Students have the option of submitting a multi-media appendix with their oral history projects for up to 5 extra credit points –this means embedding either a short video or podcast that features highlights from your interview. If you do not have an audio or video recording of your actual interview, you can still produce a short video or podcast using part of your post as narrative text.  Short is a variable term, but the best video or podcast interview excerpts will probably be about 2 minutes or less, properly introduced with title credit and supported by selected image cutaways (video) or introductory / closing music (audio).  There are some video tutorials below that can help students prepare such work, but remember that whether you have a video or audio file, you must first upload it to a free cloud service, such as YouTube (video) or Soundcloud (audio), and then embed it in your final oral history essay post.  There are also video tutorials below for the embedding process.

  • Signing up for sites like YouTube or Soundcloud is easy –and free– but does require you to pay attention to their various procedures for uploading.  In this case, make sure to set your video or audio to PUBLIC viewing –at least until the assignment is evaluated.  After that point, we will decide whether or not to publish via our course site.  If not, then you can decide whether or not to keep your file online, or to delete it.

Windows MovieMaker tutorial (by Russ Allen, Dickinson College, Class of 2014)

 

iMovie tutorial (by Leah Miller, Dickinson College, Class of 2014)

 

Audacity tutorial (by Leah Miller, Dickinson College, Class of 2014)

 

Embedding YouTube Video in WordPress

 

Embedding Soundcloud podcasts in WordPress

You should also check out these FAQs pages from the House Divided Project, which provide a host of resources for the budding documentary filmmaker, including access to public domain images, music, sound effects and other tools:

Where can I find Public Domain Civil War Era Music?
Where can I find Images for Documentaries?
Does House Divided have any sound effects available? (Updated)
Where can I upload a Video?
How can I edit the audio for Documentaries?
Where can I download music for Documentaries?
How can I create Documentaries?