Going solo : doing videojournalism in the 21st century / G. Stuart Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, G. Stuart.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Video journalism.

Reporters and reporting.

Journalism--Methodology.

Journalism.

Video recordings--Production and direction.

Video recordings.

Physical Description:

xiii, 199 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Other Title:

Doing videojournalism in the 21st century

Place of Publication:

Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri Press, [2011]

Summary:

The traditional model of video news reporting has always had two separate roles: reporting and videography. For years, however, small-market news outlets have relied on "one-man bands" -individual reporters who shoot and edit their own video-for stories and footage. Lately, as the journalism landscape has evolved, this controversial practice has grown more and more popular. With the use of video constantly expanding, many large-market TV stations, networks, and newspaper Web sites are relying on one person to carry out a job formerly executed by two. News outlets now call these contributors VJs, digital journalists, backpack journalists, or mobile journalists. But no matter what they are called, there's no denying the growing significance of solo videojournalists to the media landscape.

Going Solo: Doing Videojournalism in the 2lst Century details the controversy, history, and rise of this news genre, but its main objective is to show aspiring videojournalists how to learn the craft. While other textbooks depict the conventional reporter-and-videographer model, Going Solo innovates by teaching readers how to successfully juggle the skills traditionally required of two different people.

Award-winning journalist G. Stuart Smith begins by describing how and why the media's use of solo videojournalists is growing, then delves into the controversy over whether one person can cover a story as well as two He illuminates how, together, the downsizing of the media, downturn in the economy and growth of video on the Web have led to the rise of the solo videojournalist model. Going Solo profiles TV stations and newspaper Web operations across the country that are using the model and offers helpful advice from VJs in the field. The book presents useful guidelines on how to multitask as a reporter-videographer: conducting interviews, shooting cover video, and writing and editing a good video story. Readers will also learn how to produce non-narrated stories arid market themselves in a competitive field.

Smith, who started his career as a "one-man band," insightfully covers an area of journalism that, despite its growing market demand; has received little academic attention. Going Sold: Doing Videojournalism in the 21st Century is useful for students learning-the basics and those already in the field who need to upgrade their skills. By presenting industry know-how and valuable tips, this unique guidebook can help any enterprising videojournalist create a niche for him- or herself in the increasingly fragmented news media market. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1

A Rose by Any Other Name 1

Newspapers Relying on VJs, Too 2

Solo Videojournalists to the Rescue 2

Newspapers and Radio Adopting Solo Videojournalism 4

VJs Setting a Trend 6

How It All Began 6

One Person Getting Closer to the Story 8

Solo Videojournalism Goes Mainstream and Online 9

Solo Videojournalists as the Wave of the Future 11

Focus: The "Rosenblum Model" 14

Chapter 2

VJ Is Like a Cussword 18

How Does VJ Quality Compare? 19

The Heart of the Controversy 20

VJs Need Total Involvement in the Story 21

Solo Videojournalism as a Stepping-stone 24

A Liberating Experience-or Overworked? 26

One-on-One Can Mean More Rapport 27

Focus: A VJ Documentary Experience 28

Chapter 3

Preparing to Shoot the VJ Story 32

The VJ's Clock Never Stops 32

Find a Story That Lends Itself to Being Told on Video 33

Find Compelling Characters 35

Look for Nuances in the Characters and Issues 36

Check Out Your Equipment before the Assignment 37

Make Your Mistakes in Private 38

Focus: Freedom, Freedom 40

Chapter 4

Shoot with Your Eyes and Ears 42

Seek Shots That Have Impact 42

Use Video to Transmit an Experience 44

Sound Is a Major Piece of the Story Puzzle 45

Shoot Natural Sound, not Noise 46

Shoot with Your Ears 48

When Shooting, Listen like a Reporter 48

Focus: Converting a Reporter to a VJ 49

Chapter 5

Get Closer to Your Subject 53

Put Your Subjects at Ease 53

Have a Conversation Instead of an Interview 55

Pay Attention to the Conversation and the Camera 56

The VJ Interview Technique 58

Get the Two-Shot and Reverse 59

Do an Informal Interview 59

Get Closer to Your Subject 60

Getting More Intimate Interviews 61

Getting an Informal Interview with a Reluctant Subject 61

Swallow Your Trepidation about Getting Close 62

Use a Notebook 63

Find Your Comfort Zone 63

Be Prepared for Your Working Environment 64

Focus: Getting the Most out of Her Subjects 66

Chapter 6

Be One with Your Equipment 71

Follow the Rules to Get Useable Video 71

Use the Tripod 75

Be Aware of Lighting Limitations 77

Properly Expose the Image 77

Extra Lights May Be Necessary 78

Other Camera Controls for Lighting 79

Focus: The VJ's Equipment Bag 80

Chapter 7

Always Write to Get to the Next Piece of Sound 83

Log Your Video 84

Every Story Has a Beginning, Middle, and End 85

The Gateway to the Story 86

Don't Get Complicated 86

Find Your Story Focus 87

Come "Full Circle" in a Story 88

Sound Is the Skeleton of the Story 88

What Makes Good Sound? 92

The Hierarchy of Sound Bites 92

Writing into and out of Your Sound Bites 93

Punctuate with Natural Sound 94

Using Sound as a Transition 94

Put Muscle on the Skeleton 95

Be an Active-Voice Writer! 96

Cut the Waste 97

Write Literately to the Pictures 98

Surprise Me! 100

Recreate the Mood 100

Clear Your Mind and Take a Fresh Look at Your Work 102

Focus: Use a Log Sheet to Find Pieces of the Story Puzzle 103

Chapter 8

The Vision Comes Alive 107

Give the Story Meaning with Your Voice 107

Voice It with Appropriate Energy 109

The Vision Comes Alive 110

Make Magic Come Alive 111

Don't Bounce from Scene to Scene 112

Get into the Rhythm of the Story 112

More Sound Advice 113

Use Effects Judiciously 114

To Narrate? Or not to Narrate? 114

Editing Non-narrated Video Stories 115

Other Web Editing Tricks 116

Make a Final Review 116

Focus: When and How to Do Standups 118

Chapter 9

Not Your Father's Video Story 121

Setting Themselves Apart from TV News 121

Newspapers Add More Video to the Mix 123

Here Come the MoJos 123

MoJos on the Go 124

How Newspaper and TV Video News Differ 125

Newspaper Web Videojournalism Has Different Styles, Too 127

Take Time to Do It Right 128

Developing a Newspaper VJ Style 130

A New Standard to Judge 131

Focus: Platypus Profile 132

Chapter 10

They've Got MoJo, Baby-How VJs Put It All Together 134

Jerry Barlar-WKRN, Nashville 134

Angela Grant-InstantNewsWestU.com, Houston 137

Dan Weaver-KUSA, Denver 142

Christine Lee-From Newspaper to TV 147

Focus: Work Smarter by Saving Time 151

Chapter 11

Think Ahead to Beat the Competition and Be Ready for the Future 153

Try to Make Friends with the Assignment Editor 154

Head and Shoulders above the Rest 155

Increase Your Sources 156

Names and Numbers 157

Keep a Calendar 157

A, B, C-or Connect the Dots 158

History: Know It and Predict the Future 158

Eyes and Ears-Keep Them Open 159

Allow Your Instincts to Work 161

Don't Procrastinate 162

Be Ready for the Future 162

Market Yourself for the Future 163

Enterprising Skills Are Marketing Skills 164

Don't Be Shy about Promoting Your Brand 165

Focus: Enterprising Every Day 167.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-192) and index.

ISBN:

0826219233

9780826219237

OCLC:

679935647

Publisher Number:

99946896002