Translations - the short course description

One of the issues that we're going to have to get right is translating ideas that work in one medium into new ideas that work in another.  All of the work that Rick and I have done together to date has been face-to-face, usually workshops. I wouldn't say it's an easy option - it takes a lot of energy - but we do have a lot of tricks up our sleeves.  In this course we're going to have to find new ways to do old tricks and find some entirely new tricks to make the most of the opportunities that online distance learning offers.

Another conversion to make is between the task up until now - explaining what the course is about for the sake of the university - and explaining the opportunity to students.  We're teaching that audiences are important after all, so it won't do to forget that in the text of the course and elsewhere. So after years of describing the course in terms of learning outcomes, financial costs and benefits and strategic directions for our teaching, it was a real pleasure this week to sit down and knock out a short description of the course for students.  This is what I came up with:

The Digital Film School is your chance to join the millions of people around the world who make and share video every day. The explosion of film-making for websites and mobiles gives people and organisations the opportunity to tell their stories and show what they have to offer, at low cost. The course is practical, hands-on and fun, built around simple tasks based on real-world briefs and a strong culture of mutual support between students. Our experienced team of film-makers will show you some of the craft secrets that underpin good film-making, and how the professionals stay up to date.

The trick now is going to be living up that.