100 points
Assigned: Monday, October 26, 2020
Due:Â Tuesday, November 10, 2020
We are in the middle of historic times. We are also confronted with serious obstacles to working as journalists. How can you report and tell stories in these times?Â
One way is to work remotely. To enlist your subject to become your reporter and subject. Interviewing them remotely, and getting them to gather video and audio and photos makes you as much as editor as reporter and them as much reporter and subject.
For this assignment you need:
1. A text story:
- A well-written short text that adds to and enhances the video.
- The text must contain the location of the subject (street address) and when the interview/story was done. Dates matter a lot now as things change day to day and hour to hour
A strong lead
Fact-based reporting including at least one quote
2. A photo:
Well exposed and in focus. Depending on the story this photo may need to come from your subject. You will need to give them guidance.
- Photos should be horizontal, not vertical
Good light – don’t shoot into a window
Get close unless the background is important
With caption information. Who is in the photo, where are they, when was it taken, what is going on. Who took the photo?
3. Video
Again, you’ll need to get at least some of the material from your subject. Otherwise, you’ll need to shoot and/or record it. This could mean recording a Skype/Zoom/Facetime interview.
** In Zoom there is a setting to get better video.
- Video should be horizontal. No vertical video!
- Audio should be clear and rich
- Video should be in focus, well exposed and visually interesting
- Video must have a title, lower thirds identifying your subject(s) and a credit
Interview/document someone you don’t know without exposing yourself to infection or spreading infection. This should be an interview conducted over Zoom or some other online chat where you can record the interview. How is this crisis affecting a local business owner, or single parent, or someone who is elderly? Work to find someone who can talk personally about their own experience.
- Getting Good audio: The audio over the internet won’t sound great. How can you get good audio? You will need your subject’s help. Do the interview on their computer, and at the same time have them record the audio on their smartphone, holding it close to themselves. Then have them email the audio to you. You will replace the ‘bad’ internet audio with the better phone video. Watch this Demo for instructions.
- Use a combination of an interview and active b-roll to tell their story. As always, be specific. Get details. Get to the heart of their story. This piece should be no longer than 90 seconds
UPLOADING
- Upload everything to Box as you’ve always done. It is now EXTREMELY important that you are uploading everything. If I can’t open your Premiere project and see everything you will lose points. If you are unclear about creating the proper folder and project go here first:
https://www.willyurman.com/teaching/handouts/PremierePro_Tutorial.pdf page 3
Then ask me
INSPIRATION & EXAMPLES