Creating Videos on the Missourian Outreach Team

This semester, I had the pleasure of working on the Missourian Outreach Team. The team was comprised of about 15 students and our fearless leaders, Kelly Moffitt and Joy Mayer, both who have pioneered ideas of ways to interact with the community. I learned many things while on this team including some exploration into analytics, learning the importance and ways to create relationships, and even things about newspapers that I did not know even existed in my broadcast mind. However, my experience on the team did allow me to apply my skill set of editing video with the class focus of outreach.

First off, the videos were not a traditional news story despite being a newspaper. They were more feature like and our intent was to get people involved, not necessarily just inform. When you think about creating something like this, it is important to think of the motivation for the community. What can I possibly include in this video that would make someone want to help out team of reporters? What can I do with this video for people to watch the whole thing? This is where a lot of thought and planning into questions. When you are interviewing someone about a topic they have expertise in, you want to try to ask them questions that have an intent of invoking some sort of community response.

The videos take a considerable amount of time. A lot of the time is thought and coordinating other things with people. When are more people involved in the interview process, it will take longer to film and find time for everyone. And always plan for some error as each video I did this semester had some set backs. The first one I did, I had trouble figuring out some of the Missourian's format for video. You will have to chase down some the multi-media editors to get access to the corrects bumpers and information for creating videos. Also, with the second video, I had some problems checking out a camera. They were out of camera's one day and were closed another. That is a small thing to keep in mind as you do not want to be left without a camera after coordinating with other people. The cameras here will also require a bigger personal memory card as a 1GB SD card will not hold very much video.

The evaluation process can also take time. If you want to allow anyone involved in the video to view it for accuracy and feedback, you may have to go back and redo and edit things. I would recommend this as some people just have an eye for things that you don't.

To measure my success with these videos, I began starting with Google Analytics. When you log on, you particularly want to pay attention to the time people spend on the article. Do people sit through the whole video or just part of it? Of course, you want to pay attention to the number of people that viewed it and where they found it. I would almost recommend sharing links to stake holders, keeping track of how you shared it, and compare those numbers to the analytics.

A good video is one that is informative and useful to the community. Something that I wish I had time to try was different ways to keep the community engaged  Length is important and if you want to keep it long, have a definite reason. But are there mini-activities that can be included in the video to keep people entertained? This is something I have not tried.

In terms of good topics, I really think retrying an outreach team video would be beneficial to the Missourian. I also think news beats and new enterprise stories are good places to start.

I had a lot of fun with the Missourian outreach team and hope people can carry out my work in future semesters.

The First Week of Military Wife Life

My husband recently left for navy training in Newport, Rhode Island while I finish up my degree this semester. Two years of marriage (well almost) and it is the first time we have ever been far apart. Let alone the distance, we are left to wonder what is possibly on the others mind because our communication is limited. The navy has limited phone calls for four weeks. No email, no letters, no social media. And let me tell ya'.... that's what really makes this whole thing suck. His training is all about seeing how much crap you can take before it begins to take a toll on you.

It has been hard week. The hardest part is always coming home from school. I walk in the door to a house we built with pictures and belongings that are ours. I am surrounded by them and I cannot help but to wonder and think about my husband. And I often weep because I just miss him. I got so used to coming home to someone asking about my day and wanting to make it better just because he wanted to, not because he had to. And so despite my day, I carry on by myself. I do it because I love him and want to make him proud but it is so hard to put a smile on your face when the one person who can suddenly make everything better disappears from any radar.

Not to mention, I feel like a child moving out on their own for the first time. Daniel took care of me. I am learning how to do that again. I have to take care of myself.Things such as meals or even making sure I am not overwhelmed have fallen on me. And that has been hard because I don't treat myself with near as much respect as my husband does.

I am also so sick of crying. I cry myself to sleep where I dream of him. And wake up to cry some more. My dogs have really helped me here as they try to remind me they are right next to me. But I still have to let it out because I can't bottle it in. I do good keeping it together at school. I will be honest that I need more sleep but we are working on that.

I have also learned that there are so many people who love me. The support has been overwhelming. People stop by to drop by food, just to keep me company, and make sure I am okay. I had no idea I am this loved. And I thank everyone for that... Because people visiting has kept me sane and from crying as much.

I just can't wait to see him again. I want a simple kiss... A hug... But I got to stay strong out of love. Because we can't have any doubt in our mind we won't make it. That just sets us up for failure.

What is an Expert? Who is an Expert?

As a journalist, we always rely on sources to get our information and do our jobs. But have we thought why we choose people for stories and what qualifies them to be an expert?

People experience different things in their lives. We as humans try to group those experiences into one category. Even if you are a vet tech, we see different cases and experience different things than another vet. Experience can help tell a story. Especially when you want a recap, an emotional sound bite, or even someone who know what it is like. But how do you choose a vet to talk to? Should we go for the first answer to a pleading call?

I think journalists are responsible for these types of judgements. As a result, we should know our community.  We should strive to interact and find these type of people. Every time we make a call we should always just ask someone's background and experience. We should ask questions such as: "Can you send me information about yourself?" or "Have had experience in dealing with this?"

So often we forget to check true qualifications. Never be afraid to ask a source for similar people. A vet tech may be part of a group of vet techs. Take any time you can to know your source and you can find the quality journalism people need and crave.

Is experience all that qualifies someone? How do know someone is knowledgeable about a subject? Knowledge is easier to tell than experience in my opinion. If people can answer those tough questions, they have the knowledge to know about it. But knowledge is not as important as experience in my work. It still is needed but experience can tell the story in an emotional impact rather than someone who rambles off the dates.

Anytime you do a story, ask yourself why you chose who you did to talk to. Defending your choices as a journalist can come in handy in defending a story under criticism.

Senior Year: Reflections of the Past

As I approach my last semester of college, I am just beginning to think about my journey.

It has been a great four years of my life that has provided tribulation and learning experiences. I took a huge leap of faith and risk when I decided to come to Missouri for school. I was from Denver and had never visited the area. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But little did I know I would enjoy it.

I can't believe three years have past. Mizzou started out as a daunting far away place but I have grown on my experience here. Moving away from home and what I knew has made me self-confident and self-aware. I had no idea I possessed the ability to go to the top journalism school and graduate from the journalism school. And I had no idea that I was as social as my shy personality deemed. 

I loved that fear of giving up a past life and almost starting over. My past life isn't gone as I still have those old friends but I got to dictate a whole new direction. Remake friends, rebuild bridges, use what I have learned to go far.

I decided to reflect on my experience to help students decide between schools. I had searched for an in-state school but was not satisfied with what I found. I visited campuses and did not feel like I belonged. So I began to search for the unaffordable route of going to school out-of-state. I applied to several colleges across the country and I got into Mizzou, the top for my degree, and I just knew I had to go. 

Here are some tips for searching for colleges: 

- Do not narrow out-of-state because of price. Mizzou is the easiest school to get in-state tuition. Stay a year and you are granted in-state tuition. Look for schools and states with easy programs like this if you really want to go out-of-state. Sometimes out-of-state is comparable to in-state pricing.

- Out-of-state can be emotionally draining for you if you need parental support. When you go out-of-state, you are alone until you start making friends. You often have to make some big decisions without parental guidance. But you also grow from these decisions. Can you do it?

- Go to schools known for your academic field of study. I did not know how important this was until I got to Mizzou. No where else can I gain the quality of education and the experience than by going to the top school for my degree. Not to mention, employers love to see the degree from the top school to make you even more employable in a tough economy. 

- Get a job and save for college now. If you are in college, work to start paying off college debt. It is quite amazing when you review finances and see that you took $10,000 out each year to pay for school and realize you are $40,000 in debt when you graduate. You begin wonder where that money went. Even if you pay off a little, it will help. 

- Make new friends and grow. Expand your network and allow yourself to be around people.

- Don't be afraid of failure. College is harder than high school. Use resources but know that things may take awhile to adjust.

-Apply to scholarships. Search sites for weird ones. Think of something you do that may narrow down the poll. Do you play a sport, instrument, volunteer, have good grades, work, or do any military service? 

Truth is, I am scared to graduate. The world is bigger than Mizzou. I have already done one big risk by leaving Colorado but moving again after I just got settled is a bit unnerving. Especially when I love the life I built.

I am most likely to San Diego after college when I graduate in December 2012. My husband and I are stationed in the Navy there which while I think will be fun, it will be hard to begin my career as a journalist out there. Number 11 broadcast market is not where I pictured myself going but with hard work again, I can do it. 

With beginning of my last semester at the Zou, I prepare to leave with my memories and heart. And let them take me where I have never imagined.

Here are some helpful links to determine how to decide a college: 

- Fox Business: How to Choose a School

- College Board: Compare Schools

- How to Figure out a Good School Checklist

Multimedia Landscape

Technology is revolutionizing how we report and gather journalism. High definition cameras catch details that were left unnoticed before and computers revolutionize the information gathering process. But with so many new technology advancements comes a multimedia landscape. Any type of journalist needs to embrace the new landscape if they want to succeed.

If you major in newspaper journalism, that does not mean you do not have to learn broadcast journalism. Sure your specialty and desire is in newspaper reporting. But the Internet allows you to take your story to the next level using different mediums. Multimedia journalism is the combination of using two or more types of media to tell a story: photos, video, graphics, interactive feeds, and print.  I can post the same story I distributed in the mornings paper on the website or I can take it to the next level. I can post the story and create a video or a photo voice presentation to go along with the piece.

Below is an example of a piece a photojournalist made about Maycie, a young blind girl who plays a musical instrument in an orchestra. Erik Castro used his talent to tell an amazing story. He published a photo with an article in a newspaper but created this piece online to accompany the work. And it was a huge addition to the story. He did not copy his print article word for word either. He searched for new details to add to the piece in this presentation.


MUSICAL MAYCIE - A Blind Girl's Life in a Children's Orchestra from erik castro | photojournalist on Vimeo.


After reading the article in the newspaper, you have information but you lack the visuals. But posting this online for readers allows you to let them hear Maycie and let her tell the story. It enhances the piece and makes it memorable to the audience.  When a reporter says something, it is another word. But when that central compelling character tells their story, that word has meaning as it is their life. You begin to hear what they sound like, see what they look like, and even begin to experience how they feel.

If you are broadcast journalist, create video slideshows. Create graphics that help people decipher information. You can write a compelling print story and even edit a longer video piece to show online if details were left out because of time restrictions of the news broadcast. However, remember the rules of journalism when deciding how to tell the story however and make sure it is still accurate and true with whatever method you use to approach the information.

Here is another example of what one Mizzou student put together. She actually won the multimedia division at POYi (Picture of the Year) a few years ago for this piece. Rachel Mummey spent a day following the couple to create a profile about a husband caring for his wife who has Alzheimer's Disease.


For better or for worse from Rachel Mummey on Vimeo.


Being a journalist is one thing. But to be great, you must learn how to use every tool around you. Take classes about being a photographer if you are a video or writer. Because being a good videographer and capturing still imagery are two different skills. If you open video editing software and do not know how to use it, learn it and put your story telling technique to the test. Because if you tell your story in more than one way, you will reach different people and learn how to tell the story in incredible ways. I am trying to learn all the mediums in the stories I have been producing. It isn't easy and is quite time consuming but I am more satisfied with my story in the end. 

Mediastorm is an excellent resource to look at for examples and find classes to help you learn to tell stories in different ways. They have several examples of how people use video and photography photos in hard news. Also look for workshops in your local community to help you learn valuable skills.

This is an example for the Mediastorm website of what could be a hard news feature.
 
A Darkness Visible: Afghanistan is the work of photojournalist Seamus Murphy. His work chronicles a people caught time and again in political turmoil, struggling to find their way. See the project at http://mediastorm.com/publication/a-darkness-visible-afghanistan

Nat Sound: Good Technique

Good Nat Sound can complete a package. Nat sound draws the viewer into a situation, allowing them to hear the environment and see the emotions and experience on people's face. It allows people to imagine they are there in the environment and appeals to their visual and hearing preferences. Audio can make or break a story and allow it to take on a whole new meaning.

Shawn Montano of Edit Foundry, has a list and demonstration of why Nat Sound is important. He believes Nat Sound can:

Natural sound helps with action and reaction

Natural sound can help grab the viewers attention

Natural sound can act like punctuation: Use it to change directions, add a exclamation point at the end of a sentence, or a breathing point (comma).

Natural sound at the beginning of reporter track or sound bites can help change location

Natural sound can help with the rhythm of a story

Natural sound should be relevant to the story

 I believe if used correctly, Nat Sound can do this more. He demonstrates a video from start to finish without and with Nat Sound so you can compare them his website.

I am actually horrible at natural sound. I ruin it by talking to people, not using the right equipment settings, and being in a rush. And even though you have to meet deadline and talk to the sources, you can still record quality Nat Sound by taking yourself out of the journalistic role for a moment. What are people hearing? Capturing what people hear during any story will help make sure it is relevant and important. Always keep the camera rolling and listen.

I recently watched a sad journalism video from a station in Texas. The Dallas Morning News created a shorter version of this story for their newscast but they put together this version online after an outflow of support from the public. More than half of the video is Nat Sound and you do not even realize it.

Choosing Thomas is a video about a mom and a child's journey. During pregnancy, they found out that Thomas had a DNA abnormality and that Thomas would not survive but a few days after birth. They could abort Thomas but they chose to keep him and give him the best life he could live. He only survived about a week after birth but more than half of the video is images and Nat Sound, not a person or anchor talking.

 Nat Sound is important in a story and can tell most of it for you. In a tornado, capture the strong wind, the cracking thunder, or emergency sirens. They can do most of the hard work for you and make the story more memorable than your voice saying, "There's a tornado coming." In the case of Thomas, we were able to hear the struggle, hear what was wrong, the cries, the breathing... And we began to truly understand the struggle rather than hearing, "Thomas did not survive and had respiratory problems." The Nat Sound can tell that sentence in a vivid, unique way. It can also take more time but the viewer is more satisfied from the story.

It may be hard to capture the sound and the moment but trying to do so will make your piece go from okay to great. Any broadcast journalists should love the ability to capture these sounds.

The Dreaded Date: Dealing with Leaving

This week brought the news that my sailor would be going away. No matter how many times I receive the news, it does not get any easier. Having an official date is scary because instead of looking forward to the many days I have to spend with my husband, I keep thing about the limited time. Instead of wanting and looking forward to the future, I dread the day I have to say goodbye, trying to remain strong for the person who will be going through a tough military battle. After all, I do not have to run when told, potentially fight a war and kill, or be on a strict schedule.

How do you make sure your ready for the date? You may not want to face it but if you prepare for the day and the time, you can be in confidence that you did your best.

1. Talk about you you feel and be honest with your spouse. Address any concerns that you have about the time and marriage. Try to think of potential concerns. Will the lease expire where you are living? Do you renew the rent? Kids need enrolled in school? Where do we want them to go? Discuss those issues ahead of time and it will help deal with stress. Make sure you know what each of you will need to make it. 

2. Know that you will both be facing a tough situation. If your spouse does not sound energetic when you talk over the phone, know you both are exhausted and are running things by yourself.

3. Make sure you understand what the military member needs to bring with him. Stamps so he can send you letters, plenty of clothes and shoes, and a computer. Make sure you both are geared up and have the supplies.

4. Try to have fun leading up to the date. Ignore the date coming and enjoy your spouse while you can. Enjoy big dates, celebrate holidays early if they will not be home, do something you love, and give your spouse the best time before you are separated.

5. Find a new hobby. The spouse that remains at home can finally get something done without being interrupted if they have always wanted to try something. Paint, workout, learn an instrument, sew, begin a new television series, or get some items done off the long to-do list. Try to find a project to keep busy and keep your mind off the heartbreak. Volunteer. Time goes by when you are not waiting on the clock to tick. 

6. Never blame your spouse for separation. They want to be with you as much as you do. They are doing it because they want to give you the best not leave you behind. Some our called to military and support them in their calling. You do not have face the true battles.

7. Be assertive. The spouse that stays at home should try to do what they want to do. Try to get stationed on a base where it will give them the best opportunity to do what they love. If I want to be a journalist, I need to be in a town with journalism stations. I also have to be in a big enough town that I have to think about conflict of interest in a story. If I am in a small town of military people, I would have a hard time reporting as the news would be military stories. And I would face a conflict of interest with my job and be an emotional wreck if I had to report the stories that tear me apart from my husband.

8. Talk to people and make friends. I personally have a household rule where we can not talk with people of the opposite sex alone except in business situations. We can when there are other males or females around. It keeps us from thinking about what we miss and what we want and keeps something from happening. Be careful with other military people however. Many people cheat and lie while their spouses are gone. Do not put yourself around people who will tear you down.

9. Ask the military for information regarding the deployment. They can not tell you everything but they can give you updates, information, and resources to get through. You can even receive free counseling and help. Speak up as they try to make families feel supported.

10. Know it is not a good bye. It is a see you later when you are much stronger. 

Believe in yourself and your spouse and you can do it. Talk about what you feel and find solutions. Honesty will get you through and find solutions to how to handle it. Be proud and try to make the most because distance can help you become stronger, better, and even more in love. It takes a special person to be a military spouse. And you are it. You were chosen by your mate because you are amazing, supportive, and capable.

Military Wife United: Act of Valor and Emotions

Hollywood movies have a special way of capturing a moment and proportionately spinning that moment out of control. Even movies based on a true story, are spun into a twisted ball of emotions to make a viewer cry, laugh, get angry, or frustrated. But can you blame them? The fame of a Hollywood hit comes from having the key to a viewers heart. At least I thought I could not blame them until I recently saw Act of Valor.

I came out of the movie theater an emotional wreck. My sailor is not a part Navy Seals Team (thank goodness as they do rough and dangerous missions) but it was still a reality and mental check. On some levels, the movie is action filled, exciting, and sad. It is also very real at times, trying to capture the lives of military families. However, it made the fighting and military part of the movie look like a good drama. People came out of the theater screaming that fight was cool, that weapon was awesome... It is an act to try to get people to support and join the armed forces.

I love to support the armed forces but war is not glamor. And as much as I hate to say it, we do not always win. Sure the movie is about a wife who loses her husband in the line of duty. It's obvious they do not always win. But I noticed they did not show the grueling training, the emotional wreck of the family, or even a slight bit of humanity. And that just makes me mad. Wives sacrifice for the family and they have a story to tell too. It is not glamor and wives have a lot of emotional barriers. Your husband is fighting a war. Someone that means more to you than anyone else is out sacrificing his life to save yours. It is still an excellent movie but there are not many resources that capture the wife story.

Here is a quote from the movie that particularly appealed to me as the sailor left home:

"Your family may never understand your sacrifice. But you better hope they accept it." - Act of Valor


I don't understand it. I probably never will. But I must accept it if I want to save our marriage and stay in love. I understand it is hard to accept it but there is no other way to make the marriage work. It takes time, love, and understanding. And if you cannot give it your full power to support the issue, it will be hard to have a happy and fulfilling marriage.

Words of Advice:
     1. Time: It will take time to make accept why your husband is leaving you for the military. But try to understand why during that time. Ask questions and talk about your feelings. He may have answers that are tough to hear but once you take time to think about them, it may help you accept the issue.
    2. Seek Advice: You are not alone even if it feels like it. Talk to military wives to see how they deal with it and accept it. Have your kids talk to military children. Seek help from people who have done it before and know the feelings you are going through.
    3. Realize Emotions: Hiding your emotions is like trying to stop a volcano from erupting. You might as well just let them go to save a big meltdown. Be honest and clear in how you feel and try to figure out why. If you are honest and know why you feel them, people can seek help for you and can try to find an answer or comforting thought to that deep down swelling pit of mixed feeling. Talk to counselor. You have free medical insurance and people on base who see this everyday!
   4. Take it Day by Day: Life is not always bad. So do not let it be. Let the good days be good and the not so good days live in history. Try to put things behind and keep a positive stride forward. On those bad days, talk and remember that someone loves you and believes in you no matter the distance and like you, he is fighting.
   5. Keep that Distracted Mind Busy: Have routines and a huge to-do list. Tasks will make you tired and be able to sleep through anxiety and will keep you busy through those awake hours. Your husband will be impressed when you come home and the dishwasher is sparkling, you learned how to play the piano, planted a garden, and you perfected your makeup technique.
   6. Talk: Talk it out with your spouse about bad feelings. Never leave them unspoken. As long as you talk, you will never face a marriage meltdown. And as long as you remain passionate towards each other, you will always try to love and make each other happy. Keep that passion by talking and doing things for you two.
    7. Take Time for You: Bubble baths, pedicures, movies... Love yourself.You will be amazed what falls into place when you love you and your life.

I don't want to accept it. But I know I have no other way to keep the person who makes me happier than anyone in this world so I accept the challenges and curve balls that life will throw at me. And I must never forget how much stronger, greater, and well diverse I will be after facing the challenge and embracing the reward. And as for Hollywood, here is how it is really done.

I challenge any military wife and any wife or husband to listen to the theme song from Act of Valor and think: Would you give your life for your wife or husband?

Journalism All Around the World: Social Media Changing the Landscape

In high school, I chose to become a journalist because my noisiness, quest for knowledge, and I loved writing. Those things have fueled my passion to study the field at Mizzou. But there is always one thing that I fear in the media landscape. Learning to do it all and watching citizens try to do my work better than me.

Citizen journalism has forced the 24 hour news cycle. Social media sites like Facebook can now not only be used to create a personal page but a business site and a resource. You can connect with people globally. While that global perspective is helping shape journalism, it is still a scary and does nothing for your journalism career ans opportunity for advancement and quality unless you take full advantage of it.

The Missouri Method trains us to take full advantage of the resources with a hands on approach. Different faculty specialize in the different areas. Sarah Hill, anchor for KOMU's revolutionary UNews, takes the reporting out of the traditional realm and into the social media world. She is always on the social media sites, connecting with people who want to say something about the social media trend. She has tried to make a bond between journalism and citizen journalism, something I struggle with and often do not understand the news value.

Can the latest video on the Internet qualify as news? I guess it depends on the content but viewers care about it regardless. It is not traditional hard news but in today's society that viral video counts as news because people care about it. Journalism is for the people not for the journalist. The journalists role is a complex one. They should enjoy the field but journalism is ultimately a career to serve the public need for information. The highest rated stations are not often high rated because they are choosy with their news. Good new stations are good because they serve the public interest. And that viral video obviously has some kind of interest if it gets that many hits.

Is it fair for citizens to engage in journalism when they do not know the ethics, rules, and issues in journalism? Will traditional journalism escape? I always believe there will be room for traditional journalism, at least for now. Although citizens can capture video, write to the video, and create stories, it takes someone dedicated to know how to put together and find the information the public needs. Not everyone can have access to a police scanner, find time or reason to put some stories together, or has the resources and assertive power to make it work. I do think it is a public right to allow the public to have freedom of speech. And that is what citizen journalism is. They are expressing what is important to them. Citizen journalism will not replace traditional news gathering but can engage the public and help enhance it. We can use citizens to help find stories, tell the story, and find what is important.

I know I need to jump on the social media bandwagon more than I do. You have Facebook, Twitter,  Linked In, Google+, Pintrest, photo sharing sites, YouTube, Myspace, and many more. By using these resources you can make global stories out of local ones, find people to talk to or who may have an interesting story, find the latest public interest, and network. Citizens want to help take part in my job more than ever and I need to embrace it. Not once have I completed a story and used social media to help find my information or sources. And that's got to change.

The times I think citizen journalism helps the most is in natural disasters. Tornado rip apart towns, earthquakes and wars rumble the soil. News stations cannot and do not have the resources to be there 24 hours a day waiting for the tornado to touch down. When a tornado does hit, a citizen can catch the video, timing, and destruction before any news station may be able to get to the spot. News stations search the blogs for personal testimonies, footage, and facts to feed the public until they can record the events for themselves.

 Joplin, Missouri after Tornado: Picture from a Citizen Journalism Blog

Here is a link about what some people believe citizen journalism may be about. I agree with their statements but I believe that even though citizens are doing journalism, we need journalists to be role models and gather information the public may not have access to. Our job has become harder making sure facts are correct with citizen journalism but we also have tons of resources and ability to confirm those facts.Some journalists are ruining it by not using fact check sources. And it is more important than ever when the community can begin finding and knowing the truth themselves.

You can also find more information about citizen journalism from PBS here.

Work Examples

To see some of the work I have been creating, visit my Youtube Page.

It features KOMU work and class work. I am in the process of creating my own web page so keep an eye out for that.

Everynone: Journalism Shots

Everynone is a video making group from Redwood Forest in California. Three men form the group and they specialize in short video segments for commercials, films, and television segments. The group does international segments in Canada and the UK and are looking to expand their work.

The group films and uses already filmed videos to create parodies and snippets of video technique. They take odd moments and combine them with humor and sequences that tell an interesting story. Even though they are not necessarily broadcast journalists, they are good story tellers with just video alone.

My favorite videos they have done are "Words" and "Symmetry." Words focuses on sequences of events and continuity of editing images together that may not even be related. Symmetry is just as it sounds. It creates symmetry between everyday objects. Why is this important to broadcast? Well I will explain each in depth and include the videos.



Words



My filming skills can take some work from this film. The angles are creative and catchy but the editing of a sequence is what makes this movie cool.

Each shot is carefully considered and reviewed and has a purpose. It's a planned moment and anticipated action. So how does this match journalism? A journalistic story needs purpose and sequence. It needs to tell a story. While you would never intentionally edit these types of sequences together, it is a good video because it is unique and makes you think about it. I want people to remember and think about my story as this one has done for myself. Images should by themselves give enough information for someone to write a script.

Catching unique actions can mean looking for simple daily tasks, reactions to actions, and looking for things people have never seen or glance over. It sounds easy but you have to be constantly aware of the surroundings to create a good piece.


Symmetry 

Symmetry


This one is not necessarily as relevant to broadcast as the first video was but understanding symmetry is part of video / picture taking. Broadcast is a multi-media field. Newspapers do not typically produce a broadcast but broadcast journalists produce their online version like a newspaper. Symmetry can help tell a story and look for things to shoot. You don't obviously stage a story or even try to find things that have symmetry for the sake of shooting. But I do believe the idea that looking for ordinary patterns, similar shapes, and differences can help better tell a story and offer insight on the event.

Military Wife: Seperated by Love for All

I am a proud military wife. I have been married to Naval Officer Daniel Ewing for a little over a year. We decided to get married young because of his duty. We spent months discussing the decision but we were ultimately bonded by commitment and love. Many of our college peers think we are crazy and we even had parents refuse our marriage. Grandparents did not show up at the wedding because they did not support the move. Luckily, tensions have lowered once people saw we were serious and are working hard at making it work. 

Even though I love my sailor to death, there are times that are not easy. I get angry because I have to share my husband for a greater good. It is one thing I want to be selfish about but at the same time, he longs to have me when he is home while I am stuck to a career that could care less about bonding time. After our first deployment, I have composed some lessons that I think every military service family should try to abide by. It helped us get through the rough time.

1. I never realized how expensive communicating with my husband would be while he was gone. Phone bills are ridiculously expensive when you can talk forever at an expensive, pocket draining rate. While a phone call is nice every once in awhile, make sure Skype is always your first option.

2. Compromise. Unfortunately, I get the short end of the stick with the government controlling where my family moves. Where they want us, we follow. But life in the military is about compromise. Make sure the spouse gets to accomplish what they want to do. Wherever you move, make sure they are happy and doing what they love. Because if the spouse has something to keep them busy while you are away that they love, the pain of separation does not feel that bad.

3. Expenses will increase. The government loves to try to pay you extra money to make up for the distance. But that money is going to be used. It never fails. Something goes wrong while your significant other is away. A car breaks, a washer leaks, the house needs a new roof... Or the treats that the loved one sends to their soldier. They are extra expenses. To complicate matters, if you have kids with a one parent household, you will probably be paying extra for that babysitter to help out. Save before and save as much as you can. And any major appliances, buy that warranty because if you can have a simple phone call to fix it, life will seem so much easier.

4. Infidelity. I worry about this so much, even though I know that it will not likely happen. The reason why it will not likely happen is because my husband and I set some guidelines before he left. No hanging out with members of the opposite sex alone (even if it is a good friend). Hang out with people within your demographic. Hanging out with people of the opposite sex is asking for problems. When you are deprived of a loved one, you will be surprised what your mind can think. We love hanging out with married friends that we know are also married and are likely not to cheat. Discuss also what happens to the relationship if infidelity does happen. Does it mean that the relationship is over? Or is it something to talk through? Setting guidelines always helps you think through things. And yes it is weird talking about infidelity with a happy marriage but always prepare for the worst.

5. Always prepare for the worst. Do not be pessimistic but know the answers to difficult questions. Do you know what to do if something bad happens? You become ill or even worse, one of you dies? If you know these answers, you can fulfill your spouses wants in life and know how to handle difficult times. Know the likelihood of death is slim so you have no reason to worry but slim chances happen to everyone.

6. Friends are important. A much needed a hug, a glimpse of laughter, an invite to the movies... All a distraction from the raging battle in your mind and heart. Military friends are especially important as they can feel the emotions with you.

These are a few things I feel are important to know. It is not easy. And there are tons more steps to take but these are the few things I learned that may offer a peace of mind. I want to help people in similar positions like me as I love helping people out.

Here are some great resources for help also:
- www.usaa.com (Military bank who understands the military. They offer free support, counseling,
         discounts, and banking services.)
- I recommend this Book. It is made for new military people and not necessarily people who have
          gone through deployments before.

Skunk in the House

While my husband was gone to San Diego for a business meeting with the US Navy for a week, it was ironically nice here in Mid-Missouri for January. I decided I would leave the back door to our house open to catch the breeze and let our two dogs, Niblet and George, go outside. The three of them are pictured above in our old apartment taking an afternoon nap.

I was upstairs in our office completing work when whiffed a smell of a skunk. I decided to head downstairs to turn the corner to find the skunk in my house my two dogs chasing it around my kitchen and causing it to spray everything. I would taken a picture but I was gagging from skunk scent. I tried to call my dogs over to get them to leave it alone but it made them more excited.

I grabbed a bucket and broom and hailed the skunk into the bucket successfully without getting sprayed. But as for kitchen and my dogs, it was going to be a long evening of cleaning up. It was mess without my husband but I got used to doing things alone during his first deployment.

I have become an expert at skunk scent removal from my dad who thought it was always fun to hunt them and came home smelling like a skunk farm. Although I had never had to replace all the kitchen cabinets and figure out how to get a dog to not smell like skunk. The cabinets protected my dishes but the wood just soaked up the skunk scent and it was not worth keeping them so I ran to Home Depot to choose new ones. I ended up with upgraded kitchen cabinets so skunk scent just helped me do a little home remodeling.

As for the dogs, I had new worries. Washing them with tomato paste was my first option but it did not work and left my bathroom looking like a crime scene of tomato blood and my dogs fur red for a few weeks. I finally found a remedy going to a vet store who thankfully said I was not the first to deal with skunked animals. They had a skunk shampoo removing kit that worked miracles.

As for my house, I used a recipe I found online. I soon learned that it was explosive despite no warnings so discard any unused mixture or else the bottle will explode. 
1 quart of  3% hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1 teaspoon of strong liquid soap such as dish washing detergent


The lesson of the night. Animals are sneaking and always have a screen door.

Journalism Like a Catchy Tune

      Tuesday nights, I rehearse with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. I have played the violin for 12 years and the stand up bass for 6 years. We were having one of our last rehearsals leading up to the concert at the Missouri Theater at the end of February.
      I often get done with rehearsals with music stuck in my head and I begin humming the tunes aloud. And then I thought, I aspire to have my journalism be like a catchy tune.
     When I hear a good piece of music, I find it memorable. It sticks with me and I often talk about it or sing about it. And while I literally don't want people singing my journalism, I want the concept of it being memorable. I have a feeling if people sang Poker Face by Lady Gaga after viewing my piece I might become untrustworthy because poker faces are deceptive or if they suddenly thought of Rockstar by Nickelback I might think I was over jazzing the performance a little. You get the idea. A little humor and pop culture in this seriousness.
      I want them to get done seeing my piece then remember it like that catchy tune. I want them to think about it without realizing it and share it as if it's a natural conversation topic. People humming tunes don't even realize they do it sometimes. We have been behind the lady at the supermarket singing a tune. And I want that sharing to be like a good piece of music. People come up as a conversation stater and say, "Hey did you see that report on the news?" And everyone knows which one they are talking about.
      You might think I have a big goal. Now what? Well it is a big goal but dreaming big is better than dreaming small. And we need the work of good journalists in a field that loses more trust everyday. My work now may be very entry level but as I begin to analyze and learn lessons, I can become one step further each story, each day, and as I advance to the top. It is my goal to use this blog as a reflection.


Personal Lessons of the Week
        The biggest lesson I learned this week was simply to check the calendar. It sounds simple but I decided to run with a story idea about Columbia Public Schools and their lunch program receiving an award for improvement. I had set up a perfect interview with the head chef and even planned out my shots, how to incorporate parents and teachers into the story, and when I was going to accomplish these ideas.
           I had the interview with the chef during his prep time, which was planned so I could get some footage of him making the food. I got some images of the kitchen, the cafeteria, and even filmed my stand up during those 3 hours I had the camera.
          I had the plan of coming back the next day to film the students eating lunch but I asked the principal and he looked at me and said, "School is not in session. It's a teacher work day."
         It was time to think of a Plan B and shift my gears fast. As Wayne Freedman says in his book, "It Takes More than Good Looks to Succeed at Television News Reporting,"  I needed to be able to be felxible. I was not going to be able to get the footage I wanted but I had to think how to make what I had work.

Personal Praise of the Week
      Despite my trouble, I stuck through the story. Deadline was approaching and it was too late to do something else as I spent the other days of my time researching and trying to get of hold of people in the district by calling different people. I was able to still find interviews at the last second as I had perseverance to complete the story. I thought of alternative means. I began to realize the importance of networks. I could call someone if I knew who to talk to. Fortunately, my work had several thousand parents and students around Columbia that I stopped one on the streets to talk to them. I was even told I could not talk tot the head chef at Columbia Public Schools but I used a network at the University of Missouri I knew to persuade him to talk to me. I contacted the Campus Dining Services head chef who knew me from working at the old Eva J's. He knew Bradley Faith and put me in contact with him. Faith had a new willingness to allow me to interview him.

News Lessons of the Week
     I got a call from my mom telling me the news anchor who inspired me to become part of news in the first place was in the hospital due to something she did as a reporter. I knew Kyle Dyer from 9news in Denver as she was a personal mentor in high school. I had shadowed her on her daily tasks, talked with her about the field on the weekly basis, and went with reporters to their stories.
     She was doing a story about a dog who was rescued from a pond. They had a studio interview with the dog and owner and Kyle Dyer always loved dogs and jumped on animal stories. Despite some warning signs from the dog that he was uncomfortable in the studio, Kyle Dyer still reached down to pet him and he bit her in the face. This was on live television. I don't want to show this clip as 9News is trying to not show it (you can find it on the Internet on your own). She later admitted that she did not check with the people to make sure this dog was friendly and assumed because it was in the studio, he was fine. It posed how to handle emergency situations in the newsroom. They had to pitch to the second anchor who was overcome by the situation to speak and it was a dead newscast for a brief moment.
     I learned to not assume in any situation. Personal safety is more important than a news story and just because something looks safe, it is always better to ask. My favorite journalism quote says, "Don't judge a man by his answers but the questions he dares to ask."- Voltaire François-Marie Arouet


News Praise of the Week
       http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6490509n
      This is the link to the 60 Minutes episode I watched awhile back ago that still sticks with me today. I watched a segment 60 minutes about the BP Oil Spill, Deep Water Horizon. While 60 minutes versus 60 seconds gives you more freedom to expand, you can still learn the tactics they used to make your everyday news package compelling. When I watched this show, I did exactly what I aspire to have happen. I went and showed several other people.
  


What Makes this Memorable:
              - People tell the story; not the newscaster (The people who felt, experienced, and
                worked all told their accounts)
             - They combine details with images that make you feel
             - Central Compelling Character: Mike Williams - Chief Electrician Aboard Rig
             - Ask Compelling Follow Up Questions and Don't Settle for No
             - Huge Issue taken Behind the Scenes (Not the same News Report) 
             - Explain Technical Terms with Made Images (Know what they are Talking About)
             - It is very one sided but they did mention they tried to interview BP management with a
                declined interview (So they tried to make it fair)

The Count Order Words Of: What?

The order of your words count is what the title of this blog is supposed to say. That should be obvious but so many times we do not say what we mean but something else.

The reason why I thought of this happened when I tripped over a drum set. I was walking, my pant leg caught the edge of the drum set, and I blurt out, "Stupid Mike's drum set." I meant to say the stupid drum set but called Mike stupid instead. I should have said "Mike's stupid drum set." Nobody caught my mistake but myself because they implied what I meant. But it called my attention to words can hurt and the order matters.

Be especially careful with adjectives and complex sentences. Make sure the adjectives describe the correct thing in the sentence. The red dog ran over the blue raggedy carpet. Don't say the blue dog raggedly ran over the red carpet if it's not what you mean. Try to change complex wording into simple phrases as people are more likely to understand. And take time to think about what you say and fix it if you phrased it wrong.

And lastly words hurt. Remember that what you say may not be meant meanly but that your word choice should be carefully considered.

KOMU Reporter Shadow Experience

For my reporting shift, I shadowed Jamal Andress. Upon arriving at the station, I was greeted by Jen Reeves who held a story meeting to discuss potential stories in the coverage area. Jamal came prepared with several story ideas but we were ultimately sent to cover a press conference from Govenor Jay Nixon in California, Missouri (Maniteau County). Nixon was covering his plan for creating jobs in Missouri. After creating a story map, Jamal decided to approach the story using unemployment data to analyze how this plan may / may not help the economy.

Jamal immediately emphasized the importance of time management as the most valuable thing he has learned at the station. It is important to immediately begin thinking about the story, making phone calls and leaving messages if you cannot get a hold of anyone, and know what shots you may need. At the end of the day, you need to have a VOSOT done for the 5 newscast and a package for the 6 newscast. You need to watch interview times, travel times, editing time, writing time, and remember to leave room for error. Computers only capture and import at one speed and you need to think about the time it takes to do this.

Before we left the newsroom, we filled out the assignment form. Regularly you would fill it out on the computer in the room where you checkout equipment but Stacey and Jen were working on creating a new form that they had Jamal fill it out by hand. The assignment form helps keep track of what stories people are doing, allows the producers to know what people are out on assignments, and keep track of equipment. If something is lost or broken, the assignment form allows the newsroom to track who had what last. If you have any problems, you should always call and talk to producers.

Jamal also took time to research before we left. He was even was meticulous about fact checking by calling contacts from websites to ask where the information came from. Once we got background information, we left early to California Missouri, interviewing the local mayor about job economy in the city who gave us other contacts to reach. We got b-roll and used the time before Nixon's speech to get some video and local opinions for the story. Since Jamal narrowed his focus, it was easier to know what he wanted to film.

Once we got back, Jamal immediately notified the producers and began getting his video from the camera to Avid as it takes time to import. He used sub-clipping to select pieces from Nixon's Speech rather than taking time to import it all as it saved time to convert the video. To subclip, you mark your in and out points in the source video and use the clip browser to create a new clip with just that portion of video. While the video was importing, Jamal then wrote a web story.
            Although Jamal did not use a graphic for his story, he showed me how to request one in iNews. The producers have to create one and it is important to do it early so they have time to do it. It is important to write what you exactly want. They will create a video and put it in a bin in Media Management. You can then use the video to insert into your story.

If you are covering a complicated story, it is important to use the web story as a way to provide the accurate depth for people to understand. You can clear up stories aired using the online site. And whenever possible Jamal prefers to use face-to-face conversation as you can ask people to demonstrate what they mean to clear up confusion. Whenever someone seems to be talking at a complex level, he always stops and tells the person to explain slowly and so anybody can understand.

Working in Avid is simple but you need to always check in your bins and work. Under file while in Avid, click on “check in open bins.” If you click "check in all bins" it will check in every bin in the day folder and take awhile.

Anytime you interview someone, go somewhere, or reference a specific link on our website, you need to use a super. In our case, we were told the governor did not need a super, as people knew who he was. But to create a super, you do it in iNews at the beginning of what you need supered. You use Deko Select to fill out the information. Unless your clip is shorter than 5 seconds, a super should at least remain up for that amount of time.

Other forms useful that students may need to use are the gas reimbursement forms and the hotel forms. If you go somewhere with your own car for the station, keep all receipts and you will get reimbursed. If you need to travel overnight, you can also get reimbursed for travel expenses. This was especially useful to cover the Joplin tornado.

At the end of the day, Jamal told me he wished he would have known the importance of knowing that you will never be perfect in this job. You can get ahead by staying at the station over breaks. He noted David Earl. He is a student like us, but chose to stay over summers and breaks and has been able to get the best experience out of KOMU by effort, passion, and dedication. Now, while in school, he is a co-anchor known by the community.

This shift is what we are training to do at Mizzou. It is the basis and fundlemental shift to test what this career is all about.

KOMU PA Shadow Experience

I worked as the production assistant for the Friday morning shows 2:30am to 7am during the Fall 2011 semester.

While working at KOMU, I cut the international, national, NBC show promos (i.e Today Show, Bloomberg Business Report, and CNBC News), medical, and political segments. The job was very simple but detail oriented and crucial to making sure the show was a success.   Upon arriving every morning, I would always check in with the producer(s) to let them know I was there, ask if they had any specific instructions, and figure out the video that needed to be cut.

There are two PA computers in the newsroom and often two people editing and cutting video. The overall job is to import video either from the NBC channel server or CNN for use on the KOMU server.  In order to find what stories I needed to cut, I would always log into iNews and look at the run down for videos that had a Vidsource ID and offline media. The Vidsource ID is the way the NBC labels and organizes their video online. The column in iNews that tells if the video is offline is crucial as it tells whether the video is uploaded into the server for the newscast. If I had questions about a specific task, I would ask the producer who would often write special notes within the story if they were looking for specific video or requests with the story. Some video took longer to edit, as they required resizing, adding KOMU curtains, and adjusting audio levels. Video always needed to be in 16:9 and depending on whether it was a tease, package, VO, or SOT, the audio levels would need adjusted accordingly.

The NRCS tool is how the station gets video onto its server for use elsewhere in the station. Once entering the NRCS, you drag the specific sequence into the bin you’re working on, cut the video, and then upload the video using "Quickdub". The PA is responsible for making sure that the video is routed to the correct place by checking the ID numbers in iNews and Avid. You should always double check that it uploaded correctly as wrong video.

The hardest parts are making sure everything is done on time, correctly, and look good with the video provided. If you feel like you are behind or need help, it is crucial to communicate to the producer immediately. Do not wait until the last minute. If the producer is busy, many other students and staff in the newsroom can help cut video and make sure you are doing everything correctly.

The computer system at KOMU is usually reliable and usually never fails. If for some reason the system is not working correctly, you should always restart the computer. But if a compute restart does not immediately work, tell a producer who can then investigate the issue. The sooner you tell them the easier it will be as you may have more time to edit the show and they can solve the problem. The last time I worked as a PA I actually had an error message saying, “Server drive full”. And had to have Stacey delete old video from the server as I did not have the correct access to solve the issue myself. I immediately told Stacey and it was an easy solution.

The best way to get along with reporters and producers is by introducing yourself, making sure you understand the assigned tasks, and asking for help. There is room for side conversation but it is usual minimal as everyone is usually busy and working for the next cast.

The other role of the production assistant is running prompter. While this should be easy and can get boring during the long morning shows, it is important you keep up with the people speaking so the newscast runs smoothly and the reporters and anchors do not have to read off of their scripts. You can look at iNews while doing prompter and can listen to what’s being read to know if you are following along. If all else fails, the onset people do have their scripts but they are backups.

The production assistant is a vital role and is the backbone to a smooth show. It is a great introduction to learning the basics of video editing in Avid at KOMU.