1. Upload the video to your own YouTube or Vimeo channel and email the link to me.
2. Upload to the class YouTube channel, using these credentials:
   Username: COMM305AU@gmail.com
   Password: video305Please pay attention to whether you want the file to be public/searchable or unlisted. Make sure to write a good headline (no label heads) and include your name and a description of your video.
3. Burn to a DVD. Please note that you cannot burn a Data disc. Your file needs to be formatted to play in a DVD player. You can use iDVD on the lab Macs. Remember I don’t care what theme you use or how it looks. It just needs to play.

We’ll watch all the examples on Friday. Good luck!

…download this USA TODAY footage of a taping of The Today Show during the 2010 Vancouver Games.

We’ll be going over the very basics of editing in Final Cut: using the razor blade, marking in and out points, dragging to the timeline and moving layers of video around.

The example image on the post is pretty simple. There’s an image on the left side of the page, followed by a list of audio clips. The story runs to the right, as long as is necessary. There are some in-line links along the way.

I’ve put together a couple example versions of ways to layout this story.

Example 1: Single photo, audio clips, 2-column layout

Example 2: Embedded photo gallery, 2-column layout, with info box on right rail.

Example 3: Embedded photo gallery, 1-column, no info boxes

You need to start thinking about the possible layout of your page. Your in-class assignment this week is to begin wireframing your story.

Here’s an example wireframe for the above story:

Wireframes have to give the hint of functionality and plan what kind of content, how it works and roughly where it goes. You’ll notice, for example, that the audio player used on the HTML version is not the same as that depicted in the wireframe. That’s fine. These are the details that don’t matter in this stage.

You’ll also notice that most of the copy isn’t represented. The story will scroll further, but there is no additional content to be represented.

Download the .zip file and then open up the folder. It contains:

• Dodgeball transcript: This a .txt transcription of each of the audio files.
• layeredproject.mp3: Compressed version of finished file
• layeredproject.wav: Higher quality wav file of finished project
• Folder “original-files”: This is a back up of the original wav files from the recorder
• Folder “sample-edit”: This contains all the Audacity files I used to create the final layered file.

If you need some technical help while you’re editing, I recommend these Audacity tutorials:

• Super-Fast Guide to Audio Editing (PDF, 290 KB)
• Editing Audio with Audacity (Part 2) (PDF, 181 KB)
• Setting up preferences in Audacity (PDF, 157 KB)

If you need some ideas for your audio analysis paper:
Top audio/photo slideshows chosen by ONA’s community

More to come after class.

As you all pointed out last week, I had the first of the blog posts due on March 20, which is Spring Break and a horrible offense.

I’ve readjusted the dates so that the these are due beginning April 3. (Shifted past midterm as well.) These are suggested deadlines, which means you can do them at any time before the hard deadline, if you so choose.

Additionally, I’ll be passing out the details of your multimedia project, due the last day of class. You have a few deadlines with this project, including a story pitch due to me March 27. Please note, again, if you want to start earlier, you may. The text of your story is due April 10 and we’ll have a few class days to work on packaging the text with whatever multimedia you gather.

Lastly, we’re playing Jeopardy and once we’re done, I’ll post the files up here. Write down the answers — they’re actually not in the Jeopardy template. And I’m handing out the take-home essay questions.

I’ll also handout this midterm study guide. This also means Jeopardy next week.

We’ll also sign up for websites to track for the class blog assignment.

Today we’ll go over the syllabus, which I’ll hand out in class and is also conveniently posted on this blog in the event that you lose it.

We’ll also go through the first four assignments of the course and discuss (show and tell!) gear that you’ll be issued.

A shortlist of things you should learn now about this course:

• This is a hands-on lab course. There is very little reading. This means there is a lot of in- and out-of-class work. If you don’t go gather audio and video to work on in this class, you will not do well.
• Don’t call me “Professor.” I’m Alex.
• When you check out your gear, please CHECK that all the pieces are there. I cannot help you if you miss a deadline because you don’t have batteries or you were the wrong cord to download material.
• Assignments are structured so that each will help you accomplish the next one. If you skip one, it will harder and harder to catch up. Please remember this.

Doomsday warnings aside, this can be an interesting class and hopefully in eight weeks you can step back and marvel at the video you will make.
Cheers,

Alex

There’s also a nice handout about how to write captions in AP style and in case you want to reference it again, the details for the resume and clips WordPress assignment.

If you’re looking for some galleries to see how they string pictures together, here are some nicer examples:

NYT: 36 Hours in New Orleans
This is a generic travel gallery to a certain extent, but notice the types of photographs and how they don’t feel repetitive. What is in the captions here?

NYT: And Baby Makes Two
Notice the different types of photographs and they way they flow.

USA TODAY: Occupy protesters rally in Washington
Notice the much more brief, less informative captions. It’s also a longer gallery. Is every photo in here necessary?

alexandra newman

alex.j.newman@gmail.com | 775.771.6902

WORK HISTORY

Instructor, American University, School of Communication (Washington, D.C.), January 2011 to present. Teach “Digital Skills” course, which includes basic video and audio storytelling and production techniques.

Creative Lead, Home Front Communications (Washington, D.C.), March 2009 to present. Brainstorm and build interactive graphics and websites for government and non-profit clients.

Instructor, University of Maryland, Philip Merrill School of Journalism, January 2008 to December 2010. Taught “Intro to Online Journalism” course, included HTML and CSS, page layout, online storytelling strategies.

Multimedia producer, sports, USA TODAY (McLean, Va.), June 2006 to March 2009. Duties included editing/creating interactive graphics, video and audio projects; multimedia project manage- ment: brainstorming, leading production/reporting and guiding final online packaging. Lead multimedia coverage of 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Instructor, University of Nevada, Reno, Reynolds School of Journalism, January 2006 to May 2006. Taught “Intro to Media Production,” included basic photography, video, audio, design training and multimedia packaging.

Night cops reporter, Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nev.), August 2005 to June 2006. Produced an award-winning section about methamphetamine.

Editor in chief, The Nevada Sagebrush (UNR student paper), May 2004 to May 2005. EDUCATION

Poynter Institute, “Advanced Multimedia Reporting with Video,” Aug. 2008. University of Nevada, Reno, 2000-2005 B.A. in journalism with print emphasis, third world history minor

AWARDS

■ Society of News Design, 2010 Quarterly Award, Vancouver Olympics Interactives (group award). ■ 2009 U.S. International Film and Video Festival, 2nd Place Silver Screen Award, “America’s Journey: Inauguration Day 2009” documentary (group award). ■ Society of News Design, October 2008, quarterly winner for interactive graphic/data base, “The Race for Mr. October” (group award). ■ Associated Press Sports Editors, April 2009, honorable mention for “Sports &Academics” special report (group award). ■ Society of News Design, April 2008, monthly winner for interactive graphic, “In Praise of Amen Corner” and video tour of Augusta replica course (group award). ■ Awards for “Meth: Shattering lives in Northern Nevada” special section

Nevada Press Association, October 2007 3rd place, Investigative/In-depth story (individual award) 2nd place community service (staff award) 1st place best special section (staff award)

California Newspaper Publishers Association, July 2007 1st place special section (staff award) 2nd place Investigative/Enterprise reporting (staff award)

SKILLS

Software: Adobe Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Photoshop. Final Cut and Soundtrack Pro. Languages: HTML, CSS, XML, Actionscript Other: Audio gathering/editing; photography; video (basic lighting, storytelling, editing)

We’ll be going over the very basics of editing in Final Cut: using the razor blade, marking in and out points, dragging to the timeline and moving layers of video around.