Last week was the first experience reporting as part of a team. Maredithe Meyer and I covered Marissa Lovell's speech about her experience with an eating disorder as part of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. The task was to capture two stories with one camera. The video above is my angle on the event.
This video was built using Adobe Premiere. Learning the video editing software was an uphill struggle. After learning the basics, though, the piece came together. Correcting colors in the video was the most time-consuming part of the entire project because the indoor lighting made all of the shots darker. Also, the audio of the audience interviews needed editing to minimize background noise. Completing this project showed the power of visual storytelling. It is one thing to write a summary of an event, but letting those involved tell the story directly to audience adds another layer to the experience. This raises two questions: What type of story works best for video? Or, which stories do not? Watch Maredithe Meyer's angle on the event here.
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Being a college student, I have sat through my fair share of unexciting lectures. The problem is often that the lecturer is not interesting or the audience is not engaged. This was not the case Monday afternoon in #loweclass. Professional journalists – the kind that do not have to write "aspiring" on their Twitter bio – visited to present their passions and upcoming projects. Each journalist had a unique piece of advice, providing much to think about. Liz Navratil was the first to speak. She works for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a crime reporter and is interested in under-reported U.S. crimes. Navratil's website is a great example of how to present works when there is a lot to show.
Justin George, a crime reporter for The Baltimore Sun, presented next. George was involved in the investigation that created Serial, the popular podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig. He is passionate about the culture that creates crime and investigating the reasons behind high crime rates. His lesson centered on using social media to connect with other journalists and gain a readership. Fresh off a sabbatical in Spain, Miranda Spivack spoke about the importance of the First Amendment for journalists, as well as civilians. Spivack has worked as a reporter and editor for The Washington Post. Working through heavy amounts of legislation and laws for her articles, Spivack emphasized the importance of telling "human stories" so that readers can understand any topic's impact. Dave Umhoefer of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel works as a political reporter. His investigations have given him the title of "GovWatcher," seen in his Twitter handle. Umhoefer has followed Gov. Scott Walker in rise to prominence in Wisconsin politics. Covering a controversial politician such as Walker, Umhoefer noted that a journalist can take a side and write with authority, although, it should only be done when all the facts are tipped to one side. Having these journalists impart knowledge they have gained in the field was an invaluable presentation. It is exciting to hear how passionate they are about each topic and everyone should look forward to their upcoming projects. There is an African proverb that says, "If you want to run fast, run alone; if you want to run far, run together." Despite what others may think, journalism is not all about sitting alone, typing out stories by the light of the computer monitor. In fact, it can be easier to cover large events if done in teams. However, what if the goal is to create a video piece and there is only one video camera? That was the challenge for the upcoming piece on Marissa Lovell's speech for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Marissa is the daughter of Marquette University's president-elect Michael Lovell. She spoke for nearly an hour about her own struggle with anorexia nervosa and resources for people suffering from eating disorders. Afterwards, there was a panel discussion with Marissa's mother and two eating disorder experts, who answered audience questions. The event was covered with the help of Maredithe Meyer. During Marissa's speech, I filmed. Moving around helped capture a number of shots from different angles, including Marissa speaking, her presentation slides and the audience. Maredithe sat in the front row, capturing audio and taking notes. Together, we asked for audience reactions, along with interviewing Marissa and her mother. Maredithe and I alternated filming and asking questions to get audience insights. It almost became a competition. After one of us would get someone to answer questions on camera, we joked, "Alright, your turn" to get someone to agree to be interviewed. Maredithe was much more successful at this than me. It is becoming increasingly clear with each video project that people are nervous about being on camera. However, a reassuring smile that we are not working for TMZ or doing "gotcha journalism" seems to help. It was a challenge to work together with one camera, when there was a lot of B-roll happening all at once. Between people discussing the topic after the event to Marissa hugging her family, it was difficult not to stress out about capturing everything. In my content paralysis, Maredithe grabbed the camera and captured some great B-roll of Marissa speaking with students and talking with her family. This will help show the personal side of Marissa sharing her story. Before the event, I sent out this tweet as a joke, but found it to be true: It was awesome working with such a driven and insightful partner. For a project that required the camera to be everywhere at once, Maredithe was an excellent resource in finding good shots and getting people to talk on camera. We were able to capture a lot of footage, which will make editing easier since there will be no shortage in content. Look for the video in the coming days.
Click here to read Maredithe's take on the event. With a bookshelf packed with play scripts in the backdrop, Stephen Hudson-Mairet, chair of Marquette's department of digital media and performing arts, underscored the powerful interactions he has had during this annual event.
"I can still remember some of my graduates coming on this day," he said. It was the scholarship competition for the university's Theatre Arts program, a day in which incoming students visit the program, participate in workshops and audition for tuition scholarships. Lucky for those seeking a behind-the-scenes look on the event, the cameras were rolling. A challenge with this piece was getting interviewees to explain what was happening. Questions had to be simple and direct. Despite the interviewer and interviewee both knowing the answer, the answer had to be caught on camera so that viewers could follow the day's events without prior knowledge. The best way to explain the action was not with my voice, but the voices of the participants. This goal drove the interviews to capture perspectives from faculty, current students and students who will be arriving on campus in the fall. The program is a tight-knit community, apparent from initial conversations. Hospitality was abundant for the visitors, as the current students were willing to answer questions and share the value of the program. Action worth recording was happening all over – answering parent concerns, tours of Helfaer Theatre and the nervous vibes of an upcoming audition being loosened by new friends. This was the other challenge, trying to have the camera everywhere. At one point, the parents split from the students, so it was a difficult choice of where to go to capture meaningful shots from both. It was a real example of Bethany Swain's lesson for young journalists that, when the camera is rolling, they should not worry about what they are missing. Footage is about quality over quantity. Putting the piece all together, going through enough film to fill an hour, was the most exciting part. Being at the event is one thing, building the video so that anyone, anywhere, at any time can experience it as well is what makes being a journalist special. The time spent making small cuts to clips on iMovie was all worth it when the video was complete. Thankful for the opportunity to cover this unique Marquette event. Look for this next generation of performers on a stage near you. The lesson for today: Check your tools before you use them. Then, check them again. Perhaps even a third time. It will save you a big headache, trust me.
I still hold out as part of the old messaging phone generation. That being said, I am learning how to use smartphone video to create short pieces of journalism. The main tool is Videolicious, a video creation app that allows you to bring in B-roll, interviews and effects all in an efficient way. To get around not having a smartphone, I borrowed a friend's retired iPhone and downloaded up the app. After a quick trial run, I hit the streets to interview Marquette University students about the low participation for the Campus Climate Survey. I did interviews and gathered transitions, thinking I was set. Then it came time to edit. Due to another reporting obligation for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, the final video did receive attention until later that night. That is when the realization set in – the microphone does not work. My mistake. The deadline for the piece is looming the next morning and I have nothing. A person can fix bad video if there is good audio. If there is bad audio, that is a problem. If there is no audio, that is a huge problem. Doing the best I could, I grabbed my regular camera and found a few more people who were willing to talk about the survey. I recorded them on the camera, uploaded the files onto my computer, transferred them to the iPhone, then edited the pieces together in Videolicious for the final piece. The lesson here is to make sure all your tools work. Do not go out in the field unless you know, not think, that your tools can handle the assignment. That is, unless your idea of fun is a frantic realization with a quick approaching deadline. Compelling Audio and Stunning Photographs Make "One in 8 Million" a Special Profile Series2/15/2015 Amid the packed streets, the symphony of honking car horns and the shining marquee lights, it is easy to get lost in the crowd of 8 million people that make up New York. In the 2009 series "One in 8 Million," The New York Times reminded the world that each person has a unique and engaging story.
Reporters for The New York Times compiled audio and photographs from 54 New York citizens. These natural sound stories are edited in a way so that no written background or audio narration is necessary to tell the story. Here are a few of my favorites from the series and what makes them stand out. Rivka Karasik left her community of Hasidic Jews for life in the city, a decision that was liberating and haunting. Her new life is a challenge as she acclimates to a lifestyle of newfound freedoms, such as being able to buy and wear any clothes she wants. At the end of the piece, she admits that her choice to leave was ultimately the right one, despite the troubles she faces now. “I think life would’ve been easier and simpler had I stayed, but I couldn’t,” Karasik said. The interviewer made Karasik comfortable enough to discuss a troubled time in her life. She admits that she cried herself to sleep growing up and thought that she was "crazy" for not fitting in. Getting such raw emotion required the interviewer to spend significant time with Karasik to build that kind of trust. Andrew Baum, better known as "The Rookie Detective," lives a life full of car chases and run-ins with police, unless it is an average day. The private investigator said that most of his work is dull time spent sitting in a car videotaping someone. Some of his best stories, however, include being chased by a truck driver or arrested in Central Park for videotaping children. Baum's strategy for dismissing suspicion – saying that he is a film student at New York University – was likely the answer to a double-barrel question such as, "How do you get around people’s misconceptions about what you are doing?" The details of the kinds of reactions people give when they discover Baum is investigating them could be brought out with the question "Have people you are investigating ever found out you were following them? How did they react?" Richard Valvo, a public relations consultant, details in his profile a special assignment in which he worked with Wafah bin Laden, the niece of Osama bin Laden. At the time, Wafah was being ridiculed by the public and struggled to even get through the day. Valvo worked to get her front-page coverage and an interview with Barbara Walters to help Wafah build a positive image. Valvo's profile includes an interesting soundbite of him "working the room." This practice includes greeting every person he knows in every room he enters. Alongside pictures of Valvo socializing over drinks, the profile includes background noise of the socializing, bringing the scene to life for listeners. What make these, and all the other "One in 8 Million" profiles, special is that the audio is set side-by-side with photographs that enhance the story. The stories are driven by the individuals, not a narrator. In this way, the pieces are more authentic and intimate than a documentary profiling citizens of New York. Live tweeting is one way to follow a story if you cannot be there, but what about a day or two after the event? This is where Storify comes in. The social media and web curating software is an excellent tool to compile social news and present it in one place. In this way, it was perfect for compiling #loweclass's coverage of Marquette University's annual Mission Week. Members of the group covered one of two events, the opening keynote address by Carolyn Woo or Bonnie Blair and Catherine Hicks's "Go For Gold With Your Life!" We live tweeted the event and wrote vignettes about people involved with Mission Week. Creating a Storify account of the event was the next step in order for readers to re-experience the event, as if it was happening in real time. The Storify above, "Marquette Mission Week 2015," highlights the presentation by Blair and Hicks, a talk that touched on the importance of serving others regardless of social status. Lori Bergen, dean of Marquette's Diederich College of Communication, moderated the discussion between Blair and Hicks. Covering this event, in real time on Twitter and afterward on Storify, showed the various ways journalists can use social media. Without needing to do several interviews, Storify allows users to implant multiple perspectives directly from individuals. It includes content from all parts of the Internet to tell one story. Click here to read the Storify about Blair and Hicks' speech. Instead of pursuing a five-day-a-week, 9-5 job in a cubicle after graduation, Jeremy Ault chose to establish a humanitarian aid office in Milwaukee, over 4,500 miles from the organization's headquarters.
Ault is the American director of Diakonie ECCB: Center of Humanitarian and Development Aid, a nonprofit aid program that uses creativity and empowerment to focus on "Helping People Stand on Their Own." He works to build relationships with donors in the United States to fund the group's aid and education initiatives in Ethiopia and Moldova. Much of his time is spent meeting with church groups and philanthropists to raise awareness about Diakonie. After volunteering in AmeriCorps and working for the Czech Evangelical Brethren Church in the Czech Republic, Ault came to Marquette University and studied history in the Trinity Fellows Program. This is where his path crosses with #loweclass. The group is profiling current members and alumni of the program in a digital project similar to CNN's "The Undecided." The profile on Ault will go beyond that of his fundraising work with Diakonie. Ault volunteers at the Urban Ecology Center, fixing bikes for children, and serves as an ambassador for the Wisconsin Bike Fed. In the free time that remains, Ault can be found playing drum pad in the band NO/NO. These will all be used in video and photo elements that accompany the long-form profile. Look for posts in the coming months about the #loweclass project and the final piece about the Trinity Fellows Program. It will be here in a flash. |
A chance to see the world from the perspective of a 6-foot-2, aspiring human rights journalist. Will include lessons learned and reflections.
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