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Your 60-Second Scene: Light, Colour, Sound and the Cut

The capstone project for Light, Colour, Sound and the Edit — a free AI & Emerging Tech course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

One shared link (a Google Doc, Google Drive folder or similar, set to 'anyone with the link can view') containing the scene summary, the lighting plan with top-down diagrams, the colour plan, the sound cue sheet with licences, the edit list, and a working link to the exported 6 to 10 shot cut.

What to do, step by step

  1. Part 1. Write a scene summary of 60 to 120 words for a 60-second scene of your own: who is in it, where and when it happens, what happens, and what the audience should feel by the end. It can be the scene you planned in course 1 or a new one, but it must be your own idea, not the Second Hand example from the course.
  2. Part 2. Make a lighting plan. For each location, draw a simple top-down diagram (by hand, in a drawing app or as an AI image) showing the people, the camera and every light: key, fill, back light and any practicals, with what motivates each light. Name at least 3 different lighting techniques from the course (for example low-key, Rembrandt, practical, rim light, golden hour, neon noir), say whether the light is hard or soft, and give a reason for each choice.
  3. Part 3. Make a colour plan: a palette of 3 to 5 colours with what each one means in your story, the colour temperature of each location (warm or cool), the grading look and the contrast, and the reason for each. If the palette changes in the scene, say where and why.
  4. Part 4. Make a sound plan as a cue sheet: for each moment of the scene, list the dialogue, the ambience or room tone, the Foley and the music, and mark each as diegetic or non-diegetic. Use at least one named scoring technique (leitmotif, underscoring, stinger, silence, or tempo and tension) and explain why. List the source and licence of every sound and piece of music you use.
  5. Part 5. Make a rough cut of 6 to 10 shots, in order, about 60 seconds long (50 to 70 is fine). Each shot can be a still image held on screen or an AI video clip. Join them in any free editor and export the cut as a video.
  6. Part 6. Write an edit list for the cut: for every shot give its number, its length in seconds, what it shows, the named transition into the next shot (hard cut, match cut, jump cut, smash cut, cross-cut, J-cut, L-cut, dissolve, fade, wipe, iris, whip transition or invisible cut) and the reason for that transition. Use at least 4 different named transitions, including at least one J-cut or L-cut. Finish with two sentences on your pacing: is the scene cut slowly or fast, and why?
  7. Put the summary, the three plans and the edit list in one document, add a link to your exported cut (for example on Google Drive or as an unlisted YouTube video), and submit the document's link with access set to 'anyone with the link can view'. You may also upload your lighting diagrams and a few frames of the cut as images or a PDF.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
The lighting plan is clear and correct: diagrams show every light and its motivation, at least 3 lighting techniques are named correctly and fit the story, with reasons25%
The colour plan is coherent: the palette has meanings, temperature, grade and contrast are chosen for clear story reasons15%
The sound plan is complete: layers are listed and correctly marked diegetic or non-diegetic, a scoring technique is used for a clear reason, and every sound and piece of music has a source and a free or owned licence20%
The cut works: 6 to 10 shots in a clear order, about 60 seconds, and it matches the plans15%
The edit list names at least 4 different transitions correctly, including a J- or L-cut, gives a sound reason for every join, and explains the pacing25%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted once free; further attempts come with the All-Access Pass or as a paid retake.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Light, Colour, Sound and the Edit before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Light, Colour, Sound and the Edit is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 7 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Light, Colour, Sound and the Edit is self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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