Yearbook Planning Videos
IT’S TIME TO THINK THEME // Dan Mueller, CJE
Important theming information is presented in two parts, each lasting roughly 30 minutes.
Theme basics and voice make up the first component and structure, coverage and consistency are grouped together in another segment. Lots of examples and explanation help students understand the thought processes involved in making great theme decisions.
part one
part two
COVERAGE THAT COUNTS // Meredith Bledsoe, CJE
From the traits of solid coverage to varied strategies for telling the year’s stories, the series begins with an emphasis on what the students need to consider as they tell the school’s many stories. Next, the scores of examples from coast to coast illustrate how many different ways there are to tell those stories.
Each of the segments of the two-part series lasts roughly 30 minutes.
part one
part two
HOW TO WOW VISUALLY // KATY HOFFSTATTER, CJE
Learn some of the nuances of graphic design and visual communication in this three-part series.
Beginning with typography and hierarchy, examples galore provide inspiration and insight. Sessions covering photography and color, and then structure, space and alignment follow to round out the series.
part one
part two
part three
Other Videos
YEARBOOK 101: WRITING CAPTIONS // Jeff Willauer
This 26-minute video details essentials for writing solid journalistic captions and can be followed with this quick quiz. Or, assign students to take three photos and write complete captions for all three if you need another assignment from them.
PHOTO BASICS // Jamie Silver
In less than an hour (48 minutes), viewers will get great explanations and examples of both rules of composition and lighting guidelines. Each topic could turn into a quick assignment where students use their phones and take shots in or around their homes to demonstrate either the eight rules of composition covered or outdoor images taken in sunny, shady, hazy and backlit situations as well as during the “golden hours” of dawn or dusk. Using both aspects of the video, have them shoot examples in different lighting and of composition rules and you could have the students busy every day for a week — and evidence that they utilized what they learned. It’s easy to have them submit all of this back to you by email. Even better if they present their best examples to the class during a group video conference.
THE FILM CHALLENGE //
Jamie Silver
Fast forward to :11.39 to begin this 15-minute segment of Silver’s podcast for a quick tutorial for the true camera buffs among them. Even if they don’t have access to film cameras, the lessons on aperture and shutter speed will help students understand more and be able to control depth of field/focus. If you want, (and if students are interested), you could host your own “Film Challenge.”
YEARBOOK ACADEMY
The Yearbook Academy videos are not a new tool, but they are a testament to the lasting value of guidelines based on great information. The series, hosted by HJ rep/editor duos, is divided in categories for marketing, theme and photography. Most of these short videos present clear explanations and lots of examples in five minutes or less — and could be incorporated into lessons that end in brainstorming or combined for a lengthier learning session. Maybe you assign them the entire theme section and give them a week to view those before starting the extended project that leads to some theme brainstorming.
Marketing
- Excitement for Yearbook Marketing
- Print Marketing for Yearbooks
- Social Media Marketing for Yearbooks
- Guerilla Tactics for Yearbook Marketing
- Targeted Yearbook Marketing
- Top 10 Tips for Yearbook Marketing
- 30 Yearbook Marketing Ideas in 60 Seconds
THEME
- What is a Yearbook Theme?
- What Makes a Good Yearbook Theme?
- Picking Your Yearbook Theme
- Kinds of Themes: School Name and Initials Themes
- Kinds of Themes: Student Reaction and “Fun” Themes
- Kinds of Themes: Anniversary and Change Themes
- Kinds of Themes: School Location and Pride Themes
- Kinds of Themes: School Colors and Mascot Themes
- Kinds of Themes: Diversity and Double-Edged Themes
PHOTOGRAPHY
- Intro to DSLRs
- Great Photo Composition
- Picking Your Yearbook Theme
- The Exposure Triangle
- What’s in Your Camera Bag?
- Lenses: Where Do We Start?
- Canon vs. Nikon
NOTE:
These videos have been in the Herff Jones toolbox for years and — while most of the content is evergreen — there are some dated references (like SnapChat being mentioned in the Social Media segment and more disparity then than now in shooting amazing photos with a phone). The book examples were fresh when the videos were made (except for some classics in the Kinds of Themes videos), but the explanations of the details and development rationale are proof that great theme work maintains its impact through the years.
