So here's my campus sequence...I attended a literary reading featuring William Henry Lewis, a University of Maryland Associate English Professor. Enjoy! Let me know what you think...
Thursday, February 28, 2008
AAAARGGGHHH!
The worst feeling in the world is knowing that you just spent 20 minutes filming a really interesting event, but that 20 minutes of film is shaky and the audio is messed up in the best parts!
AAAAAHHHHH! wow...what do you do once you've filmed and downloaded an assignment to the computer and it refuses to do what you want it to? I now understand why working with this technology can be so frustrating! At this time, I'm still working on the editing portion of the piece, but every time the camera hiccups (and yes, somehow the audio does hiccup), I feel my muscles tighten... I think I could only salvage less than half of the interviews and sequence shots, which is a real bummer (especially since my grade is on the line...)
(Deep Sigh) ok, enough complaining/venting...back to work!
AAAAAHHHHH! wow...what do you do once you've filmed and downloaded an assignment to the computer and it refuses to do what you want it to? I now understand why working with this technology can be so frustrating! At this time, I'm still working on the editing portion of the piece, but every time the camera hiccups (and yes, somehow the audio does hiccup), I feel my muscles tighten... I think I could only salvage less than half of the interviews and sequence shots, which is a real bummer (especially since my grade is on the line...)
(Deep Sigh) ok, enough complaining/venting...back to work!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Sequence Assignment
I made two "sequences" (I guess). I don't really know what I'm doing...(nervous laughter) ;-)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Getting My Hands a Little Dirty (but in a good way)
So, I'm really starting to get into this non-print media class...it's really fun! (And I'm not just saying that to get brownie points.) I honestly feel this way; it's like I've opened a door in a mansion that leads to a room I've never seen before. On Sunday, prior to my interview, I started playing with Windows Movie Maker because I have the application on my laptop and it's pretty easy to use! I started working on a slide show of my Freedom School experience this past summer. There isn't much in the video, just some music over a couple of pictures and a title page. When it's finished, I'll be sure to post it!
Working on movie maker ignited a little fire in me about the possibilities of production and how I could piece together my own "man-on-the-street" interview (one of my assignments due soon). Monday was an absolutely beautiful day (before the torrential downpour and 30-degree temperature drop) . The perfect day to shoot my interview! As expected there were tons of people outside.
I met a really interesting kid named David on Monday; he became the subject of my assignment. It's funny because I actually saw his bright blue "Obama and Arenas for President 08" shirt before I saw him. He was very willing to talk to me and offer some great footage for my interview. Our interview lasted about four/five minutes, but he was very insightful, especially when talking about Barack Obama as a presidential candidate. It always makes me smile when I hear about "young people" getting involved with the election or at least becoming well-versed in candidate's platform.
Even though my current field of interest is print-journalism, I can see myself in this other area of video and photography...it's good that I'm getting my hands dirty now...
Working on movie maker ignited a little fire in me about the possibilities of production and how I could piece together my own "man-on-the-street" interview (one of my assignments due soon). Monday was an absolutely beautiful day (before the torrential downpour and 30-degree temperature drop) . The perfect day to shoot my interview! As expected there were tons of people outside.
I met a really interesting kid named David on Monday; he became the subject of my assignment. It's funny because I actually saw his bright blue "Obama and Arenas for President 08" shirt before I saw him. He was very willing to talk to me and offer some great footage for my interview. Our interview lasted about four/five minutes, but he was very insightful, especially when talking about Barack Obama as a presidential candidate. It always makes me smile when I hear about "young people" getting involved with the election or at least becoming well-versed in candidate's platform.
Even though my current field of interest is print-journalism, I can see myself in this other area of video and photography...it's good that I'm getting my hands dirty now...
Friday, February 15, 2008
Free Food and Knowledge at the WHPNA Compeitition
On Saturday, Feb. 8, I went to the White House News Photographers Association Eyes on History Television Contest at National Geographic Studios in DC (that place is really cool, I'm going to have to check it out sometime). I actually enjoyed the event more than I thought. (While I still would have preferred not to have gotten up so early on a Saturday morning with only five hours of sleep, the contest was still good. Because I got there so early, I was able to eat some of the breakfast spread they set up for the judges. YUM!)
I looked at clips in both divisions: photography and editing, but I chose to spend most of my time in photography, which was pretty interesting. The judges were serious about their job, but they kept the atmosphere pretty light-hearted. It was funny because they were allowed to skip certain clips and it was pretty obvious after the first 10 seconds whether a piece would win a placing. For a couple of the clips, the judges didn't even wait that long! :-/ Some photographers didn't stand a chance. I did see some of my teacher's work submitted, which was also weird (mainly because I wanted her to win but there were a lot of good pieces! ) We weren't allowed to talk (or interfere) during the judging, so I couldn't put in a good word for her. Sorry!
The judges were great. I learned so much from just listening to them banter. I don't necessarily have a photographer's eye (yet) but I do have a bit of a stepping stone now.
Some of my favorite pieces from the photography division were in the “spot news” and “general news categories.” Although, “Rally against the Iraq War” won second place in the spot news category, I believed it should have won first. The camera work for this particular piece certainly stood out among the rest. The camera’s “strobe effect” gave the piece more of a documentary-style, even though it was a “breaking news event” that was “shot, edited and aired within 10 hours.” I also enjoyed “Viet Vets Remember Fallen Bros” from the general news category. The work included close-ups of some of the emotional veterans. At moments, I found myself becoming teary-eyed, because the piece drew me into the pain of the surviving veterans. Because the piece was so crisp, I initially thought someone at washingtonpost.com did it. I found out later that my guess was correct. I found the online organization stories much more intriguing because they were done in style that is quite different from television reporting, which I see all the time.
The judging helped me to better grasp what I should keep in mind when I start filming for this class. I learned about some photography terms and gained a stronger understanding of what makes certain shots great and other ones boring. Overall, I enjoyed the experience at the competition. Everyone was friendly and willing to answer questions or explain what some things meant. Yet, just by simply listening to the judges, I was able to gain a great deal.
Yeah...so, it was worth only getting five hours of sleep to come and see the judging...in addition to free lunch, I was able to take a three hour nap when I got home. :-)
I looked at clips in both divisions: photography and editing, but I chose to spend most of my time in photography, which was pretty interesting. The judges were serious about their job, but they kept the atmosphere pretty light-hearted. It was funny because they were allowed to skip certain clips and it was pretty obvious after the first 10 seconds whether a piece would win a placing. For a couple of the clips, the judges didn't even wait that long! :-/ Some photographers didn't stand a chance. I did see some of my teacher's work submitted, which was also weird (mainly because I wanted her to win but there were a lot of good pieces! ) We weren't allowed to talk (or interfere) during the judging, so I couldn't put in a good word for her. Sorry!
The judges were great. I learned so much from just listening to them banter. I don't necessarily have a photographer's eye (yet) but I do have a bit of a stepping stone now.
Some of my favorite pieces from the photography division were in the “spot news” and “general news categories.” Although, “Rally against the Iraq War” won second place in the spot news category, I believed it should have won first. The camera work for this particular piece certainly stood out among the rest. The camera’s “strobe effect” gave the piece more of a documentary-style, even though it was a “breaking news event” that was “shot, edited and aired within 10 hours.” I also enjoyed “Viet Vets Remember Fallen Bros” from the general news category. The work included close-ups of some of the emotional veterans. At moments, I found myself becoming teary-eyed, because the piece drew me into the pain of the surviving veterans. Because the piece was so crisp, I initially thought someone at washingtonpost.com did it. I found out later that my guess was correct. I found the online organization stories much more intriguing because they were done in style that is quite different from television reporting, which I see all the time.
The judging helped me to better grasp what I should keep in mind when I start filming for this class. I learned about some photography terms and gained a stronger understanding of what makes certain shots great and other ones boring. Overall, I enjoyed the experience at the competition. Everyone was friendly and willing to answer questions or explain what some things meant. Yet, just by simply listening to the judges, I was able to gain a great deal.
Yeah...so, it was worth only getting five hours of sleep to come and see the judging...in addition to free lunch, I was able to take a three hour nap when I got home. :-)
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Biographical Sketch
Hello!
My name is Nina Sears. I'm currently a junior print journalism major with a Sociology concentration. Since being at the university, I've worked a great deal with the Maryland Association of Black Journalists and am a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. I've written for both the Diamondback and the Eclispe newspapers. I have two reporting internships under my belt: Big Builder Magazine and the Baltimore Sun. Both were great experiences because I actually got the chance to write and gain clips early in my journalism career.
I am also working toward a certificate in African American Studies. Over the summer I worked with the Children's Defense Fund and Maya Angelou Public Charter School in NE Washington, DC in a program called "Freedom Schools." Essentially, I was facilitating a reading curriculum created by the CDF. It was an amazing time; I enjoyed working with the "scholars" over the summer. Now that I'm a tutor at MAPCS, seeing them succeed in school makes me feel like I did something worthwhile.
My name is Nina Sears. I'm currently a junior print journalism major with a Sociology concentration. Since being at the university, I've worked a great deal with the Maryland Association of Black Journalists and am a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. I've written for both the Diamondback and the Eclispe newspapers. I have two reporting internships under my belt: Big Builder Magazine and the Baltimore Sun. Both were great experiences because I actually got the chance to write and gain clips early in my journalism career.
I am also working toward a certificate in African American Studies. Over the summer I worked with the Children's Defense Fund and Maya Angelou Public Charter School in NE Washington, DC in a program called "Freedom Schools." Essentially, I was facilitating a reading curriculum created by the CDF. It was an amazing time; I enjoyed working with the "scholars" over the summer. Now that I'm a tutor at MAPCS, seeing them succeed in school makes me feel like I did something worthwhile.
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