I didn't actually get to these in class, but if you want to see a couple of other examples of multimedia projects, check these out. These could not be more different:
* The Marlboro Marine
* Mark Malkoff Gets Carried in New York City
And here's the Radiolab podcast I played part of in class:
Friday, April 30, 2010
Homework Details: Final Project Shoot
The homework is to make progress on your final project, and submit the best of what you have so far to the blog for a grade and feedback.
* Submit to the blog a short segment of your final project. This could be a slideshow with key images from your upcoming audio slide show; could be a clip or two of highlights from your video footage so far; your narration audio; etc. Make it good, don't just throw a bunch of raw footage up there. Less is more, but show you're making progress.
* As usual, deadline is start of class next week.
E-mail with any questions.
* Submit to the blog a short segment of your final project. This could be a slideshow with key images from your upcoming audio slide show; could be a clip or two of highlights from your video footage so far; your narration audio; etc. Make it good, don't just throw a bunch of raw footage up there. Less is more, but show you're making progress.
* As usual, deadline is start of class next week.
E-mail with any questions.
Karen video sequence
Video sequence of Caryn Taylor at work in her office at the University of Maryland, April 30, 2010.
Hot Air Balloon at UMD
My clip of a crew deflating a hot air balloon at the University of Maryland-College Park after giving students rides for a few hours on Friday, April 30, 2010.
Deflating
Daryl Funkhouser deflats a hot air balloon on the University of Maryland's mall. April 30, 2010. -Tami Le
Tina: Video Sequence Assignment
Students playing pool in Stamp Student Union, April 30, 2010. Video by Tina Irgang.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Details On Next Homework -- Storyboard Your Final Project
Video #3: Storyboard Your Final Project
* Prepare a rough outline, with drawings, of your final project.
* Must include elements we discussed in class.
* Use this worksheet -- and turn in the assignment at the start of next class.
* Prepare a rough outline, with drawings, of your final project.
* Must include elements we discussed in class.
* Use this worksheet -- and turn in the assignment at the start of next class.
Muslim Call to Prayer | Gena Chung and Stacy Jones
Muslim students at the University of Maryland come together on Friday to pray. Sophomore Omnia Joehar explains the significance of salat, the formal prayer of Islam.
Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Karen & Michelle Edited Video: Music Rehearsal
University of Maryland music students rehearse for their upcoming recital, April 14, 2010. Video by Karen Carmichael and Michelle Nealy.
YouTube link here.
YouTube link here.
Video #2, Tami and Tina: UMD Bake Sale
Bake sale to benefit Royal Scottish Country Dance at Maryland, April 14. Video by Tami Le and Tina Irgang for UMD Video.
We compressed this one to post it, but a higher-quality version is available on Tami's flash drive.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Video Sequencing Assignment by Laura and Jessica
University of Maryland, College Park, welcomes students admitted for the fall 2010 semester to an open house at Stamp Student Union on April 16, 2010.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Details for Next Homework - Video #2
Ok, you've teamed up, so we just need one video from each team.
Please edit together just the best of what you shot during class this week, into a coherent segment that mixes one interview with some b-roll (background footage) and uses at least one sequence.
* What I'll be grading on is whether you're demonstrating the ideas we discussed in class, so focus on the techniques and showing me you understood what I meant.
* Final edits must be no longer than 2 minutes.
* You can use title frames to introduce your video or separate part of the answers. Don't worry about what I said in class about fades to black unless you're comfortable with effects.
* Use whatever editing software you are comfortable with. If you don't know any program already, I strongly encourage you to find time to come to the labs and use Final Cut. The News Bubble is probably a good place to do that (hopefully they don't have the issue there we had in the classroom with reloading the program in).
* Export your final video as a Web-friendly file and post it to the blog. In Final Cut that will mean choosing Export from the File Menu and then choosing "Using Quicktime Conversion" and then choosing a small file size (there are good tutorials in Help and online to optimize output for Web).
* Post by start of class next week, as usual.
Please edit together just the best of what you shot during class this week, into a coherent segment that mixes one interview with some b-roll (background footage) and uses at least one sequence.
* What I'll be grading on is whether you're demonstrating the ideas we discussed in class, so focus on the techniques and showing me you understood what I meant.
* Final edits must be no longer than 2 minutes.
* You can use title frames to introduce your video or separate part of the answers. Don't worry about what I said in class about fades to black unless you're comfortable with effects.
* Use whatever editing software you are comfortable with. If you don't know any program already, I strongly encourage you to find time to come to the labs and use Final Cut. The News Bubble is probably a good place to do that (hopefully they don't have the issue there we had in the classroom with reloading the program in).
* Export your final video as a Web-friendly file and post it to the blog. In Final Cut that will mean choosing Export from the File Menu and then choosing "Using Quicktime Conversion" and then choosing a small file size (there are good tutorials in Help and online to optimize output for Web).
* Post by start of class next week, as usual.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Libraries vs Retail Chain Bookstores - Raw Video Clips - Jessica Harper
As ebooks and retail chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders increase in popularity, fewer and fewer people are heading to their local libraries. But this is not true for everyone. I headed to the Cleveland Park Branch of the D.C. Public Library to find out why.
Raw Interview:
Raw Intro Clips:
Raw Interview:
Raw Intro Clips:
Student Reaction to Police Brutality
I forgot to ask him to spell his name on camera, but the correct spelling is Jaime Harrell.
Competition for Muslim high schoolers at University of Maryland- Gena Chung
Say "MIST" to anyone but a Muslim in the DC Metro area and they'll think you are talking about a soft drink. But to almost every Muslim high school student in the area, whether from private schools or public charter schools, MIST means so much more than a refreshing, effervescent beverage. The Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament, held from April 9 to April 11 at the University of Maryland, pitted teams of Muslim high school students against each other in competitions ranging from Islamic knowledge to short film. I sat down with the lead coordinator, Amina Haleem, to talk a little more about MIST:
Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament from Gena Chung on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thoughts on the Apple iPad
I went to Greenwich Village in New York where several NYU students were hanging out. I conducted several interviews asking students the same questions about their thoughts on the iPad and none of them said they would buy it. Actually, none of them even really knew what the purpose of it was for. This was the interview with the best audio (others were interrupted by sirens or advertisments for a comedy show). -Tami Le
Friday, April 9, 2010
Details for Next Homework - Video #1
Video #1: Man on the Street interview. (30 points)
* The interview must not exceed three minutes and must be at least one minute.
* You will be graded on how well you apply the framing, lighting and audio lessons covered in class. The use of tripods or some other stationary camera is required.
Must ask the subject to say his or her name, spell it on camera, give their age, indicate their occupation, or city (and state) of residence. Think of the video camera as a notebook. These initial questions and answers must be included in the posted video in order for students to receive full credit for the assignment.
* Videos must be posted on the class blog by start of next class, as usual. To post the unedited video to the blog, create a new blog post and click on the "movie" icon to add your video file. If you have any trouble just e-mail me.
* The interview must not exceed three minutes and must be at least one minute.
* You will be graded on how well you apply the framing, lighting and audio lessons covered in class. The use of tripods or some other stationary camera is required.
Must ask the subject to say his or her name, spell it on camera, give their age, indicate their occupation, or city (and state) of residence. Think of the video camera as a notebook. These initial questions and answers must be included in the posted video in order for students to receive full credit for the assignment.
* Videos must be posted on the class blog by start of next class, as usual. To post the unedited video to the blog, create a new blog post and click on the "movie" icon to add your video file. If you have any trouble just e-mail me.
Motel Manor: Suburban Homelessness in St. Charles County
I would have to agree with Alix, that before this assignment I didn't have a favorite multimedia project, and I'm not sure that I do now, but I found some that I really like. I looked at a bunch of audio slide shows and this one caught my eye. Motel Manor: Suburban Homelessness in St. Charles County covers a topic that we've all seen news stories of before, but it looks at it differently which is important. I'm not from St. Louis, but what I gathered from the piece is that there's a homeless population in one of the wealthier suburban neighborhoods, which is of course a place that most people probably wouldn't expect to find any homeless people living.
The photos and the narration in this piece work really well together. I think the slide show captured the lives that these families are living and the desperation and struggle that they feel day in and day out. What I think they did particularly well with this slide show was showing different families stories, but I never felt overwhelmed or like I wasn't hearing enough from one family or too much from another. In a very short period of time, I learned about a community rather than a single person or family which is what a lot of the other shows I looked at seemed to focus on.
The photos and the narration in this piece work really well together. I think the slide show captured the lives that these families are living and the desperation and struggle that they feel day in and day out. What I think they did particularly well with this slide show was showing different families stories, but I never felt overwhelmed or like I wasn't hearing enough from one family or too much from another. In a very short period of time, I learned about a community rather than a single person or family which is what a lot of the other shows I looked at seemed to focus on.
NYT: "One in 8 Million" & Penn Relays Project Update
Anyone who's been around me much at all knows that I really love the "One in 8 Million" series on NYT. I came across it last year when an online journalism professor played a few of the stories in class and have been back to check on it periodically ever since. I love that the photography is done in black and white, and that the people featured in the stories get to tell their own stories.
One of the ones I stopped to watch all the way through was the story of Maggie Nesciur, a waitress who walks up to 90 miles a WEEK. She says she doesn't get tired, she just likes to walk around in her boots. She'll do it for 14 or 15 hours at a time and tailor her walk to how she's feeling. She looks for empty streets when she doesn't want to be around people. There's another about Paul Bockwoldt, who joined a mostly gay rugby team to bond with his gay brother. Touching, right? I'm just in awe at the constant sense of curiosity it must require to seek these stories out.
I highly recommend these. If you want to learn how to let people tell their own stories, you should listen to the audio on these and reverse engineer the questions the reporter must have asked. The photography, done by Todd Heisler, is really inspiring. Check it out - One in 8 Million - you'll be glad you did.
Penn Relays project update:
I did a photo interview with Dave Johnson last week at Franklin Field. I was delighted with the weather, and got to shoot the on the upper deck of the stadium with a track meet going on in the background. It went really well. I got some great footage and next week I'm supposed to give him a call so we can talk about arranging for some credentials to shoot video and take photos during the meet. I'm going to work on reaching out to the man who handles getting high school Jamaican teams signed up for the meet. His name escapes me at the moment, but it's scribbled down somewhere. Aside from that, I'm going to try and story board this project so I know exactly what I need on race day.
One of the ones I stopped to watch all the way through was the story of Maggie Nesciur, a waitress who walks up to 90 miles a WEEK. She says she doesn't get tired, she just likes to walk around in her boots. She'll do it for 14 or 15 hours at a time and tailor her walk to how she's feeling. She looks for empty streets when she doesn't want to be around people. There's another about Paul Bockwoldt, who joined a mostly gay rugby team to bond with his gay brother. Touching, right? I'm just in awe at the constant sense of curiosity it must require to seek these stories out.
I highly recommend these. If you want to learn how to let people tell their own stories, you should listen to the audio on these and reverse engineer the questions the reporter must have asked. The photography, done by Todd Heisler, is really inspiring. Check it out - One in 8 Million - you'll be glad you did.
Penn Relays project update:
I did a photo interview with Dave Johnson last week at Franklin Field. I was delighted with the weather, and got to shoot the on the upper deck of the stadium with a track meet going on in the background. It went really well. I got some great footage and next week I'm supposed to give him a call so we can talk about arranging for some credentials to shoot video and take photos during the meet. I'm going to work on reaching out to the man who handles getting high school Jamaican teams signed up for the meet. His name escapes me at the moment, but it's scribbled down somewhere. Aside from that, I'm going to try and story board this project so I know exactly what I need on race day.
Favorite Multimedia Piece /Update on U Street Transformed
You will have to forgive me for the shameless self plug, but my favorite multimedia piece is the first audio slideshow that I ever completed. Click here to watch. A former employee for Diverse Issues In Higher Education, I took photos left over from a photo essay spotlighting Honda's 2008 Battle of the Bands competition and asked North Carolina A&T State University's marching band to send me an audio track to feature with the photos. At the time, my publication didn't have Soundslides, so I made the slideshow in Windows Movie Maker. Despite my lack of formal multimedia training, I think that the slideshow does a good job of telling a story.
The photos capture the intensity of the musicians and the complexity of the choreography. The music captures the unique spirit and style of historically black colleges marching band traditions. Moreover, this slideshow was the first digital slideshow that company could attached its name to.
Update:
The photos capture the intensity of the musicians and the complexity of the choreography. The music captures the unique spirit and style of historically black colleges marching band traditions. Moreover, this slideshow was the first digital slideshow that company could attached its name to.
Update:
In my attempt to document the restoration of the U Street Corridor, I have decided to profile three of the corridor's newer small businesses. I've already interviewed the manager of Pinz-and-Needles Tattoo parlor. I'm trying to nail down Boundless Yoga and Kreme restaurant. To tell the entire story of U Street, past and present, would be overwhelming. A more comprehensive story is why these three businesses decided to open up shop on U Street. The business owners should be able to help me tell the story of the transformation indirectly.
Also, I need a microphone, a flipcam, and a good director/assistant to schedule interviews.
Also, I need a microphone, a flipcam, and a good director/assistant to schedule interviews.
-Michelle Nealy
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Favorite Multimedia Piece-- Alix Farr
I will admit that before today I couldn’t say I had a favorite multimedia piece. Maybe I just have a poor memory, but no audio slideshow or video clip has made it into my long-term memory bank.
So, for this assignment, I set to work searching for a new favorite, and after pouring over what felt like upwards of 50 videos and slideshows and audio clips, I came to the conclusion that this class has made me extraordinarily critical. Everything I saw I criticized, which made it difficult to find a favorite.
Some were too long, even for me, and I have a passion for news and images. Some were poorly put together. I don’t like when the sounds of children don’t match up with the pictures of them playing. Some had no ambient sound at all, which left the pieces feeling dry, even with incredibly interesting subjects.
All said and done, I did pick a favorite. It is this story called “Praying for the Rain” by duckrabbit, which I discovered is a journalism/multimedia organization in the UK. This piece has its imperfections (like I said, nothing meets my standards anymore), but I appreciate the art and the power of it. I also like the quality of the images, the use of ambient sound, and the recurring piano music, though I’m not quite sure where the music comes from. It’s way too long, some parts of the audio are hard to understand and should have been edited out, and at times the sequence of narration is hard to follow. But I do like the way it shows a reality that a mere print story would never be able to.
Day in Photos - Jessica Harper
When it comes to multimedia presentations, the Washington Post's recurring slideshow, Day in Photos always captures my attention because it offers a glimpse into newsworthy happenings not just in the U.S. but worldwide as well.
From a woman using her mobile to record an incidence of vandalism in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to a 6-year-old boy performing hand-gymnastics in a Chinese hospital, these photos capture fun, tragic, intimate, educational and entertaining moments in daily life and prove that despite geographic separations, certain commonalities inevitably bind human life together.
For April 7-8, the Day in Photos topics range from an art exhibit in Beijing to mudslides in Rio. That's a pretty electic mix that Post photo editor Dan Murano oversees. His selections incorporate all the photojournalistic conventions, including close-ups, the rule of thirds and unique angles. The tilt of these featured photographers' cameras can alter the vantage point of their viewers. For example, viewing an image close-up might evoke a different response than seeing it farther away. Close-ups nearly place viewers in a photograph. They are purposely invasive that way.
In that sense, multimedia presentations like, Day in Photos, succeed where print stories fail. For news consumers who prefer a visual representation of the world's events, a media slideshow like this one is ideal.
From a woman using her mobile to record an incidence of vandalism in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to a 6-year-old boy performing hand-gymnastics in a Chinese hospital, these photos capture fun, tragic, intimate, educational and entertaining moments in daily life and prove that despite geographic separations, certain commonalities inevitably bind human life together.
For April 7-8, the Day in Photos topics range from an art exhibit in Beijing to mudslides in Rio. That's a pretty electic mix that Post photo editor Dan Murano oversees. His selections incorporate all the photojournalistic conventions, including close-ups, the rule of thirds and unique angles. The tilt of these featured photographers' cameras can alter the vantage point of their viewers. For example, viewing an image close-up might evoke a different response than seeing it farther away. Close-ups nearly place viewers in a photograph. They are purposely invasive that way.
In that sense, multimedia presentations like, Day in Photos, succeed where print stories fail. For news consumers who prefer a visual representation of the world's events, a media slideshow like this one is ideal.
Multimedia: Covering the Iraq War- Gena Chung
Reuters created a multimedia site dedicated to coverage of the Iraq War from the perspective of the journalists who covered it between 2003 and 2008. The main report is under five minutes (the introduction). It is a combination of compelling and often disturbing photographs and battlefield video with intermittent video commentary from journalists who describe why coverage of war is essential, despite its challenges.
In the opening of the piece, Andrew Marshall, the Iraq War Bureau Chief for Reuters from 2003-2005, explains that Iraq has been the deadliest war for journalists with 111 killed on duty between 2003 and 2008 (found in the maps).
What I love about this piece is the discomfort I feel as I watch the images. What I think makes this piece stand out above so many others is not the technical quality (it's there just like hundreds of others) but the intimacy, impact and immediacy of the images and video. They allow the world entry into a place that only a fraction of people have ever been or ever will be- into a world of large-scale, man-made violence.
It is also interesting to consider how this piece compares to Karen's, which also looks at war. How have the standards of what is acceptable and unacceptable war coverage changed throughout the years?
The piece is especially compelling to watch as a would-be journalist because it calls to mind all kinds of questions: How does one maintain technical excellence in such conditions? How do you forsake your own personal safety for the story? How do you detach yourself from the emotions you are capturing? How do you photograph or film people being burned alive? Being kidnapped?
The ambient noise and music are well-placed and effective. Not distracting or superfluous.
Beyond the introduction on this site, the timeline and map pages are particularly excellent ways to extend and supplement the storyline. The interactivity is user-friendly and the layout is clean and uncluttered.
In the opening of the piece, Andrew Marshall, the Iraq War Bureau Chief for Reuters from 2003-2005, explains that Iraq has been the deadliest war for journalists with 111 killed on duty between 2003 and 2008 (found in the maps).
What I love about this piece is the discomfort I feel as I watch the images. What I think makes this piece stand out above so many others is not the technical quality (it's there just like hundreds of others) but the intimacy, impact and immediacy of the images and video. They allow the world entry into a place that only a fraction of people have ever been or ever will be- into a world of large-scale, man-made violence.
It is also interesting to consider how this piece compares to Karen's, which also looks at war. How have the standards of what is acceptable and unacceptable war coverage changed throughout the years?
The piece is especially compelling to watch as a would-be journalist because it calls to mind all kinds of questions: How does one maintain technical excellence in such conditions? How do you forsake your own personal safety for the story? How do you detach yourself from the emotions you are capturing? How do you photograph or film people being burned alive? Being kidnapped?
The ambient noise and music are well-placed and effective. Not distracting or superfluous.
Beyond the introduction on this site, the timeline and map pages are particularly excellent ways to extend and supplement the storyline. The interactivity is user-friendly and the layout is clean and uncluttered.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
A different look at Haiti, post-earthquake
One of the more compelling multimedia pieces that I have seen about post-earthquake Haiti is this audio slideshow from March 28, 2010, produced by Jeffery Delviscio and Jessie De Witt for the New York Times, with reporting by Grant Fuller and photography by Lynsey Addario.
The presentation contrasts images and audio clips from Haitian nightclubs with images and clips from camps where Haitians displaced by the earthquake have been living in semi-permanent residency for the past three months. The disparity between the rich and poor is made very clear.
The first image - and accompanying techno music - drew me into the presentation. Slideshows of Haiti these days are usually only about the poverty, homelessness, health crises and dire needs that have increased since the earthquake. This presentation, on the other hand, started out with a scene that could have been in any city - third-world, earthquake-stricken or not.
A couple of minutes in to the presentation, the focus shifts to the camps. But by then, a viewer has already had a taste of the non-poverty side of Haiti. The contrast is unsettling, but at least we are getting a glimpse of both extremes.
For all the flashy club scenes and heart-string-tugging photos of the makeshift camps, however, the images that stick with me the most are those of camp children playing jump rope. Jumping girls first appear about half-way through the presentation, and then appear again near the end. Contrast these girls with the ones in the club - the jump-roping girls seem to be having more fun - if only just.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Karen Carmichael - Favorite multimedia project
I love this audio slideshow on Don McCullin produced by the BBC. McCullin is an acclaimed war photographer who covered both Vietnam and Cambodia. An audio slideshow is the perfect way to profile him - his riveting images scroll by as he speaks about his experiences and the backstory behind specific photos. I love the part about 1:15 where McCullin says he believes the "accusing face" of an elderly Vietnamese man tells more about the Vietnam War than "any war picture of a man throwing a hand grenade." As he speaks, the camera fades into a closeup of McCullin's photo of the Vietnamese man, and at just the right moment shifts to his shot of a man throwing a grenade. His point is illustrated perfectly in a way that wouldn't be possible in a straight print piece.
Interspersed with McCullin's commentary is ambient sound of gunfire and archival broadcast announcements about military developments in Vietnam and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The timing throughout the slideshow is impeccable, lingering on the most powerful images and sparingly using the ambient sound to provide context but still keep the focus on McCullin. This man was present at momentous turning points of history, and the slideshow really brings that home.
Interspersed with McCullin's commentary is ambient sound of gunfire and archival broadcast announcements about military developments in Vietnam and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The timing throughout the slideshow is impeccable, lingering on the most powerful images and sparingly using the ambient sound to provide context but still keep the focus on McCullin. This man was present at momentous turning points of history, and the slideshow really brings that home.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tina Irgang: Favorite Multimedia Project
The New York Times has done several excellent multimedia projects on the census, including one about a town in North Dakota which expects to have a 100 percent response rate and another about a Florida town that was severely undercounted in 2000. However, one project posted on April 1 is particularly creative.
It mixes text, photo slideshows and maps for a random census of the five boroughs of New York City. Reporters visited key gathering points in each borough and observed what happened as people interacted there over periods ranging from 20 minutes to an hour.
All five slideshows are excellent and give insights into each borough's daily routine, showing New Yorkers as they play basketball, walk their pet rabbits and try to make it in show business. The statistics assembled by the reporters range from the entertaining ("3: People in line who talked on cellphones in front of a sign asking them not to") to the mundane ("8: People playing badminton") and the revealing ("60: Minutes a 27-year-old vocalist stared out a window 'contemplating my next move.'").
You can find the project here.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Details On Next Homework -- Final Project Update and Favorite Multimedia
Part 1... Tell us about your favorite multimedia piece:
* Post a link to it to the blog by start of next class, along with a brief comment telling us why you chose it.
Part 2... Work on researching your final projects or submitting a new pitch:
* E-mail your editor (me) a status update on your final project.
Note any research you’ve done, new thoughts on your plan, etc. Have the e-mail to me by start of next class.
* Post a link to it to the blog by start of next class, along with a brief comment telling us why you chose it.
Part 2... Work on researching your final projects or submitting a new pitch:
* E-mail your editor (me) a status update on your final project.
Note any research you’ve done, new thoughts on your plan, etc. Have the e-mail to me by start of next class.
Links from Today's Class on Audio Slideshows
Here's the story from the New York Times that I mentioned at the beginning of class:
For Photographers, the Image of a Shrinking Path
And here are the two audio slideshows I showed in class:
Weslaco Bullriders: Life Lessons Learned Over 8 Seconds
Under One Roof
For Photographers, the Image of a Shrinking Path
And here are the two audio slideshows I showed in class:
Weslaco Bullriders: Life Lessons Learned Over 8 Seconds
Under One Roof
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Fun with Bunnies: Butler's Orchard's 15th Annual Bunnyland-- By Alix Farr
You can view my slideshow here.
Photo Assignment No. 5
The National Building Museum's annual Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates spring with flowers, dancers, kimonos, paper umbrellas, steel drummers and arts and crafts
By Laura L. Thornton
Photos and captions of the festival can be found here.
By Laura L. Thornton
Photos and captions of the festival can be found here.
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