Multimedia Reporting

 

COMM 481 Lubert 213A, Innovation Park Spring 2018:

Section 002: Tuesday-Thursday:  3:35 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Instructor: Will Yurman, Senior Lecturer of Communications

Office Hours:

Tuesday & Thursday 2:30 – 3:30 at Innovation Park
Wednesday 11am – 1pm at Carnegie 218
and by appointment

Office: Carnegie 218
Telephone: (C)  814-470-5895
Email: will.yurman@gmail.com  (best way to reach me)

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

~Anton Chekhov

Journalism has changed. It is no longer enough to use a pad and pencil, or learn to be a still photographer. The art of storytelling remains the same, but the tools are different. This class uses a hands-on approach to explore the multimedia toolkit for journalists. Students will integrate words, audio, still and moving pictures to produce stories for an online audience. The goal is for each student to produce a professional-caliber portfolio of multimedia work. Prerequisites: Comm 260 or equivalent reporting experience.

Goals

• To recognize, appreciate and produce quality multimedia stories for online publication.
• To learn the fundamentals of audio, digital photography and video.
• To make compelling stories that are technically competent, communicate an idea and emotionally engage the viewer.
• To begin to build a multimedia portfolio.
• To understand the duties of a working journalist in the multimedia age.
• To learn to critically evaluate your own work and the work of others.

Objectives Upon successful completion of this class, students will:

• Produce daily and long-term multimedia reports with a variety of tools for a web-based audience, with the goal of compiling a professional-caliber portfolio of work.
• Generate story ideas and be able to choose the best multimedia reporting strategy.
• Quickly write, revise and proofread text to accompany multimedia projects with the goal of eliminating clutter, awkwardness, misspellings, grammatical errors, punctuation errors and misused words.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of AP style.
• Demonstrate at all times knowledge of journalists’ rights and responsibilities to the reporting and writing of the news.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend every class. Regular and punctual attendance is important. If you will be missing class for a legitimate reason, you should notify me prior to the start of the class via e-mail. Students with excused absences will be permitted to make up work done during the class they missed.  Excused absences are limited to the observance of holy days, or circumstances beyond your control, including:

• your illness.
• a personal emergency such as an accident or severe illness of a family member.
• the funeral of a family member or a friend.
• a canceled plane, bus or train, or hazardous driving conditions on your return from an out-of-town trip.

Any test, quiz, or in-class assignment missed as a result of an excused absence must be made up within one week of the class missed. Students are responsible for contacting me about missed assignments. If you miss class because of an unexcused absence you will receive a zero for any in-class assignment.

You must be present to turn in assignments. Missing class critiques will result in a letter grade reduction.

You are responsible for any information you miss because of an absence from class – that includes lecture notes, changes to the schedule, assignments, etc.

Absences and arriving late for class will affect your final grade
10+ absences(for any reason) – You fail the class

Arriving late will count as 1/2 of an absence

Textbooks

There is no required text for this class. There are many good resources – in print and online that will be mentioned in class, and on the website

Newspapers: For this course you are required to read The New York Times, USA Today, and the Daily Collegian – in print and online.

Supplies

Equipment will be available for sign out through Media Tech and the equipment room at Innovation Park.

We will be using Box.PSU.Edu this semester to submit assignments.

An excellent choice would be a card like this Lexar. Look for cards that have high write speeds and are class 10. This is just one example, not an endorsement. But buy a name brand from a reliable vendor.

An external hard drive is required for this class and you should have a second means of backing up your files. You will want to back up your work – servers fail, and it’s important to have a backup. You may also want to work on assignments outside of class.

Your work should be backed up AT LEAST twice. IF you have your work on your computer, then you’ll want one backup drive. If you work on school computers you should have two drives (at least).  There are two kinds of hard drives in the world. Those that have crashed and those that will crash.

You will want a drive with certain features:

• 7200 rpm or solid state (this is the speed the drive spins. Slower drives will make editing video difficult.)
• USB 3.0 is very fast
• Thunderbolt is Apple’s very fast connector.
• Size – I would suggest at least 500GB, but buy the biggest you can afford. They fill up quickly
• Portability – desktop drives are usually cheaper, but can be a pain to carry around.
  • Solid State Drives (SSD). These drives are typically more dependable and less prone to break. But are also more expensive. Because they have no moving parts they do better if you keep your drive in your backpack and it’s constantly getting shaken.
  • Traditional drives use a spinning disc – they are less expensive.
• You might consider getting one of each. Leave the traditional drive someplace safe at home and use it as a backup.

There are a ton of choices. Cheapest isn’t usually best.

For Solid State Drives(SSD) here is one option from Samsung. You can get this drive in different sizes. 500GB should be plenty for this class. For Traditional drives I like the G-Technology drives. Many people use the LaCie Rugged drives. Keep in mind that ALL drives fail, it’s a just a question of when. Have two drives and two copies of your work.

Grading

Journalism is about documenting the human condition. To be successful in this course you will show people in your stories. Grades will be based on audio, photographs, video, text and captions as well as class participation. Assignments will be evaluated using the following criterion:

• Journalistic Content – Does the work tell the story? Is it compelling and accurate? Do the audio and visuals work together to engage the reader and make the best use of the medium?
• Technical Excellence – Is the audio of the highest quality? Are the visuals well-composed, properly exposed, in focus.
• Aesthetics – are the images visually compelling, is the editing thoughtful and logical. Does the story contain strong moments, emotion, humanity.

I expect lots of failure (though not failing grades) and mistakes early on as we learn a brand new language of storytelling. I encourage you to work hard, have fun, take chances, experiment.

Assignments will be evaluated using the following criterion:

•  Effort =
  • Did you find a strong story and subject appropriate to the assignment
  • Did you pick a story that is actually happening in the moment
  • Did you spend enough time in the interview
  • Did you shoot real moments, spending enough time to allow the action to unfold naturally
• Audio =
  • Was the audio recorded in a proper environment
  • Were proper audio levels set
  • Do interviews sound rich and clear
  • Was natural sound recorded where appropriate
  • Was the mic close enough. Did you use a lav or wireless mic
• Visual =
  • Were the camera settings properly configured for the assignment
  • Is the image properly exposed
  • Is the color balance correct
  • Is the photo in focus and not blurry
  • Was a proper shutter speed used to prevent blurriness (for stills)
  • Was the photo/video properly toned
  • Video: Did you shoot sequences
  • Video: Did you have enough B-roll
  • Video: Was the interview framed and shot properly with an appropriate background and proper lighting
  • Was there a good variety of images – wide, medium and tight.
  • Are the images visually interesting and storytelling
• Editing =
  • Does the story flow in a logical and interesting way
  • Is the audio edited smoothly and mixed properly
  • Did you avoid jump cuts
  • Are there proper lower thirds and title and credit slides
  • Are there any technical mistakes in the edit
•  Content =
  • Is the story interesting
  • Does the story have journalistic content
  • Does the organization of the story keep our attention and lead us somewhere
  • Does the interview get beyond the basic (boring) facts and explore an idea or emotion
  • Did you conduct multiple interviews where appropriate
  • Does your text advance the story and is it properly written, grammatically correct.

For graded assignments:

• A –  An exceptional story that truly engages the viewer, has a narrative arc, and is technically superior
• B –  A good story that has a strong character or point of view, but may have some technical or narrative flaws.
• C – A publishable story that has the basic facts correct, but does not engage the viewer and/or suffers from technical flaws.
• D – A multimedia piece that is unpublishable either because of serious story structure problems or significant technical problems including difficult to understand audio, poor visuals, etc. Text or captions that include incorrect information or incorrect spellings of names receive a grade no higher than a “D.”
• F –  An unpublishable story that isn’t relevant to the assignment or any work turned in late. Effort shows little ambition on the part of the multimedia journalist.  Stories with ethical issues receive a failing grade. Text or captions that include incorrect information or incorrect spellings of names, or incorrect identifications, will likely receive a failing grade.

Grading Percentage Breakdown:

Deadlines:

Photojournalists must adapt to changing situations. You must meet deadlines. A missed deadline means you receive a zero for the assignment. All assignments are due on time. Finishing work during class is not fair to other students and is not acceptable. Unless you have an excused absence and the instructor is notified via email in advance, you must be present at the start of class to hand in assignments. If you have an excused absence, or are unable to attend class, it is still your responsibility to turn in assignments on time.

Digital Photojournalism Lab Policies / Hours:

The computer lab will be open when classes are not in session. There may be other times when use of the lab is restricted. Students will have 24-hour swipe card access to the building and lab.  Do not allow anyone else to enter the lab.Do not block the lab door open.According to university policy, no food or drink is permitted in the lab. Students caught with food or drink in the lab may lose lab privileges. The number of printouts made will be monitored electronically. If students are abusing 24-hour lab privileges, lab hours will be restricted.

Website/communication Class information will be available on the website at: https://www.willyurman.com/teaching Updates to the syllabus, assignments, handouts etc. will all be on the website.

• I will use email for any last minute updates/cancellations/changes
• Please make sure I have your current and preferred email address.

GRADES

I will email you a critique and grade for assignments. Grades will be posted on Canvas

Assignment Standards

• Digital files/assignments will be placed on the server. It is extremely important that all files and folders contain your name and the assignment name.
• Except where noted on an assignment, students should not use their friends and relatives for class assignments. Exceptions should be approved in advance. It is very difficult to make a living documenting your friends.
• PLEASE, check your work before turning it in. If I can’t open a file, or you’ve sent me the wrong file, I’ll be forced to give you a zero.
• All assignments must be publishable and fall within societal norms for decency and good taste.
• Unless you specifically say otherwise, it is assumed that any work submitted for this class may be published on the Commedia, Centre Daily Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Penn State University, or other websites. Student images may also be used in university publications. Select stories will be entered in regional and national photojournalism competitions.

Gear Checkout

Some gear is available through the college in Lubert 213. The University’s Media Tech also has a large pool of gear available at the Wagner Annex.

MEDIA TECH is located in the Wagner Building. The entrance is on the backside of the building, look for the blue awning. You’ll need your Penn State ID to sign out gear.

Media Tech is generally open M-W 7:45am – 7:45pm, check with them for specific hours as they change semester to semester

Main Phone:  865-5400

Email:  UL-MTSSEQ@LISTS.PSU.EDU

The Innovation Park equipment room is also open M-F

Internet

Students are not permitted to use the internet during class hours to check Facebook or email. Students using the internet for anything other than class work (during class) will have points deducted from their class participation grade.

Cell Phones

Please do not use your cell phone for personal use during class – not texting, visiting websites, playing games, etc. Students using a cell phone during class hours for anything other than class work will have points deducted from their class participation grade.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly and creative activity in an open, honest and responsible manner, free from fraud and deception, and is an educational objective of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications and the University. Cheating – including plagiarism, falsification of research data, using the same assignment for more than one class, turning in someone else’s work, or passively allowing others to copy your work – will result in academic penalties at the discretion of the instructor. In serious cases, it could also result in suspension or dismissal from the University or in the assignment of an “XF” grade (failed for academic dishonesty).

As students studying communications, you should understand and avoid plagiarism (presenting the work of others as your own.) A discussion of plagiarism, with examples, can be found at http://tlt.psu.edu/plagiarism/student-tutorial/. The rules and policies regarding academic integrity should be reviewed by every student, and can be found online at: http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20 and in the College of Communications document, “Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures.” Any student with a question about academic integrity or plagiarism is strongly encouraged to discuss it with his or her instructor.

Reporting Bias: Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff.  Acts of intolerance, discrimination, harassment, and/or incivility due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity at the Report Bias website: http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/statement.

Reporting Bias

Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff.  Acts of intolerance, discrimination, harassment, and/or incivility due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity at the Report Bias website: http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/statement.

Students with Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. For information, go to the Student Disability Resources website: http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources. 

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Confidential Services

Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional wellbeing. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings.  These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park (CAPS): 814-863-0395
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400
Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741

Our Community

As journalists, the subjects of our stories should reflect the entire community we serve. Showing diversity in your assignments is essential.