Note: I didn't chop off the top of Rob's head. No matter what I do, the program puts the black bars at the top and bottom of everything. I am sorry. I am sad.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Final Project Checklist
Story Proposal Checklist
A story proposal is a document that establishes your intentions for covering a story, outlines your methods, and estimates what kind of project you will be able to publish or air when finished. its purpose is to sell you story to your editors and to others editors where you work. It will also help you to look at the story from an objective perspective.
1. Is typed and is neatly presented. It has been spell-checked, uses proper grammar, has a tone that is appropriate to a business setting. Have someone proof-read it for you. Keep a copy.
2. Includes a working headline as well as your name and today's date.
3. States the topic of the story concisely and limits the topic to a manageable scope.
4. Covers whey your readers/ viewers would be interested in the topic and the people you will be photographing.
5. Uses supporting research to give a basis for the story and give it relevance in your community. This research is attributed to reliable sources. This research includes discussing previous coverage on the story topic or related topics, and how this story will fit in with what the audience has seen already.
6. Estimates the types of visual images and situations that will comprise your finished story.
7. Names the people and the kind of people who will be in the story.
8. Covers where the story will occur and where the story will be photographed.
9. Describes any access issues that have been addressed and/or need to be addressed.
10. Indicates which audience would be interested in this story.
11. Discusses how much time you will need to work on the project. This includes: When do pertinent events begin and end? How many days will you need to research and cover this story completely, as well as to process, caption, and edit.
12. Covers when the story should be published or aired, and whether that is linked to a date or event.
13. Considers Cost. travel expenses? Over time expenses? Will you need special equipment? Will someone need to fill in for you while you work on this story? Will anyone need to help you with this story in any way?
14. Discuss whether a word reporter will need to cover the story as well. If a work reporter has shown interest in the story already, name him/her.
15. Tells what media will be used and why.
Elizabeth Kerbs (formerly) of the St. Petersburg Times compiled this checklist for News Photographer Magazine.
A story proposal is a document that establishes your intentions for covering a story, outlines your methods, and estimates what kind of project you will be able to publish or air when finished. its purpose is to sell you story to your editors and to others editors where you work. It will also help you to look at the story from an objective perspective.
1. Is typed and is neatly presented. It has been spell-checked, uses proper grammar, has a tone that is appropriate to a business setting. Have someone proof-read it for you. Keep a copy.
2. Includes a working headline as well as your name and today's date.
3. States the topic of the story concisely and limits the topic to a manageable scope.
4. Covers whey your readers/ viewers would be interested in the topic and the people you will be photographing.
5. Uses supporting research to give a basis for the story and give it relevance in your community. This research is attributed to reliable sources. This research includes discussing previous coverage on the story topic or related topics, and how this story will fit in with what the audience has seen already.
6. Estimates the types of visual images and situations that will comprise your finished story.
7. Names the people and the kind of people who will be in the story.
8. Covers where the story will occur and where the story will be photographed.
9. Describes any access issues that have been addressed and/or need to be addressed.
10. Indicates which audience would be interested in this story.
11. Discusses how much time you will need to work on the project. This includes: When do pertinent events begin and end? How many days will you need to research and cover this story completely, as well as to process, caption, and edit.
12. Covers when the story should be published or aired, and whether that is linked to a date or event.
13. Considers Cost. travel expenses? Over time expenses? Will you need special equipment? Will someone need to fill in for you while you work on this story? Will anyone need to help you with this story in any way?
14. Discuss whether a word reporter will need to cover the story as well. If a work reporter has shown interest in the story already, name him/her.
15. Tells what media will be used and why.
Elizabeth Kerbs (formerly) of the St. Petersburg Times compiled this checklist for News Photographer Magazine.
Friday, September 25, 2009
ABC Bush Interview
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Politics/story?id=6354012&page=1
For this sequence and interview, I focused on the opening to one of the last interviews of President Bush, when ABC's Charles Gibson traveled with Bush to Camp David via Marine One:
Before they even step onto the helicopter, the interview seems to be seeking to "humanize" Bush. At 5:04 (the video time goes in reverse) a medium shot of Charlie, the President and his wife is included just for the sake of making the President look goofy, when he says "I'm glad to give you a ride on the magic carpet."
From here, ABC goes into the very awkward, but famous, presidential walk-from-the-lawn-to-the-helicopter scene for 10 excruciating seconds.
At 4:48, a poor excuse for a video interview begins with an image of the President waving out the window of what is assumed to be a lifting helicopter. One cannot tell whether that's what is actually happening -or if it is even from a recent date- because nothing in this shot is explained except that the President, at some point, felt it necessary to wave out of a window.
4:45 the helicopter lifts off, with the Washington Monument in the background, just in time for the President to stop waving.
At 4:40, our lives are again wasted as this elongated introduction brings us to Bush speaking about how "neat" the White House is, how nice the furniture is and how the Obamas would "fill that house with love."
Suddenly, the helicopter ride is over and we see a wide shot of Charlie, the President, Laura and one of the daughters (who they do not name) all making that awkward shuffle back into Camp David. Note how Charlie pats himself on the back at 4:16 by noting how ABC's exit interview with Bush was first.
Finally, at 4:12 the actual interview begins. All of the predictable settings are around, the Prez in more casual garb and a nice fire blazing in the background fireplace. From here we see the typical close head shots, wide interviewee/interviewer shots but I did notice that in the wide shots, the president appears strangely small on the end of that long yellow couch and my eyes were distracted by the awkward stance in which Bush keeps his legs.
All in all I found the introduction to this interview completely unnecessary. It would have been bearable if the sequencing was constructed more smoothly and made less of an eyesore. It seemed to me like Charlie was more excited about going on the helicopter than the actual interview itself so ABC's producers just gave him a camera and said "go shoot" while he was on board.
For this sequence and interview, I focused on the opening to one of the last interviews of President Bush, when ABC's Charles Gibson traveled with Bush to Camp David via Marine One:
Before they even step onto the helicopter, the interview seems to be seeking to "humanize" Bush. At 5:04 (the video time goes in reverse) a medium shot of Charlie, the President and his wife is included just for the sake of making the President look goofy, when he says "I'm glad to give you a ride on the magic carpet."
From here, ABC goes into the very awkward, but famous, presidential walk-from-the-lawn-to-the-helicopter scene for 10 excruciating seconds.
At 4:48, a poor excuse for a video interview begins with an image of the President waving out the window of what is assumed to be a lifting helicopter. One cannot tell whether that's what is actually happening -or if it is even from a recent date- because nothing in this shot is explained except that the President, at some point, felt it necessary to wave out of a window.
4:45 the helicopter lifts off, with the Washington Monument in the background, just in time for the President to stop waving.
At 4:40, our lives are again wasted as this elongated introduction brings us to Bush speaking about how "neat" the White House is, how nice the furniture is and how the Obamas would "fill that house with love."
Suddenly, the helicopter ride is over and we see a wide shot of Charlie, the President, Laura and one of the daughters (who they do not name) all making that awkward shuffle back into Camp David. Note how Charlie pats himself on the back at 4:16 by noting how ABC's exit interview with Bush was first.
Finally, at 4:12 the actual interview begins. All of the predictable settings are around, the Prez in more casual garb and a nice fire blazing in the background fireplace. From here we see the typical close head shots, wide interviewee/interviewer shots but I did notice that in the wide shots, the president appears strangely small on the end of that long yellow couch and my eyes were distracted by the awkward stance in which Bush keeps his legs.
All in all I found the introduction to this interview completely unnecessary. It would have been bearable if the sequencing was constructed more smoothly and made less of an eyesore. It seemed to me like Charlie was more excited about going on the helicopter than the actual interview itself so ABC's producers just gave him a camera and said "go shoot" while he was on board.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Rich Abdill multimedia critique
Earlier in the week, the university held a town hall meeting that was covered by both print and multimedia reporters. The multimedia presentation hit a several important points, but was seriously lacking in production quality. The video clips of the speakers needed a tripod — the people aren't even standing up much less walking around; a stationary camera would have been much less distracting than the constantly wavering shots included in the video.
The first personal interview is much steadier, but the shot is poorly lit and there is bright sunlight pouring in from a door behind the subject. In addition, there is a ton of background noise and the area behind the subject is very distracting.
In the next personal interview, in addition to the poor lighting and a once-again shaky camera, Vice President of Administrative Affairs Ann Wylie goes without any identification.
In the next shot, the lower third identifying SGA President Steve Glickman shows him as "Steve Glickman, SGA President" when the "p" should not be capitalized.
Then, University Provost Nariman Farvardin's response is unsteady to the point of being almost unwatchable, a person walks in front of the camera, and a jump-cut at 1:41 only makes things more awkward.
The capitalization error is repeated when Andrew Steinberg is identified asking a question. In addition, the video identifies him as the "SGA vice president for financial affairs," but the SGA Facebook page lists him as the "vice president of finance." The capitalization is wrong again when SGA Senior Vice President Elliot Morris comes up at 2:45.
The University Town Hall was a very important event covered very poorly by the daily student paper.
Video Assignment #4: Sequence Identification Homework
New York Times' "A Year of Struggle at a Food Bank" is the sequence video that I picked for my assignment. Reporter Monica Almeida went to Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and followed the workers at the GAP (God Always Provides) Food Bank and the people they served. This video highlights the trials and tribulations of both the workers and the recipients from April 2008 to May 2009 and the video was posted in July 2009.
This video was pretty good because it used a combination of wide, medium, and tight shots. In the opening sequence (:07 sec.) you see a wide shot of a group of people walking toward a line, followed by a VO of a woman talking about how bad she feels about standing outside in hopes of getting food, even if she doesn't have the recommended donation. At about :14 the camera shows her face. Another example was the extreme wide shot of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. at 1:15 as the reporter talked about the city in a voice over.
The reporter filmed her subjects from a variety of different angles and shots. For example, at 3:20 the camera interviews Linda Dieterich while she is sitting down, and the camera shows her from the knee up. Then at 4:45 you will see a head and shoulder shot of Dieterich talking about her experiences as a GAP employee, a medium shot of Dieterich praying outside with Tosha Boyd at 4:28, and and a close up of her holding hands with another GAP recipient at 4:52.
At 3:32, you will see a tight head and shoulder shot of Tosha's husband Anthony at home before seeing the couple from the chest up as they sit at their dining room table at 3:43. You see a close up of Tosha and Anthony's youngest son smiling in the stroller at 4:02.
The sequence video also used a few stills. When Almeida gave a voice over about the city's economic troubles, the camera zoomed in on a still showing high gas prices at 1:19 and zoomed out at a picture of dozens of cars on the highway at 1:20.
During one portion of the video, they shot footage of Robert and Kathy Watkins sitting on their couch at home and talking before freezing the film at 6:08 and zooming in on Kathy's face as Almeida gave an update on the couple via voice over.
One possible downside to the video is the use of background sound and noise. At :14, you see a woman in a light blue tanktop standing off to the side of the camera while there are people behind her in line and people are talking. At 6:29 you hear the sound of a moving car as Tosha drives while talking and at 6:47, you hear the sound of the wind and footsteps as Tosha walks to the line. However, the use of natural sound and background noise can also serve as realistic portrayal of the food bank.
Below is the link to the video:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/us/1194811622217/index.html
This video was pretty good because it used a combination of wide, medium, and tight shots. In the opening sequence (:07 sec.) you see a wide shot of a group of people walking toward a line, followed by a VO of a woman talking about how bad she feels about standing outside in hopes of getting food, even if she doesn't have the recommended donation. At about :14 the camera shows her face. Another example was the extreme wide shot of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. at 1:15 as the reporter talked about the city in a voice over.
The reporter filmed her subjects from a variety of different angles and shots. For example, at 3:20 the camera interviews Linda Dieterich while she is sitting down, and the camera shows her from the knee up. Then at 4:45 you will see a head and shoulder shot of Dieterich talking about her experiences as a GAP employee, a medium shot of Dieterich praying outside with Tosha Boyd at 4:28, and and a close up of her holding hands with another GAP recipient at 4:52.
At 3:32, you will see a tight head and shoulder shot of Tosha's husband Anthony at home before seeing the couple from the chest up as they sit at their dining room table at 3:43. You see a close up of Tosha and Anthony's youngest son smiling in the stroller at 4:02.
The sequence video also used a few stills. When Almeida gave a voice over about the city's economic troubles, the camera zoomed in on a still showing high gas prices at 1:19 and zoomed out at a picture of dozens of cars on the highway at 1:20.
During one portion of the video, they shot footage of Robert and Kathy Watkins sitting on their couch at home and talking before freezing the film at 6:08 and zooming in on Kathy's face as Almeida gave an update on the couple via voice over.
One possible downside to the video is the use of background sound and noise. At :14, you see a woman in a light blue tanktop standing off to the side of the camera while there are people behind her in line and people are talking. At 6:29 you hear the sound of a moving car as Tosha drives while talking and at 6:47, you hear the sound of the wind and footsteps as Tosha walks to the line. However, the use of natural sound and background noise can also serve as realistic portrayal of the food bank.
Below is the link to the video:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/us/1194811622217/index.html
Video Sequence Analysis: Mina Dixon
http://www.mediastorm.org/0025.htm
I selected the "Family Farm" segment from "Driftless: Stories from Iowa," which is featured on www.mediastorm.org. The video is directed by Daniel Wilcox Frazier and explores how Iowa's rural population is bearing the burden of the bleak American economy.
It's a beautiful video. The black and white film and twangy music makes "Family Farm" feel like it's documenting another era.
Here are some things I noticed about the some of the individual shots that appear in the video:
At 00:10 seconds in, the video is just beginning with still photos. They're very scenic; there are lots of wide shots of a lone car on a dirt road, ominous storm clouds, and tractor prints in farm fields. The still photos stop at 00:29 seconds. I think they introduce the setting of the video very well. The wide shots convey the vast Iowa landscape.
At 1:10, there's a tight shot of Joni Stutzman explaining how his wife grew up on the farm where they live and work now. His hands appear in the shot, fiddling with a piece of twine. They're distracting and I think the shot may have been more successful if he were framed
differently.
At 5:39, there's a tight shot of Ruby Stutzman. It's framed so that her head and shoulders appear in the shot and her eyes are in the top third. She's ruminating on the future of the Stutzman family farm and seems to recognize that not all of her children are enthusiastic about continuing the farm's legacy. Her voice breaks and her eyes fill right at this moment, and then the video cuts to a medium shot of her sons hopping into a farm truck and driving away to complete some chores. The implication is that they can't wait to drive away for good, and it's a very moving shot.
A sequence right at the beginning of the video shows the Stutzman family at work on their farm:
At 00:39 seconds, there's a wide shot of the barn. Ruby walks in the entryway, staggering slightly under the weight of two buckets. The barn seems impossibly big and solid.
At 00:42 seconds, there's a tight shot of Ruby's hands pouring milk into troughs for some baby calves.
At 00:45 seconds, the video jumps to a medium shot of Ruby guiding the baby calves to their food. The animals keeping nudging in and out of the frame but the camera is steady on Ruby, who is starting her day the same way she's always started her day.
This sequence seems particularly effective because it says so much about the Stutzman family and how they live before we even meet all of the members of the family. The wide shot of the huge barn--which is solid but clearly weathered by generations of use--contrasted with Ruby's petite form is great. Then, the two shots that show her at work in the barn do a nice job of piecing little bits of action together (i.e., Ruby pouring the milk, Ruby feeding the calves). It's fairly routine stuff, what she's doing, but the way the shots follow each other makes her actions seem more compelling. I think they work quite well and invite the audience to learn more about the Stutzman's way of life and their hardships.
Edited to fix some broken links.
I selected the "Family Farm" segment from "Driftless: Stories from Iowa," which is featured on www.mediastorm.org. The video is directed by Daniel Wilcox Frazier and explores how Iowa's rural population is bearing the burden of the bleak American economy.
It's a beautiful video. The black and white film and twangy music makes "Family Farm" feel like it's documenting another era.
Here are some things I noticed about the some of the individual shots that appear in the video:
At 00:10 seconds in, the video is just beginning with still photos. They're very scenic; there are lots of wide shots of a lone car on a dirt road, ominous storm clouds, and tractor prints in farm fields. The still photos stop at 00:29 seconds. I think they introduce the setting of the video very well. The wide shots convey the vast Iowa landscape.
At 1:10, there's a tight shot of Joni Stutzman explaining how his wife grew up on the farm where they live and work now. His hands appear in the shot, fiddling with a piece of twine. They're distracting and I think the shot may have been more successful if he were framed
differently.
At 5:39, there's a tight shot of Ruby Stutzman. It's framed so that her head and shoulders appear in the shot and her eyes are in the top third. She's ruminating on the future of the Stutzman family farm and seems to recognize that not all of her children are enthusiastic about continuing the farm's legacy. Her voice breaks and her eyes fill right at this moment, and then the video cuts to a medium shot of her sons hopping into a farm truck and driving away to complete some chores. The implication is that they can't wait to drive away for good, and it's a very moving shot.
A sequence right at the beginning of the video shows the Stutzman family at work on their farm:
At 00:39 seconds, there's a wide shot of the barn. Ruby walks in the entryway, staggering slightly under the weight of two buckets. The barn seems impossibly big and solid.
At 00:42 seconds, there's a tight shot of Ruby's hands pouring milk into troughs for some baby calves.
At 00:45 seconds, the video jumps to a medium shot of Ruby guiding the baby calves to their food. The animals keeping nudging in and out of the frame but the camera is steady on Ruby, who is starting her day the same way she's always started her day.
This sequence seems particularly effective because it says so much about the Stutzman family and how they live before we even meet all of the members of the family. The wide shot of the huge barn--which is solid but clearly weathered by generations of use--contrasted with Ruby's petite form is great. Then, the two shots that show her at work in the barn do a nice job of piecing little bits of action together (i.e., Ruby pouring the milk, Ruby feeding the calves). It's fairly routine stuff, what she's doing, but the way the shots follow each other makes her actions seem more compelling. I think they work quite well and invite the audience to learn more about the Stutzman's way of life and their hardships.
Edited to fix some broken links.
Video Critique: Rachel Roubein
https://po6.mail.umd.edu/wm/mail/window.html?sessionid=-3a860fcdc-
3a21e48cecfbf41de1a66a647b1401877
I thought the video "New York On Less: Making Choices" was a very good
example of sequencing done correctly. The videographer set up the scene nicely
with a wide shot, allowing the viewer to see the scenery and form an opinion.
She than proceeded with a medium and than a tight shot, which emphasized the
central theme of the video: immense joy can be found amongst the simplest
things in life.
The first couple in Central Park have tightened their purse strings since the
economic downturn; they are now content with board games and picnics in
Central Park, rather than wining and dining at an expensive restaurant.
16 secs: A wide shot. The scene is set from afar. The couple is seen laughing
and smiling from a distance, implying that they are having a good time in the
park.
19 secs: A medium shot. The faces become more somber as they begin talking
about the economy--the medium shot enables the viewer to see this change.
22 secs: A tight shot. The woman is having a good time in Central Park, despite
the hold that has been temporarily placed on her shoe fetish. The tight shot
shows her genuinely laughing, emphasizing that living in New York City doesn't
have to equal glamourous evenings in the trendiest new bars.
"If you're with somebody, you're with them because you like them," E.J. Bonilla
said.
The videographer played with this theme through the sequencing of this
segment of the video.
3:09 secs: A wide shot of the Pedestrian Mall at Times Square shows many
milling about on a lazy afternoon. Lounging by the tables has become a
common occurrence, rather than actually shopping in the stores.
3:13 secs: A medium shot of one of the couples who, since the recession, have
decided they prefer the tables to the stores. They explain why, making the wide
shot more relatable.
3:16 secs: The tight shot shows that the couple is content with merely talking to
one another.
3a21e48cecfbf41de1a66a647b1401877
I thought the video "New York On Less: Making Choices" was a very good
example of sequencing done correctly. The videographer set up the scene nicely
with a wide shot, allowing the viewer to see the scenery and form an opinion.
She than proceeded with a medium and than a tight shot, which emphasized the
central theme of the video: immense joy can be found amongst the simplest
things in life.
The first couple in Central Park have tightened their purse strings since the
economic downturn; they are now content with board games and picnics in
Central Park, rather than wining and dining at an expensive restaurant.
16 secs: A wide shot. The scene is set from afar. The couple is seen laughing
and smiling from a distance, implying that they are having a good time in the
park.
19 secs: A medium shot. The faces become more somber as they begin talking
about the economy--the medium shot enables the viewer to see this change.
22 secs: A tight shot. The woman is having a good time in Central Park, despite
the hold that has been temporarily placed on her shoe fetish. The tight shot
shows her genuinely laughing, emphasizing that living in New York City doesn't
have to equal glamourous evenings in the trendiest new bars.
"If you're with somebody, you're with them because you like them," E.J. Bonilla
said.
The videographer played with this theme through the sequencing of this
segment of the video.
3:09 secs: A wide shot of the Pedestrian Mall at Times Square shows many
milling about on a lazy afternoon. Lounging by the tables has become a
common occurrence, rather than actually shopping in the stores.
3:13 secs: A medium shot of one of the couples who, since the recession, have
decided they prefer the tables to the stores. They explain why, making the wide
shot more relatable.
3:16 secs: The tight shot shows that the couple is content with merely talking to
one another.
Multimedia Analysis -- Aaron Kraut
I chose to analyze this multimedia piece from The Diamondback:
http://terrapintrail.com/sports/2009/09/10/the-crew-loves-terp-soccer/
Basically, the report is about "The Crew" a group of student fans who follow the Terps' men's soccer team and heckles opposing goalies.
From the start, the video gives the viewer a sense of legitimacy with the opening credit, which tells you the project is part of The Diamondback's online operation.
The first shot of the video is members of The Crew screaming at the top of their lungs at a game, introducing themselves to the opposing goalie, "Brian." It's an interesting way to start the video. There's a lot of sound coming at you and it appropriately introduces the brashness of The Crew.
Unfortunately, we don't get to see Brian's reaction, as the camera stays focused on the fans behind him.
Then the reporter, Michael Katz, goes right into a voiceover to more formally introduce and lay out what the video is about. This segment sort of serves as the nut graf, which might be more traditional, but is needed to explain the video we just saw.
Next, the report gets into interviews with some of the founders and main members of The Crew, which looks as if it was all shot at the group's pregame tailgate. The B-roll footage is decent, but more B-roll of the actual game would have been nice. We only see The Crew perform one chant during the game. It's obvious they have more.
The camera work is a little shaky, obviously there was no tripod involved and there should have been. During the first interview you can see the shadow of the interviewer in the interviewees face, which is extremely distracting.
Other than that, some of the transitions are a little rough. But most are good, and what's important is that the content is interesting and presented in an effective order.
http://terrapintrail.com/sports/2009/09/10/the-crew-loves-terp-soccer/
Basically, the report is about "The Crew" a group of student fans who follow the Terps' men's soccer team and heckles opposing goalies.
From the start, the video gives the viewer a sense of legitimacy with the opening credit, which tells you the project is part of The Diamondback's online operation.
The first shot of the video is members of The Crew screaming at the top of their lungs at a game, introducing themselves to the opposing goalie, "Brian." It's an interesting way to start the video. There's a lot of sound coming at you and it appropriately introduces the brashness of The Crew.
Unfortunately, we don't get to see Brian's reaction, as the camera stays focused on the fans behind him.
Then the reporter, Michael Katz, goes right into a voiceover to more formally introduce and lay out what the video is about. This segment sort of serves as the nut graf, which might be more traditional, but is needed to explain the video we just saw.
Next, the report gets into interviews with some of the founders and main members of The Crew, which looks as if it was all shot at the group's pregame tailgate. The B-roll footage is decent, but more B-roll of the actual game would have been nice. We only see The Crew perform one chant during the game. It's obvious they have more.
The camera work is a little shaky, obviously there was no tripod involved and there should have been. During the first interview you can see the shadow of the interviewer in the interviewees face, which is extremely distracting.
Other than that, some of the transitions are a little rough. But most are good, and what's important is that the content is interesting and presented in an effective order.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Analysis of Multimedia Reporting: Hannah Bruchman
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/09/22/VI2009092202211.html
This video is about a French immigration camp, known as “The Jungle.” It was made by the Associated Press and contains video showing French police raiding the camp. The video is highly successful in its demonstration of the event. It portrays the strength of the French police and reveals French immigration minister Eric Besson’s blunt refusal to allow the immigrants to continue to camp out. The video shows crying men and women lining up to leave on buses, their temporary homes being demolished.
Some particularly effective scenes are:
At .07/1.02, the tight shot of a young man openly weeping as a police officer leads him away fully conveys the sadness attached to the raid.
The medium shot at .16/1.02 is of a line of immigrants, waiting to get on the bus. It isn’t until this shot that the viewer gets a real idea of the large amount of immigrants being affected by Besson’s new policy.
.19/1.02- .25/1.02, the viewer sees a medium shot of grown men bawling, adding to the emotional impact of the video.
.26/1.02, the camera gets a tight shot of Besson forcefully insisting that immigrants have no place at the camp. “The real world is not happy,” Besson said.
.33/1.02, the camera gets a wide shot of protesters clashing with police, showing the viewer the impact the raid is having on everyday citizens. It shows the brute force of the police effectively.
.43/1.02, the wide shot of the now demolished camp shows the viewers how effectively the police raided and destroyed the camp.
The wide shot at .54/1.02 of the remaining immigrant camps is effective because it shows more immigration camps, showing the viewer how wide-spread the problem has become.
The reporter did an excellent job of obtaining relevant video clips for the story and mixing wide, medium, and tight shots. The video effectively conveys the emotion of the story and gets the point of the story across to the viewers.
This video is about a French immigration camp, known as “The Jungle.” It was made by the Associated Press and contains video showing French police raiding the camp. The video is highly successful in its demonstration of the event. It portrays the strength of the French police and reveals French immigration minister Eric Besson’s blunt refusal to allow the immigrants to continue to camp out. The video shows crying men and women lining up to leave on buses, their temporary homes being demolished.
Some particularly effective scenes are:
At .07/1.02, the tight shot of a young man openly weeping as a police officer leads him away fully conveys the sadness attached to the raid.
The medium shot at .16/1.02 is of a line of immigrants, waiting to get on the bus. It isn’t until this shot that the viewer gets a real idea of the large amount of immigrants being affected by Besson’s new policy.
.19/1.02- .25/1.02, the viewer sees a medium shot of grown men bawling, adding to the emotional impact of the video.
.26/1.02, the camera gets a tight shot of Besson forcefully insisting that immigrants have no place at the camp. “The real world is not happy,” Besson said.
.33/1.02, the camera gets a wide shot of protesters clashing with police, showing the viewer the impact the raid is having on everyday citizens. It shows the brute force of the police effectively.
.43/1.02, the wide shot of the now demolished camp shows the viewers how effectively the police raided and destroyed the camp.
The wide shot at .54/1.02 of the remaining immigrant camps is effective because it shows more immigration camps, showing the viewer how wide-spread the problem has become.
The reporter did an excellent job of obtaining relevant video clips for the story and mixing wide, medium, and tight shots. The video effectively conveys the emotion of the story and gets the point of the story across to the viewers.
Analysis of Multimedia video- Anna Eisenberg
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/video-students-react-to-obama-s-health-care-rally-1.479086
I selected a Diamondback multimedia piece on the Obama rally on campus. There are some things the reporter did very well and others that could use improvement. First off, the reporter did a great job of interviewing a variety of students-- people of varying ages with differing opinions. Also, the reporter had close-up face shots, medium shots of people in line, and far away shots of Obama in the arena. Of the close-up interview shots, the reporter oftentimes did a good job of keeping the speaker in one third and off-center in the shot. Also, the transitions were smooth.
The reporter could have vastly improved the piece by using a tripod. Many of the shots were great, but as the viewer, I was dizzy watching them. A steady film by tripod could have completely solved this issue, because the unsteady filming took away from the content.
Overall, I think this is a good effort by multimedia students, but with some polishing, could have been a more professional-looking video.
I selected a Diamondback multimedia piece on the Obama rally on campus. There are some things the reporter did very well and others that could use improvement. First off, the reporter did a great job of interviewing a variety of students-- people of varying ages with differing opinions. Also, the reporter had close-up face shots, medium shots of people in line, and far away shots of Obama in the arena. Of the close-up interview shots, the reporter oftentimes did a good job of keeping the speaker in one third and off-center in the shot. Also, the transitions were smooth.
The reporter could have vastly improved the piece by using a tripod. Many of the shots were great, but as the viewer, I was dizzy watching them. A steady film by tripod could have completely solved this issue, because the unsteady filming took away from the content.
Overall, I think this is a good effort by multimedia students, but with some polishing, could have been a more professional-looking video.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Assignment 2: Brian Hooks
This was edited with the Flip editing software, which I do NOT recommend. I only used it because I didn't have a PC at my expense.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Homework, Video #1, Section 3, Hannah Bruchman
I am, when all is said and done, a writer. I know how to take something happening in real life and spin it into a news story, wrapping my reader into exactly what I want them to know.
Using video is completely foreign to me. Somewhere between fumbling around with a flip cam to “interviewing” (correction: playing around) with a classmate in JOUR203, I realized this was going to be interesting.
In our first class, we watched a multimedia presentation called “The Ninth Floor” by Jessica Dimmock. In it, the reporter spent years with a group of drug addicts living in an Upper East Side apartment.
I love the way video can utterly capture a person’s emotions. Dimmock used still pictures and audio to tell the addict’s story. You can see the words “she shot up heroin in a hospital,” but to actually see a frail, lifeless woman with a needle hanging out of her arm in a hospital bed evokes emotions unattainable through print.
As a traditional journalist, I am going to have the most trouble in crafting my stories. While writing a story, I know exactly how I am going to report on the news. While videotaping, however, I need to rely more on the people I am interviewing. I need to learn how to coax emotions from a person and use their words to reach out to my viewers. Hopefully by the end of this class I’ll learn how to be not just a news writer but a video journalist!
Video Assignment 1: Brian Hooks
Important Themes for the Future of Journalism
Writing: "Writing is very important, obviously for print journalists, but just in general for any journalist who is going into blogging or video blogging. There's this basic idea that you're spending the time to create something, this message, and it's important enough for numerous people to take time out of their life to listen to that message."
The Internet: "We don't necessarily have the ability to control who our audience is and the number of advertisers. We don't have control over who is seeing these advertisements. These are all things that everyone knows. Ironically, the Internet was created to communicate, and as journalists that's what we're trying to do -communicate- and the Internet is becoming our biggest nemesis."
The Future: "Consumers have such a broad spectrum to choose from that the time put into them is equivalent to the quality or importance. The nicer a blog or the nicer an online journalism site is, it has probably gotten that nice for a reason, so that gives me hope for the future."
Writing: "Writing is very important, obviously for print journalists, but just in general for any journalist who is going into blogging or video blogging. There's this basic idea that you're spending the time to create something, this message, and it's important enough for numerous people to take time out of their life to listen to that message."
The Internet: "We don't necessarily have the ability to control who our audience is and the number of advertisers. We don't have control over who is seeing these advertisements. These are all things that everyone knows. Ironically, the Internet was created to communicate, and as journalists that's what we're trying to do -communicate- and the Internet is becoming our biggest nemesis."
The Future: "Consumers have such a broad spectrum to choose from that the time put into them is equivalent to the quality or importance. The nicer a blog or the nicer an online journalism site is, it has probably gotten that nice for a reason, so that gives me hope for the future."
Video Project No. 1: Michael Lemaire
Q: What piece did you choose and why?
A: I chose the piece by Jessica Dimmock called “The Ninth Floor” about a group of heroin addicts living in a apartment in New York City. I chose it not only because I feel it was the best piece we saw in class, but also because it was interesting and effective the way Dimmock chose to use a series of still photos instead of video, and only the addicts telling their story, no narrative.
Q: Why did you think the still photos were more effective than video?
A: While I think that video would have been able to tell an equally compelling story, the still images were more effective because they allowed the viewer a chance to look at all aspects of the photo, and allow the story and plight of the addicts to sink in and resonate somewhat more. It would have been tough for a perpetually changing video to paint the same graphic and poignant picture that the group of still photos did.
Q: There was no narrative. Did this enhance or diminish from the piece?
A: I think it actually enhanced the piece greatly. The topic of the piece is a story that is best told visually. People watching need to be able to see how bad the lives of the addicts are and how much the drug has taken control of them. If Dimmock or someone else had narrated the piece it would have been distracted and detracted from the power of the images that accompanied it.
Q: Were there any parts of the piece that could have been taken out without ruining the quality?
A: To be honest I thought everything was very well-done and produced. Maybe the least recognized yet most important part of this piece was the somber and slow music that accompanied the entirety of the piece. Many overlook the important of music in videos whether serious or humorous. But in this case the music really added to the mood of the piece and helped viewers, even if it was subliminally, understand the situation facing these addicts better.
Video Assignment #1--Mina Dixon
I'm a print journalist. I like words. I do, however, recognize that sometimes words aren't enough to convey a full, compelling story. "The Ninth Floor" moved me in a way that a classic article, one that included a lede and inverted pyramid style, simply could not have. The powerful images coupled with the eery, half-dead sound of the people featured in the mulitmedia feature were really what got me fully invested in the story of these Ninth Floor residents.
"The Ninth Floor" really provides tangible evidence for how journalism has changed. So I know I need to embrace technology and learn how to tell stories across multiple platforms using multiple media. I'm think I'm poorly equipped for a career in journalism if I don't learn how to use video and audio to bolster my articles.
I am still concerned that I will end up like that Washington Post reporter featured in class. I'm afraid that I'll bounce the camera around and provide garbled audio because I'm really not very good with technology. I certainly don't want my lack of technological abilities to detract from the stories I hope to tell. So here's to hoping that this class will equip me with the skills to create compelling journalism using technology I'm currently afraid to use!
"The Ninth Floor" really provides tangible evidence for how journalism has changed. So I know I need to embrace technology and learn how to tell stories across multiple platforms using multiple media. I'm think I'm poorly equipped for a career in journalism if I don't learn how to use video and audio to bolster my articles.
I am still concerned that I will end up like that Washington Post reporter featured in class. I'm afraid that I'll bounce the camera around and provide garbled audio because I'm really not very good with technology. I certainly don't want my lack of technological abilities to detract from the stories I hope to tell. So here's to hoping that this class will equip me with the skills to create compelling journalism using technology I'm currently afraid to use!
Video Project No. 1: Aaron Kraut
So I decided to do a quick critique of one of the videos we watched in class. (Please don't watch)
Video Assignment No. 1 Analysis of the Toronto Star's Earth Hour multimedia presentation
- What was your overall impression of the project?
It was a creative way to present some of the issues. Rather than rely on conventional interviews, the Star used quotes and stats to outline the main problems with pollution in our environment.
And instead of using typical video or still photos, they used time lapse video to illustrate changes, development, deforestation, etc. in the environment.
- How did the use of text enhance or detract from the presentation?
Some may have thought the moving text - the editor often moved lines of text around the main subjects in the frame - was a distracting element. I thought it helped emphasize the message of conservation, by making the each particular image the focus.
- Did the author of the multimedia presentation use audio or music, and how did it effect the video?
No interviews were used, which takes away from some of the credibility because it's better for viewers to see someone - whether it's an expert or someone else - talk about the subject.
Video Assignment No. 1 Analysis of the Toronto Star's Earth Hour multimedia presentation
- What was your overall impression of the project?
It was a creative way to present some of the issues. Rather than rely on conventional interviews, the Star used quotes and stats to outline the main problems with pollution in our environment.
And instead of using typical video or still photos, they used time lapse video to illustrate changes, development, deforestation, etc. in the environment.
- How did the use of text enhance or detract from the presentation?
Some may have thought the moving text - the editor often moved lines of text around the main subjects in the frame - was a distracting element. I thought it helped emphasize the message of conservation, by making the each particular image the focus.
- Did the author of the multimedia presentation use audio or music, and how did it effect the video?
No interviews were used, which takes away from some of the credibility because it's better for viewers to see someone - whether it's an expert or someone else - talk about the subject.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Video Assignment #1: Karisse Carmack
Good Evening. Last Friday I had the opportunity to look at a variety of different films produced by journalists online.
The feature story about a group of drug addicts trying to stay clean after being evicted from from an apartment in New York City was one of the videos that I liked. I thought the pictures, the soundtrack, and the interviews with the subjects was well put together.
I also liked the segment about a group of doctors providing health care to rural residents in Virginia. In my opinion, the video was effective because the reporters shot their subjects from a variety of different angles. If both of these stories were told in a print format, they might not have been effective in capturing the impact of substance abuse and the number of people who lack affordable health care in America.
Overall, the first day of class helped me to visualize how I can use video to enhance my stories as a professional journalist. Thank you, and goodnight.
The feature story about a group of drug addicts trying to stay clean after being evicted from from an apartment in New York City was one of the videos that I liked. I thought the pictures, the soundtrack, and the interviews with the subjects was well put together.
I also liked the segment about a group of doctors providing health care to rural residents in Virginia. In my opinion, the video was effective because the reporters shot their subjects from a variety of different angles. If both of these stories were told in a print format, they might not have been effective in capturing the impact of substance abuse and the number of people who lack affordable health care in America.
Overall, the first day of class helped me to visualize how I can use video to enhance my stories as a professional journalist. Thank you, and goodnight.
Video Project #1: Rachel Roubein
When I was little, I was determined to be an actress. I loved the idea of pretending to be something I wasn’t—even if it was only for a little while. I could be mean, without the guilty conscience. I could be bad, without the punishment. Somewhere along the way—maybe when I was given the role of Augustus Gloop, the chocolate lover in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in our mandatory fourth grade play or when all 7th graders had to perform schoolhouse rock and I was the planet Venus—reality set in. I changed my goal, deciding to be a traditional newspaper reporter. However, in almost every journalism class I have taken, I hear the whispered rumors that “print is dying.” I don’t really believe it, but I do think journalism is changing drastically; multimedia is now the name of the game. It definitely takes a different skill set to publish news videos on the Web, but I feel that these skills have now become mandatory. I don’t have any prior experience—hell, I barely know how to use excel. It will definitely be a challenge learning all the different facets of audio, video and photography and applying them as a journalist. It’s another way of telling a story and one that I feel requires a different frame of mind. Now more than ever, if I want a job as a journalist, I’ll have to be adept in all multimedia areas.
Rich Abdill + assignment 1 = happy times + fond memories
How is reporting for video and the web different from reporting for print?
It's easy to envision a 15-inch news story — what facts and figures to use, who you need to quote. But it's hard to see exactly where a video is going when you start.
Also, in a print story, you can "paint a picture" and set up scenes if the situation calls for it — in a video, though, the situation always calls for it.
Which medium is more powerful?
Video can be, but it doesn't have to be the most impactful. You can do a lot with print that just doesn't translate to video, but sometimes you just need that image, that story told by the person it happened to, to send the point home.
And you think you can do that?
No. Absolutely not.
It's easy to envision a 15-inch news story — what facts and figures to use, who you need to quote. But it's hard to see exactly where a video is going when you start.
Also, in a print story, you can "paint a picture" and set up scenes if the situation calls for it — in a video, though, the situation always calls for it.
Which medium is more powerful?
Video can be, but it doesn't have to be the most impactful. You can do a lot with print that just doesn't translate to video, but sometimes you just need that image, that story told by the person it happened to, to send the point home.
And you think you can do that?
No. Absolutely not.
Anna Eisenberg-- Project 1
As a journalist trained in a strongly print-focused environment, I've been taught how to write stories, not as much how to display them visually. A story that may have gotten someone an A in Journalism 320 cold be a terrible idea for an online multimedia package. Basically, the way in which traditional journalists now approach story ideas is entirely different with this new, visual addition to newswriting.
Because I'll be graduating in the spring, I'm looking for any way to make myself the most eligible candidate for a job. News organizations are expecting journalists to do it all -- take photos and video as well as write -- so learning the tools we will use in this class will hopefully get me one step closer to employment. I also hope that my background in print design work will help me to see stories more visually, and thus help my multimedia skills.
Because I'll be graduating in the spring, I'm looking for any way to make myself the most eligible candidate for a job. News organizations are expecting journalists to do it all -- take photos and video as well as write -- so learning the tools we will use in this class will hopefully get me one step closer to employment. I also hope that my background in print design work will help me to see stories more visually, and thus help my multimedia skills.
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