2,500 word essay:
1. Discuss and critically analyse the view that "with successful adaptation, the original work is transformed into something new and different, although retaining many traces of what it was formerly" with reference to at least one text adapted for broadcast on television.
or
2. Analyse the implication of online journalism and the extent to which "we are all journalists now", making reference to examples of both traditional broadcast journalism and citizen journalism.
10th November 1500 - 1600 hr
Draft submission of essay - hard copy - properly formatted using Harvard.
15th December 1000 - 1100hr
Final submission of essay - hard copy - submitted through turnitin
Question 1:
What is the question asking you to consider?
- are all adaptions successful in making the original work new and different?
- Does it ruin the original work?
- Does it make the original work better or worse?
- Does it keep some of the original work?
- Is it made completely new and different without any ties to the original?
What television broadcast/s could you consider referencing as case studies?
- pride and prejudice - book to bbc tv series to film
- a series of unfortunate events - book - film - tv
- Poirot, Miss Marple - Agatha Christie books - tv
- Game of Thrones
- 13 Reasons Why
- Orange is the New Black
- Lucifer
- Dexter
- Sherlock
How viable is this as a choice?
- quite??
What are the challenges in answering this option and using your chosen case study?
- comparing adaptations to the originals
- remaining unbiased - may really like a tv show which may bias opinion on how successful the adaptation is?
-
Class feedback:
What is the question asking you to consider?
- original form has to be book - translated to tv
- 'successful' - subjective term - need to qualify what it means
- how well received - box-office / barb
- re- commissioned
- many different adaptations / frequently adapted
- critical response
- imdb / rotten tomatoes / broadcast magazines / athens
- define adaptation - translation from book to tv screen
- retaining traces of what it was formerly - plot - characters - tone
- transforming into something new and different - modernised? changes in treatment? technology?
How viable is this choice?
- viewing the material
Question 2:
What is the question asking you to consider?
- impact of user generated content
- is citizen journalism becoming more prevalent in online journalism
- in what ways is citizen journalism used in online journalism? Twitter? Submitting things to BBC?
How viable is this as a choice?
- very
What are the challenges in answering this option and using your chosen case study?
- arguing both sides of the question
- are we all journalists now? how reliable is citizen journalism? etc etc
Class feedback:
- misrepresentation
- everyone isn't a trained journalist
Questions to ask when analysing your case studies:
what has influenced the nature of this media product? its character: physical / visual
who made it artist / designer?
creative / critical / conceptual / technological / science bound and connect to contemporary or traditional modes of practice and cultural developments
processes / techniques / scale of production
audience / consumer demographic / users / viewers of creative product
critical reception of piece of media - reviews, articles, critical writings, papers, catalogues, books, periodicals, specialist publications
find out intention or motivation of creator / personal project or a small / mass scale piece of work
who's interest does the media product serve?
who benefits from it being made and does its production support an ideological position?
was it part of a propaganda campaign? pro something?
what are the meanings generated by the adaptation or news piece?
what are the social and cultural mechanisms of communication (symbolic / visual / formal / textual / textural / auditory / verbal )
what are the connotations and meanings being formed? - are these regenerated - intended or not
reviews / papers or re-readings of meaning after time has evolved or after other cultural or global changes e.g. political
intertextual relationship that exists now between all media products in culture - books, gaming, cinema, small screen, online etx - they can refer to and connect to one another and help to frame ideas and understanding and reinforce one another.
clarify and expand knowledge - develop rich case studies - relevant and interesting examples of creative output to elaborate around and theorise around.
Planning your written work:
- internet your question / topic
- research and create plan
- plan intro, begin to draft
- create and maintain reference list
- proof read, edit and refine reference list
Critical writing:
- clear and confident refusal to accept the conclusions of other writers without evaluating the arguments and evidence they provide
- balanced presentation of reasons why the conclusions of other writers may be accepted or may need to be treated with caution
- a clear presentation of your own evidence and argument leading to your conclusion
- recognition of the limitations in your own evidence, argument and conclusion
- avoid overly descriptive writing
- descriptive writing does not develop an argument - just setting background within an argument
- descriptive = not presenting analysis or discussion
- descriptive = just reporting ideas - not taking them forward
- critical writing - debating, arguing, weighing up evidence
- consider quality of evidence and argument
Referencing:
- Referencing is a formal academic convention which allows for the acknowledgement of the use of other people's ideas and work.
- paraphrase, summarise, quote - cite where info is found - harvard referencing
- identify key positive and negative aspects you can comment upon
- assess their relevance and usefulness to the debate
Friday, 29 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Pre Production) Development Of Idea
To develop our idea, we carried out research into our chosen areas; E-Cigarettes / Campaigns, Alcohol / Hangover cures and Mythbusting as a brand.
Research about e-cigarettes:
Jason focused on the research into e-cigarettes.
- “For the main carcinogen in tobacco smoke, levels in e-cigarette users were close to that of non-smokers.”
- A study, published in August 2016, suggested that smoking e-cigarettes for 30 minutes can cause arteries to stiffen, in a similar way to tobacco cigarettes. (Long term effects)
- chemical, called NNAL (known to cause lung cancer), was 97% lower in e-cigarette users compared to smokers.
The research into e-cigarettes is very mixed - proving that their long term effect can not yet be confirmed. Our next step is to get in touch with a doctor and hopefully someone from the stoptober and stay sober campaigns to find their stance on the subject.
Research about hangover cures / hangovers:
Alex focused on the research into alcohol / hangovers
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Hangovers.aspx
- Don't drink more than you know your body can cope with
- Don't drink on an empty stomach. Food will help slow down the body's absorption of alcohol.
- Don't drink dark-coloured drinks if you've found you're sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners, which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse.
- Drink water or non-fizzy soft drinks in between each alcoholic drink. Carbonated (fizzy) drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system.
- Drinking when pregnant is okay
- I can drink and still be in control
- Alcohol improves sexual performance
- Alcohol gives me a boost
- Coffee sobers me up
- There is nothing anyone can do to help a problem drinker
- A trip to the gym will undo damage caused by a night on the tiles
- Alcohol is a winter warmer
- I can save up my alcohol units for the weekend
Go Sober for October https://www.gosober.org.uk/
- Set up by Macmillan, Go Sober encourages people to stay sober throughout the entire month of October to encourage sobriety, and promote awareness and raise money for people with cancer
- Go Sober is also aimed at challenging social drinkers to change their habits and make some healthier lifestyle changes
Research about e-cigarettes:
Jason focused on the research into e-cigarettes.
- “For the main carcinogen in tobacco smoke, levels in e-cigarette users were close to that of non-smokers.”
- A study, published in August 2016, suggested that smoking e-cigarettes for 30 minutes can cause arteries to stiffen, in a similar way to tobacco cigarettes. (Long term effects)
- chemical, called NNAL (known to cause lung cancer), was 97% lower in e-cigarette users compared to smokers.
The research into e-cigarettes is very mixed - proving that their long term effect can not yet be confirmed. Our next step is to get in touch with a doctor and hopefully someone from the stoptober and stay sober campaigns to find their stance on the subject.
Research about hangover cures / hangovers:
Alex focused on the research into alcohol / hangovers
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Hangovers.aspx
- Don't drink more than you know your body can cope with
- Don't drink on an empty stomach. Food will help slow down the body's absorption of alcohol.
- Don't drink dark-coloured drinks if you've found you're sensitive to them. They contain natural chemicals called congeners, which irritate blood vessels and tissue in the brain and can make a hangover worse.
- Drink water or non-fizzy soft drinks in between each alcoholic drink. Carbonated (fizzy) drinks speed up the absorption of alcohol into your system.
- Drinking helps me sleep
- I can drink and still be in control
- Alcohol improves sexual performance
- Alcohol gives me a boost
- Coffee sobers me up
- There is nothing anyone can do to help a problem drinker
- A trip to the gym will undo damage caused by a night on the tiles
- Alcohol is a winter warmer
- I can save up my alcohol units for the weekend
Go Sober for October https://www.gosober.org.uk/
- Set up by Macmillan, Go Sober encourages people to stay sober throughout the entire month of October to encourage sobriety, and promote awareness and raise money for people with cancer
- Go Sober is also aimed at challenging social drinkers to change their habits and make some healthier lifestyle changes
‘Cures’ we could cover:
- Drink lots of water
- Greasy breakfast
- Line your stomach
- Pace yourself
- Don’t mix your drinks
- Have a long shower
- Painkillers
- Stay sober
Urban Myths:
Melissa focused on the research into urban myths
- ‘An urban myth is a strange or surprising story which many people believe but which is not actually true.’
Examples of urban myths- Bloody Mary- ‘The spider bite’- The licked hand- Chain letters- The slender man
Debunked common myths & misconceptions:- “Bulls hate the colour red” - Bulls are actually colour blind, they actually react to the motion of the bullfighters’ cloth as a perceived threat. - “Napoleon was short” - Napoleon was 5’7”, actually above the average height for a Frenchman of his time.- “Don’t wake sleepwalkers” - They’ll be really confused but it’s fine to do so. It’s probably more dangerous letting them sleepwalk. - “Missing persons report” - Police don’t demand a 24-hour period before accepting a missing person's report.- “Don’t go swimming on a full stomach” - Eating before swimming doesn’t increase risk of cramps, alcohol is the biggest risk increaser. A full stomach will just make you out of breath. - “Goldfish have a 3 second memory” - Goldfish are not the smartest but they have a memory span of 3 months.
Busting - to damage or destrory
- One segment may be about e-cigarettes - audience will be advised about the pros and cons of using them & whether they really are better than real cigarettes.
- One segment about alcohol & potentially hangover cures (old wives tales) - can inform audience which hangover cures work and which don’t - put this to the test? Common myths about alcohol as well.
Urban Myths:
Melissa focused on the research into urban myths
- ‘An urban myth is a strange or surprising story which many people believe but which is not actually true.’
Examples of urban myths- Bloody Mary- ‘The spider bite’- The licked hand- Chain letters- The slender man
Debunked common myths & misconceptions:- “Bulls hate the colour red” - Bulls are actually colour blind, they actually react to the motion of the bullfighters’ cloth as a perceived threat. - “Napoleon was short” - Napoleon was 5’7”, actually above the average height for a Frenchman of his time.- “Don’t wake sleepwalkers” - They’ll be really confused but it’s fine to do so. It’s probably more dangerous letting them sleepwalk. - “Missing persons report” - Police don’t demand a 24-hour period before accepting a missing person's report.- “Don’t go swimming on a full stomach” - Eating before swimming doesn’t increase risk of cramps, alcohol is the biggest risk increaser. A full stomach will just make you out of breath. - “Goldfish have a 3 second memory” - Goldfish are not the smartest but they have a memory span of 3 months.
Additional research into 'myth busting':
I was in charge of gathering extra research around the area of myth busting. I decided to define the term so that we could check our stories fitted the myth busting theme of our channel.
Myth - a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
Busting - to damage or destrory
Myth busting - destroying a tradition / legend / believed fact
WIIFM - what’s in it for me (why do the audience want to know about myth busting)
- They may now be able to do something that previously they were worried about doing- One segment may be about e-cigarettes - audience will be advised about the pros and cons of using them & whether they really are better than real cigarettes.
- One segment about alcohol & potentially hangover cures (old wives tales) - can inform audience which hangover cures work and which don’t - put this to the test? Common myths about alcohol as well.
Thursday, 28 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Workshop) Mock News Production / #StopTheTrucks
To prepare us for our own news production pieces, Helen set us the task to create a short news piece based on an article she gave us. My group was given the article '#StopTheTrucks' which was about transporting animals overseas for slaughter.
The first step after receiving the article was to research the subject. This enabled us to find more information to support the statistics given in the article and to also find any opposing information which may question the reliability of the source. We found the website for #StopTheTrucks which presented some additional facts to the ones given in the article.
http://www.stopthetrucks.eu/en/
Once our research was carried out, we had to figure out the structure and angle of our story as well as coming up with the headline and tag. To come up with the structure of the story, we went through the article and picked out any shocking facts / key bits of information which would grab the audiences attention and that could be used in our news story.
We used google docs so that we could all contribute to the project.
The headline we came up with was:
One million join the fight to stop transportation of live animals for slaughter
The tag we came up with was:
The European Commission is under pressure today as one million people sign a petition to put an end to long, live transport of animals overseas.
For the story structure / angle - we decided to split up the facts pulled from the article and allocated them to the presenter and the reporter. This did change when we came to scripting it as we realised the presenter only needs to introduce the piece, the reporter needs to have the majority of the information.
The additional sources we found:
We then went about putting the information into a script (split into visuals and audio).
On Thursday after a brief introduction from Helen and Ferg, we then had to shoot the piece we had prepared. We got introduced to a new piece of kit - the autoprompter - which allows the reporter to read their lines whilst looking directly into the camera. The words are written on an iPad screen, reversed, then reflected onto glass covering the camera lens. The speed of the words can be adjusted so that the presenter can read at the pace they wish.
Alex was the presenter for this piece. He sat in front of the green screen and typed up his lines onto the autoprompt. Due to some technical difficulties with the clip mic, we ended up being rushed for time, although Alex still delivered his lines very well.
Then it was my turn to be reporter. I interviewed Jason as 'David'. My job was a little harder as I had more lines to remember and no autoprompt to help. Melissa did hold up Alex's laptop with big writing as a make shift auto prompt but this didn't give the best effect as occasionally you can see me glance to the side to read my lines. We rehearsed a couple of times and managed to get the interview in one take (even though I had the giggles at the end). Jason worked well as the interviewee and was able to improvise his answers based on what we had read in the article.
I then edited together the clips. I altered the background of Alex's presenter lead piece and put in a generic newsroom background. I also added a title sequence, news sound effects and captions to make the piece feel like a real news production. The captions were used to introduce the people. I would have liked to put the headline as a caption, however, Alex's PTC wasn't long enough to allow me to do this without it looking messy.
Final Product:
The first step after receiving the article was to research the subject. This enabled us to find more information to support the statistics given in the article and to also find any opposing information which may question the reliability of the source. We found the website for #StopTheTrucks which presented some additional facts to the ones given in the article.
http://www.stopthetrucks.eu/en/
Once our research was carried out, we had to figure out the structure and angle of our story as well as coming up with the headline and tag. To come up with the structure of the story, we went through the article and picked out any shocking facts / key bits of information which would grab the audiences attention and that could be used in our news story.
We used google docs so that we could all contribute to the project.
The headline we came up with was:
One million join the fight to stop transportation of live animals for slaughter
The tag we came up with was:
The European Commission is under pressure today as one million people sign a petition to put an end to long, live transport of animals overseas.
For the story structure / angle - we decided to split up the facts pulled from the article and allocated them to the presenter and the reporter. This did change when we came to scripting it as we realised the presenter only needs to introduce the piece, the reporter needs to have the majority of the information.
Presenter lead
- Live transport overseas could be ended after a petition has reached over one million signatures.
- The RSPCA seeks to stop the shipment of animals overseas to prevent the suffering caused by the long distance journeys.
- The RSPCA has been campaigning over the matter for 20 years.
Interview / reporter
- The RSPCA surveyed the British public and 66% were ‘appalled’ by live animals being transported long distances for slaughter.
- Campaigns, Eyes on Animals and TSB/AWF carried out an investigation and found animals starving and without water in a truck parked in direct sunlight for 24 hours. Sheep were made to wait 5 days before continuing their journey and standing on carcasses of lambs that were trampled to death.
- The RSPCA campaign, Stop The Trucks, will be asking that an eight hour limit is imposed on all transportation of animals for slaughter. Here we have David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA. How pressing is this issue?
- “This shipment of live animals for slaughter and further fattening overseas continues to be legal in the UK, this issue is something the RSPCA is deeply concerned about”.
- And I understand that there is a petition that is being handed to the European Commission?
- About petition...
- Thanks David... back to the studio.
Back to Presenter
The additional sources we found:
Visuals
|
Audio
|
Presenter in studio
|
Presenter:
“Good evening and welcome to the 6 o’clock news, I’m Alex Hargood. The European Commision is under pressure today as one million people sign a petition to put an end to long live transport of animals overseas. Reporter Katie Joslin is at the Port of Dover.”
|
Reporter in the field
|
Katie:
“Thanks Alex, a petition calling for a stop to shipping animals has reached one million signatures. I’m here in Dover where trucks carrying livestock will be taken across Europe for slaughter. The RSPCA, which is a member of Eurogroup for animals has been campaigning for the last 20 years to put an end to shipping animals overseas. They believe these journeys can cause a lot of suffering for animals being transported to slaughterhouses. The group has been pushing for this particular agenda for the last 18 months reached this milestone today, hitting one million signatures on an online petition. I’m here with David Bowles from the RSPCA, David how significant is this?”
|
Reporter with interviewee (David Bowles)
|
Interview
Questions:
|
On Thursday after a brief introduction from Helen and Ferg, we then had to shoot the piece we had prepared. We got introduced to a new piece of kit - the autoprompter - which allows the reporter to read their lines whilst looking directly into the camera. The words are written on an iPad screen, reversed, then reflected onto glass covering the camera lens. The speed of the words can be adjusted so that the presenter can read at the pace they wish.
Alex was the presenter for this piece. He sat in front of the green screen and typed up his lines onto the autoprompt. Due to some technical difficulties with the clip mic, we ended up being rushed for time, although Alex still delivered his lines very well.
Then it was my turn to be reporter. I interviewed Jason as 'David'. My job was a little harder as I had more lines to remember and no autoprompt to help. Melissa did hold up Alex's laptop with big writing as a make shift auto prompt but this didn't give the best effect as occasionally you can see me glance to the side to read my lines. We rehearsed a couple of times and managed to get the interview in one take (even though I had the giggles at the end). Jason worked well as the interviewee and was able to improvise his answers based on what we had read in the article.
I then edited together the clips. I altered the background of Alex's presenter lead piece and put in a generic newsroom background. I also added a title sequence, news sound effects and captions to make the piece feel like a real news production. The captions were used to introduce the people. I would have liked to put the headline as a caption, however, Alex's PTC wasn't long enough to allow me to do this without it looking messy.
Final Product:
We then received feedback from Helen and Ferg about our final pieces:
Good Points:
- Good intro from Alex - clear - when know who he is / what he is doing / where he is going
- Good scripting
Bad Points:
- Too much info from me during reporter lead piece - cut to interview with Jason sooner - he has the info
- Rehearse more to make it smoother - so Jason knows what to do / less pressure for interviewee
- Tripod too hard - handheld would be better
- Don't cut away too quickly - can stay on interviewee longer
- Find a shot and stick with it
- Focus a bit soft on Alex
Overall, I feel like this mini project went well as it has helped us to realise what we need to focus on in our news piece.
What went well:
- Alex's PTC was very clear and to the point
- Everyone knew what they were saying
- The green screen was replaced evenly / looked quite realistic
What needs improving:
- Ensure the camera is focused and the set up is perfected
- Allow everyone enough time to rehearse - this is key for our actual piece as we need to do it in one take. Rehearsal takes the pressure off - enables people to talk more smoothly / know what they're talking about
- Let the interviewee give the information - don't make reporter say it all
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Lecture) Writing and Storytelling for News
Journalism requires quick and concise writing
Good writing:
- have something to say
- read books
- manipulate language
- plan english
- single syllables
- know your medium
- aim - what do you want your script to achieve
- short sentences
- be direct
- clarity and precision
- use adjectives sparingly
- conversational
- simplify
Consider writing techniques which can help the reading of your story:
- alliteration - e.g. players taking polo in the park
- avoid repetition - say things once, tease out thoughts and set them up
- wordplay - e.g. it's a new Dawn for Jennifer
- rule of three - one or two is too few, three is just right
- similes and metaphors - useful to add comparisons and context
- personification
- exaggeration - giving emphasis
- relatable comparisons - e.g. swimming pools & football pitches
The page 'f' test:
Precise
- use language correctly
- spelling and grammar
- clear and concise
Accurate
- check facts with reliable sources
- inaccuracy can cost you
- ensure info is up to date
Germane
- is it relevant - are all the facts necessary
- know your story - do wider research
- distill idea to single headline - effectively sell your story
Equitable
- ensure balance - be objective
- consider representation and tackle subjects with sensitivity and fairness
Flow
- structure carefully and walk the viewer through the story
- tie writing - using scripting to naturally link or corner turn from one point to the next
Write it in the correct order:
- Write the lead in first (intro to story read by anchor), then the package and then your tag
- Don't repeat the lead with your package
- Beware wordy writing
- Overkill of facts and figures
- leads and tags - brief and to the point
- facts and figures - simple
- identify key questions
How to write good lead / tag:
- attention grabbing
- concise and not overloaded with facts
- should sound fresh and new
- be written in an active voice
- be creative
- conversational
- use narrative to tell the story
Distilling idea into clear toppling - clarifies purpose - they can then decide whether its relevant to them. Think of longline that would be used in pitch. Often need to tease the viewer - entice them to want to know more. Give them enough but not the whole picture.
Once / fact light
- dont weight down leads with facts
- a lot of leads are fact free
- facts belong in main body of the piece
- one sentence is one thought
- tell the viewers the key elements that they want to hear
Finding an active voice
SVO method
- subject
- verb
- object
Writing about the person doing the action then what they do then the target of the action.
Things to avoid:
- 'journalese' - artificially exaggerated or embellished language.
- overly clinical references
- generally used cliches
- slang
Write to pictures:
- look at pictures
- listen to sounds
- talk to picture editors
- deliver what you have written
- polish
- don't be too literal
Writing for live news / studio content
- script using segue words
- don't forget the viewer - 'you'
Headlines and coming ups
- it is a menu of main stories
- top story - heavy / important impactful news
- know your audience
- sell your story
- match the headline
- read out loud
- tempt the viewer
- check the facts
- make it easy to read
- the producer is responsible
Scripting OOV / SOT
- scripting this sort of story requires the ability o discern good sound bites from interviews and script in and out of them
- studio script must indicate when and where the video is supposed to start and its duration
- ensure presenter is aware when to stop reading the VO and allow the SOT to take over
- put SOT on separate source so sound can be mixed in gallery
- presenter should be in vision when the piece is finished to do final PTC
Scripting in a News Package
- if possible work out key elements of your film on paper before filming
- work out shot list and scripted elements such as PTC
- scripting will allow you to be sure you know what you need to shoot
- give reporter purpose - make them active in the film. Doing something relevant on camera. Audience feel vicariously connected to the piece and have greater understanding and empathy.
Who is involved in the story:
What are they doing now?
What happens next?
Deciding how to tell your story
- access
- time
- duration
- angle
- essentials
Narrative
- thinking of your package as a whole
- story arc
- chronology - don't mess around with the timeline
- most up to date and pictures first
- story told through strong central characters
- 5 W's
- view, log and transcribe your interviews
Good writing:
- have something to say
- read books
- manipulate language
- plan english
- single syllables
- know your medium
- aim - what do you want your script to achieve
- short sentences
- be direct
- clarity and precision
- use adjectives sparingly
- conversational
- simplify
Consider writing techniques which can help the reading of your story:
- alliteration - e.g. players taking polo in the park
- avoid repetition - say things once, tease out thoughts and set them up
- wordplay - e.g. it's a new Dawn for Jennifer
- rule of three - one or two is too few, three is just right
- similes and metaphors - useful to add comparisons and context
- personification
- exaggeration - giving emphasis
- relatable comparisons - e.g. swimming pools & football pitches
The page 'f' test:
Precise
- use language correctly
- spelling and grammar
- clear and concise
Accurate
- check facts with reliable sources
- inaccuracy can cost you
- ensure info is up to date
Germane
- is it relevant - are all the facts necessary
- know your story - do wider research
- distill idea to single headline - effectively sell your story
Equitable
- ensure balance - be objective
- consider representation and tackle subjects with sensitivity and fairness
Flow
- structure carefully and walk the viewer through the story
- tie writing - using scripting to naturally link or corner turn from one point to the next
Write it in the correct order:
- Write the lead in first (intro to story read by anchor), then the package and then your tag
- Don't repeat the lead with your package
- Beware wordy writing
- Overkill of facts and figures
- leads and tags - brief and to the point
- facts and figures - simple
- identify key questions
How to write good lead / tag:
- attention grabbing
- concise and not overloaded with facts
- should sound fresh and new
- be written in an active voice
- be creative
- conversational
- use narrative to tell the story
Distilling idea into clear toppling - clarifies purpose - they can then decide whether its relevant to them. Think of longline that would be used in pitch. Often need to tease the viewer - entice them to want to know more. Give them enough but not the whole picture.
Once / fact light
- dont weight down leads with facts
- a lot of leads are fact free
- facts belong in main body of the piece
- one sentence is one thought
- tell the viewers the key elements that they want to hear
Finding an active voice
SVO method
- subject
- verb
- object
Writing about the person doing the action then what they do then the target of the action.
Things to avoid:
- 'journalese' - artificially exaggerated or embellished language.
- overly clinical references
- generally used cliches
- slang
Write to pictures:
- look at pictures
- listen to sounds
- talk to picture editors
- deliver what you have written
- polish
- don't be too literal
Writing for live news / studio content
- script using segue words
- don't forget the viewer - 'you'
Headlines and coming ups
- it is a menu of main stories
- top story - heavy / important impactful news
- know your audience
- sell your story
- match the headline
- read out loud
- tempt the viewer
- check the facts
- make it easy to read
- the producer is responsible
Scripting OOV / SOT
- scripting this sort of story requires the ability o discern good sound bites from interviews and script in and out of them
- studio script must indicate when and where the video is supposed to start and its duration
- ensure presenter is aware when to stop reading the VO and allow the SOT to take over
- put SOT on separate source so sound can be mixed in gallery
- presenter should be in vision when the piece is finished to do final PTC
Scripting in a News Package
- if possible work out key elements of your film on paper before filming
- work out shot list and scripted elements such as PTC
- scripting will allow you to be sure you know what you need to shoot
- give reporter purpose - make them active in the film. Doing something relevant on camera. Audience feel vicariously connected to the piece and have greater understanding and empathy.
Who is involved in the story:
What are they doing now?
What happens next?
Deciding how to tell your story
- access
- time
- duration
- angle
- essentials
Narrative
- thinking of your package as a whole
- story arc
- chronology - don't mess around with the timeline
- most up to date and pictures first
- story told through strong central characters
- 5 W's
- view, log and transcribe your interviews
Friday, 22 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Workshop) Camera Workshop
Today we had a camera workshop to help familiarise ourselves with the new 4K Panasonic DVX200.
The cameras have a whole range on new features such as:
- shooting in 4K
- VFR - variable frame rate - for slow motion filming
- advanced image stabilisation
The workshop just involved getting used to the cameras. We decided to work out the main features of the camera such as; formatting the cards, changing the resolution, how to use VFR etc.
We didn't get a chance to shoot a lot of footage, but we / Alex did manage to capture some footage shot in 120 FPS/1080p:
Overall, the camera workshop was really helpful and enabled us to feel a lot more comfortable using the cameras. There is still a lot more to discover on these cameras due to their wide range of features, however, we are a lot more familiar with them than we were at the start of the session.
It was really interesting looking at the difference between the different resolutions that the camera shot in as I've personally never used a camera that is capable of shooting in 4K before. It was also interesting to compare the lay out of the camera to the Sony EX (which is what we are used to). The Panasonic does seem superior in most ways to the Sony EX, however, it is a little annoying having to fiddle with the setting to allow you to switch between using the eye piece and the monitor whilst recording (the Sony didn't require you to do this).
The main reason I wanted to attend this camera workshop was my slight 'tech phobia' - I like using camera equipment that I'm used to and tend to fall into a comfort zone. I'm happy that I managed to push myself out of that comfort zone and got to know the knew cameras which will hopefully mean my future projects are of higher quality visually (and also higher quality content-wise).
The cameras have a whole range on new features such as:
- shooting in 4K
- VFR - variable frame rate - for slow motion filming
- advanced image stabilisation
The workshop just involved getting used to the cameras. We decided to work out the main features of the camera such as; formatting the cards, changing the resolution, how to use VFR etc.
We didn't get a chance to shoot a lot of footage, but we / Alex did manage to capture some footage shot in 120 FPS/1080p:
Overall, the camera workshop was really helpful and enabled us to feel a lot more comfortable using the cameras. There is still a lot more to discover on these cameras due to their wide range of features, however, we are a lot more familiar with them than we were at the start of the session.
It was really interesting looking at the difference between the different resolutions that the camera shot in as I've personally never used a camera that is capable of shooting in 4K before. It was also interesting to compare the lay out of the camera to the Sony EX (which is what we are used to). The Panasonic does seem superior in most ways to the Sony EX, however, it is a little annoying having to fiddle with the setting to allow you to switch between using the eye piece and the monitor whilst recording (the Sony didn't require you to do this).
The main reason I wanted to attend this camera workshop was my slight 'tech phobia' - I like using camera equipment that I'm used to and tend to fall into a comfort zone. I'm happy that I managed to push myself out of that comfort zone and got to know the knew cameras which will hopefully mean my future projects are of higher quality visually (and also higher quality content-wise).
Thursday, 21 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Lecture) Sourcing Stories
Sources & Contacts:
- broadcast journalist relies on wide range of sources and contacts - find new news
- best journalists go out and find it
Where to find sources:
- newspapers
- viral / social media
- word of mouth / whistleblower - anecdotal stories may have reliability issues
- news agencies e.g. reuters
- pressure groups
Make sure they are verifiable
Primary sources:
- own contacts
- original sources direct from source material
- public appeals
- press releases / stats / official statements (question the statements and figures)
Secondary sources:
- stringers (freelancers)
- other platforms / media
How journalists find stories with news value:
- Fishman (1997) - 'beats' - patrolling like a police officer on recognised chains of info to supply potential stories with news value.
- many beats are exclusively accessed by news journalists e.g. calling police stations / press offices
- question what's in it for them (the interviewee)
Wires:
- newsrooms trawl the wires for tip offs on news stories:
- (P.A) Press Association - provide a range of news stories and content
- Reuters
Correspondents:
- subject specialists work in newsrooms and have a depth of knowledge and well honed contacts - invited to confidential lobby briefings with politicians & on mailing lists of important relevant bodies.
- 'lobby' politics - influential groups lobby the government in such meeting to get their views across and attempt to influence policy.
Foreign news sources:
- journalists, editors and correspondents based permanently abroad for news networks
- sometimes pooled foreign news bureau with other broadcasters
- valued for their local contacts and on ground knowledge and access
- long hours, lots of travelling, special training. good language skills, can be in dangerous / politically unstable areas
- international news agencies and large scale news organisations e.g. abc, nbc, sky have deals with bbc
- Eurovision News Exchange - facilitates the exchange of stories between Eurovision countries.
Archives:
- many broadcasters have their own archived material which is a rich source of pictures, as well as independent archives which sell on their material under license.
e.g. getty images
Beware of fake news
- look like news packages but often propaganda
- where does it come from / who is sending them and why?
- blurring the lines between marketing and news
- how do you verify and check these stories
User Generated Content (UGC)
- encouraging people to film first in an attack? (Paris)
- Russian meteorite
Communication:
- whichever source of information and stories - need to be a consummate communicator in order to access these.
- get used to using the telephone
- emails are good for exchanging information
- build a rapport
Be tenacious and have stamina
- be creative in order to get what you need
- being ethical, find ways of negotiating obstacles to gain access you need
- when people are reluctant - give good reason - their chance to put their side of the story
Being creative with your methods:
- tracking people down - do research - identify key contacts
- sometimes have to think about the obvious
- find people who will talk - someone outside direct arena of your story - credible association
Deadlines:
- some stories take time
Finding your angle:
- the news angle is key to developing your story
- the angle can be defined as the main significance of the story to your particular audience - it is a particular viewpoint of any story.
- there will inevitably be several angles on any story, your job is to decide the angle which best suits and sells your story and will engage your audience.
What makes a story newsworthy:
- relevance
- resonance
- controversy
- peg - dates, events - time story to intersect with important dates and events e.g. princess diana
- who / what / when / where / why
- choosing the lead story is key in determining most newsworthy
- lead story might vary at different times of day
Recent leads:
- North Korea Missiles
- McCanns lie detector
Newsworthiness is subjective
- deciding what's important and putting it in order
- typically 15-20 news stories per 30 mins news programme
- balance tone of the news - from hard news, breaking stories to human interest pieces
- journalistic instinct plays a strong part in decision
Key areas:
- locations
- timeliness
- impact
- prominence / importance
- conflict
- simplicity
- broadcaster's values
Developing your story:
- Copious research needs to be matched with note taking
- be organised - lots of info
- whenever delivering information - ensure you attribute the information to reliable sources - simply saying 'allegedly / apparently' is not enough without saying where the info is from
Setting up the story:
- proof of journalistic skills is when you try to set your story up to shoot it
- what is your story (what is it not?)
- who is in your story? (who is not)
- where is it? (location)
- when is it to be shot? (schedule)
- how you will tell it (treatment / style / angle)
- why you are making the story (why now, why this, why here, why them?)
Following up leads:
- the contacts you make in the early stages of research should lead you to the final elements which you will include in your news story.
- decisions will be made on availability / location / cost etc but these decisions frame the story for the audience
- be sure to include elements which are a fair and reasonable representations of the facts
- stay objective
Dont burn your bridges:
- never know when you might need them again
- public interest
- respect - be open and fair, honest and direct, aware of the intrusion, respect their time
- treat other people how you would expect to be treated
- thank contributors and let them know when / where the piece they feature in will be aired / published.
Television news story forms:
5 basic types:
- readers ('tell' stories) - a short story they read out with no video to accompany it - shorter stories
- OOVS / VO (out of vision / voice overs) - there is video material but the presenter is live reading over the video. Often quite short. Annotated as VO / g. OOVs add variety and pace to the newscast. Very good when covering an event where you do not need to hear from someone. Late breaking story. May also depend on whether there are many other more 'important' full packages already in the bulletin.
To make an OOV - source story and relevant info. Script. Boil down to essentials and find angle. Can use archive. Graphics, statistics, data, quotes, charts, graphs, maps etc. Add sound - natural atmos.
- VO / SOT (voice overs / sound on tape) - Combination. SOT made up of interview clips. Good for varying pace of programme and allows a more in depth news report but not as in depth as full news package. Useful when covering an events and need someone there to comment (preferably someone directly affected)
- reporter packages - news packages are fully formed and self contained news pieces. Unlike OOVs and SOTs the news presenter is not involved in the story telling itself, but rather in introducing and wrapping up the story. Usually introducing and thanking reporter at end). Reporter takes lead in story.
There are a variety of elements available in a news package. These include:
- interviews
- PTCs
- sequences and actuality
- GVs / cutaways
- set ups
- graphics
Therefore the story needs to be worked out before the shoot to include elements such as the piece to camera.
This can be done either on paper or if time pressure does not allow then it will have to be worked out on the spot prior to shooting. 3 words a second.
- broadcast journalist relies on wide range of sources and contacts - find new news
- best journalists go out and find it
Where to find sources:
- newspapers
- viral / social media
- word of mouth / whistleblower - anecdotal stories may have reliability issues
- news agencies e.g. reuters
- pressure groups
Make sure they are verifiable
Primary sources:
- own contacts
- original sources direct from source material
- public appeals
- press releases / stats / official statements (question the statements and figures)
Secondary sources:
- stringers (freelancers)
- other platforms / media
How journalists find stories with news value:
- Fishman (1997) - 'beats' - patrolling like a police officer on recognised chains of info to supply potential stories with news value.
- many beats are exclusively accessed by news journalists e.g. calling police stations / press offices
- question what's in it for them (the interviewee)
Wires:
- newsrooms trawl the wires for tip offs on news stories:
- (P.A) Press Association - provide a range of news stories and content
- Reuters
Correspondents:
- subject specialists work in newsrooms and have a depth of knowledge and well honed contacts - invited to confidential lobby briefings with politicians & on mailing lists of important relevant bodies.
- 'lobby' politics - influential groups lobby the government in such meeting to get their views across and attempt to influence policy.
Foreign news sources:
- journalists, editors and correspondents based permanently abroad for news networks
- sometimes pooled foreign news bureau with other broadcasters
- valued for their local contacts and on ground knowledge and access
- long hours, lots of travelling, special training. good language skills, can be in dangerous / politically unstable areas
- international news agencies and large scale news organisations e.g. abc, nbc, sky have deals with bbc
- Eurovision News Exchange - facilitates the exchange of stories between Eurovision countries.
Archives:
- many broadcasters have their own archived material which is a rich source of pictures, as well as independent archives which sell on their material under license.
e.g. getty images
Beware of fake news
- look like news packages but often propaganda
- where does it come from / who is sending them and why?
- blurring the lines between marketing and news
- how do you verify and check these stories
User Generated Content (UGC)
- encouraging people to film first in an attack? (Paris)
- Russian meteorite
Communication:
- whichever source of information and stories - need to be a consummate communicator in order to access these.
- get used to using the telephone
- emails are good for exchanging information
- build a rapport
Be tenacious and have stamina
- be creative in order to get what you need
- being ethical, find ways of negotiating obstacles to gain access you need
- when people are reluctant - give good reason - their chance to put their side of the story
Being creative with your methods:
- tracking people down - do research - identify key contacts
- sometimes have to think about the obvious
- find people who will talk - someone outside direct arena of your story - credible association
Deadlines:
- some stories take time
Finding your angle:
- the news angle is key to developing your story
- the angle can be defined as the main significance of the story to your particular audience - it is a particular viewpoint of any story.
- there will inevitably be several angles on any story, your job is to decide the angle which best suits and sells your story and will engage your audience.
What makes a story newsworthy:
- relevance
- resonance
- controversy
- peg - dates, events - time story to intersect with important dates and events e.g. princess diana
- who / what / when / where / why
- choosing the lead story is key in determining most newsworthy
- lead story might vary at different times of day
Recent leads:
- North Korea Missiles
- McCanns lie detector
Newsworthiness is subjective
- deciding what's important and putting it in order
- typically 15-20 news stories per 30 mins news programme
- balance tone of the news - from hard news, breaking stories to human interest pieces
- journalistic instinct plays a strong part in decision
Key areas:
- locations
- timeliness
- impact
- prominence / importance
- conflict
- simplicity
- broadcaster's values
Developing your story:
- Copious research needs to be matched with note taking
- be organised - lots of info
- whenever delivering information - ensure you attribute the information to reliable sources - simply saying 'allegedly / apparently' is not enough without saying where the info is from
Setting up the story:
- proof of journalistic skills is when you try to set your story up to shoot it
- what is your story (what is it not?)
- who is in your story? (who is not)
- where is it? (location)
- when is it to be shot? (schedule)
- how you will tell it (treatment / style / angle)
- why you are making the story (why now, why this, why here, why them?)
Following up leads:
- the contacts you make in the early stages of research should lead you to the final elements which you will include in your news story.
- decisions will be made on availability / location / cost etc but these decisions frame the story for the audience
- be sure to include elements which are a fair and reasonable representations of the facts
- stay objective
Dont burn your bridges:
- never know when you might need them again
- public interest
- respect - be open and fair, honest and direct, aware of the intrusion, respect their time
- treat other people how you would expect to be treated
- thank contributors and let them know when / where the piece they feature in will be aired / published.
Television news story forms:
5 basic types:
- readers ('tell' stories) - a short story they read out with no video to accompany it - shorter stories
- OOVS / VO (out of vision / voice overs) - there is video material but the presenter is live reading over the video. Often quite short. Annotated as VO / g. OOVs add variety and pace to the newscast. Very good when covering an event where you do not need to hear from someone. Late breaking story. May also depend on whether there are many other more 'important' full packages already in the bulletin.
To make an OOV - source story and relevant info. Script. Boil down to essentials and find angle. Can use archive. Graphics, statistics, data, quotes, charts, graphs, maps etc. Add sound - natural atmos.
- VO / SOT (voice overs / sound on tape) - Combination. SOT made up of interview clips. Good for varying pace of programme and allows a more in depth news report but not as in depth as full news package. Useful when covering an events and need someone there to comment (preferably someone directly affected)
- reporter packages - news packages are fully formed and self contained news pieces. Unlike OOVs and SOTs the news presenter is not involved in the story telling itself, but rather in introducing and wrapping up the story. Usually introducing and thanking reporter at end). Reporter takes lead in story.
There are a variety of elements available in a news package. These include:
- interviews
- PTCs
- sequences and actuality
- GVs / cutaways
- set ups
- graphics
Therefore the story needs to be worked out before the shoot to include elements such as the piece to camera.
This can be done either on paper or if time pressure does not allow then it will have to be worked out on the spot prior to shooting. 3 words a second.
Wednesday, 20 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Pre Production) Our Channel & Brand
As a group we decided we wanted to target our brand to an audience of a similar age to ourselves; 19-25 year olds. We also decided we wanted to have a funny channel that focused on interesting topics yet presented with a comical twist.
25 word pitch for our channel & brand:
'A comical channel focused on debunking common myths with a light hearted twist, targeted at a young audience'
- Although this is a vague pitch - it gives the idea of what our channel is about.
- We want to debunk different myths in each episode - some may be sent in by viewers, others would be thought of by the channel.
- We wanted the channel to be funny whilst still presenting the facts. This means probably staying away from hard hitting topics but still tackling relevant topics.
- We want young presenters / reporters - similar to the age of the audience - to make the production more interactive and relatable for the audience.
25 word pitch for our channel & brand:
'A comical channel focused on debunking common myths with a light hearted twist, targeted at a young audience'
- Although this is a vague pitch - it gives the idea of what our channel is about.
- We want to debunk different myths in each episode - some may be sent in by viewers, others would be thought of by the channel.
- We wanted the channel to be funny whilst still presenting the facts. This means probably staying away from hard hitting topics but still tackling relevant topics.
- We want young presenters / reporters - similar to the age of the audience - to make the production more interactive and relatable for the audience.
Tuesday, 19 September 2017
DIGITAL NEWS: (Pre Production) Ideas Lab w/ Jo Clark
As a group, we have decided we want to do something with a light hearted twist. We didn't want to do heavy news stories but still wanted the pieces to be interesting and relevant to the audience. This means we need to find the right mix between entertaining and interesting which will be a difficult balance.
To help us work as a group we have set up a google docs folder where all of our documents will be shared with each other. We have started an initial ideas page where we have jotted down some rough starting points:
We started off by thinking of our brand. We decided we wanted our target audience to be similar to our own age as we would know what sort of angle the audience would want. We then went on to think of the actual stories in our piece. To do this, we looked at what events were coming up, what major venues were nearby and things that would be relevant to this time of year and to our target audience. We realised that campaigns for stopping smoking and staying sober for October were coming up. This combined with our other idea of myth busting gave us the idea of exploring myths surrounding e cigarettes and hangover cures.
However, this gave us a little bit of confusion about the brand of our channel as it then sounded like we wanted to go for a health and lifestyle related channel. Whereas, we wanted to go for a more mystery / myth busting / funny channel brand. This means just needing to find the right angle and tone for the production.
Talking to Jo proved very useful, she pointed us in the direction of some potential contributors. We could:
- ask press departments and associations (for the stoptober and stay sober campaigns)
- ask doctors (about the pros and cons of using e-cigarettes)
- do location recces of potential locations (e.g. any venues holding events for the campaigns)
Our conversation with Jo also helped to sort out the order of our production. We need a 2 minute live section and a pre recorded package. As it seemed more likely that we would find a venue / event for the e cigarette story, we decided to choose that as our live story. This leaves alcohol and hangover cures as our pre recorded package. We want to make the story very light hearted yet informative - we hope to film someone at a party / event with alcohol and then ask them to try hangover cures. This is still very rough and more research needs to be done.
This has given us more direction with our projects. We need to research all the areas of our project and get in touch with potential contributors.
To help us work as a group we have set up a google docs folder where all of our documents will be shared with each other. We have started an initial ideas page where we have jotted down some rough starting points:
We started off by thinking of our brand. We decided we wanted our target audience to be similar to our own age as we would know what sort of angle the audience would want. We then went on to think of the actual stories in our piece. To do this, we looked at what events were coming up, what major venues were nearby and things that would be relevant to this time of year and to our target audience. We realised that campaigns for stopping smoking and staying sober for October were coming up. This combined with our other idea of myth busting gave us the idea of exploring myths surrounding e cigarettes and hangover cures.
However, this gave us a little bit of confusion about the brand of our channel as it then sounded like we wanted to go for a health and lifestyle related channel. Whereas, we wanted to go for a more mystery / myth busting / funny channel brand. This means just needing to find the right angle and tone for the production.
Talking to Jo proved very useful, she pointed us in the direction of some potential contributors. We could:
- ask press departments and associations (for the stoptober and stay sober campaigns)
- ask doctors (about the pros and cons of using e-cigarettes)
- do location recces of potential locations (e.g. any venues holding events for the campaigns)
Our conversation with Jo also helped to sort out the order of our production. We need a 2 minute live section and a pre recorded package. As it seemed more likely that we would find a venue / event for the e cigarette story, we decided to choose that as our live story. This leaves alcohol and hangover cures as our pre recorded package. We want to make the story very light hearted yet informative - we hope to film someone at a party / event with alcohol and then ask them to try hangover cures. This is still very rough and more research needs to be done.
This has given us more direction with our projects. We need to research all the areas of our project and get in touch with potential contributors.
DIGITAL NEWS: (Lecture) Unit Briefing
Skills to take forward:
- sourcing stories and storytelling
- sourcing contributors
- sourcing locations
- script writing - writing to pictures / tie writing
- interviewing
- sequencing and actuality
- SWEFF
- good coverage (GVs)
- good sound (atmos, correct mic, control background noice etc)
- factual accuracy / fair dealing / impartiality & balance
- team work and communication
- time management and organisational skills
- interpreting information and finding new angles - disseminating info thereafter
New Skills:
- reporting - on screen / directing talent
- fast turn around - get story and access quickly
- online platform development / branding / concept
- studio presentation / news anchoring (green screen??)
- sourcing talent - reporters / presenters
Unit Aims:
- promote critical understanding of news
- facilitate the development of a creative methodology for production of news
- further develop technical and collaborative skills
- develop group presentation and pitching skills
Unit Outcomes:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of news
- employ creative methodologies
- demonstrate ability to work within a team
- prepare and deliver an innovative pitch
Create own online news channel & produce content for that channel
Ensure branding and audience tie into that channel - niche content rather than mixed
Design own branded digital online news (e.g. on youtube)
Original title sequence / branded strap line / stings
Promotional package - presenter led teaser trailer
1 news package - 2'00" - 2'30"
1 live OB report with a reporter on location
Written material on the web page to further support the channel
Submission - 26th October 10:00 - 11:00
- web address written down and email link
- video packages upload to hard drive
- screenshot blog entries
SUSTAIN
GOOD WRITING
PTC
ACTION AND REACTION
- sourcing stories and storytelling
- sourcing contributors
- sourcing locations
- script writing - writing to pictures / tie writing
- interviewing
- sequencing and actuality
- SWEFF
- good coverage (GVs)
- good sound (atmos, correct mic, control background noice etc)
- factual accuracy / fair dealing / impartiality & balance
- team work and communication
- time management and organisational skills
- interpreting information and finding new angles - disseminating info thereafter
New Skills:
- reporting - on screen / directing talent
- fast turn around - get story and access quickly
- online platform development / branding / concept
- studio presentation / news anchoring (green screen??)
- sourcing talent - reporters / presenters
Unit Aims:
- promote critical understanding of news
- facilitate the development of a creative methodology for production of news
- further develop technical and collaborative skills
- develop group presentation and pitching skills
Unit Outcomes:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of news
- employ creative methodologies
- demonstrate ability to work within a team
- prepare and deliver an innovative pitch
Create own online news channel & produce content for that channel
Ensure branding and audience tie into that channel - niche content rather than mixed
Design own branded digital online news (e.g. on youtube)
Original title sequence / branded strap line / stings
Promotional package - presenter led teaser trailer
1 news package - 2'00" - 2'30"
1 live OB report with a reporter on location
Written material on the web page to further support the channel
Submission - 26th October 10:00 - 11:00
- web address written down and email link
- video packages upload to hard drive
- screenshot blog entries
SUSTAIN
GOOD WRITING
PTC
ACTION AND REACTION
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