Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Final Project Trailer, Perry

Final Project Trailer, Haynes

Final Project Trailer O'Kane

Final Project Trailer, Leckron

Final Project Trailer-Woolfson

Final Project Preview, Lee

Final Project Preview, Senay



This is a profile on Josh Harkavy and his record store in D.C., Red Onion Records.

Final Project Preview, Trager


Final Project Trailer, Trager from Alyson Trager on Vimeo.

Final Project Trailer, Dalsheim

Final Project Preview, Lubbehusen

Final Project Preview, Jeffery

Final Project Preview, Gray

Final Project Preview, Casey


Final Project Preview

Eliseé Browchuk's Final Project Preview: 


Final Project Preview, Gershkovich

https://soundcloud.com/user-350356944/final-project-preview-uber-drivers

Friday, November 24, 2017

Sopher, Photo Assignment #4

The flag drops at Xfinity Center during the Terps' 79-65 win over Butler.

Fans cheer in the student section during Maryland's homecoming game against Indiana.

Flags are placed on McKeldin Mall on Sept. 11. 

The Terps run onto the field at the start of the homecoming game.

Sopher, Photo Assignment #3

Tight Shot 1: I love the wine glasses with the Yiddish phrases on them.
Tight Shot 2: I love the finish on the little metal tag. 
Tight Shot 3: The Shabbat candles sit on a tray that has been passed down for generations in my family.
Medium Shot 1: Landon laughs during dinner.
Medium Shot 2: Sophia makes a plate. I liked the reflection in the microwave.
Medium Shot 3: Bubbe talks to a family friend.
Wide Shot 1: Everyone sat down to eat and talk.
Wide Shot 2: My siblings sit with our cousins before dinner.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Video Assignment #2, Markey

Video Assignment #2, Markey from Taylor Markey on Vimeo.

Bortel Video Assignment 2

Video Assignment #2, Marsh

Video Assignment #2, Tulp

Video Assignment #2, Kostka

Video Assignment #2, Brown

Video Assignment #2, Gross

Video Assignment #2, Haynes

Video Assignment #2, Condon

Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Losers' Bracket from Christine Condon on Vimeo.

Video Assignment 2, Critelli

Video Assignment 2, Brown

video assignment #2, Espinosa

Video Assignment 1, Anikis

Video Assignment 1 from Lauren Anikis on Vimeo.

Video Assignment 2, Anikis

Rock Paper Scissor Sequence from Lauren Anikis on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Divers

Bridget's Sequence from Bridget Divers on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2 Leckie

Video Assignment #2 Leckie from Paige Leckie on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Hobbs

Video Assignment #2, Oyefusi

Video Assignment #2 from Daniel Oyefusi on Vimeo.

Video assignment #2, Politzer

Audio Assignment #2

IMG_3200 from Veronica Canales on Vimeo.

Goodman, Video Assignment #2

Video Assignment #2, Bhatt

Video Assignment #2, Bhatt from Shruti Bhatt on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Mateik

RockPaperScissors, Mateik from Caitlyn Mateik on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Tobler

Rock, Paper, Scissors from Ally Tobler on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Underwood

Video Assignment #2 from Ambriah Underwood on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Conner

Rock Paper Scissors Final from Jazmin Conner on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Cherry

Sequence Video.mp4 from MacKaiya Cherry on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2 Murphy

Video Assignment #2, Cooper

Video Assignment #2, Sopher

Ilardi, Video Assignment #2

Video Assignment #2, Blum

Video Assignment #2, Friedman

Video Assignment #2 from Miller Friedman on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Friedman

Video Assignment #1 from Miller Friedman on Vimeo.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Video Assignment #2, Lee

Video Assignment #2 Andemicael

Video Assignment #2

Video Assignment #2, Casey



Video Assignment #2, Perry

Video Assignment #2, Hersh

Rock, Paper, Scissors from Molly Hersh on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2, Senay



LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

Video Assignment #2, Lubbehusen

Video Assignment#2. Dalsheim

Video Assignment #2, Trager

Trager, Video Assignment #2 from Alyson Trager on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2 O'Kane

Video Assignment #2, Jeffery

Video assignment #2, Seidel

In-class video assignment, Seidel from Andrew Seidel on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #2. Singh

Sequence Project-Woolfson

In-class assignment, Shahzad

Video Assignment #2, Gray


In-Class Assignment, Dulany

Video Assignment #2 from Charlotte Dulany on Vimeo.

In-Class Assignment: Eliseé Browchuk

In-Class Assignment: Rock, Paper, Scissor


Friday, November 10, 2017

Video Assignment #1, Cooper

Video Assignment #1

Audio Assignment #1 from Veronica Canales on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Conner


Iphone X Final from Jazmin Conner on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Underwood

Video Assignment #1 from Ambriah Underwood on Vimeo.

Haynes, Video Assignment #1

Video Assignment #1, Markey

Video Assignment #1 from Taylor Markey on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Lee


Marsh, Video Assignment #1

Video Assignment 1 Bortel

Video Assignment #1, Tulp


Video Assignment #1 Andemicael

Video Assignment #1, Hersh

Dressed For Class from Molly Hersh on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Condon

Video Assignment 1 from Christine Condon on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Kostka

Video Assignment #1, Critelli

Video Assignment #1, Gross

video assignment 1, Brown

Video Assignment #1, Espinosa

Video Assignment #1 Leckie

Video Assignment #1, Divers

Video Assignment #1 from Bridget Divers on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Blum

Video Assignment #1 Murphy

Video Assignment #1, Oyefusi

Video Assignment #1 from Daniel Oyefusi on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Politzer

Video Assignment #1, Tobler

Video Assignment #1 from Ally Tobler on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Bhatt

Video Assignment #1, Bhatt from Shruti Bhatt on Vimeo.

Ilardi, Video Assignment #1

Video Assignment #1, Thompson

Trump suggestion from Meghan Thompson on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Cherry

Video Assignment #1, Casey

Video Assignment #1, Mateik


Audio Assignment 1, Childhood from Caitlyn Mateik on Vimeo.

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Video Assignment #1, Gershkovich

Video Assignment #1, Senay

Video Assignment #1

Video Assignment #1, Perry

Video Assignment #1, Lubbehusen

Video Assignment #1, Jeffery

Video Assignment #1, Gray



Video Assignment #1-Woolfson

Video Assignment #1, Singh

Video Assignment #1, Dalsheim

Video Assignment #1, Trager

Trager, Video Assignment #1 from Alyson Trager on Vimeo.

Video Assignment #1, Shahzad

Video Assignment #1 Eliseé Browchuk

Video Assignment #1: Eliseé Browchuk



Sunday, November 5, 2017

Pre-Video Assignment, Smith

The Good:


This video does a good job of telling a very vivid story. There is a good mix of both natural sound, voice overs, and interview footage. There is a really good use of the b-roll footage that they had and use it in between the narration to tell the story. They used pictures, b-roll, and interview footage in this project. They use specific examples and give background to the story. It was also I think creative to use the black and white pictures during the time that they were talking about the history of the high school. There were good transitions and the video quality of the multiple videos in different settings all matched each other well.

The Bad:

This video has a good use of graphics and transitions but there is one reason I deem the overall video as not that good. The main story was about a woman and her son living off of $7.50 an hour. The mother works at McDonalds and the short documentary illustrated her life through all financial aspects. With the mom being the focal point of this project, I think that they did a very poor job with her interviews and the placement of the cameras. They did some close up shots, but they also had a reoccurring shot they used to interview her where the camera was angled up at her. Although I think that possibly they could have chosen this angle to incorporate the background of her living room in the shot, I think that they could have done a better job portraying their main subject. This angle does not compliment her well and I think that they could have implemented other angles besides that one to accomplish a multi-shot interview. Otherwise, this project does a good job telling a story, especially their use of graphics.

Friday, November 3, 2017

Pre Video Assignment, Hersh

Good example: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2013/06/20/190741862/video-how-a-used-bottle-becomes-a-new-bottle -tells the story in a way that makes sense to the audience in terms of flow -B-roll footage lines up with what's being said over it, easy to follow -creative, artistic shots -good interviews with good sources keeps the audience engaged -takes a boring story and makes it interesting Bad example: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yY96hTb8WgI -narrator's voice is a little annoying -audio in the beginning is off -fish eye part where he filmed the phone is hard to see, can't read the phone -story told a bit too fast, hard for audience to follow

Pre Video Assignment, Anikis

Good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc3HIwZUly0

In this video the music is very good, it's subtle but adds a lot to the mood of video.  The graphics and photos are also very helpful in explaining the point she is trying to make.  The audio is not too loud and not too quiet.  The timing is perfect and transitions keep you interested.  Giving faces to names is a good way to help the audience keep up with what you are hearing. The plain black background keeps it simple and focused on what she is saying.

Bad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=entO_wLI2Yc

The fast cuts and flashing lights make my brain spin. Everything moves so fast it is hard to keep up with it and it takes your focus away from what is being said.   The speed of everything just doesn't allow to pay attention to what is actually happening.  Camera zooms in and is unstable in some shots. Some of the shots that are in a row don't make sense and make the video confusing when you are trying to figure out how they fit together. Camera is out of focus and re-focuses during the video in some parts. Some of the security footage is so bad you can't see what's happening and it makes it look sloppy. Some of the fades/transitions do not make sense for the video.

Pre Video Assignment, Bortel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UafJray8ZsI This one has good camera quality as well as quality interviews. They had to use subtitles, but they did a good job of not making them intrusive to the video but still in a good spot that helps you understand what is being said. They used footage form a commercial in the 1980s the worked well in the piece. The topic was interesting and something that people in the US might find odd as well. An interesting piece just done smoothly. Music works very well when it is used also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtoHc2aeK6s This video is creative, but it tries to cram too much into not enough time. The videos are supposed to be kind of funny too but it just takes away from the information you are trying to get. The music is also pretty distracting too. This could have been a lot better if it was more fleshed out and just easier to understand.

Prevideo assignment, Espinosa

The Good: 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/10/13/557158017/video-harvesting-a-wild-lunch-with-a-master-forager

 I think this is a good project because not only is it interesting, but the visuals, audio, and story produce an overall excellent video. The small graphics that lay on top of the actual film is very interesting and give the video some texture and dimension. Before we even really see him, we are given a flipping “paper” with all the information of where we are going and who we are going to be talking to. I also like what Nick did not specifically explain, the producer added with his graphic over Nicks audio. The audio is super balanced. There are even little sound effects that go with the graphics which, again, just makes it that much more intriguing… but that's NPR for you.

The Bad: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Crv7Ud1Ck

 The project wasn’t bad, but it was really frustrating to listen to with headphones because it kept bouncing from right to left. The visuals were fine, it matched with the audio, but I feel like there could have been more graphics. For example, having the farmer's name show up at the bottom when we meet him for the first time. Its little things that definitely would've made this better.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8420oZGgrc

This was just a profile but it was just a profile. It was very bland, the photo at the beginning was poor quality, and the background was extremely distracting. I kept watching the fan instead of listening to what he had to say.

Pre Video Assignment Andemicael

Civil War Sickness from isa gueye on Vimeo.

This project has clean transitions, clear audio and it follows some sort of scriptwriting. The project displays creativity in its display of its opening and closing titles. The story has clear narration and steady camerawork. This project feels hurried as it has messy transitions. It seems more like a slideshow with music rather than a video project. The camerawork is shakey and there is no narration. The viewer is forced to read large amounts of text as well.

Pre-Video Assignment, Marsh

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/pope-francis-no-more-no-more-war/2017/11/02/9fa86a92-c025-11e7-9294-705f80164f6e_video.html?utm_term=.f1eec897fae4

This video is meant to show a solemn address from a powerful world leader, and I think the essence of the video effectively captures the profound sadness the Pope is speaking on. However, the video does not get too creative with what it shows. I think this video could've been a lot more enticing by showing the people who came to listen to the Pope's speech, as well as other scenery. The B-Roll is very slow-paced which goes right in line with the Pope’s energy, and painted a nice picture to supplement the Pope’s speech, but I do think the team could've done more to give better and more interesting visual information, as well as possibly interview people who were there.


http://abcnews.go.com/Video

This video was so fun! It reminded me a lot of the animal video we watched in class. The team creating this video did a nice job presenting the information in an interesting and clever way, with tons of color in the background. The guy looked comfortable in his home and the B-Roll went right along with the story and it all flowed together seamlessly. 

Pre-Video Assignment, Brown

Good example http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/serengeti-lion/index.html#/tracking-lions I think this is a good project because it is a very interactive way of telling a story about the serengeti lion. The audio that was embedded in the pictures that you could scroll through provided a way for you to have control over the user interface while also being able to listen to the narration. Bad Example http://www.npr.org/2017/09/13/550711289/saturns-strangest-sights-as-captured-by-a-doomed-spacecraft The only reason why I think this is a bad multimedia project is because of the chronology of the project. I think the topic in the title pulls me in because it implies that the multimedia production will all be at least slightly involved with the sights that Cassini documented. The beginning of the project begins with the history of the creation of the satellite, which bored me a bit, and turned me off to a project I thought to be very interesting based on the title.

Pre-Video Assignment, Brown

Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcOPonPkcbs

This ESPN package on the recent struggles of the Cleveland Cavaliers could use some work. The music is way too distracting and loud and takes the viewers away from what is actually going on in the video. In addition, it would be nice to get more soundbites from the actual team rather than getting the professional opinions of former players and basketball analysts. While the overall quality of the package/segment is not bad, the package could use some more effort in regards to going out and getting more soundbites and interviews from the people they talk about.

Good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-peB5N28So

The package from ABC News on an in-depth package on the Virginia Tech shooting massacre and his thoughts and manifesto on why he wanted to do what he did was much better. The transitions between each segment of either the shooter talking, his roommate or a field reporter was very good and kept the attention of the viewers. At the end of the video the package saves some time to give analysis and opinion on the tragic events, much different from the ESPN video that used analysis throughout the video without getting all the soundbites, interviews and great graphics that ABC worked so hard to get.

Pre-Video Assignment, Leckie

Good: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/more-than-600-refugees-stranded-on-a-remote-island-in-south-pacific/2017/11/02/85ad20dc-bf8b-11e7-9294-705f80164f6e_video.html?utm_term=.b3523fbbcf63

The B-roll is interesting and relates to what the narrator is saying. It's relevant and not too long, and is thus able to hold the viewer's attention. The natural sounds in the back add to the video and don't distract the viewer, and the interview was well done, with good audio and good content.



Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEUzpNrFZVk&index=16&list=PLm5vcRtCmhtOgeLcNb5v0Hzcs44mNXArW

The video isn't bad, and overall it is a good video. However the music as natural sound over some parts can be distractingly loud and some of the B-roll is uninteresting at times. Some of the B-roll is also somewhat distracting at times and then audio can be choppy and abrasive to the viewer at times.

Pre-Video Assignment, Bhatt

Good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9P3VNnyovs

This video shows each interviewee's face and what they look like with their voice being heard in the background. There is a good balance of natural sound because it's not overpowering the main voice. I also think the slow motion of showing people walk away from the gas station makes the story more 'dramatic' and it makes the viewer feel like Puerto Ricans are truly struggling. Lastly, there is a good amount of broad frames to show the long lines as well as close-ups to individual people.


Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dD2eG1nF7U

I understand what this video was trying to show but I think getting different angles of the woman washing clothes in a river would have added more to it. For example, if there was a close up of her hands, that would have been a good and different angle. I'm not sure if they decided not get different angles because this was recorded on 360 video and it would have been hard to do. I do think the natural sound of the water was a huge plus in this piece.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Pre-Video Assignment Sopher



The good:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkrDhoOW2bA

This is an example of a good multimedia project. It has different angles and the sound quality is good. The story itself is very interesting. The nat sound is good. One thing working against it is rather small but noticeable. The one woman who is interviewed has a cord running behind her in the background. It seems out of place. The wind is also working against the audio but it is low enough that it serves more to set the scene (windy winter days) than it does obscure the important information.


The bad:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZ2G-azWCE

This is a bad multimedia project because one of the first things I noticed was the bad sound quality. The voices are too quiet and hard to hear over the random sounds and music in the background. There is also camera shake. The video quality is grainy. The voiceovers have a tinny quality to them. The creator clearly attempted to use nat sound but it was poor quality and they defeated themselves by adding corny and distracting music over the nat sound.

Pre-Video Assignment, Seidel

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5DbQW64FJRs

I thought this was a poor example of a multimedia project. I understood what they were going for with this video, but a lot of the editing seemed forced. To start, I thought splitting the screen with half of it containing someone's face stuck in a weird position in a grayed-out color scheme seemed odd. I also thought the camera angles for the interviews from the 01:23-01:39 looked strange given the previous shots.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=686IRxfjzT0

In my opinion, this is an example of a good multimedia project. The video uses a combination of many different multimedia tools including video, still photography, firsthand witness accounts (via cellphone cameras) and audio clips from police scanners. Contrary to the previous example, the different camera angles, specifically from the cellphone cameras, played into its emotional appeal. This project also uses a Google Earth type of display to show the area. At first, the viewer gets an overall shot, then the camera zooms in and moves along the route of the attack, following in sync with the narration. The use of visuals such as the lines marking where things such as the crash happened were helpful. In this video, the use of the split screen makes sense. On one half of the screen, the viewer sees a firsthand account of what happened, while on the other half of the screen the viewer gets an overview shot of that specific area.

Pre-Video Assignment, Markey

Good example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOXOF9qQNJk

I think the Washington Post did a great job with this video because it was able to get its point across on gun reform and the Las Vegas shooting. The video has great audio and shows the interview with Amanda Getchell, who is the focus of the video. The Post makes it more personal by showing her unpacking things from her room and photos of her and her friends. It also shows a video from when the shooting occurred, which is chilling to see and hear along with parts of Getchell's interview when she talks about what was going through her mind during that time. At different points of the interview, it is possible to hear the emotion from her voice, which is very powerful. The "natural or ambient" sound used in the video is amazing as well--such as the clicking of the gun her dad gave her for self defense. What I found most chilling was the sound of the fan at 2:52 of the video right as she was talking about how it (along with other sounds) can remind her of the sound of the rifles.

Bad example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pluxSmR1ICI

CNN Money did a video on a mansion in New Jersey with a pool inside the house. The title itself is kind of simple--"Mansion for sale: Swim in your living room." The audio at times does not match up with what is being shown in the house, which gets very confusing. At times, just a small portion of a room was shown rather than the whole room and it made me think, "What is the point of this?" The shots of the mansion also made me dizzy at times. The music change at 1:11 is unnecessary and kind of out of place. The worst part is at the end (at 2:24) where whoever is holding the camera just runs around--it doesn't really add much to the video and just makes it confusing.

Pre-Video Assignment, Gross

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5FEYAQOEw

This is not a great video assignment. For starters, the audio is inconsistent and some shots are shaky. The reporter also told the whole story herself, not letting the people in the video do so. The CGs could have been improved, ideally making them two lines instead of having back-to-back commas on one line. Also, she did not write to her video. She finished the package with a standup, which is good, but should have stated a fact too. Just saying who she was and the publication is an abrupt and weird ending.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nml-w10HuPk

I really liked this video for a few reasons. The reporter let the person who the package was on tell the story, making it more compelling. They also wrote to the video and told a real story in doing so. The first package about the journalism fair was told somewhat with a scrambled list of ideas, no real cohesive point. The interviews in this packagealso use the 'Rule of Thirds' making them look sharp. The ending to the video was powerful, and the slow dip to black was a nice touch.

Pre Video Assignment, Canales

Good Video
https://vimeo.com/96537662

This is an example of a good multi-media project. We hear the story of a woman who went blind after a stroke, but started seeing motion. It is a really cool video because we see things from the lady's perspective. For example, she talks about how she could start seeing rain, the steam from the kettle, and her daughter's ponytail moving from side to side and the video gave us those visuals. We are hearing the story while also viewing things from her point of view, drawing you right into the story. We get a perspective of how she sees the world around her while also learning what happened to her vision and brain due to the stroke. When she says she is able to see people but not their faces, the visuals really helped me understand what she meant.

Bad Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyyvQikuog4

I wouldn't necessarily say this a bad video but it isn't good either. It is sort of in between. I really like the story of it (mom and daughter doing graffiti of chicken) and I like how both the mom and the 10 year old had something to say about what they were doing but there were moments when I became distracted by the use of the colors in the video, especially at the beginning. Also, during some moments there is too much camera movement like zooming in and out or moving left and right. I think it is better if the camera would have stayed at a fixed positions. The color effects are distracting and don't add to the story. Neat story, but video could be better.

Pre-video Assignment, Politzer

https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000005168975/tuam-ireland-babies.html?playlistId=100000002500298&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=Times+Documentaries&contentPlacement=0&module=featured-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click

This is an example of a good multimedia project. It had a good balance of emotion and fact, without ever needing a narrator or voiceover from a reporter. The personal testimonies from the locals provided the necessary information and history, and anything else that needed to be added was provided with words on the screen, rather than a reporter's voice. I think this added to the piece. If a reporter had inserted themselves into the package, it would have detracted from the emotion and intensity of the horrid events that happened in the mother and child home.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxaXHHTobQ0

This is an example of a bad multimedia project. The first thing I noticed was the camera movement. It was very shaky or panned around the scene, making me dizzy. The sound quality was also very poor. There were many moments throughout the video that all I heard was wind noise, or the audio levels were all over the place. One moment it would be too loud, and I couldn't hear anything in the next shot. I also think the project took too long to get to the main point. I was confused as to what the purpose of the project was for too long and it should have been explained sooner.

Pre-Video Assignment Murphy

Good Example: Ziggy Manages The Dodgers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip4-iNN1Gqw

For a project and production like this, B-roll is necessary. The B-roll provided is well done with narrator to natural sound transitions. The background music isn't overbearing, but it's there to provide ambience. There are a lot of visuals, from Ziggy's house to all the shots of Dodger Stadium before, during, and after the game, which adds to the story in general. The narrator, while he talks over some of the B-roll, isn't the loudest voice in the piece. All of the subjects in the video, when talking, are able to be heard. Their voices might even be amplified, which is good for the audio side. The transitions between shots were smooth and followed the progression of the piece, from the announcement, to the game itself. Everything flowed very smoothly and it allowed for a beautifully told story. They made sure to take the subject matter of the video and make that the most important thing, which then led into the rest of the video. Overall, it was very well-done and well-produced and edited by whoever did the piece.

Bad Example: Penn State Multimedia Journalism Camp - 2013 Camp Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhEP_SkDryA

Two things to preface this: 1. I participated in this camp for two years, 2014-2015. 2. Penn State is utter garbage. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I just wanted to say that this video relies too much on photos than video. The transitions are tough to watch because the majority of what you are watching are photos rather than clips. All of the interviews done with students were done in the exact same room, making it monotonous. In terms of B-roll, there wasn't much to work with. There wasn't much external audio either, which is a result of the heavy and over-use of photos. Also, in terms of the interviews themselves, too much of the interview was showed. There wasn't enough B-roll or other things to dub over it after you see the person for the first 10 seconds or so. So not only was the majority of the video just photos, it was also mostly student interviews, there wasn't enough going on in-between shots.

Pre-Video Assignment, Kostka

The bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAxItYp9aFY

The random video clips behind the text made it difficult to read along since my eyes gravitated towards the random guy washing the side of a building. While I like that I don't need audio to follow this video, the text goes by pretty quickly and it's highly numbers based (Understandably so, considering it's about a tax plan). I think it would have been better to highlight the 'so-what' about each tax proposal since I'm left unsure if it really does anything in my life.

The Good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbiY0Sk1G0g

I love the start of it, jumping straight into the topic to pull you in. The interview this video begins with basically sums up the entire story. The guy is shocked to hear Christian Pulisic is American. I think it mixes different video clips well, highlighting the speed of soccer by switching camera angles quickly. The sound is level so I can understand all the voices yet still get a sense of the atmosphere of Dortmund and the videos. It mixes old videos so well with interviews and tells the story well from his earliest days to his early successes with the national team and Dortmund.

Pre-Video Assignment, Friedman

Bad Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrLH9pUSIiQ

I think this is a poorly constructed project because it is all over the map. The project starts by introducing Tweedy's kids, and it seems as though the story is going to go in the direction of Tweedy's home life. Instead, the video evolves into a general survey of Tweedy's band, Wilco, and provides little to no information about how they gained their success and why people love them so much. Additionally, the only member of Wilco interviewed for the project was Tweedy, but the focus is on the band rather than him. It would make more sense to construct the video around Tweedy's function in the band rather than the band as a whole if they could only interview him. It's disappointing to see such a great misrepresented to an audience that is probably not that familiar with their music.

Good Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V-k-p4wzxg

This is a great project because it sheds light on a scene in a film that has important implications. "Silence of the Lambs" is a complex movie, and the narrator does a good job of getting inside director Jonathan Demme's head and giving the viewers a clearer picture of the intent of the scene. The best part about this project is that you do not need to have seen "Silence of the Lambs" to get something valuable out of the video. Using blocking and framing to show power can be applied simply to movies in general, which is what makes the narrator's video so impressive. He uses a specific example to illuminate a general point about filmmaking.


Pre-video Assignment, Conner

CBS News Video:


This video is a good representation of a multi-media project because it displays balance between emotional appeal and informative reporting. For example, devastation of streets and homes were shown as the reporter described the effect Maria was having on the residents and community. Specifically, he spoke of the risk of mudslides, the Mayor’s effort to mobilize residents, and even presented a personal resident account of the hurricane. The reporter’s ability to not only show and tell, but to do both in an equal degree is what makes this video effective.

New York Times Video:



This reason this video is a bad representation of a multi-media project relates to the reason the CBS News video was a good representation; it does not have a balance between informative reporting and emotional appeal. For example, both audio and visual was used for emotional appeal all the while information was provided through the occasional words on the screen. This information seemed out of place because it was general or of public knowledge. Another thing to note is that unlike footage was stitched together that made the purpose of this video clear; viewers should feel sympathy for the events taking place. Overall the purpose was surface level. 

Pre-Broadcast Assignment, Cherry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2nadEX0_ik

This was a bad example because the camera moved around while following the subject and when the student went into the classroom it was too dark in the room. The acting was not too good and the lighting throughout it could have used some help. But I am not sure how serious this project was to get people to join the multimedia class.




https://www.nytimes.com/video/nyregion/100000005518361/17-shacks-and-a-piece-of-hudson-history-fishermen.html?playlistId=100000004810039&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=The+Daily+360&contentPlacement=2&module=featured-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click


This was good because it was shot on a 360 cam and it gave me the chance to look around the shack in Houston and be able to still interact because there were words that were embedded throughout the post. It allowed the viewer to gain information on what was happening in Houston and how people were evicted out of their homes. I liked the 360 idea because it lets the viewer put themselves in that situation just for a little while.

Pre-Video Assignment, Underwood



A good example of a multi-media project. While it's obviously not produced at the highest-level, I think it's a great representation of project that can just as easily be done by a student. The audio was done well: the narrator's brief voice-over concisely explaining what the interviews do not and the use of interviews on top of separate camera shots add to the quality of the piece. There are many different angles used; the audience sees the subject in three different environments to relate this incredibly rare condition the average human experience. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the vertical camera shots and videos, they were visually significant and important enough to the story that I think they worked (or at least get a pass) in the context. Overall, as aforementioned, this type of project seems attainable to the skills possessed by JOUR203 students while also managing to convey different tones and incorporate all three elements used in our teachings.




A bad example of another doable multi-media project. While the story and title are just as compelling as the previous video, this one falls short in execution. For one, the captions used to identify people are far too thin and hard to read, straining the eyes of the viewer. Also, the audio, particularly for the father, is rather hard to hear and while there are other noises that aren't the fault of production (i.e. background noises are difficult to control in such an open environment) the use of music doesn't help to hear/understand the person talking, with or without the language barrier. Additionally, the shots in this video either don't seem particularly interesting for the most part or are overused, especially towards the end with everyone standing up ready to take a photo. The footage of the mother struggling with the wheelchair could've been useful if paired with better audio (e.g. using audio explaining the difficulty the daughter's condition has on her parents rather than just the issues the daughter has). Again, it's a very compelling story and something I could see a classmate having the capacity to do in terms of the skillset required. However, the videography becomes increasingly uninteresting as the story progresses.

Pre-Video Assignment, Tobler

Good video: NY Times - Braids. Bangs. Blonds. He's Got 'Em All.

This feature video about a man and his wig-making business has a lot of B-roll, which is necessary to showcase the process of creating wigs. There is hardly any headshot/interview footage and instead, the subject talks the entire time over the B-roll. During this time, the video shows him threading individual strands of hair to a wig cap, talking to customers, etc., which provide insight to the workings of the business. Because it is a feature, his quotes could stand alone, but the video also includes footage and quotes from another hairdresser who works at the business and wears the wigs. Including her in the video really gives the story depth, for the audience can see how his business directly affects customers. Both the owner and hairdresser's quotes are colorful.

Bad video: Rockville Patch - Animals At The Dallas Zoo Enjoy Halloween Treats

The footage in this video is interesting, but it's monotonous after awhile because it shows the animals at the zoo doing the same thing. To turn it into a more developed story, the video could have included interviews with zookeepers and people at the zoo. Because the video is essentially just a compilation of quick clips of different animals, the sound is choppy because the background noise volume is different for each clip. They could have fixed it by putting music over the clips or interviewees talking.


Pre-Video Assignment, Cooper

https://nyti.ms/2iT90Ko

This New York Times video on the recent act of terrorism does a good job of capturing what people knew about the suspect while also keeping a somber tone. There is no narration, but rather the creators put words on the screen while showing clips of the neighborhood. It had that eerie vibe that you'd expect from this type of video. The interviews were solid as well, and I generally enjoyed the simplicity of this video.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/behind-the-circumcision-ritual/2013/12/18/8d3d6b44-65ae-11e3-ae56-22de072140a2_video.html

This Washington Post video from 2013 was one that I did not enjoy as much. To begin, I didn't really enjoy the camera shots that were blocked by people's heads. In turn with that, the music playing in the background was more distracting than it was complementary. For something from The Post, I expected it to look a little more polished. The interview clips chosen weren't all that interesting, and the video as a whole felt a bit jumbled.

Pre-Video Assignment, Divers

http://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2017/10/30/the-wonder-list-new-zealand-1.cnn (Good video)

The package has great shots and there is a variety of shots. The audio is very clear and concise and opening with some music really adds to the package as a whole. Also, I like how his audio lines up very clearly with video that connects to what he is saying. The interview is very causal and the fact that they are walking adds to the overall look of the package because it's very comfortable to watch and the camera moves with them so it appears that you are right there with them. The action shots are also superb. It is hard to capture video that follows someone skiing or setting up the perfect shot to catch them doing a flip. Overall I learned new information and was drawn in by the visuals.

http://fox4kc.com/2017/11/02/man-found-inside-car-shot-in-head-in-kansas-city/ (Bad video)

This package is very basic and gets to the point. It opens with the reporter on screen giving us updates on the situation and then the camera zooms in on the car where the man was shot in the head. There is not a variety of shots though and I started losing interest halfway through because I was looking at the same video. The reporter could have changed up the shots. Also, the audio was fuzzy at times so that needs to be improved upon.

Pre-Video Assignment, Haynes

NPR- Harvesting Lunch with a Master Forager (Good Video)

This video follows a professional forager through the woods, as he collects and describes the various plants he eats. The audio and the video are very clear, with descriptions about what he's eating and how to eat them. Everything he's describing is matched with a visual that showcases it. The order makes sense: first go into the woods, describe everything, bring it back home, cook eat and eat it. There were different shots incorporated (wide shots, medium and close-up), and the graphics made the video more visually interesting.

City of Rockville- Canned Food Drive (Bad Video)

This video is from a local news station covering a canned food drive for Christmas. From the very start, the writing for narration isn't strong, and doesn't add anything more to the video than what people could have covered themselves through interviews. The interview set-up was also a little too wide, and audio was slightly quieter than the narration. There were also short, unnecessary cuts of different angles for something as simple as a donation box, which definitely wouldn't require more than two cuts. In addition, there are points where the bells from the music are loud and distract from the audio. Lastly, the camera was shaky and there were more pans than still-shots.

Pre-Video Assignment, Ilardi

https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000005302787/vladimir-putin-combat-school-ukraine.html
NY Times profile on Russian combat school

This package does have some good natural sound and footage. However, the first problem with it is the long, extended quotes in Russian. For an American audience, long quotes in another language are not as useful as explanations from a narrator, mixed in with short quotes with subtitles from the subjects. Second, at times the video did not entirely match the narration. At one point, the narrator talks about sanctions on a man, but the video is him doing pushups on the barrels of his pistols. Finally, this video did not entirely explain exactly WHY the U.S. did not approve of the group's actions in Ukraine, which is a key fact.


http://www.espn.com/watch/features/
"The Origins of Fight Like A Bronco" by ESPN
This one is a bit long, but it is very well done. The video does a great job of using music to set and guide the mood throughout. The video also uses great clips of Luke meeting players, talking with his wife, etc. The narrator gives a nice, slow story. The still photos are dispersed fittingly throughout the package. The footage is also very still, does not shake, and chronologically lays out how "Fight Like a Bronco" came about. The transitions are also smooth and natural.



Pre-video assignment, Critelli


This mini documentary from BBC is a great example of using visuals and natural sound to tell a story. There are no voiceovers or narration. The entire story is told using natural sound and sound bites. The visuals are very strong and take you right into the environment of the story. It is a little bit of a longer form piece, but the story keeps moving. This is also a great example of spotlighting an individual person to humanize a larger problem, in this case the Syrian refugee crisis.




This is a student project, which is of much lesser quality than the BBC project. The voiceover is too quiet, some camera shots are shaky, and the editing isn’t very strong. The stand ups look unnatural and you can tell the student is reading off of a script.