Getting to Know Your Meme Assignment Sheet

(GETTING TO) KNOW YOUR MEME

To begin, you will need to decide on the meme you want to investigate. This can be done by browsing ​ www.KnowYourMeme.com​ , searching through YouTube, or any number of internet sources to find a topic. What will you be doing with this meme?

You’ll be creating your very own Know Your Meme video! While Know Your Meme has done a fantastic job of showcasing in helpful and informative ways many memes so far, there are several topics they simply do not have the time to cover. As such, we will be helping to fill the gap by creating videos which mimic their style of informative videos about memes, or fads on the internet.

So, in a nutshell, for this project, you will be creating a video which will mimic the Know Your Meme videos and present information and further implications for an internet or real world phenomenon. I won’t limit you to the real world, however—if you want to, you can create your ​ own​ meme based on something you’ve researched this semester, something in the news, or a meme which pokes fun at any digital media or videogames that you know and love.

This may sound like an easy task, but keep in mind that this will take a ​ lot​ of work on your part. You will be responsible for creating an entire video project. This means doing research into the phenomenon you’re showing your audience, writing a script for your video, finding videos, music, and images, and putting it all together into a cohesive whole.

Things to Consider When…

Thinking about the video: ​ We will be watching several Know Your Meme videos in class and doing readings based on internet culture. As such, you should have a good idea of what your video should look like and what the conventions of it should be: you’ll be presenting your information to a potentially unknowing public, showing the roots, history, notable moments, and implications for the meme you’re discussing. How will you be presenting this?

As an authority on the matter, something which should be reflected by the research you’ll be performing. You’ll need to be thorough in your research and really let your audience ​ see​ the meme and its implications using either readily available images, music, or news stories, or creating your own.

Things to Consider When…

Thinking about written text: ​ You will need to have a written component for this assignment, as I imagine none of you will be able to simply improvise an entire video’s dialog and information. As such, you will need to compile your evidence, think about how you want to organize it and present it with words (as you would with any paper we’ve done so far this semester) and as such, you will be required to turn in the written elements of your project, including a works cited page for all research and images and video used in your project.

Additionally, this written text should incorporate a reflective element which tells me things such as (but not limited to): 1. How you picked your meme.

2. What research you did to learn more about your meme.

3. What programs you used to create and edit any number of pieces for your 4.

5.

6.

7.

project.

What went well in your project.

What did not.

What you wish you could have done more of or known more about.

Any additional things I may want or need to know about your project.

Logistics • As this is a unique project, the logistics will be unique as well.

• For the video? The video itself will not have a set “time limit,” but I expect it to be thorough in exploring your subject matter. I would recommend using the KYM videos as a way to gauge the kind of length you should expect from your video (a quick glance throughout their YouTube channel reveals about 2­3 minutes to be a likely minimum, with about 7 being the likely maximum).

• The page length? Technically, 6+ pages. This, of course, includes your script and reflective materials. How you distribute the pages between the two is up to you, but you must have 6+ pages of written content in total.

• ​ Formatting (IMPORTANT):​ Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, MLA header, double spaced.

Grade Breakdown

And yet another unique situation. Because your “process memo” will be part of your grade and a video component is introduced, there will be a few different ways of examining the criteria. In the end, your project will be weighed equally on the written components and video project itself. Effort will be considered far more than polish (not everyone is great with technology), but I expect to see both.

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Video Project: 50% (100 pts.) ○ 88 Points: Overall effort put into video project ○ 12 Points: Use of outside sources Paper Project: 50% (100 pts.) ○ 62 Points: Your Reflective Work ○ 20 Points: Script of video project ○ 18 Points: Your Presence at your Peers’ Presentations (1/3 letter grade per day)

Drafts and Due Dates

th • (Shitty) First Draft Workshop: Friday, March 30​

th • Second DraftWorkshop: Friday, April 6​

th​ th • In­Class Lab Periods: Monday, April 9​ ­Friday, April 13​

th​ • Video Project Due and Link Sent to Me: ​ Sunday, April 15​ , @ 6PM • FINAL PROJECT PORTFOLIO DUE: ​ Monday, April 16 @ Class Time