Online Journalism Spring '10

1. Regular posts – project progress – more freedom in blogging
2. More interaction between students – more discussion / commenting on each others blogs
3. Having your own site is cool – less articles, but more commenting – web participation as part of your grade – encourage people to comment
4. More lab time would be really good – learn more – more discussion / collaboration – less formal
5. More in-depth with the programs we were using – more time more in-depth – everyone wants it
6. A few more days when everyone brings in their flipcams – quick feedback – everyone workshop together
7. More hands on time with the flipcams
8. Less time looking at professional slideshows / video projects & more time looking at peer work
9. Look at several different formats – stylized, personality driven, news
10. See some example final projects at the beginning of the class
11. Seeing student work early on would make projects seem more approachable
12. Show some professional & some student work every day
13. Longer classes – 1:20 is not much time
14. More feedback on the writing portion of the story – need more focus on writing
15. Give people feedback & allow them to fix production projects especially since people are new
16. Step-by-step software directions posted to the blog were helpful
17. Have a list of all software students need at the beginning of class so they download & install it
18. Be clear – is this advanced or introductory?
19. Spending more time tutorial
20. People love the flipcams – as long you don’t have to pay for books
21. Add a note to the course description saying that you’ll have to buy a camera
22. Be as clear as possible that this is primarily a production class
23. Advertise to media / photo / design students in addition to journalism / communication
24. Provide flipcam accessories – tripods, mics, small video lights, etc.

Everyone in this class now has the tools to produce content for the web – written, photo, audio, and video – and the knowledge they need to get that content online and share it.

Blogging

1. Did you enjoy the blogging format?
2. Are you interested in continuing to blog?
3. Do you feel more comfortable writing for the web?

Flipcams

1. After using these all semester what did you think?
2. Would you have preferred more of a photo / video slant?
3. Will you continue to use them?

Software

1. What did you think of WordPress as a blogging platform?
2. Did you enjoy using Audacity / Soundslides?
3. Thoughts on using iMovie to create content for the web?
4. Would you like to have spent more / less time with any of them?

This is the first time this course has been taught – other thoughts?

1. Import from flipcam
2. Create new event
3. Selecting, renaming, & merging events
4. Selecting a video segment
5. Adding video to the timeline
6. Using the precision edit tool
7. Editing audio (click audio button within precision edit)

Other:

1. Text Titles
2. Transitions
3. Adding Music from iTunes
4. Adding Photos from iPhoto
5. Analyzing for stabilization

On 4/29 I will be checking for:

1. Response to Charles Layton’s The Video Explosion
2. Response to Reading Assignment: Herbert Zettl’s “Video Basics 3” Chapter 5
3. Response to Axel Brun’s “Gatewatching” Chapter 9 (Case Studies: Blogs and Journalism)
4. Response to James Foust’s “Online Journalism” Chapter 12 (Opportunities and Challenges)
5. Project thoughts post – comment on your production experiences so far

Your final project for this class is to produce a 5 minute video relating to your story idea. These projects should be a blend of interview video and other video material relating to your story ideas. This is the culmination of both your story ideas and you media production work in the class and as such is 20% of your final grade. I will be looking for:

1. Properly Lit / Framed Interview Footage
2. Improved Interview Sound Quality
3. Supplementary Footage
4. Title & Credits

After completing this project you will need to:

1. Upload your film to Youtube
2. Embed  your film into your personal course blog

A Day at the Races at Phillip Bloom’s site

First Person Season 1 Episode 1 – Mr Debt

This American Life Season 1 Episode 3 – God’s Close-Up

An in-depth collection of iMovie tutorials is available on Apple’s website:

http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#imovie

Please use these for reference.