• do not say how old you are
• keep vlog posts tasteful
• keep vlogs about/in response to other vloggers/vlogs tasteful
• keep video and written comments to comments on your vlog on other vlogs tasteful
• do not script vlog posts and read from prepared words
• use only Creative Commons Licensed music and images
• make all posts public and accept all comments without moderation (do not take negative comments personally)
• between 3 – 5 minutes in length

Before uploading your first vlog, I would like you to compose a 3 – 5 minute video introduction to what your blog is going to be about and who you will be (or become) as a vlogger. Make this private and share it with all classmates and Dr. Wolff. When coming up with your vlog, consider the following:

• What topics will you cover? Will it be just about your day, or will you talk about a specific subject or subjects.
• Will you adopt a certain personality? Hide your face? Or, will you try to be more “real.”
• Other than fulfilling the assignment, what do you hope to learn by doing the vlog?

Also include a sample of the kind of material you think you will discuss and/or the personality you will abopt. Go back to and think about the kinds of vlogs you saw in An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube:

requirements and due dates

Requirements are to upload two vlog posts per week. One will be due on Monday before class; the other will be do at another time. Try to keep a regular schedule so that your viewers can expect when to see new updates. Please also subscribe to all classmates’ vlogs so we can watch them. You might also begin replying to each other’s vlog posts; three responses is equal to one original post.

M 2/9: Video introduction due online by classtime
M 2/16: First vlog post due
M 2/16 – F 5/1: At least 2 vlog posts/week (excluding spring break) = at least 20 total vlog posts

sample first vlogs

The first vlog has become a kind of genre in itself, one in which vloggers attempt to introduce themselves to the YouTube community, get comfortable with being on camera, and attempt to show themselves to be unique. Here are a few samples: