Thursday, November 20, 2008
Using Flash
Ever since I was in college, I recall it was 1998, I was engaged in some kind of online website activity. And ever since, design has been of a very important factor for me when I look at websites. The basic dreamweaver page, although effective, has not been appealing to me at all because it showed lack of effort. I think flash is very important in terms of design, because its size stays the same, it does what it's supposed to do, and basically helps design in a million ways.
However, I think one should be more careful when using flash in journalism, because one could be more focused on how a story looks than what a story has to offer. I think one good example was the parking meter article. Although the subject itself was interesting, I think by using flash and putting too much effort to make it look better, the creator might have overlooked some aspects that could have been better. It would be the same goal for me, to use flash in a way to supplement my story, not become the focus of the story.
Flash
Flash Journalism
Finding the Balance
Howerever, I do think there has to be a balance. The information can't be complicated or confusing or put in a weird formation, even if that way looks more creative. If a user can't make sense of the graphic then it's not going to do them any good to have it in front of their face.
Flash Gordon... er Journalism
Another reason Flash should be used sparingly is that the text in Flash, although can be set to selectable, is usually not if animated or used dynamically. Also, as an swf, search engines like Google cannot crawl or cache text from your site if it is in the swf. This severely limits your traffic and therefore results in less readership.
The most important thing about using Flash is to use it in a way that is not annoying. If the display makes it harder or more convoluted for the reader to get information, then it is not worth using. I personally like to use Flash to explain a process or instructions that are particularly complex. A moving diagram or chart that is meant to be a visual in the first place is often served well with added Flash capability.
My business deals a lot in Flash, especially in internet advertising. It is best used for those block elements: sidebars, infographs, slide shows, etc. That way it is set aside as a supplemental piece instead of integral to the article, which it shouldn't be. And the reader will know.
Flash improves journalism
But beware of Flash. With the opportunity for visual storytelling, stories can often become convoluted and sensationalized. I feel like people with jazz up a story visually, but that sometimes takes the point of the story out of context. We, as journalists, are obligated to truth (or so Kovach and Rosenstiel say :]). So it's important to do all designing and Flash in the framework of the story itself. Another pitfall of Flash is the tendency to have a graphic overshadow the story itself. Flash is a means to enhance a story, not take away from it.
All in all, Flash proves to be an important tool of journalism if properly applied.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Flash: Uncovering the Layers - Tomeka Weatherspoon
The Internet allows journalists can create layers in their work, allowing for a new kind of depth. Implementing Flash into the stories encourages interactivity for readers. The reader must physically work to uncover all of the story’s contents. I’m not sure what long-term effects programs like Flash will have on stories.
Right now, development gives the audience something to do rather than just stare at a computer screen. Like with video games and television, flash encourages people to be more engaged in the story. However, also like with video games and television, it has the potential to have unexpected effects on Internet storytelling.
Flash
Flash Journalism!
Flash Graphics...Great, But Not for Me
Someone brought up a great point in class about what situations you should use a graphic like this and when a map, chart, or simple list would do the job just as well. I think the best time to use this type of graphic is with something like a map or spacial layout because it allows you to look specifically at one thing and keep looking at the whole picture. It really is up to the journalist, but this type of graphic is great at getting the reader to interact with the website and learn about the content in a different way.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Flash Graphics - Kate Chizek
As long as they are simple and not too chaotic, I think they serve their purpose. You don't want to confuse the reader by trying to pile up too much information within a graphic. Restrain is key. I completely agree with Quealy that too much information is exactly that . . . TOO MUCH!! It can frustrate the viewer. I think that shows amateur graphic design ability. I am actually working on a interactive infographic for another class, and this is my top fear. I have a lot of information to present, but I am still trying to reduce it down, so you can learn what I want you to learn but not be overwhelmed!
The recent presidential election coverage was made much more interesting with the use of graphics to say who won which state, by how many votes, etc. But I think one important thing I drew from Quealy's article was to make sure your "infotoy" is appropriate to your topic. If it doesn't fit, don't try and make it!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Nate Birt - Flash journalism - Nov. 20
I have heard numerous people in positions of authority — people who have the power to hire — say that knowing Flash is such a great skill to have in today's job market.
There is so much potential, and it seems as though so few news organizations are using it, even though it has been around for some time. It could be used to present stories in a way that engages the reader, and doesn't just feed them information. Instead, Flash feeds on the notion that readers/viewers/listeners are bent on seeking out information for themselves. Ideally, Flash gives these people the tools for enlightenment.
That's probably a bit idyllic, but that's how I feel about it, and I'm excited to learn more about this program next semester. It would be fun to work for a newspaper and use this to make people feel more informed.
This could have worked well in the recent Missourian story about the man who was Tasered off a bridge. It might be interesting to track the people at various points in time. One might build an interactive timeline showing what happened at Point A, Point B and so on. One might also incorporate audio from the scene.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Good Design
Good vs. Bad Design
The Power of White Space
White space (or whatever background color) is important because it is the common denominator that is most visible. Depending on the amount of raw white space, a page can look empty, cluttered, sophisticated, or chaotic. Leaving some white space is important so the viewer's eyes aren't strained.
Good design is also dependent on symmetry, repetition, and a common interface that is recognizable throughout the pages. If white space is incredibly different from page to page, it will be visually jarring. I personally prefer a minimalistic design that favors simplicity and sophistication, which mean more white space. The whole tone of the page can be changed with the placement of the dominant element and how the dominant element is framed. I've noticed that bad design has the dominant element closely packed with other columns and pictures and text. It is better if you give the dominant element some breathing room for easy readability.
checklist
Also, I cracked up at little lines like "Oh my gawd. If you're going to set type really little, PLEASE don't make it italic." Cute. Haha.
Ramblings from a designer
One good example of web design is in a website called zipatoni.com. The website is dedicated to the Zipatoni business, an advertising agency in St. Louis. Immediately, I was attracted by the design. It is not cluttered, and relies on a simple color scheme, yellow and black. This fulfills the idea of contrast. The words are offset by the stark black background. There are few distracting pictures, allowing the viewer to solely focus on the message of the website. I was impressed by the easy-to-navigate site layout. I could find everything I wanted to know about the company quickly and effectively. I hope to incorporate some of the design on zipatoni.com into my convergence.
Good and Bad Design
The biggest thing I've noticed is that simplicity seems to be the best way to go about things. Even the readings suggest that. You can make something look cool, but still keep it basic and probably end up with more people viewing your site because they don't have to hunt for things, or can easily move from page to page and follow the flow of information. I also noticed that a lot of what the book suggests and what I notice seem like they shouldn't have to be pointed out. Things need to line up on the page, don't pick colors that won't contrast, etc, etc. Part of me doesn't understand how someone could make a website and think that doing the opposite of some of these things is ok, even without any training. But I suppose creative genius can't be questioned. Until their business/organization/whatever gets no support because no one can figure out the website.
No joke --- If you have poor website design, I am less likely to return!
In reading the excerpts from "How to Recognize Good and Bad Design," I found one statement I particularly agreed with. DON'T MAKE ME SCROLL FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. My usage of computers has always taught me to scroll up to down, and I may miss out on vital information if you make your website scroll sideways as well. I agree with what Daryl said in her post about her 4802 website being amateur. Mine definitely was as well! I would like to get better with my use of design, but there is one especially nice thing about living in 2008 - there are professionals that companies can hire out to assist them in making professional design. I know my design wasn't professional, but maybe I could hire someone out for a better grade . . . ? Just kidding.
While I agree simple design is almost better (for navigation reasons) and following CRAP is important, I will always love the in depth design of Newsmap (http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm). Each story is sized based on it's importance and color coded based on what topic it falls under. Clicking on a story links you to another page, and I love their use of color. (I am a color fanatic!) Viewers can even change the layout from "squarified" to standard. I just love the interactiveness of the website, I always go back because it is easy to understand.
That's the key - do you want Kate Chizek to look at your website? Then make it easy to understand, easy to find what I am looking for, and a little bit colorful. It will keep me coming back!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
It seems good design is now back to being simple
I believe that web users of the 21st century are more familiar with different functions and gadgets of a website than ever. They are pretty aware of what they might have to do next in order to retrieve the information that they want. I think that is why well-made websites these days tend to have portal – sort of like a huge door around a castle wall – for their websites; and the thing is, they have to simple to catch the eyes of the visitors.
News websites, since they have to carry a lot of information from the very start, do not seem to put simplicity first. However, I think as people become more and more familiar with the web environment, the news website will try to evolve into a simpler one. One great example I think is a website called www.mediastorm.com. This is a website of compilation of different video/photo/slideshow projects, and their website is very simple: A menubar at the top that repeats itself throughout and just five or six photos that are representative photos of projects. The black background and photos, although they do not show much of a contrast, works rather fine because it does not eat up the whole page from side to side. One more thing I like about this website is that it does not require people to scroll down for more information. I think as people now know that they have to click on a menu to find something that they want, this user-unfriendly but simple website can be the answer for a very well designed website for the contemporary world, not to mention the future. I just hope that I can pull something like this off to satisfy the needs of many web surfers out there, but still being able to give them a notion that my website holds a lot of information.
Space management
ESPN.com has their top stories accompanied by a photograph. They also have a video with one their anchors reading a package about the top story of the day. This is called the Sportscenter minute. The sports center contains the only recognizable flaw that we have addressed in class. The Sportscenter minute plays automatically upon visiting the site. ESPN.com is easy to navigate. It has links to coverage of each sport as well as fantasy sports. The website provides interactivity with one poll on the main page. It also has its own section for polls called sports nation.
On the flip side, one of the worst websites I have seen was the Columbia Tribune’s website. Their website was filled to the brim with white space. Their content was condensed into a narrow space that was centered on the page. The positive of the Tribune’s page was that it was easy to navigate. It had a list of Associated Press stories and a list of local stories.
In conclusion, web design boils down to one crucial factor. That one crucial factor is space management. Space management makes the difference between the world wide leader in sports and a small town paper still lagging in convergence content.
My Page Had the Tale-Tell Signs of a Beginner
Simple is Best - Tomeka Weatherspoon
I think there is a tendency to overdue Web page formatting because we live in such a highly visual culture. Things that capture our attention are visually pleasing, even entertaining. In the design process, it’s tempting to overdo the 'decorations.' When I was making my first Web page, I feared it would be too boring. Viewers naturally wouldn’t pay attention to the content because the page was too dull.
But being sophisticated doesn’t always mean being boring. Being simple and clear doesn’t mean unattractive. Not always.
Playing around on Dreamweaver, I tried to organize things out in unique ways. Then I'd always go back to a more simple layout. I found that it's easier and more appealing when the viewer doesn't have to try to understand the mechanics of your Web page. If they come to the site for information, it's best to give it to them in the way that is most clear. The page will end up looking tidy and professional. It can have some special design elements, but too much tends to make the viewer question the credibility of your information.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Good/Bad design blog for Nov. 6
Headlines shouldn't be disguised as buttons and vice versa. Headlines should be kept close to their associated text so that people aren't confused about what is connected and what isn't.
Having said that, I disagree with their assertion that Web sites shouldn't include sections that say things like, "This page is best viewed with Internet Explorer 6." This is particularly offensive to me because we're in the news business. It's not our job to hide things from readers. If a Web page would best be viewed in a particular browser, or if a video can only be seen in a particular format (such as Windows Media Player, QuickTime player, etc.), it is not only a good idea but imperative to tell readers about this. Otherwise, you'll lose people very quickly, which means less traffic to your Web site and, in the long run, fewer advertising dollars.
Having said that, the best approach would be to design a Web site in a way that can be viewed across a wide variety of browsers without problems that could be easily fixed. It's a good idea to test a site on several browsers.
I learned that you should align all elements in relatively the same way — all left, all centered and so forth. It's a great idea, simple and effective, and I hadn't really considered how this element could play such an important role before reading these.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
writing for a visual medium
visual medium writing
Another imperative aspect of writing for the visual medium is organizing the shot sequence for the journalistic piece. Shot sequence determines what story the viewer sees and interprets as news. There are many ideal shot sequences. All of these sequences feature the importance of B roll. B roll is crucial because these cutaways are excellent transitions in between clips. They also provide context to the story. In sports stories they are used as a to break between highlights in the package. This allows the viewer to digest the highlights they just saw. It also prevents the viewers from being bombarded with information. B roll shots should be five seconds long and still add to the story, as opposed to distracting viewers from the real issue.
Writing for a video package is very similar to writing for an audio package. The good journalist wants to provide great sound bites and information. They also want the story to be told by the people for the people. The reporter should only put the story in context.
Writing a good video package is composed of focusing on the shot sequence. storyboarding the filming, good B roll, and letting the interview subjects tell the story.
writing for a visual medium
Anyway. There are a lot of things that writing for a visual medium has in common with writing for print, but there are also a lot of key differences. Most of these are structural; when writing for a visual medium, you have to concentrate on making the entire piece engaging, but you don't necessarily have to have the most important fact first. You don't have to follow inverted pyramid structure all the time, as you should with print news stories. A person is more likely to watch an entire 1:30 news package than they are to read a really long story with lots of information, so you can rest assured they'll probably watch the whole thing and you don't have to make the ending/conclusion the least important. However, since you have less time than space to cover your issue, every soundbite, standup and piece of natural sound should have a purpose. And because its a visual medium, every picture should be carefully thought out; every piece of video should be shot for a reason, and should not only add to a story but, really, construct it. It's most important to keep in mind that you're doing the story visually for a reason; do what you couldn't do through just a print story.
Writing for a Visual Medium
When writing for a visual medium, it is important to always think about what images you are going to use to match your words. The images take precedence in a visual medium and the words are just there to add clarification or to back those images up. It is important to be concise in your writing since the focus is on the images. People will all too easily zone out if narration and sound bites go on for too long. Language should grab attention and be easy to understand and the images must relate to what the reporter is saying.
Shook gives a blueprint of what your package should look like. He says that it is first important to find the focus of your story. From there you can write your studio lead-in and the package lead. At first I was confused about the difference between the lead-in and the lead. I know that the studio needs a lead-in before the package starts, but I believe that you need to be careful so that your studio lead-in and package lead are not too repetitive. They should both convey the central thought of the story, but they also need to be distinct from one another. This part of writing the package seems like a great challenge.
Integrating dueling elements
Obviously writing for the video will be different. You are limited to the context of the footage you were able to capture and to the time frame of the piece. But the readings give guidelines that mimic the structure of most any guide to writing straight news. Tailoring the video to the story is the challenge I think. It requires intense editing and constant reflection and therefore revision.
Apparently the focus statement is among the most important tasks to achieve in a visual story. It ties in all of the elements and directs the viewer's attention to what will be going on so they can funnel what they see and hear into one coherent concept.
Writing For a Visual Medium
Writing for a Visual Medium
Break Down the Process - Tomeka Weatherspoon
Writing for a Visual Medium – Precisely Concise
The most important thing in visual media is obviously its asset to be able to tell a story. Thus, I believe that writing for a visual medium should be able to focus on the story, basically in the same principle as writing on paper as a reporter. However, unlike writing on paper and guiding people through a story with your mighty pen from the very beginning, I think writing for a visual medium has more to do with getting all the pieces of the puzzle together. By puzzle pieces I mean we as convergence reporters have more tools in our hands to actually “plan” the focus or attention emphasis of readers (viewers). To elaborate, think of a reporter who has a camera or a video camera. This reporter, after getting the footage or photo, has to decide how to use and match this media information with whatever he/she is going to write. Now, I guess that’s how we have been working so far as students of a fundamentals class. Get your media first, and then think about how to make it all work together by editing them. However, I think as skilled convergence reporters, I think we will have a better sense of how to tell the story, and with that blueprint be able to handle all our tools of storytelling to make fit the pieces we need. I believe that the writing part will act as one of the vital pieces of the story, the only catch being it must always be as concise as possible.
I have been writing some kind of piece all my life, whether it is a paper for classes, an essay for the school paper, diaries, letters, you name it. But I have always found myself writing a bit longer than I had hoped to (just like in this blog entry). I think my convergence training and experiences will definitely give me a good lesson in not rambling on and on about a story. I think conciseness and precisely getting to the point is very important in writing for a visual medium, since you are trying to ‘aid’ people who can already ‘see’ parts of your puzzle pieces, like I mentioned earlier. That I would definitely like to get better at.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Making words match your medium
Harder than it looks - Kate Chizek
In the Poynter article, Al Tompkins states that journalists should, "Connect your eye, your heart and body to journalism." Journalists have to be passionate and willing to go the extra step. Finding the perfect words may be hard, but they have to dig to nail a story. I like how Poynter discusses focusing within a "story-in-a-sentence." I think this is wise - if you can't sum up your story in one sentence, your readers will be confused. If there is too much going on with the visual aspects and the copy, no one will be able to follow the story nor will they care.
In our use of natural sound, the reading from Chapter 9 says you must use it "liberally" because it helps establish the news environment. After the NPR radio story, I know I personally have to remember that the natural sound really must fit the story. If I use it just to have natural sound, it may confuse readers. In the visual medium, this natural sound can also be captured with images, making the viewer feel as if he or she is there. Obviously, more thought is necessary for the visual medium than I originally thought!
Thinking Critically
A multimedia journalist must critically analyze what needs to be in the story, and shorten it into a sentence. We must keep a very narrow focus to our stories, or else run the risk of having a forty minute video. It's easy for us a visual storytellers to get distracted with some of the visual schematics of our job. I think to solve my problem I will more closely scrutinize my stories and go in to a story having done more research.
It's important for us to know what angle we're going for. Again, and I've found this throughout my time in this class so far, journalism is very mental. Once we really know what the stories needs, we can better plan for what we will get. I think by reading these articles, I will know how to better manage my time in videos without abandoning sound videographic principles.
Coherency
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Nate Birt - Writing for Visual Mediums - for Oct. 21
According to the piece titled "Writing the Package," it's important to carefully fuse voiceover content with the actually visual content of the video. If you're talking about people eating chili at a fundraising event, for example, you wouldn't want to show the outside of the building at that time. Instead, you'd want to show the people eating their chili and having a (fun/enjoyable/fill-in-your-choice-of-adjective) time.
I didn't know that so much advanced planning went into a TV news story, though I suppose it's only natural. Even for a breaking news story, this chapter notes, reporters can take the time to get to understand the story and frame it appropriately.
I plan to use the idea of building a script for my piece and writing out the script. It seems like it will be rather difficult to time things — for example, how long it takes to do a particular voiceover and then transition into interview footage, B-roll and so on, but I'm sure that after a few rounds of practice (something we discussed in class), it will go more naturally. I'm also wondering how we will insert a voiceover into our videos, but it's something we'll probably be learning about soon.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sportscenter minute
The Sportscenter minute has an advantage that a written story does not. While a written story only satisfies the visual sense, a video package satisfies both the visual and audio senses. By satisfying more of the basic human senses, the online video package provides a more enjoyable experience to the webpage’s visitors. It also relieves them of the strain of having to read a story.
By providing a brief synopsis of the occurrences in the world of sports, it allows them to know the important facts immediately, without having to spend 10 minutes reading a story. ESPN also provides a story online, if visitors want more information on a particular topic/issue.
I found out that Adam “Pac-man” Jones had once again been suspended indefinitely by the NFL and heard expert opinion on the issue, within one minute of visiting the site. These results are amazing. The internet is truly the best way to find information fast. That is the reason why I am in convergence because it provides information quicker than any other medium.
The Sportscenter minute is a top notch web video that provides information quickly and satisfies more of the five basic senses than a written story. This is the reason why the internet is the top destination for news, and sports highlights.
Chicago may get 'gay-friendly' high school
I watched this story having no idea about whether or not there would be good visual representations, really. I figured that since it was an issue story, it could go either way and it could be difficult to capture appropriate B-roll since the school hadn't already been constructed. I wasn't really surprised to see that the visuals were limited to graphics and to some sporadic B-roll of school-age students and classroom activities, but I was a little disappointed at how visually uninteresting it was. They could have had more footage of students meeting or doing activities as part of a school's GSA, or something, really.
In this case, there was a text version of the story, and though I feel like video can do more to attract the senses and tell stories sometimes, this was not one of those times. The text and a few still photos really told the story better.
In both cases, though, the story was good— but it wasn't meant for a video.
Maher accused of trickery
Asian Stocks Rally
http://www.cnn.com/video/?iref=videoglobal
In this video, a CNN correspondent in Hong Kong outlines the unprecedented nature of a global economic bailout. The coverage however mainly focused on the market reaction to the economic stimulus plans proposed by G7 governments. The visuals were relevant to the story, but were mundane, cliche and boring. Most of the shots were simply of stock tickers which tell us very little in scope and only repeat the information that the stock market was doing better on the news. There was also some footgae of the NYSE floor, but it was so generic that it might as well have been stock footage.
A little bit of ticker is fine, but I owuld prefer to see something that reveals a little more information. I would have included clips on government meetings and federal reserve shots. Also, the transitions in video were a little odd. The story was about the Asian stocks rallying last night, but occassionally they would include a shot of the NYSE without a clear enough segway. CNN needs to assume the viewer knows nothing about the markets and should explain or imply what they are seeing on the screen.
If the story were written in plain text, it would read fairly choppy. The reporter used a lot of "Well, And, So" transitions that makes sense in speech, but not on paper. The pauses that exist in the audi/video format are necessary, but those who read it straight through in print may find thatwithout the necessary pause, the story is choppy. Obviously written stories and audio stories are two different animals.
It always seems better to be able to ‘watch’ sports news
Website URL : http://news.naver.com/vod/vod.nhn?office_id=214&article_id=0000082974§ion_id=107
This video (a clip from the nine o’clock NewsDesk, an evening news program by one of Korea’s largest nationwide networks MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Company), is titled “The Olympic Heroes Do it Again.” The news story (1:43) is about Korea’s National Athletic Games which is going on right now and Korean olympians who won medals in the Beijing games participating in it. The medalists, including Park Taehwan (swimming) and Jang Miran (weightlifting) were victorious in the domestic games, overcoming their rivals by huge margins.
I think one thing this video story lacks is coverage on some other Olympians who faced strong opponents that struggled. It looked almost as if it was a PR video, one that advertises the two Olympic medalists. There are such athletes who triumphed in the Beijing games but were on the wrong end of an upset from other talented domestic competition. Perhaps this could be whole another story, but for some people who are only able to catch this news video, it might have been more diverse to add about 20 seconds and add that aspect to the story.
If this story was a “text-only story,” I think it might not even have caught the attention of may news spectators, especially because it’s about sports. One great thing about visual coverage of sports is that it is always more exciting and gives you a sense of actually being there. Also, through video and familiar scenes (for example, Park swimming past the leader to finish first) reminiscence of these figures and their accomplishments could be duplicated, thus making it a story with more impact. I think that’s why we have more analysis and projections in the text version of a sports story.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Video Example Critique
"The Milkman"
http://videos.stltoday.com/p/video?id=2279691
This story discusses a male "lactation" counselor at a children's store in St. Louis. While a text narrative could have given us more information about the store and Eric Nemens, the counselor, it would have lost the visual effect of babies being fed by their mothers; with bright eyes and happy faces, it's easier to understand what Nemens is discussing about the bond with a baby. The reporter timed Nemens' questions perfectly about being a father - she added ambience noise of babies cooing and crying, as well as excerpts from Howie Day's song, Collide. It gives a strong visual about the bond between a parent and a newborn.
I wish the reporter would have covered more about the irony of having a male as a "lactation" counselor; this appears to be unique, so how do the mothers feel asking him for advice? Where is their voice within this story? It becomes very one-sided. While we learn about why Nemens enjoys working with children, we completely lose the aspect of the unique situation. I think more interviews would be needed. While these interviews may be in a text form of the story, at least some short clip would have been beneficial.
Additionally, it would be nice to see some interactions between Nemens and the new mothers. As viewers, we can see the mothers conversing with one another, but that isn't what the story is about. We need to see a better visual of Nemens, and I think that would lead to a better overall understanding.
I like the way newspaper websites are trying to stay up-to-date with our modern age. With opportunities for readers to visually see their stories, newspaper corporations can stay alive in our fast paced world!!
Pay It Forward
Video Example Critique - Tomeka Weatherspoon
Journalistic Video
The visuals in the story are absolutely stunning. Helicopter shots set the scene around the mountain and a videographer clearly rode in a hang-glider as well to capture some amazing footage. None of the shots lasted for longer than 5 seconds, which kept the audience interested and engage.
The narrator was simple and clearly and concisely told the story in an effective way. I would, however, liked to hear some more original voices in the story. This was meant to be a quick and painless story, and I understand that, but why couldn't the network interviewed at least one person. They had video of the person, so I think a sound bite should have been included. Original voices bring an authenticity to the story I feel is lacking thus far. I would have liked to know the outcome of the flight also. The scene was wonderfully set, but then not really explored through to completion.
I quite enjoyed this brief story, but clearly there is room for improvement.
The link to the video story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27163150#%2327163150
New York Times Video
I watched a video on the New York Times website ("Financial Crisis Hits Teens") about a New York City high school. There were interviews with the students and teachers about the economy and how it is starting to affect the younger generations. I thought the story was done well, the interviews with students who had specific examples of seeing their parents try to save money, or discussing things that they always taken for granted but now are not sure about (getting a mortgage on a house like their parents did) helped drive the point of the story home. The principle talked about the students finding money for college, something else I thought was a very real problem that many students are facing. However, this was one private high school, and I think it may have been interesting to also get a look at this from a public school's perspective since it would have been a good opportunity to get even more varied backgrounds.
Had this story been done text only it would have been an interesting story. It would have gotten the point across and given some good quotes from students and teachers experiencing the changing economy. But by doing the story as a video, it made the students people who you could see and relate to. It made them real. You could see how attentive they were in their economy class, knowing how important the lessons would be, and see the worry on their faces as they discussed their options and the changes in their lives.
Video Storytelling
The link is: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=VideoNetwork
I really liked the way this short video was done, and the timing was great. It was just long enough so that I felt like I got a true glimpse into this couple's life, but it wasn't so long as to bore me in the process. The Dearborn Heights couple bought the house about three years ago, and they realize now they probably got a better loan than they were afforded. The video features the couple packing up their things, sharing a meal, looking off into the distance, and talking with friends on the front porch. For the most part I really liked it but there were a couple of things I would have done differently.
The pictures and video must have been taken during the evening because at times you can't see the actions very well. This setting works well for some of the photos like when Alona is looking off into the distance or there's a shot of the sunset, but at one point Ernie is working on his car and you can't even see his hands because of the shadow. I would have changed this. Another aspect I might have done differently is the dinner scene. The couple is sitting down at what looks like their living room table to eat KFC for dinner and the following shots show close ups of the coleslaw, cups, forks, etc. while Ernie talks about the appraisal of his house. I thought that these shots and the conversation didn't match, and that I would have shown other shots of the house while he was talking about its appraisal value.
On the other hand, right before that scene was a shot of the couple saying a prayer before they ate. I thought that this was well done and gave an insight into their lives and their mindsets during this difficult process. At one point they prayed for the house and thanked God for their love for one another and the gas in their car. I thought this was very humanistic, and showed an insight to this couple that had nothing to do with the economy. I also liked the close of the piece with Alona talking about not being discouraged being matched with the shot of the sunset. It fit well to tie the story together and end the story on a nice note.
This video story is definitely different than a written one because it gave a lot of great natural sound and video of regular people doing regular things that might not be conveyed in a print story. There's one shot of Alona putting on her shoes and it shows her feet are a little raggedy (no offense) and something like that never would have fit within a print story, but gives some more detail about the life she leads. Again the prayer before they ate was a poignant touch, but in a print story would have probably been edited out. More than anything, this story is more appealing than a text only story because it really personalizes the economic issues that we're having in this country right now. It shows a day in the life of a single family that people can relate to. I think it was a job well done!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Web video blog for Oct. 14
I visited the Detroit Free Press' Web site, Freep.com, and watched a video from its "Michigan's Band of Brothers" series.
What struck me most about this particular video, "Remembering a Michigan soldier" (presumably that's what it's called — the site formatting makes it hard to read the whole title), was that many sources, and not once the reporter, told the story:
It's particularly powerful because these videographers had interviewed this Marine, Pfc. Tarryl Hill, on the job, before his death, and used that footage paired with footage from his funeral. Instead of focusing on a memorial video for Hill, the videographers chose to focus on the reactions of people in the audience to the video, which was particularly powerful. Relatives laugh and cry in response to the words they're hearing.
I would recommend just brushing up some of the text at the end of the story so that the viewer can read all of it. Additionally, one might stretch a headline across the top of the video so that it's easier to read. The gunshot near the beginning of the video I thought might have been a bit too loud in comparison with the surrounding audio.
If this were a print story, the reporter likely would have focused on some key thing someone said in a speech at the funeral, and then interview family members and friends in attendance, provide background on Hill and then end it. Video enables the reporter to let the viewer see and hear the person before and after death, as opposed to recounting what this person was like through sources other than the soldier. The video allows us to see what the people in attendance at the funeral saw, as opposed to giving us a summary that's bound by length restrictions.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Avoiding Frauds
Make the Person Forget the Camera is There
By a stinging reflection I mean what is stated in the title of this blog. The trick of the trade, as I have heard many times, was to “make the person forget the camera is there.” However, when I was shooting video at a parking lot where John Crokatt was working, he was so conscious of the camera that he kept looking back and forth to find out whether I thought he was doing a good job. He was willing to do things over and over again, if I told him to.
Although he had agreed to being interviewed, he seemed a bit uncomfortable with the camera at first. I felt very helpless, because there was not much I could do to make him feel more comfortable, more like himself. It could have been because he was an old man (74 years old), but still I wanted to make him feel better, which would obviously make my video story much better, too.
However, after about 20-30 minutes, as we began talking about his family and his job off the record, he really seemed to forget that the wireless microphone was there, and I was able to start shooting with a question to which he gave a smooth answer to. I was really glad that I had developed into such a phase with my interview subject.
Now, here is the question: In that first part of the interview where he was mumbling and pausing, and also was willing to pretend over and over again that it was the first time he heard the question or did something, should I have allowed that for a better quality? I think not, and I am proud of not pulling off such a “stage video” of my own; to work with what I have to make a story will definitely help me more to be a better journalist in the future.
The Psychology of Motion Pictures
Both the visual and editing chapters were enlightening to me, not just because they demonstrated the correct methods and techniques of capturing and producing visuals, but also because the articles outlined how these practices affect the psychology of the viewer. For instance, the angle of the camera on the subject can either prop up their image or diminish them in the eyes of the audience.
It is apparent that video editing and shooting is much more involved than still camera photography. When you add the dimensions of sound sand movement, there are a million more requirements that must be taken into consideration. I will most likely be overwhelmed with the machine at first when trying to keep all of these tips in mind.
After reading the articles I was left with the impression that the editing process is even more crucial than the initial filming. It states that all people edit reality in their mind, so cutting and pasting a new reality is relatively easy in the editing room and can have incredible impact on the attitudes of the viewership toward the object of interest.
Video Ethics
Sean Pooley on video editing
Proper journalism is reporting the truth. This is extremely important to remember when editing video. With the editing software available, it is easy to manipulate quotes to fit a story better. When a reporter manipulates or changes quotes they open themselves up to a potential lawsuit. It also hurts their chances of working in the news reporting industry ever again. If they continue to work as a journalist, their reputation is completely damaged. A prime example of this is the New York Times reporter who was faking his stories. It is impossible for people to believe him now. If I were his editor, I would scrutinize everyone of his stories and fact check rigorously to ensure the truth.
In conclusion, it is crucial to ensure journalistic integrity is being upheld when editing video. People need to be able to trust the news they see on television and video editing is a key part of making stories believable.
Staging
Ethical vs. Commercial Quality - Tomeka Weatherspoon
Monday, October 6, 2008
seek truth and report it
Which means that even when the truth isn't 100% laid out for you to write down, photograph, record or tape, a reporter should be searching for new ways to find or to present information. If a photographic moment has passed, you'll need a replacement photo that shows what happened afterwards; if a source isn't available for a quote or won't answer questions the way you wished they would, you have to make do with what you have and look for other sources elsewhere; if you can't get quality video that captures an ideal moment you have to get creative B-roll from somewhere else. Journalism is about investigation, creativity and thought.
Staging is unacceptable, whether in photos or in video. And if you're taking a picture with lights and other equipment that affects the visual aspects of a situation, its a photo illustration— and should be noted as such in your work.
Journalistic ethics come down to common sense, really— don't mislead the public, and have honest, well-meaning intentions throughout your work. Not staging visuals is a large part of that.