Video
Gunny’s Sea Stories and Smoke Pit Odysseys
This is the same story as the podcast but done as a video this time. It was uploaded to my YouTube channel.
Credit and Attributions
Context for the story
For context to the “I am green belt” reference, the Marines have their own recognized martial arts discipline known as the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). MCMAP is a program that every Marine is required to participate in and information about the program can be found at marines.mil the official program web page.
I also want to offer an explanation as to why the fall season was relevant to the behavior of deer. If you are a hunter or grew up around deer hunting, you would consider this to be common knowledge. But for those who do not; male deer (bucks) in the fall months, Sept-Nov will have higher levels of testosterone. So during their breeding season, bucks will often chase females, sometimes into traffic, in an attempt to mate. For a more detailed explanation of deer behavior, the deeranddeerhunting.com web article Behind the Hide is an excellent source.
Additional Media
The images used will be credited in the order of their appearance. Title screen photo of Marines standing along a ridgeline at dusk is named “Shadows in the Night”. It was taken by Sgt. Martha Linares and was released on 3/23/2026 by the U.S. Marine Corps, it is in the public domain. The second image, a sketch of Marines running away from an over sized tortoise, is a photograph that I took of it. I took it at the range control building at Marine Corps Base 29 Palms, CA on 6/9/2020. The artist signed the drawing but I cannot make out what it says, so I have attached a close up photo of it below. The drawing is making fun of the fact that the base is a wild life sanctuary for that particular breed of endangered tortoise. Training events are often suspended because one of those tortoises wanders too close.
The last image at the end of the video depicts two Marines with their newly awarded green belts. It was taken by the journalist Tyler Harmon and was released by the Marine Corps on 12/28/2021. It is also in the public domain. The music in the video was the free music found on the Canva site in the video editing section, named Background Music, FreeMusicForVideo from pixabay. Lastly, the person driving the blue jeep was my wife, Jessica.
Process
I started this project by thinking about how to take the story from the podcast and turning it into a video. To plan out the shots, I created a shot list in my note book while scouting areas around my neighborhood. Once I had a good feeling about the plan and how certain shots would be made, I set out to collect the gear. I already had a GoPro Hero 8, a handheld stick, and a tripod. Then I dug out an old uniform and recruited my wife to drive her jeep into an archery target shaped as a deer.
Once I was satisfied that I captured all of the shots, I transferred them to my laptop. I created a Canva account, uploaded my videos to it, and started watching instructional videos for how to edit with Canva on YouTube. I started to cut footage, incorporate music, and record narration. Hours later, after I was satisfied with the outcome, I uploaded the video to YouTube. From there I edited the Closed Captions and published the video for public viewing.
Hope you like it! Please leave a comment on the video on YouTube, I would love to hear your feedback.
Video Project Final Product
Unknown creator, Image from pixabay.com
About My Video
Titled “The Science Behind the Perfect Cup of Tea,” my video explores where tea comes from and how it is made. Did you know every variety of tea originates from a subtropical Asian plant called Camellia sinensis? Throughout the video, I walk viewers through the harvesting, drying, and rolling stages—explaining how timing directly impacts the color, strength, and flavor in your cup. Using helpful visual demonstrations, my goal is to give viewers an educational, behind-the-scenes look at how tea goes from plant to brew.
I got my information from these two sources:
The Science of the Perfect Cup of Tea The Science of Tea
Process of Making Video
Footage
I kicked off the filming process by recording my A-roll, sitting down in my bedroom with the lights turned up for optimal brightness. Using just my phone and a tripod, I recorded myself reading through the script. From there, I transitioned to capturing my B-roll footage—staying in the same room to film close-up shots of myself actually preparing the tea.
Additional Visual Elements
Integrating extra visual elements was essential to ensure viewers could truly grasp the tea-making process. I sourced high-quality stock footage online from envanto.com, finding clips that showcase the Camellia sinensis leaves being harvested, dried, and rolled.
Editing
Once I gathered all my media, I moved on to editing using Microsoft Clipchamp. Since I had already used the platform for past class assignments, it was a breeze to navigate and upload my computer files. To keep the final piece tight and engaging, I trimmed down my footage to fit a two-minute timeframe, weaving together my A-roll, B-roll, and stock videos with a voice-over before exporting the finished project.
Upload
For the final step, I chose YouTube to host my video, largely because I’ve used it for previous class assignments. The platform makes uploading straightforward and offers privacy settings like public, private, and unlisted options. It also has a great captioning tool: by simply copy-pasting my script and selecting the sync option, I was able to generate closed captions in just three minutes before publishing the video.
Sources
Website (Research)
The Science of the Perfect Cup of Tea
Stock Videos
My video (Final Product)
Final Video Project
About My Topic
This project takes my research narrative from the audio assignment and turns it into a visual essay about why women are leaving the American evangelical church. Instead of just looking at this like people casually losing their faith, I wanted to focus on the deep structural issues and expectations that make it so hard for many women to stay.
My project focuses on why women are walking away from the American evangelical church. I wanted to ask the question of how traditional environments, purity culture, and institutional responses to abuse intersect with a woman’s decision to leave. This project looks at how leaving becomes a vital path toward bodily autonomy and self-authorship rather than a simple loss of faith.
If you want to look into the research yourself, here are the main sources I used for my project:
- PRRI Report on Religious Change in America – This tracks the big macro-trends of why people are leaving religion.
- Qualitative Sociology Study on Abuse Survivors Leaving Evangelical Churches – This focuses on how survivors navigate church spaces.
- Social Work Study on Women Sexually Abused by Clergy – This looks at the institutional impact of clergy misconduct.
Video Process
I recorded my clean audio inside using my Mac and DJI Mic 2, then edited and pieced together the best takes in Soundtrap. For the visual side, I used footage of myself speaking directly to the camera as my A-roll.
For my B-roll, I used my iPhone and a DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal from the HCC to shoot steady 16:9 footage around downtown Fredericksburg. I captured church exteriors, signs, closed doors, and a shot of myself looking up at a building to get that “outside looking in” vibe. I also filmed a close-up of my hand journaling to bring in a personal touch.
Since the outdoor background noise was way too loud, I muted the original video audio and layered my clean podcast voiceover on top using Clipchamp. I chose Clipchamp to edit everything because it made it simple to layer my voiceover tracks directly over the B-roll clips. To bring out the research data, I dropped in three different types of white text overlays that I created right in the software: an intro title card, text screens showing the key statistics on abuse and leadership scandals, and a clean credits slide at the very end.
I picked YouTube as the streaming platform because it allows the video to play directly inside a WordPress post without navigating away from the blog. YouTube also offers a reliable caption editor, which lets me manually correct the text to ensure the punctuation, capitalization, and timing are accurate. Overall, I am happy with the final result.
Credits
Intro Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay
Text & Graphics Overlays: Created by Geneva Dickerson on Clipchamp
A-roll and B-roll: Filmed and recorded by Geneva Dickerson
Audio Track: Recorded by Geneva Dickerson
Final Video Project (Booktok – Trend or Movement)
Topic
My project focuses on the trend during covid called #BookTok. I wanted to ask the question of how successful this trend was in getting people to read. I also wanted to see how many people continue to read today because of this trend making it more of a movement. To read more about this trend I have a few sources that I used for further research.
The Guardian by Alison Flood
The Science Survey by Nehla Chowdhury
Credits
Outro Audio: On the road, looking at your feet by Monplaisir through Citizen DJ
Intro and Title Card: By Abigayle Crumley on Canva
A-roll and B-roll: Filmed by Abigayle Crumley
Audio: Recorded by Abigayle Crumley and Kate Bagley
Video Process
When creating this video it started with the production of a podcast. A general script was made and a 5 minute long interview was conducted between me and a friend of mine who has a passion for reading. This was recorded using the voice memo app on my phone. The recording had to be heavily cut down to fit the 2 minute requirement for the assignment. After this I was able to get most of my B-roll in a Barns and Noble following my friend using my phone to record. I was also able to re record an A-roll clip of a page turning that I used as a sound effect between segments in the edited interview. Because of how heavily I had to edit the initial interview, the best way to get A-roll clips of the interview was to record while lip syncing to the edited interview. Because of this, every clip used when editing the final video had no volume allowing for the edited interview to stay the same length of 2 minutes. For editing the video, I used iMovie as it is a video editing software that I am most familiar with. I then used Canva for the introduction and as a way to incorporate additional video elements (text, still photos, and graphics). At the very end of the video I used the text feature available in iMovie to make an outro. The final video was then saved and uploaded to Vimeo as I have uploaded videos to this website before. The website had auto generated captions for the video. If I were to make the video again I would have created a more structured plan for videos recorded and script. Overall, the video still turned out relatively well.
Technology in Everyday Life
Topic
I decided to focus on how technology is part of our everyday lives. Technology has changed how we communicate with others, complete schoolwork, and find information. I also included artificial intelligence because it is becoming an important part of the technology we use today. My goal was to show how much we depend on technology and how it continues to change the way we live. I wanted to use different visuals to make the information easier to understand and more interesting to watch.
Process
I started this project by using the audio from my previous podcast. I then planned which videos and pictures would match the different parts of my narration. I recorded myself speaking to the camera and combined my footage with images and graphics related to technology. I also added a section about artificial intelligence to expand on my original topic. I also recorded using a iPhone 14 max. One of the challenges was making sure the visuals matched what I was saying and that there were no empty spaces throughout the video. I worked on the timing, transitions, and audio to make everything flow together. This project helped me understand how important visuals are when sharing information. I learned that combining audio, video, and images can make a message more engaging.
Credits
Narration and personal footage: Recorded by me.
Images created using Microsoft PowerPoint AI.
Video edited using CapCut.
Visual Blue: Visualization of a Podcast
Project Overview
Topic
My project dives into the truth about how blue light affects sleep. I consider this a myth because its not just blue light. Rather, all light has some sort of effect on melatonin production, which is what tells your body that it is time to go to bed.
Sources
Exposure to Room Light before Bedtime – JCEM
Melatonin Suppression by Light – NIH
Circadian Rhythm – Sleep Foundation
Attributions
Click to View
A Mother Taking Her Daughter’s Cellphone During Mealtime
Video by Kaboompics from https://www.pexels.com/video/a-mother-taking-her-daughter-s-cellphone-during-mealtime-6958039/
Closeup Eye Opening in Blue Light
Video by Karl Byron from https://www.pexels.com/video/closeup-eye-opening-in-blue-light-36816949/
Close Up Video of a Man’s Face
Video by Mikhail Nilov from https://www.pexels.com/video/close-up-video-of-a-man-s-face-6964017/
Low Angle View of Colored Strobe Lights
Video by Nino Souza from https://www.pexels.com/video/low-angle-view-of-colored-strobe-lights-12991802/
Clock, Loop, Fast
Video by BlenderTimer from https://pixabay.com/videos/clock-loop-fast-time-watch-hours-100386/
Man, Dancer, Dance
Video by ChristianBodhi from https://pixabay.com/videos/man-dancer-dance-disco-joy-flow-71902/
Two Cell Phones Sitting Next to Each Other on a Table
Photo from https://unsplash.com/photos/two-cell-phones-sitting-next-to-each-other-on-a-table-hhniivY7iyw
Visible Wavelengths Diagram
“VisibleWavelengths.png” by DrSciComm, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VisibleWavelengths.png
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cell
“Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsically_photosensitive_retinal_ganglion_cell
Video Production
Process, Recording, and How I Found Additional Material
The process overall wasn’t too bad once I figured out what I was doing. It did take a lot of brainstorming to nail down what I wanted for the A-Roll vs the B-roll. Filming it was about making sure the angles looked good and my voice was audible. Lastly, I had to edit all of the clips together to make it a coherent video. I used transitions to help add flow between parts. I found my additional material by using a variety of key words to get as close as possible to the clips I wanted to use.
Editing Software and Streaming Platform (and why I chose them)
The editing software I used was Microsoft Clipchamp because it was simple to use and I have experience with using this tool. I also liked that it had a built in caption generating. However, it did have one issue with captions where you couldn’t edit the exact time stamps which resulted in some of my captions not being typed the best. For a streaming platform, I used Vimeo because I have seen it used for class and home projects. It was also really easy to upload. I didn’t use YouTube because I use my account for viewing, not making content.
My Video Project
The Video
Topic
The topic I talk about in the video is driver licenses and how important they are to us in the world. I discussed how they help us in the workforce and in solidifying our own identities.
Credits
Sky Driving School by Sky Driving School
“I Don’t Need to Drive Much, Why Should I Still Get a License?”
The Importance of Teens Getting Their Driver’s License by Courtney Cauldwell
Benefits of Getting a Driver’s Permit: Unlocking Freedom and Responsibility
Club No Copyright by MiroMaxMusic
Wondershare Filmora 15 (for title card, ending, and video making)
50 Years of Oklahoma Driver License Evolution for Picture 1
Adobe Stock for Picture 2
Filming Process
To create this video, I had to do more than just film. First, I did the research online. Next, I wrote a script for me to read and speak out loud. After that was done, I went to the Vocal Booth at UMW to record myself and my voice lines since there wasn’t any soundproof location in my house. I moved the clips to Wondershare Filmora 15 on my laptop to sort out the order so that my video would flow perfectly. I added in my music, pictures, and audio, trimmed out any unnecessary content, and clicked Export. Once I was done, I uploaded the video onto YouTube Studio. This way, nobody but me could see the video.
My Very First Recording for an Audio Project
Choosing a Topic
As a Music Education major, I opted for a short lesson on a topic that lays the foundation for good musical practice: Diaphragmatic Breathing. Breathing from your belly instead of your chest is something we are born knowing how to do. Over time, most of us deviate to more shallow breathing, only filling our chests with air. Diaphragmatic breathing fills your lungs with air fully from the bottom, or belly, upwards. Taking proper breaths enables better performance and calmer nerves.
Podcast Outline/Script
Notes:
- Record in my home office
- Record on my Logitech Blue Yeti X USB Microphone, attached to my MacBook
- Intro Sounds to by the Wind; Outro Sounds to be Sighs; Serene music during deep breathing
[0:00 – 0:15] Topic Intro, Intro Music, Importance
- “Welcome! Today we are doing a two-minute micro-session on the absolute ultimate hack for stress management and musical performance: diaphragmatic breathing. By breathing using only your chest, you are telling your brain to stay stressed. Let’s take 90 seconds to make one positive change that your body will thank you for.”
[0:15 – 0:45] Set-Up and First Point
- “Take a seat in a chair with your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Place your left hand on your chest and your right hand on your belly. The goal is for the left hand on your chest to not move at all. You should only feel the hand on your belly slowly moving back and forth with every breath.”
[0:45 – 1:45] Guided Practice Inhaling and Exhaling; Serene Sounds
- “First, close your eyes. Imagine you are pulling air all the way from your toes, filling your lungs from the bottom up. Breath with me in through your nose, from your toes, filling your lungs for a count of 4. Starting 1….2….3….4…. Imagine you are filling a balloon with your stomach pushing your right hand outward.”
- “Now, purse your lips slightly and exhale like you are extinguishing a candle, slow and steady. Exhale for 1….2….3….4…. deflating the balloon under your right hand all the way until no air remains. Allow the body to relax as you exhale. Again, feeling no movement from the left hand on your chest, only the right hand on your belly moving outward and inward with every breath.”
[1:45 – 2:00] Conclusion and Sign Off
- “I challenge every listener to breathe thoughtfully. Just 3 – 4 minutes of breathing exercises twice a day can calm nerves for a meeting, assist in sleeping, or for any anxious situation. I promise your body will thank you! Use your breathing exercises to take control of your breathing and health!”
- “Catch you next time on Mandy’s Digital Foray!”
My Process Thus Far
To start, I opted to use my Blue Yeti X microphone and Audio-technica ATH-M50x headphones. Both are highly rated for audio recording. Then, I chose GarageBand as my recording medium. Once all was plugged in, I opened GarageBand, chose a new project, chose classical vocals, changed my microphone input to the Blue Yeti mic, and started recording using my script. After several tries, I was finally happy with the resulting recording. I then selected and deleted the blank space at the beginning of the recording. Finally, I saved, compressed, and shared my file with OneDrive.
Chronicling Somerset Beach Video Project
About Somerset Beach
Credits
Sources:
Canva Pro
Typewriter clip
Steamboat video clip
Online content clip
Newspaper printing clip
“Notes from Lower King George” Newspapers.com. The Free Lance-Star, September 22, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-free-lance-star-notes-from-lower-kin/208229608/.
“Notes from King George” Newspapers.com. The Free Lance-Star, January 22, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-free-lance-star-notes-from-king-geor/208229353/.
“Notes from King George” Newspapers.com. The Daily Star, February 26, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-star-notes-from-king-george/208229191/.
“1908 St Lukes P E Church Somerset Beach” Newspapers.com. The Washington Bee, June 20, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-bee-1908-st-lukes-p-e-chu/197674051/.
“1910 June 18 Berean Baptist Church Excursion to SB” Newspapers.com. The Washington Bee, June 18, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-bee-1910-june-18-berean-b/196750056/.
“1908 Aug 1 Steamers now open _ Exclusive Use Colored People” Newspapers.com. Evening star, August 1, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star-1908-aug-1-steamers-now-ope/196759025/.
About the video production process
For the video, I used my iPhone and Canva for recording. I recorded an on-screen video in Canva and uploaded it from my phone. A steamboat video clip is from the elements available in Canva. The ragtime music was also a Canva element. I used Canva to generate the captions, then edited them for accuracy.
I chose Microsoft Stream to post the video, copied the embed code, and pasted it into this page.
This was an incredibly tedious process. Fitting the sound, the clips, correcting the captions, and making it all fit into exactly two minutes. The Canva video editing also had a steep learning curve, but it will be easier next time.
