digicade

FCP Guide from CPS Europe

2008-10-25T14:50:00.002-05:00

Here's a little something I noticed in my CPS Europe email newsletter.

Final Cut Pro (Pt. 1): setting up for capture
Final Cut Pro (Pt. 2): capturing footage and formats

The guides look quite informative for new FCP users, but I can't get the videos to play. I even dug into the source code for direct links to the flv files. No luck.

Student Photo Blogs

2008-09-02T10:31:00.003-05:00

It's a new semester and a new class. This time I'm requiring students in my basic photography class to create and maintain a photo blog. Here we go....

Phenomenal Video Power, Itty-bitty Living Space

2007-03-13T11:44:00.000-05:00

KenStone.net has a great tutorial written by Brian Gary: Encoding for YouTube Using Compressor.

And from the KenStone.net archives:

Exporting to the iPod Using Compressor (02/12/2007)
Compression and Chapter Markers (10/10/2005)
Encoding WMV Using Compressor/Flip4Mac (02/05/2007)

San Jose Mercury News video guru Richard Koci Hernandez has posted a detailed video compression guide: The Dark Art of video compression
.

Student Photo Blogs

2007-03-10T14:00:00.000-06:00

Here's the new crop of blogs from my photojournalism students.

Newspaper Video Project

2007-01-13T23:57:00.000-06:00

I've pulled all the links for my Dallas Morning News series into one handy list. This is for anyone who want it, but it's mainly for my students...you know who you are.

Newspaper Video Journalism at the Dallas Morning News

Part I - On Assignment with David Leeson
Part II - Fear Factor
Part III - On Assignment with Randy Eli Grothe
Part IV - Tools of the Trade
Part V - On Assignment with Rick Gershon

More Sites To Watch

2007-01-02T13:33:00.000-06:00

Here are some new sites for your bookmarks list:

Behind The Lens - The stories behind the photo/video stories at the WashingtonPost.com.
DocuPyx - Calling itself a broadband documentary channel, DocuPyx looks promising, but might be yet another platform activists.

Student Photo Blogs

2006-12-29T20:23:00.000-06:00

Spring 2007

Spring 2006

New & Notable

2006-12-29T18:05:00.000-06:00

I'll admit it. I've been kickin' back and doing a whole lot of nothing during the Christmas break. I suppose I got depressed when my capital purchase request for a Sony Z1-U was rejected. I know you understand. But now, I'm ready to roll. I'm gearing up for the new semester and planning the next phase of the ACU video journalism operation. Here is a random list of things on my radar:

Check out my in-progress list of direct links to newspaper video pages. I'm not linking to papers whose sole source of web video is from the AP or television partnerships. My primary interest is in newspapers offering staff-produced journalistic news videos.

We all need to keep our eyes on Gannett and what appears to be a top-to-bottom rethinking of its newsgathering operations. Backpack Journalism Program: Gannett's initiative to train and select journalists for "opportunities" in newsrooms.

The Post-Crescent in Appleton, Wis., (a Gannett property) is transforming its newsroom into an Information Center focused on attracting and retaining readers through multiple platforms.

Lost Remote's Steve Safran wrote an insightful critique of the state of mass media a few months ago that still warrants revisiting. It all changed: a breakdown by industry and how to win. Good stuff!

This is "required listening" for my students. Jim Brady (VP/Exec Editor of WashingtonPost.com) delivers the keynote address at the 2005 Conference on Media Convergence at Brigham Young University. Also see this video presentation commemorating the 10th Anniversary of WashingtonPost.com.

One of my former students, Brady Lane, is blazing a trail with his Visual Revolution blog. Keep it up!

MultimediaShooter.com is an excellent new site devoted to digital media and visual storytelling.

Amazing interview with Henri Cartier Bresson on Google Video. (thnx MultimediaShooter.com)

Newspaper Video Journalism (Part V)

2006-10-21T00:20:00.000-05:00

It's encouraging to know that so many people have been following my series on the video journalism initiative at the Dallas Morning News. I'll admit its also fun to check the logs and see who is linking to this blog. I'm honored that fellow educators Mindy McAdams, Doug Fisher and Bryan Murley are keeping up with this project and writing some thought-provoking commentary as well.

Since my last post was on August 3rd (Yikes!), I had a few other items on my plate. Aside from the usual stressors educators face, my department is going up for AEJMC re-acreditation. (We were first accredited in 2001.) The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication puts its stamp of approval on J-School programs through its accrediting body, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, otherwise known as the ACEJMC. The Self Study is finished and now we prepare for the site visit at the end of October. The entire process is certainly worth the effort, but anyone who has ever gone through this process knows how difficult it can be.

As for today, I'm in Columbia, S.C., for the Convergence Media Conference with my colleague Kenneth Pybus. We are presenting a paper detailing the efforts of the ACU student media's exploration into online video journalism. Here are the direct links for your viewing pleasure.

Today's post features a video documenting Dallas Morning News photojournalist Rick Gershon shooting the third day of a roller coaster ride-a-thon at Six Flags over Texas. You might remember him as the 2004 College Photographer of the Year. In the video you get to see Rick work, but you also get to hear about the the DMN philosophy of video journalism.

QuickTime MPEG-4 (m4v) / 4:10 / 20 MB / Get QuickTime
To help demonstrate the excellent quality of the DMN online video, I've listed links to all the video coverage of the ride-a-thon from other media. I'll let you be the judge and tell me what you think.

Rick Gerson
The Dallas Morning News

Aaron Chimbel
WFAA Mojo (Mobile Journalist

Darrell Byres
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

While I'm linking to all these videos I might as well throw in a few more for good measure. Below is a short list of some of my favorite DMN videos.

Unique Vehicle - by David Leeson
Skateboard Champ - by Rick Gershon
Kids Cooking Class - by Richard Michael Pruitt
Chicken Man - Randy Eli Grothe

Newspaper Video Journalism (Part IV)

2006-08-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

Tools of the Trade
"If there's a job worth doing, it's worth doing right." This was one of my father's favorite things to say to my brothers and me while we were growing up. It was true for my father then, and it's true for me today. I now understand what he meant. Don't bother doing something if you're not committed to seeing it through to the end. You have to visualize success, otherwise you're already defeated. It's a mind-set even Yoda understood.

Maybe just as significant as a success-focused mind-set is the importance of choosing the right tools for the job. The information below describes the hardware and software choices made at The Dallas Morning News and is meant to serve as an example of how one newspaper is equipping its video operation. While this article does indeed focus on the 'tools of the trade,' as the title states, I intend to balance the information with a 'craft-focused' article in the near future.

When the DMN launched its video operation in January, several years had already been invested in research and development. One of the first major steps leading to the launch actually occurred in the fall of 2000 when David Leeson was assigned to shoot video on a full-time basis, making him one of the first of his kind in the nation at the time. He would spend the next five years honing his skills in the art of video storytelling. Along the way he would make more than 70 short features and seven documentaries, and rack up numerous awards from newspaper, film and television. (You can read his bio if you want more details.) His research and experiences helped design the operational plan in place today.

QuickTime MPEG-4 (m4v) / 0:34 / 3.1 MB / Get QuickTime

DMN Video Equipment Profile

• Sony HVR-Z1U HDV camera

Leeson selected the Z1U because he liked the camera's performance under low-light conditions, as well as its high-resolution image. (Sony and Canon adhere to the HDV1 standard, which offers a slightly higher resolution compared to the HDV2 standard supported by JVC.) You will want as many pixels as you can get if you plan on using still frame grabs in the newspaper. Ben Waggoner and Adam Wilt both offer extensive information on the HDV format.

The paper has been quite pleased with the performance and durability of the Sony. There's been some discussion of getting one or two of the smaller HVR-A1U cameras for close-quarters shooting situations.

I highly recommend trying out as many cameras as possible. Do your research and try to work with a local dealer to possibly get loaner cameras to sample. Camera controls and usability varies from one camera to the next, which will probably be a very important factor to the photographer. A little extra effort up front will save you time and money in the long run.

• Sennheiser ME66 shotgun mic with a Lightwave Audio Systems' Miniscreen

The Sennheiser is a solid performer capable of isolating a subject in a noisy environment. Never underestimate the importance of good audio in a video story. I was always told, "50% of Video is Audio," which is certainly good sticky note material. But posted at one of the DMN video workstations is an equally prophetic statement, "Video Is Audio."

Don't be afraid to use headphones when you shoot. It's actually the best and only way to really know what's being recorded. Know the capabilities and limitations of your microphone. The built-in mics featured on many prosumer cameras pale in comparison to the performance quality of a professional shotgun mic. Ken Stone has written a detailed comparison of moderately-priced shotgun mics. All the mics and accessories used by DMN photojournalists where purchased from Dallas-based Kennedy's ENG.

• Macintosh G5 workstations, dual Apple Cinema Displays & Final Cut Pro 5 video software

The editorial department at the DMN has traditionally been a Macintosh-based operation, so it makes sense that their choice for video editing workstations also be Macintosh. From my unscientific observations, this seems to be the hardware/software setup of choice for newspapers venturing into the video arena. We could debate the various reasons for this, but it's probably because most newspapers use Macs for their photo/graphic/design operations. Any newspaper making this move should research all the possibilities and determine what's best for their shop. The issues to consider include, but are not limited to, internal compatibility (company infrastructure), internal technical support, industry standards, and general performance/reliability concerns. Obviously, there's still more to consider when making this kind of purchase, but user preference should also weigh heavily in the decision. Creative types will do their best work when they're using the tools they prefer.

Another Mac-compatible title, Avid Xpress Pro, is a legendary brand in the film and broadcast industries. Take a deep breath before you jump in to study the Avid product line. The company offers so many products (hardware and software) and available in so many configurations, it's tough to understand what you need. Their systems (available for both Mac and Windows) are feature-rich and designed to be custom configured around your needs. Avid also comes with a predictably-steep learning curve. There are several worthy software options for the Windows-based operation, including the newly updated Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid-owned Pinnacle Liquid Pro, and Sony Vegas.

• Miscellaneous

Video files are exported from Final Cut as QuickTime compatible Windows Media (wmv) files, made possible using the Flip4Mac Studio Pro HD plug-in.
Video is inspected for still frame quality at full-screen resolution on the Apple Cinema Display. Screen shots are processed using Adobe Photoshop CS2.
Each photojournalist also carries a Lowel professional light kit.

Note: In case you're curious about my current equipment setup, I use a Canon GL2 with a variety of accessories. My main microphone is a Canon DM-50, which is nice because it uses the camera's accessory shoe for power and audio connections. When I need to use a shotgun mic together with a wireless mic on the subject, mix audio sources I use Canon MA-300 on-camera audio source mixer with XLR inputs. Then I can use my audio-technica AT897 shotgun mic with the Azden 100LT wireless lavalier. This setup lets me run the shotgun into one channel and the wireless into the other, which might seem like a lot of trouble to go through for the sake of good audio, but it's worth it. Viewers will look past less than perfect video quality, but they will never forgive bad audio.

Back at the office we use Final Cut Pro on Macintosh G5 workstations with dual Dell UltraSharp 19" LCD monitors. Essentially the same setup as the DMN, but without the Apple Cinema Displays. We use a JVC BR-DV3000U video deck for all video capture. This significantly cuts down on the wear and tear to the camera's tape transport mechanism from too much use as a VTR.

One final thought. Should you even consider buying a SD camera? Should every camera purchase from today forward be HD or HDV? Well, buying an SD camera wouldn't necessarily be a waste of money. If you want to have any chance of using still frame grabs in print, you should go HD. If that aspect doesn't concern you, then you will find a number of excellent deals out there on SD cameras. As I mentioned, the DV camera we use in the ACU journalism program is the GL2. We have several in the department, and with budgets being what they are, we'll probably continue buying SD cameras for another year or two. After that I bet we will completely switch to HD. As for me personally, I can safely say that my next video camera will be HD.

Newspaper Video Journalism (Part III)

2006-07-27T09:59:00.000-05:00

On Assignment
For my third installment in this series, I went on assignment with senior staff photographer Randy Eli Grothe, a 31-year DMN veteran who joined the video initiative in January of this year.

The assignment was not anything out of the ordinary by newspaper standards. ...Go to local watering hole (Nellies) and shoot a bartender known for his ability to make flaming drinks. The print edition will use one photo (a video frame grab) as part of their regular Hey Bartender! series. The video will go to DallasNews.com where it will likely find popularity because of its firey content. That's right, videos showing anything burning or exploding are more likely to be popular with viewsers.

QuickTime MPEG-4 (m4v) / 1:18 / 7.2 MB / Get QuickTime

I see some important discussion topics here:

The assignment took about an hour to shoot for video, compared to the 15-20 minutes it might have taken to shoot a still photograph. Will all video assignments take significantly more time to shoot than still assignments? Is this a potential human resource management issue? It's not impossible to shoot a video assignment in a matter of minutes, depending on the subject. But is that really the goal here? Thoughts?

While this kind of feature content will be buried deep in the print edition, the video will have equal billing with other video stories. Does this pose any potential problems? Will news stories get lost amid the features, or visa versa? I'm referring to the 'videos' page on the website. I don't know how the site is programmed and how long a video stays on the video page before dropping off. I suppose this is merely a programming/user-experience issue. I'm just thinking of the visitors who go to the videos page to look for a specific item or to just browse.

The flaming drink story is a fun feature that will appeal to a number of readers, and Grothe did an excellent job with a tough shooting situation - dealing with the low light, loud environment, and busy backgrounds. I can't help but worry that as newspapers face an ever-increasing need to boost web traffic, photojournalists will feel pressure to produce more videos with a high predictability of viewser appeal. I can almost see the memo now: "We need more fires and car chases!" An obvious goal for any of the video content at DallasNews.com, or any other news/video site for that matter, is that the content be attractive and spread in viral popularity. The end result is more traffic, more page views, more ad revenue, and (let's be honest) more money, nicer toys, and better working conditions. This is a good thing we should all want. Right? Thoughts?

Newspaper Video Journalism (Part II)

2006-07-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

Fear Factor
The really difficult part of this project is deciding what I need to address next. I'm seeing so many relevant things that I'm literally in the middle of four separate essays on topics ranging from ethics and philosophy to technique and equipment. Fortunately, the answer came with a blog post from one of my students, Gary Rhodes, an ACU senior currently interning at the Odessa (TX) American.

"I have to admit this scares me. ...I welcome the use of video in conjunction with stills but I don't want to be replaced by or turned into a videographer." - Gary Rhodes

Gary's uneasiness is understandable and not that uncommon in this entire video discussion. You shouldn't think of it as being turned into a videographer. Think of it as your camera is getting a serious upgrade.

We're actually dealing with the ongoing evolution of the camera and the continued expansion of the storyteller's toolset. I'll resist the usual Speed Graphic-to-35mm comparison and point out the great advances this industry made during the 1980s. Who could forget the joys of processing C-41 in the Wing-Lynch and running color prints through the EP2 print processor? Maybe you had a chance to use the grandfather of all neg scanners, the Nikon Coolscan. Maybe your paper had the resources to buy a Kodak RFS 2035 or a Leaf Scan 35. Some early adopters used the bulky Kodak DCS-100 for a while. And if you were really lucky, someone thought you were worth the $17,000 it cost to get you an AP/Kodak NC-2000. Looking back, the period of scanning negatives was very short. Once it became apparent that digital technology would allow us to keep our familiar 35mm SLR form factor, the scanners and chemicals were history.

The transition to video is a unique situation because it presents a significant departure from the current landscape. But I would argue that it's not as different as some might fear, again referring to the current landscape. Many newspapers are publishing still image slideshows on their websites. Often created in Flash or with Soundslides, these packages bring the still image into the rich multimedia environment of sound and motion, typically including natural audio recorded during the assignment or interview. Not only is this great journalism, it's a perfect example of an industry embracing technological innovations and exploiting them for the good of the story. Shooting and editing the video story merely takes the storytelling to the next level.

In today's media marketplace the newspaper is more that just a print product. The Internet, along with partnerships and cross-media ownership, means that content will be used across multiple distribution channels. The content gatherers and producers of the future must be capable of working with whatever new tools the medium demands, or offers, depending on your perspective. This presents economic realities which must be considered. When your employer, that content-creation-distribution-company-formerly-known-as-a-newspaper, wants stills and video from the same assignment, they're not going to send two people. It wouldn't be cost-effective. They will send one person capable of shooting either, or both. Eventually, the only photographers getting hired, or keeping their jobs, will be those willing to expand their toolset.

The video initiative is a well-planned and closely-monitored precursor of what will be a much broader adoption. It's going to happen. And from what has been demonstrated so far, it's being designed in a way which most still shooters would appreciate. As a matter of fact, it's being designed at the Dallas Morning News by still shooters. Among the concerns often expressed is the fear that the photojournalist will be asked to carry a video camera along with his or her still cameras, and be asked to provide a full battery of stills and a two-minute video essay. Unfortunately, this sort of thing did happen in the experimental stages at some publications several years ago, and we know now that compounding the responsibilities only compromises quality.

Photojournalists at the Morning News are not being asked to carry and shoot with two cameras on a single assignment. Nor are they being asked to hang up their Mark-IIs for the Z1U. The tool used is the one that's best for the story. The assignments can come through a variety of channels, but they will typically come out of a collaborative effort between the photojournalist and photo editors. A couple of the more senior video shooters, for example, keep a close watch on the editorial assignment grid looking for story and photo assignments which might produce good video. When I was discussing this very subject with photojournalist Ron Baselice, he informed me how he had a still assignment that very morning and a video assignment in the afternoon. When I asked if it was difficult to 'switch gears' between assignments, he quickly told me there "was no switching...they're both the same." To some, I know this may sound a lot like, "there is no spoon," and maybe it is. But it's also an example of how they're doing things in Dallas. Project director David Leeson draws no distinction between those who shoot video and those who shoot stills. "We're not videographers," Leeson says. "Videographers shoot weddings. We're photojournalists."

Newspaper Video Journalism (Part I)

2006-07-12T13:27:00.000-05:00

This is the first of what I expect will be several blog entries chronicling my summer research project with the Dallas Morning News. For the next six weeks I will be studying the newspaper's efforts to integrate video journalism into the the company's news mechanism. My focus is both academic and professional. I will report my observations and discoveries in the academic arena through a paper and/or at a yet-to-be-determined academic conference. This blog will serve as a venue where I can share these experiences to a wider professional audience. I hope it's beneficial and welcome the opportunity to contribute to the journalism industry.

Full Disclosure: I teach photojournalism at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, from which I hold a B.A. in Photojournalism (1990) and an M.S. in Digital Media (1998). I have worked for the Temple (TX) Daily Telegram, the Abilene (TX) Reporter-News, and the San Angelo (TX) Standard-Times, where I was a staff photographer for five years.

DMN photojournalist David Leeson, winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize, was instrumental in making this project a reality. I first met David, also a graduate of ACU, when he taught an advanced news photography course there in the summer of 1986, an experience which played a major role in my decision to become a professional news photographer. Since then, we've continued to be good friends and he's always welcomed opportunities to advance the profession. He and DMN photo director William Snyder, understand the significance of their video program and recognize the major impact their work could have on the entire industry. I greatly appreciate the access and the opportunity to document their efforts in this new chapter in visual journalism history.

The buzz this past week was on the subject of video still frame quality and their usability in the printed newspaper. Apparently, San Jose Mercury-News staffer Richard Koci-Hernandez spoke on the subject at the 2006 NPPA National Summit (I did not attend), which was reported by multimedia journalism guru Mindy McAdams and also by Bryan Murley at Reinventing College Media. These blogs are definitely worth reading and generally draw numerous insightful comments from readers. Also on the subject was a Photo District News article written by Daryl Lang, who interviewed David Leeson at length for the article.

Well, so what do we know? We know that at least two newspapers are printing video frame grabs on a regular basis. We know that the high-res HD video format is one reason this is now possible. We're also learning that a quality frame grab requires sharp, well exposed video. Auto iris or auto exposure won't cut it. Shooting on manual exposure with careful attention to shutter speed is paramount. This is a degree of technical precision reminiscent of the days of shooting transparency film.

The DMN video team is constantly looking for ways to increase the efficiency of their workflow and improve quality of their product. One workflow step that has been given a great deal of attention is the post-processing of video frame grabs...and it shows. The still frames are beautiful. They're also big. Leeson's son, David Leeson II, works in the video operation and has developed a unique method of boosting the resolution of the image that's nothing short of magic.

Something else I want to mention is that I am shooting as much video as possible for this project. I have the lofty goal of including a video with every blog post, but...we'll see. Below is the first video installment, which shows David Leeson using his Sony Z1U HDV camera to shoot a photo illustration for the paper. What makes this unique is not the fact that a frame grab would be used in the printed paper, but rather because this was not a video story. Leeson also carried a Canon EOS 1D on the shoot, but as you will see, it was the HDV camera that had the magic.

QuickTime MPEG-4 (m4v) / 2:03 / 11.6 MB / Get QuickTime

Link Roundup

2006-07-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

No links of serious value here this time, just fun and interesting.

La Tropical on DVD

2006-07-10T01:08:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: The DVD of La Tropical will be released in September of this year and Turner Classic Movies is taking pre-orders. I'm there!

David Turnley's La Tropical

2006-07-10T00:25:00.000-05:00

I really want to know more about the 2002 Cuban dance documentary La Tropical, a film by photojournalist David Turnley. Ever since I first heard about the film, I've been wanting to see it. Occasionally I'll search for information, hoping to see that it's gone to DVD...but not yet. Sure, if I lived in Miami or New York I could drop in to any film festival and see it, but I'm a little geographically challenged.

My most recent web search turned up a reference on TV Guide's web site. The nice thing about this reference is that it includes to short clips from the film. Cool.

I haven't yet tried to contact Turnley directly to help with viewing the film. I'll get around to doing that, I suppose.

David Turnley is a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who started working with video several years ago, producing several pieces that aired on Nightline. David's twin brother Peter Turnley is also a world-class photojournalist. (Yes, that's cool and unusual.) I had the good fortune to meet the Turnley brothers in 1992 while attending the Eddie Adams Workshop.

Link Roundup

2006-06-28T00:14:00.000-05:00

The Online Journalism Review has some tips for shooting better online video.
Memorex has developed an archival CD-R they claim will preserve data for 300 years. That's right, 300 years.
Veteran television shooters offer Tips for the Rookie TV Videographer.
Wikipedia has recognized the Vodcast.
The CurrentTV Video Survival Guide is loaded with excellent information on basic video shooting and editing.
The New York Times has a new addition to the blogosphere. Screens will focus on the future of television and the Internet.
PowerReporting offers resources for journalists.
They're there when you need them: Digital Video Jobs.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

2006-06-27T22:50:00.000-05:00

This video clip has to be one of the most powerful things I've seen in a long time. Definitely a tear-jerker.

In 1969 an unknown Fred Rogers went before a US Senate hearing considering the fate of a $20 million endowment for the newly developed Corporation for Public Broadcasting. President Nixon wanted it cut in half because of the spending going on in the Vietnam War. This clip shows the gifted Mr. Rogers working his magic on the impatient and abrasive Senator Pastore, chairman of the hearings. Enjoy.

Final Cut Pro Resources

2006-06-23T12:39:00.000-05:00

Final Cut Pro Tutorials

FCP Essentials

Final Cut Pro Quick Tips By Stephen Schleicher

FCP Blogs

Newspaper Trains Video Journalists

2006-06-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Photographers and reporters at The Dallas Morning News are being trained in video journalism techniques in a focused effort to expand the publication's online news product. Below are some of my favorite stories, but be sure to check out their video page for new material.

Sam Pack, Car collector 06-15-2006
Take a tour of Sam Pack's classic car museum. Video/editing: Rick Gershon

Organ sounds 06-15-2006
Prepping an organ for playing involves more than a simple tuning. It takes days - and an array of adjustments to get the sound just right. Video/editing: Lee Powell / The Dallas Morning News

Unique vehicle 06-02-2006
Jeff Brooks talks about his Daimler Ferret Scout armored car, which he often drives in his East Dallas neighborhood near Greenville Avenue. Video/editing: David Leeson

Few counterprotesters rally 04-09-2006
A small group of counterprotestors faced off against Dallas police and Mega March participants in downtown Dallas. Video: David Leeson and Richard Michael Pruitt. Editing: David Leeson II

Scenes from City Hall 04-09-2006
From the Mega March in Dallas, Texas. Video: Randy Eli Grothe, David Leeson, Richard Michael Pruitt. Editing: David Leeson

Sights and sounds 04-09-2006
From the Mega March in Dallas, Texas. Video: Randy Eli Grothe, David Leeson, Richard Michael Pruitt. Editing: David Leeson II

Heroin's Wake: Jason's story 05-23-2006
A teenager who once overdosed on heroin is now a man struggling against his physical challenges. Video/editing: Rick Gershon

Dad laments not noticing clues 05-22-2006
A father details his family’s struggle and his son’s addiction. Video/editing: Rick Gershon / The Dallas Morning News

Father talks about son's overdose 05-21-2006
Craig Thayer recounts the morning he found his son dead from an overdose. Video: Rick Gershon / Editing: David Leeson / Music: David Leeson II

Cat rescued from tree 02-21-2006
"Bruce," a spooked cat, scrambles up a tree in east Dallas and waits for two days, mewing for help as his owners try to talk him down with a can of tuna. A desperate plea brings a Dallas rock climber to the rescue as neighbors and family pitch in to help. Video by David Leeson

Web is the No. 1 media

2006-06-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

CNet is reporting on a new study conducted by Ball State University's Center for Media Design which found that the internet is the top at-work medium and the second at home.

Research Links (Part IV)

2006-06-03T00:23:00.000-05:00

Here's a few more items from Lost Remote and a some reports from CyberJournalist.

Research Links (Part III)

2006-06-02T18:38:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've noticed that one of my favorite sites is Lost Remote, which consistently offers the freshest media industry news and cutting edge commentary. Below is list of recent LR news items relevant to the discussion.

...more to come.

Research Links (Part II)

2006-06-02T01:07:00.000-05:00

Convergence Conference 2005 ♥♥♥♥
"Revolutionize" student media
Online integrity statement
Learning about the future of journalism
Three Experts Offer Hard Truths on Future for Newspapers
2004 Online News Association conference Keynote, The franchise is the content, by AP CEO Tom Curley
The Convergence Newsletter, from the University of South Carolina

Research Links (Part I)

2006-06-01T23:55:00.000-05:00

Digital-Media Leaders Identify Most-Desired Employee Attributes (November 2005)

San Jose State University professor Stephen L.W. Greene visited four J-schools in four weeks to assess the state of journalism education. Read what he discovered.
via Rethinking Journalism Education

Leonard Witt of Kennesaw University offers 15 points to consider: Reinventing Journalism.
via Reinventing Student Media

The Pew Internet & American Life Project presents some revealing research in the area of media and culture.

Online News: For many home broadband users, the internet is a primary news source.
Home Broadband Adoption 2006: Home broadband adoption is going mainstream and that means user-generated content is coming from all kinds of internet users.
Teens and Technology: Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation.
Teen Content Creators and Consumers: More than half of online teens have created content for the internet.
Internet Penetration and Impact: Internet penetration has now reached 73% for all American adults. Internet users note big improvements in their ability to shop and the way they pursue hobbies and personal interests online.
Surfing for Fun: About 40 million Americans were browsing the web just for fun or to pass the time on a typical day in December 2005.
Charts and Excel data files of a selection of the Pew Internet Project's latest trend findings.

...more to come.

Solid Advice for Young Journalists

2006-05-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

• Anthony Moor, editor of OrlandoSentinel.com, tells student journalists to Go to the Web, young journalist!

• Internet innovator Adrian Holovaty offered words of advice to the next generation of journalists when he gave the commencement address to the 2006 graduates at University of Missouri School of Journalism.

• E&P columnist Steve Outing tells journalism rookies How to Get Ahead in the New Media Newsroom, Circa 2006.

• An American Journalism Review report from ME Rachel Smolkin says that the time has come for the newspaper to Adapt or Die.

Newsroom Live Webcams

2006-05-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

Many of these links are direct connections to the webcam image, so be sure to refresh often.

• Brigham Young University Daily Universe
• Southern Illinois Univ. Daily Egyptian
• Indiana University Southeast
• WFAA #1 (Dallas)
• WFAA #2 (Dallas)
• WFAA #3 (Dallas)
• WFAA #4 (Dallas)
• WFTS (Tampa, Fla.)
• WTVG (Toledo, Ohio)
• KJRH (Tulsa, Okla.)
• Des Moines Register
• Beaver Co. Times (Beaver, Pa.)
• WRAL (Raleigh, N.C.)
• KSN WeatherLab
• WEWS (Cleveland)
• Channel 5 (Cleveland)
• WFMZ #1
• WFMZ #2
• WAGA-TV
• KETV #1 (Omaha)
• KETV #2 (Omaha)
• KPIX CBS-5 (San Francisco)
• WVEC #1 (Norfolk, Va.)
• WVEC #2 (Norfolk, Va.)
• WVUB (Vincennes, IN)
• BBC Radio 1
• KHOU Control Room Audio
• WRGW Studio (George Washington Univ.)
• WRGW Newsroom (George Washington Univ.)
• WRGW Control Room (George Washington Univ.)

Links for Monday

2006-05-01T08:28:00.000-05:00

• As a wrap-up to NAB 2006 in Las Vegas, the folks over at Lost Remote present their list of Ten priorities for TV newsrooms today.

• VideoDownloader is a new plugin for Firefox whaich lets you save videos from popular video sharing sites, like Youtube, Google Video, iFilm, Metacafe and Dailymotion, just to name a few.

• Need a manual for that old DVD player or blender? Maybe your cell phone or stereo reciever? Well head on over to usermanualguide.com and there's a good chance you'll find one.

Catching Up (I've been busy)

2006-04-26T13:52:00.000-05:00

Blogger and television news photographer Stewart 'Lenslinger' Pittman, starts a B-Roll discussion on the Mad Skills of the Master Photog.

Coming from NAB 2006 in Las Vegas is the Segway-mounted SteadyCam.

B-Roll discussion topic: Video Techniques for Shooting Baseball

Photojournalist Mark Hancock shares his tips for shooting baseball and softball.

Another B-Roll discussion, OMB vs VJ, asks for the differences between the television 'One-Man Band' and the 'Video Journalist.'

Groundhog.tv isn't just another video streaming site. It's Media General's VOD site for all the stories from member station WFLA. Also see comment from Lost Remote.

KHOU in Houston take the concept of newsroom transparency to a new level by streaming their control room audio on the web during their Noon newscast. They caution that the 'webcast is live and unedited; content and language may not be suitable for all listeners.' Cool.

Wild, Wild, Features

2006-03-01T13:45:00.000-06:00

So Many Links, So Little Time

2006-02-27T12:50:00.000-06:00

• Bike Culture - Nice 'new journalism' from the San Jose Mercury News

• Denver's KUSA has hired a VJ. Naturally, the B-rollers commented, and tvphotoblog has the photos. Lost Remote also noticed.

• Did I mention that ACU alum Chris Anderson was honored as Magazine Photographer of the Year in the 2005 Best of Photojournalism competition? No? Well, he also won 1st Place Sports Picture Story, too.

• Democracy Player is a powerful TV viewer that downloads, manages and plays the latest videos on your computer. Think of it a combination RSS reader/subscriber, torrent client, video viewer, manager and downloader. Oh, it's also open-source (free).

• WKRN is still trying to git-er-done. They've completely redone their website and the continue to push the new model.

• Alex Lucas was a TV photog at WKRN before Rosenblum and stuck with it through the training and the VJ switchover. He stuck with it for several months but eventually decided he needed to leave. The January 2006 issue of News Photographer Magazine built a story around Lucas' observations and criticisms. In mid-February Lucas posted on B-Roll.net, and opened the floor to questions. Enlightening stuff.

• WKRN GM Mike Sechrist offers a VJ update with "Mama Don't Let Your Photogs Grow Up To Be VJ's."

• TV blogger Little Lost Robot was in Torino covering the olympics and shared all the excitement. Nice.

• Current TV offers its VC2 Survival Guide for anyone starting out in this whole video storytelling new media internet television thing. Good stuff.

Headlines from the Blogosphere

2006-02-15T13:15:00.000-06:00

• CNN launches 'enhanced' channel for the Dish satellite network. (via TVNewser)

• New York's WNBC is asking independent produces to submit work for an "Independent Producer Showcase." (via Lost Remote)

• Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Dustin Dow is 'armed with a hybrid digital video/still camera' and 'providing readers with video, images and text updates in his Winter Olympics blog.' (via CyberJournalist)

• The Editors Weblog interviews multimedia reporters from the Sacromento Bee on adapting to online journalism.

• In the new podcast (iTunes/mp3) from Interactive Narratives, Seth Gitner of The Roanoke Times interviews Naka Nathaniel of New York Times Digital.

• The Poynter Institute's "Convergence Journalism for College Educators" seminar focused on teaching the future of journalism. Larry Pryor's post-seminar report offers some interesting observations.

Video Journalism on the Internet

2006-02-08T14:12:00.000-06:00

Examples of the changing media landscape:

Professional
• Austin American-Statesman
• Spokane Spokesman-Review
• Billoxi Sun Herald
• Minneapolis Star-Tribune
• Ventura County Star
• Asbury Park Press
• Hartford Courant
• Washington Post - Travis Fox
• Washington Post - Videos
• Tucson Citizen
• Knoxville News
• Virginian Pilot

University
• Abilene Christian Univeristy - Optimist
• University of Mississippi - Daily Mississippian
• Ball State University - Ball Bearings - Multimedia Magazine
• Ball State University - News Link Indiana - BSU's Regional News Service - VodCast
• University of Kansas - eHub Multimedia Newsroom - Daily Kansan - KUJH-TV
• University of Iowa - Daily Iowan - Sports Videos

Sports Photojournalism

2006-02-06T13:47:00.000-06:00

SportsShooter Threads
• Trade Secrets: Fastball
• Shooting Soccer
• Be careful on the sidelines
• Shooting Football 1
• Shooting Football 2
• Shooting Baseball 1
• Shooting Baseball 2
• Shooting Baseball 3
• Shooting Softball
• Night Sports
• Cliché Sports Photos

Other Links
• SIPhoto – Photography Department for Sports Illustrated Magazine
• Sports Illustrated Photo Gallery
• Sasakawa Sports Foundation – World Sports Photo Contest
• Neil Leifer Gallery – from the Digital Journalist
• NPPA Region 8 – NPPA for Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico
• NPPA R-8 Clip Contest
• NPPA Regions
• NPPA R-5
• NPPA R-7

Ole Miss Multimedia Newsroom

2006-02-06T09:14:00.000-06:00

It appears that The University of Mississippi has launched DM Online, which is being referred to as "an initiative by a fully online-only news staff."

• Student Media Center - Ole Miss' converged multimedia newsroom.

Worth mentioning is the DM Online video section. All the videos in this section are photo slideshows and do not contain any actual video content shot with a video camera. I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with this model, but I would recommend they re-label the section to something like "Multimedia."

What I do like is the consistent way that they're constructed and presented. Each video, which features a voice-over by the reporter, starts with a short lead followed by the reporter's byline and then the rest of the report. Nice.

source: Reinventing College Media

Newspapers Look Less Clueless

2006-02-02T17:45:00.000-06:00

Lost Remote asks, 'Are papers finally embracing convergence?' They point to a USA Today report which shows how newspapers are making some overdue changes to the way they distribute their news content.

Rediscovering SportsShooter

2006-02-01T13:44:00.000-06:00

I’m never disappointed when I visit SportsShooter.com. There is a tremendous wealth of information for amateurs and professionals alike. Below are links to all of the contest-related content available there, which offers a look at some of the best photojournalism being produced today. But, beyond the contest are countless articles and features where professionals share their knowledge with the readers. Enjoy. Come back often.

• Monthly Clip Contest
• Student Portfolio of the Year
• SportsShooter Annual Contest - | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
• Videos of the Judging - | 2004 | 2003 |
• SportsShooter Message Board - Read it daily!
• Trade Secrets: Shoot the Moon
• Intern Diaries: Black Star
• Intern Diaries: Cape Cod Times
• Intern Diaries: Portland Tribune
• Intern Diaries: Grand Forks Herald
• Intern Diaries: The Muskegon Chronicle

Travis Fox Interview

2006-01-25T10:33:00.000-06:00

Podacst #11 from the excellent mulitmedia journalism site Interactive Narratives features an interview with WashingtonPost.com video journalist Travis Fox. You can go to their iTunes Podcast page or directly to the mp3 of the show.

Public Domain Goodies for your Video iPod

2006-01-25T10:04:00.000-06:00

In the event that you just can't get enough of old Popeye cartoons, you can pop over to 4flix.net and load up for $1.99 a pop. They do the hard part of acquiring the PD materials and encoding them into a high-quality MPEG-4 video. Interesting.

Vmag Videos Document Texas Football

2006-01-25T09:49:00.000-06:00

Hey sports fans,

Take a look at what may be best described as: New Mass Media meets Reality TV meets VOD (video on demand)...or something like that. It's the Vmag. Read about it at Apple...they're plugging it because the company behind it is an all-Mac operation.

Lava Studios produced this reality TV style series for Vmag and the University of Texas during the 2005 pre-season 2 a day practices. This is just one of the programs in a 40 program series that Lava was contracted to produce. This project documents the "behind the scenes" activities of the UT football program throughout the 2005-2006 season. More video.

EyeTrac Study on Web Video Viewing

2006-01-25T09:45:00.000-06:00

Here's an interesting study that suggests that viewers watching video on the web are not interested in seeing the traditional "talking head" video.

MediaStorm Showcases Multimedia

2006-01-24T14:21:00.000-06:00

Multimedia producer Brian Storm has posted new material to his MediaStorm site.

Friends For Life is segment from a one-hour film, "Aging in America: The Years Ahead," by multimedia producer Julie Winokur and photojournalist Ed Kashi. This an excellent example of the creative blending of photo, video and audio content.
In New York Reacts, legendary TV news producer Ray Farkas uses his signature wireless mic/long lens technique to capture everyday conversations in NYC two days after 9/11.

If you're in the mood for more Farkas, there is an excellent collection his work at his personal web site, Off Center Productions. Farkas made television history in 2003 when he documented his battle with Parkinson's Disease, which included televising his own brain surgery.

WashingtonPost.com Wins Big In WHNPA

2006-01-24T14:19:00.000-06:00

The Whitehouse News Photographers Association has published the winners of its annual photo and video competition, The Eyes of History 2005. Of particular significance is that washingtonpost.com, a pioneer in newspaper videojournalism walked away with 27 different awards...in the Television category, including 8 first place awards. Washingtonpost.com's John Pool was honored with the coveted Editor of the Year award.

VJ Discussions Take A Break

2006-01-24T14:16:00.000-06:00

There hasn't been much "VJ" activity over at the B-Roll.net message boards, but I'll re-post a few links to help watch for any activity.

West Coast VJ On-Line - KRON VJ blogger
BluePrint Post (VJ Trainers Blog)
Todd Dunn, WKRN VJ Blogger
Neil Orne, WKRN VJ Blogger
Videomission - International Videojournalism site
Videoreporter - Video Journalism Awards
VJ Discussion Site
Another VJ Discussion

The Web is Buzzing

2005-11-15T09:20:00.000-06:00

Media consultant Terry Heaton discusses the recent AOL announcement to offer web-based reruns of several old television shows.

The AOL service will be called In2TV and will be launched in 2006. Read more details at PaidContent, WashingtonPost.com and Lost Remote.

Michael Rosenblum and VJ movement are getting some attention. Read new coverage at Television Broadcast magazine and the upcoming issue of NPPA's News Photographer magazine.

And, as always...more VJ flame wars at B-Roll.net
• Rosenblum article in Television Broadcast
• VJ Festival in Germany

Wired Magazine reports on recent turmoil surrounding Sony Music's latest DRM efforts.

News Updates

2005-11-05T23:38:00.000-06:00

Catching up on a few items of interest...

A post on B-Roll.net mentioned that WTLV in Jacksonville, Fla. would soon adopt the VJ newsgathering model. It's inprtant to first mention that this is an unconfirmed report. But most important is the fact that WTLV is a Gannett property that airs its news content on both the NBC and ABC stations.

Michael Rosenblum posted on the B-Roll message board about the 2nd Annual VJ Film Festival in Weimar, Germany. The festival is billing itself "the best place to find out about video journalism in today's TV and independent media."

A new Pew study learned that 57% of online teens in the U.S. create content and share it online.
Apple introduces the Video iPod and sells a million video downloads in less than 20 days.
The 25thdimention blog put together a great list of video sharing sites on the web, at least as of right now.
Read Google's video blog
If you're bored, you can just browse random videos on Google

Rosenblum VJ Training at KRON...and the B-Roll Response

2005-11-01T20:15:00.000-06:00

There's not many surprises as the B-Roll.net message board heats up with commentary about VJ training at KRON in San Francisco.

Citizen Journalist uses Google Maps in 'Screencast'

2005-10-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

Blogger and Citizen Journalist Jon Udell offers up an example of what he calls a 'Screencast' and even uses Google maps as a content element in the process. Udell writes:

I can envision shooting documentary video with a networked and GPS-equipped camera. The video feed is location-coded as well as time-coded. Computer-based players use the location data to render maps -- and to animate routes -- that complement the display of the video. For straight video playback, the maps are woven into the stream using a default effect that's tunable in post-production.

Kevin Sites Goes Live

2005-09-26T10:28:00.000-05:00

The Kevin Sites in the Hotzone blog is up and running with it's first report coming from Somalia.

Sounds like a 'VJ' to me

2005-09-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

Lost Remote is reporting that ABC has assigned seven "off-air reporters" to shoot as edit their own packages for an ongoing series on Katrina families. The reporters will not appear on camera in the new series, called "Video Diaries," and they'll shoot it all on mini DV cameras.

Nashville Scene Magazine Features WKRN VJs

2005-08-17T23:53:00.000-05:00

Nashville Scene magazine has published a feature story on the WKRN VJ transformation.

WKRN Creates 'Video Journalists' Web Page

2005-08-17T23:17:00.000-05:00

I just ran across this by accident. Nashville's News 2 WKRN put up a new web page promoting their VJs, which features an oversized graphic centerpiece. Also included is a link to a special 'meet the VJs' page.

HD Video Downloads...Free!

2005-08-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

That's right. Go over to http://onefeed.net/ and get the details.

NY Times to Integrate Print and Web News Operations

2005-08-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

A recent memo to the NYT's newsroom was posted on Poynter.org.

Spokane Newspaper Staff Videographer

2005-08-02T22:53:00.000-05:00

The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, offers a good example of how a newspaper is breaking established paradigms and serving customers with compelling content. Their efforts understandably have caught the attention of the Poynter Institute. At the heart of this is former staff photographer, now full-time staff videographer Colin Mulvany, who has been blogging the details of his revolutionary move.

Also available is a database index of the newspaper's video offerings.

I've been following Mulvany's video change-over ever since I read his post to a SportsShooter.com forum discussion where he described his experiences at the Platypus multimedia video workshop and how he sold his paper on the idea of the full-time videographer.

WKRN-TV RSS Feeds

2005-07-21T00:42:00.000-05:00

All those watching WKRN would surely benefit from the station's rss feed offerings.

• WKRN RSS Feeds

B-Roll.net Message Board Heats Up...Again

2005-07-21T00:29:00.000-05:00

Once again, the message board over at B-Roll.net is buzzing with pro-VJ commentary by Michael Rosenblum and anti-VJ rants from everyone else. These threads have some very interesting comments from all parties.

• Rosenblum Strikes
• WKRN Body Count
• Inside VeeJay Training

WKRN Staffers Blogging VJ Transition

2005-07-21T00:08:00.000-05:00

Two staff members at WKRN-TV are blogging the ups and downs of their station's ongoing switch from traditional 2-person crews to the oft-debated VJ method. Check out the blogs from news anchor Neil Orne and photographer Todd Dunn.

Terry Heaton Comments on VJs

2005-07-15T18:51:00.000-05:00

Well-known media blogger Terry Heaton has posted a short commentary on the 'VJ' newsgathering model.

Rosenblum's VJs Produce for the Travel Channel

2005-07-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

Lost Remote has a new story about a new Travel Channel series called "5 TAKES EUROPE," which centers around five Rosenblum-trained journalists traveling through Europe on $50 a day. The first episode airs on July 23rd.

Comments Worth Reading

2005-07-12T23:23:00.000-05:00

Yes, they're still debating. The professional news cameraman community is chewing on Michael Rosenblum and his "One-Man Band," or "VJ" newsgathering model.

Here are direct links to Rosenblum's replies and arguments: Comment #1, Comment #2 and Comment #3

I think it's clear that several of those posting comments are anything but positive about the idea of change. But I can't say I blame them. I know I don't agree with everything Rosenblum suggests, but one thing is certain - Mass Media consumption is changing.

One of the posts from B-Roll.net had a signature quote with obvious significance:

"If you don�t like change, you'�re going to like irrelevance even less"
--- General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff, U. S. Army

More VJ Sparring......

2005-07-08T21:57:00.000-05:00

TV news photographer Stewart "Lenslinger" Pittman, a videographer for WGHP in High Point, N.C., posts an open letter to Michael Rosenblum, who has been credited as "the man behind the VJ movement" and and active consultant in the area of VJ training. The same letter is also posted at B-Roll.net, where it is sure to draw some comments.

This is on the heels of recent announcements that WKRN in Nashville and KRON in San Francisco are switching to the VJ model of newsgathering.

And none other than Michael Rosenblum has been hired to train WKRN staffers in the ways of the VJ.

Lost Remote had a recent post about Rosenblum training at KRON and WKRN.

Discussion comments on this issue are great.

Major Changes in Media Use on Horizon

2005-06-14T10:10:00.000-05:00

It appears from a News.com report that Google is almost ready for the official launch of their video search engine which will allow users to view the first 10 seconds of video files found on the web before being sent to the files' host site. Lost Remote blog reports that this is just the start of something much bigger. All this is quite interesting when we read reports that Proctor & Gamble, possibly the nation's largest advertiser, is cutting its spending on network television by 5% and on cable by 25%. Hmmm.

A Photographer's Guide to Recording Natural Sound

2005-06-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

MediaStorm has posted a guide to the tools, methods and benefits of capturing natural sound for use in still photo slide shows.

Photojournalists Offer Tips For Finding Features

2005-06-07T14:01:00.000-05:00

There's a great thread running on the SportsShooter message board in which photojournalists discuss the art of finding unassigned feature photos for their publication.

PBS Frontline Shows Online

2005-06-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

PBS is now offering a collection of their popular Frontline television documentaries online in streamed in your choice of RealMedia or Windows Media formats. What I find interesting is that PBS streams each show in its entirety.

• PBS Frontline Online

TV Photogs Rant Over VJ Movement

2005-06-03T14:20:00.000-05:00

I enjoy reading the message board over at B-Roll.net, which is a site dedicated to all things related to TV news photography. I wanted to see what this community thought of the videojournalist movement and found some interesting threads:

• Is this guy a joke???
• Interview with the enemy of quality television
• KRON VeeJays
• The end of photogs at CBS News
• VJ Series on Nat Geo

These are some very heated debates on very worthy subject. I think it is interesting the cameraman public enemy #1, Michael Rosenblum, is a contributing member of the B-Roll forum.

Lost Remote Talks to the VJ Man

2005-05-29T18:18:00.000-05:00

TV blog Lost Remote has published an interview with Michael Rosenblum, the man behind the VJ movement. Be sure to check out the story's comments page to follow this ongoing debate. You can read more about Rosenblum on his website and at dvdojo.com.

Still Photographers Shooting Video

2005-05-29T09:26:00.000-05:00

There's an interesting discussion thread at SportsShooter where still photojournalists contemplate the future of visual media and visual storytelling.

The Mac Startup Chime

2005-05-29T09:19:00.000-05:00

If you've ever wondered about the origin of the Mac's startup chime, you can read all about it this week on Music Thing.

Intel CEO recommends Buying a Mac

2005-05-29T09:08:00.000-05:00

O'Grady's Powerpage reports that Intel CEO recommended buying a Mac when asked about dealing with Internet security problems.

First Post

2005-05-28T19:03:00.000-05:00

This is my first post.