3 STAGE PROCESS

We work with great professors with no filming experience, and create incredible content.

Through our 3 stage filming process, refined over thousands of hours with professors in the studio, we help great professors with no professional filming or content writing experience, create incredible content that students love.

Multicoloured building blocks

1. Pre-Production

Pre-production is where we work together to prepare the materials for filming, select the sets, select outfits, arrange travel, and have some fun. Learn more >>>
The letters Q & A in speech bubbles

2. Filming

We create the quizbanks to support educators, including separate banks for practice quizzes, graded quizzes and exams. Learn more >>>
A multicoloured picture of a brain

3. Editing

We create immersive case-style auto-graded assignments and discussions that reinforce key learning outcomes from the video content. Learn more >>>

We recommend viewing this site on a laptop desktop - there'sa lot more info there.

Stage 1: Pre-ProductiOn

Roughly 2-4 weeks before filming, we get together to prepare.

1

Design Your Content

2

Book Your Travel

3

Finalize The Contract

4

Select Your Sets

5

Select Your Outfits

1. Design Your Content

There are 3 stages in designing the content, laid out below. We'll be with you at each step! But before that, here's some helpful advice from other professors who have filmed with Blended Teaching:

Stage 1: Content Outline Meeting

We meet for 60 minutes on a zoom call to outline the content we will film together. By the end of this meeting, you will know how much content we will be filming, what the studio is like, what you need to bring with you, and what you will need to prepare ahead of time.


Following this meeting, you will be able to start designing the flow of the content using our Content Planning Tool and slide deck.

Schedule Content Outline Meeting

Stage 2: Content Design Meeting

This meeting will last 60-120 minutes, and builds on the previous meeting. You will walk us through the list of videos and key messages you want to get across during filming, and we will then deep dive into each one, helping to craft the flow and messages. We'll even start creating the slides during the meeting.

At the end of this meeting, you'll have a definitive list of every video we will be recording, and know how to prepare your slides, ready for the studio.

Schedule Content Design Meeting

Stage 3: Dry Run

Roughly 1 week before filming, we'll meet for about 60 minutes to review your full slide desk(s) and do a dry run of a selection of the videos.

By the end of this meeting, you'll know of any final resources you need to prepare, and you'll be ready for filming in Atlanta.

Schedule Dry Run Meeting

Example Materials

Here's an example of the materials we will be creating together as part of this process, ready for filming. Courtesy of Dr. Reid Cummings.

Click here to see how a set of example materials evolve through the design process

2. Book Your Travel

a) Filming Location

The studio is located at Between Pixels (our production partners) in Marietta, GA. The address is: 22 Trammell St SW, Marietta, GA, 30064 (map link)

b) Flights

The studio is a 45 minute Uber from the main Atlanta airport, Hartsfield-Jackson. Most people aim to fly in the day before filming, and fly out the night when filming wraps, or stay another night (or more) and have a closing dinner with the team, explore Atlanta, live a little!

c) Hotels

Most people stay at the Hilton hotel around the corner from the film studio. It's good enough and means you don't have to struggle with Atlanta traffic. Click on the image below to see more details. We'll pick you up in the morning and drop you off in the evening, so you'll be well taken care of.

d) Parking

If you choose to drive, there are plenty of parking spaces at the studio for you to take your pick. Just don't park in the "Director's" spot, they're a bit fragile.

e) Travel Costs

We'll cover your travel costs (including return flights, hotels, Ubers), which we prefer to refund you in one go at the end. If you prefer, we can refund you along the way. If you want to bring family with you, you are welcome, but you'll have to cover any family and friend costs.

3. Finalize The Contract

Before we film, we will get all the i's dotted and t's crossed with the contract. You can download a copy of our standard form contract, plus a description of how it works in plain English by clicking on the image below. We'll put together a personalized version for you when we're ready to sign.

The Ascension Training platform showing a typical module.

4. Select Your Sets

All of the filming will happen in one studio, which has 6 different sets to choose from. We generally stick to one set per chapter (aka module), as it takes up to 1 hour to move between sets. Click on the images below to watch the sets and creators in action.

Set 1
Standing. Great for theoretical presentations, including an iPad for drawing.
Set 2
Standing. Same as set 1, with different background.
Set 3
Sitting. Great for presenting narratives and discussions.
Set 4
Same as Set 3, but with a different chair.
Set 5
Fireside chat. Great for 2 person discussions. We can provide the 2nd person.
Set 6
Sitting at Desk. Great for any work needing a laptop (e.g. Excel).

5. Select Your Outfits

Here's our take on the do's and don'ts of outfits for filming.

Do:
● Bring more clothes than you need. You'll need one outfit per chapter (aka module).
● Be yourself. Don't worry about what viewers want, focus on what you want to wear. If you're feeling great, you're looking great.

Avoid:
● Stripes. They come out all funny on camera.
● Political statements. They can get in the way of educating students.
● University branded items. You can wear other logos (like Nike, etc.), but better to avoid your current university as you may not be there forever.

STAGE 2: Filming

We spend 2 - 3 days in Atlanta, making beautiful videos & hopefully, some fun memories.

MAKING BEAUTIFUL 
MATERIALS WITH 
US IS EASY

We have 2 methods for making beautiful content.

Filming
We aim to start filming at 8:30am and wrap at 5pm to make sure you have enough energy and excitement each day. Those lights can get a bit tiring if we overdo it! There will be 2-3 crew in the room when you are filming, a Director, a Producer and a Support. Making great content is sometimes an iterative process, so we are flexible and will change things up if we think it can add a little something. Sometimes you'll be in the flow and feel (and look) like a star, and other times you won't be able to get a full sentence out (except expletives). We've seen it all, and it's all good. We make the experience fun and lighthearted so that you can get up for another take. You will have 2 cameras filming you, and a teleprompter for you to see your notes. We will select the sets beforehand, but can move you around if we find a better set up.
Getting Around
If you're staying at the local Hilton hotel, we'll pick you up and drop you off each day. The studio is a convenient walking distance to the town of Marietta (about 5 mins). It's a quaint old war town with some great diners and restaurants and a genuine Southern vibe all focussed around a square. If you don't want to walk, you can also Uber.
Food & Drink
We typically have pastries on set, but recommend you have breakfast before filming. We break for lunch between 12-1 depending on progress. We order anything from grubhub and eat togeher. It's a nice chance to get to know each other. There is a great French bakery across the road, we usually get coffee there in the morning, and there is filter coffee and nespresso at the studio. There are plenty of snacks and drinks at the studio. They don't tend to be the most healthy (c'mon it's Atlanta, the home of Coca-Cola), but there is plenty. If you have any specific requirements, probably best to bring them with you.
Evening Dinners
We love spending time with visiting professors. After filming, professors either choose to go back to their space and relax and prepare for more filming, or come out for family dinners with us. If you have friends in the area, bring them along! Family and friends are always welcome.

stage 3: Editing

We do the editing, and we ask you to review the videos at two key stages. Here's the important bits you need to know.

1

We will need your input twice during editing.

The editing process usually takes us between 1-2 months from filming to completion. We will need your input twice during that process.

1. The first time is to review the rough-edited videos, and to provide comments. The rough-edited videos should look quite good, but comments usually include if there is any footage you want removed, or any additional graphics added.

2. The second, and final time you will review the videos is following those revisions. You'll get to watch the final version and give us any final comments or approval to launch the videos to the public.
2

You'll be using Frame.io to leave your comments on the videos.

When you are reviewing and commenting on the videos, you will use a tool called frame.io. It's an amazing piece of software that allows you to log in online, watch the videos, and leave comments directly on the film at the times you want. Here's a walkthrough of how frame.io works.
3

Once you've given us approval for the videos to go live,  we'll make all the supporting materials and add them to the platform aloing with the videos.

Once you've given approval for the videos, we will upload them to the platform and they will be available for professors and students to enjoy. But the videos are only the first part of the content that we will make. Based on your videos, we'll make the supporting materials, including: Subtitles, Transcripts, Quiz Questions, Supporting Text, Auto-Graded Assignments, Discussions, Slide Decks, etc. We're going to do all the work, and there's very little you'll need to do except to check some of our work from time to time.

HAPPILY Ever after

Each month, we'll send you a share of the revenue, plus insightful data showing the beneficial impact you're making on professors & students across the world.

We've observed that when you go to conferences, professors who you've never spoken with will recognize you and thank you for helping them out in class! You'll be "professor" famous. 😎

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