Terms and Definitions
Some terms and concepts
Scientific broadcasting is in many ways equivalent and similar to traditional academic publishing. Before we provide instructions on how to create your videoscript, it is important to properly define some terms that are used in Scientific Broadcasts (SB).
Channels
SB Channels are parts of Scientific Broadcasts that release scicasts related to a specific scientific discipline. Inside SB there can be only one Channel per discipline, but the boundaries of each Channel may vary. There can be, for example, a Channel about Paleontology, or it could be divided into different Channel for each sub-discipline of Paleontology (e.g., Paleobotany, Vertebrate, and Invertebrate Paleontology). In any case and once its boundaries have been defined, each Channel is scientifically independent and run by its own Scientific Board. Each Channel is run by scientific or academic entities (e.g., universities, associations, organizations, etc.) that are responsible for the scientific content that gets released.
Channels are something like the traditional Academic Journals.
Scinematographers
The SB Scinematographer is, usually, the person responsible for the total scientific and audiovisual content of a scicast. The Scinematographer leads — on behalf of the entire scientific team, if present — the Production of the Rough Cut of the scicast, and collaborates with the Channel for the final edits during the Post-Production. In some cases, a project might not have a Scinematographer, and the Producer will help the auctors to select a Scinematographer for their project. Thus, a Director might only have an artistic role in the Production of a scicast and could be totally disassociated with the scientific content; this should be made explicit.
The Scinematographers are something the leading Authors of a traditional Academic Paper.
Auctors
SB Auctors (= authors + actors) are, at the same time, the writers of the screenplay, the creators of the visual scientific of the scicast, and the performers that lend their voices and faces. They form part of the scientific team of each scicast, and are placed in the Billing according to their contributions; the top billing auctor is the scientist that contributed the most in the scientific part of the scicasts. In some cases the top billing Auctor could be also the Director.
Auctors are something like the authors of a traditional Academic Paper.
Producers
SB Producers are those members of the working teams of each Channel, that are responsible for producing the scicasts. Alternatively, Producers can external to the Channel, and brought to a given project by the Scinematographer, who has the right to select a Producer of their choice. The first task of Producers is to evaluate the submitted videoscripts in order to make a decision (greenlight: the submission enters the pipeline for production | redlight: the submission is rejected).
Once the project is green-lit, Producers assist the Scinematographers in the production of the scicast. They usually deal with one scicast per time, and form the link between the Scinematographer and the Channel. They are there to help and offer constructive feedback, as well as to try to solve any problems that might occur. They arrange and supervise the evaluation of the Rough Cut versions and approve the conclusion of the main Production Stage.
Producers are something like the Editors of the traditional Academic Journals.
Screenwriters, Video and Sound Editors
Each SB Channel should have a team of people that are responsible for the Post-Production of the scicast, who can also assist in previous stages if necessary. These should minimally include: (1) a Screenwriter, a person responsible of revising the script of the scicast; (2) a Video Editor, a person responsible for all edits and improvements related to the visual part of the scicast; and (3) a Sound Editor, a person responsible for all edits and improvements related to the audio part of the scicast.
Screenwriters are something like Copyeditors, while Video and Sound Editors are something like the Galley Editors and Designers of the traditional Academic Papers.
Critics
All scicasts are being constantly evaluated during the different stages of their production. The opinion of the public and especially of other scientists and experts is important. So when we need their opinion, we ask them to join internal and external screenings as Critics. Critics can be other scientists, science communicators or policy makers, and even moviemakers. Each Channel has a number of affiliated critics that work closely together, but each screening is different. In those cases, different critics that meet our target group criteria will be openly invited to provide feedback.
Critics are always asked to contribute constructively and will always have to respond to a customized list of questions that address specific questions related to your project. In some cases, critics might join special roundtable discussions or even face-to-face meetings to address issues that might require a different kind of feedback.
Critics are something like the Reviewers of the traditional Academic Publishing.
Scientific Broadcasts Studio
Scientific Broadcast Studio (SBS) is the online platform that will allow the production of scicast. SBS is divided into the different stages of production, namely Greenlight, Wrap, Final Cut, and Release, allowing scinematographers to produce their scicasts. Each stage contains the necessary instructions in a step-by-step process. Along the way, SBS will incorporate tools, functions and services to become an independent all-in-one platform for the production of scicasts.
Studio are something like the Submission Systems of the traditional Academic Journals.
Slideshow Presentation
Slideshow Presentation
Slideshow Presentation
Use the software of your choice and prepare a slideshow presentation with narrations (either as recordings or inserted audio files).
Don't worry about format and style yet; we will handle this in post-production.
If given the greenlight, you will have to submit together with your Rough Cut all the original files (images, videos, audios) as well, to allow our edits and improvements.
Movie Editing software
Slideshow Presentation
Slideshow Presentation
Use the software of your choice and prepare a home-made video.
Don't worry about format and style yet; we will handle this in post-production.
If given the greenlight, you will have to submit together with your Rough Cut all the original files (images, videos, audios) as well, to allow our edits and improvements.
Hire a team
Slideshow Presentation
Hire a team
Although we prefer that you will actually create your own scicast, we can also accept videos made by others, like a professional team of moviemakers of your choice.
If this is your choice, please bring us in contact with your moviemakers to discuss details.