News Judgement and Reporting
As you move out into the journalistic world, you will hear it said of some reporters, producers and editors that they have "good news judgment." But what is that? How can the New York Post or Fox News trumpet stories that The New York Times or other network newscasts will not even mention?
10 Things You Should Know When Starting a Video Production Class
I find it interesting that a person has to be certified in math to teach math but that teachers with zero production experience often fill a highly technical class like video production. If you find yourself teaching morning news or video production, you must understand what the students need to know. Here’s how you can do it.
Illegal Sharing of Music Files - Who's Getting Sued and Why?
By definition, file sharing is the distribution or provision of digitally stored information, such as computer programs, media, documents, or electronic books and can be implemented in a variety of distribution, transmission and storage models. To complicate the situation, companies such as Limewire and Kazaa are not illegal, but the fact that copyrighted materials are being exchanged does in fact make the process illegal.
Ethical Considerations in Good Journalism
The pillars of journalism (accuracy, fairness, and objectivity) are among the major ethical considerations for those who work in the news industry. Additionally, there are ongoing debates over bias, objectivity, favoritism, and a number of other ethical issues.
Crash Course for Mixing Sound - Part 1
There are two indisputable rules to follow when mixing sound. When these rules are followed, you are guaranteed to have a mix that will seem flawless to your audience and keep them focused on the story rather than the technical aspects of the production. If your mix strays from these rules, stop what you are doing and start over again!
White Balance 101
White balance is a camera control that adjusts the camera's color sensitivity to match the prevailing color of outdoor light (cooler), indoor light (warmer) or fluorescent light (greener). On most cameras, white balance may be set either automatically or manually. On professional cameras, white balance can be set to match exactly the light source you're shooting with.
How to Get Media Permissions for Your Videos and Other Media
Media permissions are a very important part of the modern, digital age in which we live, and are an integral part of digital citizenship as creators of works that applies to us all. Following it as a procedure will not only protect your network, but will also prepare students in their careers. This applies whether you are seeking media permissions of someone else or granting permissions for your own image, brand or works to be used in a media format.
Using Gels
Gels control the color of the light. Gels (or color filters) are thin sheets of transparent colored plastic, usually dyed polyester.
General Copyright Questions
In general, any original work of authorship may be protected by copyright. Copyrighted materials may be subject to claims of copyright infringement. The most common reason we take down videos for copyright infringement is that they are unauthorized copies of copyrighted content, and the owners of the copyrighted content have alerted us that their content is being used without their permission.
Floor Director Hand Signals
Hand Cues or Hand Signals given by the Floor Manager, are the standard method of cueing to start or stop. Make sure that your signals can be seen by the talent and are understood. If necessary, explain the basic cues to them before the broadcast. Do not assume they know what you are doing-especially with inexperienced talent.
Writing Scripts for Broadcast News
With current demands placed on broadcast instructors and the limited time available for you to prepare your students, the best way to ensure a well-established news gathering and production process is to implement a Newsroom Computer System (NRCS). In fact, an NRCS is the only choice of serious and competitive broadcast programs because these productions require a uniquely efficient, effective and structured workflow that cannot be well performed by unconnected tools.
Writing Compelling Leads for Broadcast News
While there are few "perfect" leads, some are better than most. As you pursue a career in journalism, you'll encounter those leads that are memorable, those leads that are acceptable, and those that are simply not very good. And because all news stories are different from one another, you'll also learn that different methods can solve the challenges in writing good leads.
5 Tips for Video Editing Beginners
Just because all of us have a video camera does not mean we can professionally record events. It is not as easy as it looks and it is a craft that takes years to become proficient at. Especially video editing. Once you record that great video, how do you make it look good and entertaining.
Piracy in Education
Illegally copying and distributing music CD’s or selling bootlegged DVD’s are no different than students using Limewire to share music files or teachers publishing free resources online that are licensed commodities of companies or publishers. It is important to bring awareness to this topic of piracy in education so that other teachers, students, parents and administrators can prevent piracy in their organizations.
Lesson Plan - Interviewing
In this mini-lesson, your students will work on their interviewing skills, and possibly move away from the question and answer interrogation, to a conversation in which their character tells stories from which great soundbites are born.
Interviewing Tactics and Techniques
Drawing people out - getting them to speak from the heart - is one of the journalist's most challenging tasks. Interviewing is both an art and a science. Good interviewers get better material because they are able to put the people they interview at ease, establish a rapport, and win their trust.
Audio for Video
Audio is possibly the most overlooked element in video production. That's too bad because audio quality can make or break any video project, regardless of budget. You may be able to fix some things in post-production, but why go to all the trouble when you can get it right the first time? This article explores 10 tips for gathering the best possible audio on your next shoot. Some are common sense tips, but many are hard-earned lessons from the field.
5 Back to School Video Ideas
Start the new semester off right with a friendly Welcome Video featuring staff, facilities, and exciting upcoming events. This would be a great opportunity to showcase your school’s distinct personality and mission statement as well as welcoming new students to your campus. Since filming on an iPad is simple and user-friendly, students and staff will have no trouble creating a friendly and unique video message.
How to be a Film Critic and Learn From It
This lesson plan is all about applying what you see by watching existing films to your own screenwriting projects. Let’s say you're an aspiring movie critic or you're assigned to write an essay for a film appreciation class. Understanding the elements inherent in this medium is as important as being able to articulate what you liked and didn’t like about a movie or television show’s content.
Two-Column, Split-Page Script Format
The two-column, split-page script format is used for multiple-camera productions, as well as for advertisements and corporate and instructional videos. Here’s how to lay it out, from characters to dialogue to scenes.