Since a significant number of students are facing conflicting deadlines for the capture of multimedia material and data for the newsroom simulation this week, I’m going to extend the deadline to Thursday start of class. For anyone finished sooner who can get me a list of clips by Wednesday midnight or first thing Thursday a.m., closer to the original deadline, I’ll provide extra credit.
Syllabus Update: Posting Your Clip List
Just updated this week’s assignment with a shared doc for you to post your clips list to. See update in boldface below:
ASSIGNMENT: Multimedia material gathered for Toiltown.com live coverage project: Each student gathers minimum of six raw multimedia clips (video or audio/stills) from his/her CD using smartphone, and asking: “How will the economy affect your holiday plans?” as well as related questions, two survey questions and biodata. Best two clips pitched during class session, and top clip then produced into 60 second multimedia package on ToilTown.com site. DEADLINE: 1) Wed 11:59 p.m. – Bulleted list of six or more clips (including subject name, age, borough and sentence on editorial and technical strength of interview material). List should highlight the top two clips. Post list on this shared doc. 2) Start of class Week 13 – All raw multimedia material and data from interviews for final in-class production. Input survey response and data on this Google form. See complete project details here
Syllabus Update: ToilTown Data Survey Form
Please make sure you’re gathering the proper data from all your interviews, not just from the multimedia interview. Add your data to this survey form by the start of Thursday’s class.
Please note that in keeping with standard survey protocol, individual entries missing data points are tossed as invalid. To reinforce that, the survey form requires all questions be answered, so it will not accept incomplete entries.
Syllabus Update: Toiltown Live Project
Week 12 of the syllabus has been updated to reflect key details of the news simulation assignment:
- ASSIGNMENT: Multimedia material gathered for Toiltown.com live coverage project: Each student gathers minimum of six raw multimedia clips (video or audio/stills) from his/her CD using smartphone, and asking: “How will the economy affect your holiday plans?” as well as related questions, two survey questions and biodata. Best two clips pitched during class session, and top clip then produced into 60 second multimedia package on ToilTown.com site. DEADLINE: 1) Wed 11:59 p.m. – Bulleted list of six or more clips (including subject name, age, borough and sentence on editorial and technical strength of interview material). List should highlight the top two clips. 2) Start of class Week 13 – All raw multimedia material and data from interviews for final in-class production. Complete project details here.
IMPORTANT — Please note:
- For your multimedia clips you have a choice of gathering video or audio and stills. Tight headshots are required on all visuals.
- You are required to use a smartphone to gather this material (do not “upgrade” to higher end video cameras and audio recorders). A key point of the assignment is to see that you can create usable quality newsgathering with your smartphone. NOTE: Those students who do not have smartphones can check out Flipcams to gather video. I’ll post separately on the transcoder necessary to convert the footage for FinalCut editing.
- Use a tripod equivalent – the equipment room has many “pistol grip” smartphone holders that can be used to stabilize your shots, especially if you use them in conjunction with a tripod.
- Be prepared to ask multiple questions – the main interview question, the two survey questions, the biodata questions. Be sure to print out a list of those questions and carry it with you on your interviews. Entries missing material may not be usable in any form on the site.
- Interviewees must be New York City residents 18 or over and from your CD.
- All production takes place in the classroom on Thursday. Do not produce material ahead of time.
Questions? Comments?
Syllabus Updates: Assignments for Week 11, Video Assignment
Please see Week 11 in the class syllabus for details on revised web video pitch assignment and a new reading assignment. Also see Week 13 for initial details on next web video assignment; more to come on that one.
NOTE: Re timing on optional assignments (video or other multimedia revisions) and open-media blog assignment: If you’re planning on doing any of these optional, extra credit assignments, you must inform me by the day of the last class, 11:59 p.m., Friday, Dec. 16. The optional assignment would then be due a week later, 11:59 p.m., Friday, Dec. 23. Also note, if you decide to do a revision or optional assignment, I will consider it a firm commitment, and treat the assignment as required. For those doing a video revision, I will turn around edits by Monday, Dec. 19, or earlier, for use in completing your revisions. Others will have notes within the usual one-week edit cycle.
Questions? Comments?
Voting Habits in the Recession
Do political movements like the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street reflect a common trend toward political activism in the face of the economic downturn? I polled with several individuals from the United States, Canada, and Europe to gauge the political temperature of a variety of professions, backgrounds, and ages. Here’s what they had to say.
Your Thoughts on Occupy Wall Street Analyzed
At the one month anniversary of the protests, I asked how people felt about Occupy Wall Street. Right now is a dramatic time at the protests, but here is what people thought at the time.
Student Loans: Who should pay back what?
A student loan survey of 27 people asked how much they were borrowing, how worried they were about repaying the loans, and their basic attitudes about responsibility and repayment. View the results here.
The Survey Result
Click and check out my survey result.
the RESULTS are in!!
Check out the results from my survey about food insecurity in New York City. What you read might surprise you!