Multiplatform Journalism

Some of you have been asking about getting some basic video training in order to shoot video for your stories.  So I want to set up a Final Cut tutorial session (or two) outside of class time, with Nick.  Can you let me know who among you might be interested in this?  You can comment here or email me. (note: this is NOT for the quickie video assignment for next week, but for those of you who might want to do some basic editing for your final projects.)

For those of you who want to use video for your final project, remember that we have server space limitations, so we have to be creative, embedding from YouTube or Vuvox or uploading smaller clips.  I will discuss this more next week.

Also, some great online training for video — for both beginners and more advanced students, can be found here and here and here and here.  Oh, and here and  here.  And here.  I may touch on some of these sites in class, but I really encourage you to explore if you’re interested in video.

By next Tuesday, you should have posted on your blog:

1. The source list assignment (posted to Moodle), and

2. The choice of one of two response posts:

a.) a post in which you compare this piece from the Los Angeles Sun with this piece from the Dallas News.  Both are doing VERY interesting things with video, and, in the case of the Dallas News piece, perhaps slightly ethically edgy things as well.  Talk about navigation, integration with multimedia, the “stickiness” of the piece (whether you would be compelled to watch all the way through on your own)

b.) a video post which in some way furthers your semester project.  This can range from a simple 90-second video entry using a Web 2.0 videoposting site such as Seesmic, a quickie digicam video uploaded to YouTube, or anything more advanced that your heart desires (such as shooting some broll for a piece and uploading it to Youtube).  Embedding a video from YouTube or Seesmic is exactly the same as embedding Vuvox: copy the HTML code and place it in the HTML section of your post browser. Look here for a guide to free video editing software if you want to play around with video editing.

Don’t forget to complete Telling Stories with Sound over the next 2 weeks as well.  and to plan for your assignment (which means setting up an interview and getting your hands on an Edirol).

Finally, there were a fair number of absences this week.  I know the flu knocked a few of you out, but remember to give me a heads-up if you are not going to be there, and be mindful of the department attendance policy.  Also, when you are out of class during a workshop session, be prepared to make up whatever assignment was completed in class.

Who wouldn’t want to work here?  Take a look at this Soundslides presentation on the new integrated headquarters of the Guardian.  Not the best example of Soundsides I’ve seen, but still a good lesson in alternating shot distance.  Note that it’s all done with voiceover.