460 Syllabus

Will Yurman
will.yurman@gmail.com
814-470-5895 (cell)

Comm 460 Mobile Reporting

 

Class 1

IN CLASS

Overview of  Mobile tools

Using your phone to report visually

ASSIGNMENT

Assignment:  The Mobile Interview
DUE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 28TH AT 11:59 PM

Video Interviews With A Phone Camera

Upload two video interviews with different people. 60 Seconds MAXIMUM

Follow up on the March For Our Lives protests and the broader issue of gun violence.Ask your subjects about this weekend’s protests regarding gun violence in schools.

Have they thought about the issue?
What is important to them?
what should be done?
Have their views changed?
What is the role of students in this kind of protest, in democracy in general?

These are starting points. You can ask them any questions you like about the issue of guns in the context of this latest round of protests following the shooting in Parkland, Florida and any other current related issues.

If your subject is boring, find someone else and do it again. Turn in your two best.

Tips:

  • Stand close to your subjects for good audio quality and less camera shake.
  • Look for a location that is well lit, but not in direct sunlight.
  • Hold the camera horizontally. Hold the camera steady by locking your arms at your side. Don’t “Pan” and “Zoom” during the interview.
  • Fill most of the frame with your subject.
  • Consider the area where you’ll be doing the interview. Will ambient sound add to, or take away from the quality of your interview. Will the background detract from the interview?
  • Ask open-ended questions that prompt more than a one or two-word response.
  • Allow the camera to continue running for a few seconds at the end of the interview.
  • Listen to your subject’s responses. Don’t talk during your subject’s response. Use non-verbal cues.
    Our goal is to capture meaningful responses without hearing the interviewer.
  • Silence is your friend. Allow the camera to continue to record if your subject pauses.

Completed interviews should be put in a folder, slugged with your name:  First_Last_Interview_1

Uploaded your two videos to the folder, Section_002_UPLOAD or Section_001_UPLOAD to Box
(YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LINK TO ACCESS YOUR CLASS FOLDER – IF NOT LET ME KNOW)

The Box app can be downloaded to your phone for free. The folder for this class should be visible when you access Box using your PSU Login. The folder you upload should contain the two interview files.

Questions or problems? Don’t be shy about emailing or texting

 

Class 2

Instagram with prizes

You have 15 minutes to make a nice portrait of someone not in this class, a stranger, and post it to Instagram using the #hashtag below for your class

Include Your Name and your subject’s name in the caption

Remember what we talked about in class

Moment

expression

body language

Light

avoid squinty overhead light

bright light on their face

darker background

Background

Avoid things sticking out of their head

If the background is far away it will be less obtrusive

Look for interesting shapes or colors

Frame your subject

Rule of thirds

Converging lines

#comm460_001
#comm460_002

 

Look at your videos