1. What do you find most interesting about what he says on these pages? What stands out as particularly useful to you as a storyteller? (75 words)

I found the points about using natural drama, soundbites and proving things visually the most interesting. As a storyteller, the use of natural drama makes me feel like I more of a part of the action. Natural drama drags me into the story. Soundbites can add so much to a story. They allow you to experience the story even if you are not participating in all the senses. The sound of a bat cracking when it connects with a ball paints a picture in your mind. When you engage the senses of a person a story comes to life. It has been argued that a picture speaks a thousand words. Nothing speaks louder than the picture of the carnage left from a tornado touch down. The use of natural drama, soundbites and using strong visuals stand as very useful techniques to use as a storyteller.

To answer the rest, you must visit the site for Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories(http://www.kare11.com/news/investigative/extras/stories.aspx). Pick two that look interesting. Watch them. Then, pick one of those and answer the following prompts about it, please:

2. What is the name of the story, and on what date did it first air?

Minn.'s iconic SPAM brand getting social - aired April 28, 2013

3. List and describe four instances of natural sound. 

-Keyboard keys clicking as person tweets

-Old advertisement sound running faintly in background as story runs

-Sound of staff conversing as they tweet and collaborate

-Studio noise as voice actor records Sir Can-a-Lot

4. List and describe (including the type and what they are showing) four camera shots that you find interesting.

- Zoom in view on computer screen as a person scrolls through texts - Shows action happening as scroll screen

-Old advertisement video running in the background as the story is delivered - Great way to show the history of advertising the product

-Sir Can-a-Lot standing next to SPAM Can - Good use of product branding

- Hand grabbing SPAM from the cupboard - draws you into the story

5. Write a possible focus statement for the story (strong verbs; no “-ing” words)

No SPAM about it

6. How does this story utilize Dotson’s “Building Blocks” (from Page 68)? Discuss a few of them, please. (100 words)

The story the building block of words by using the ideas of the past, present and future advertisement for SPAM. The story really does a good job of using pictures. The use of a zoom in shot on the screen of SPAM tweets, an image of a hand grabbing a can of SPAM from the cupboard, and Sir Can-a-Lot standing by a can of spicey Jalepeno SPAM are very effective. Sir Can-a-Lot really livens up the SPAM brand with his voice and his twerking dance with the twerking can as funky music plays. Soundbites go a long way in making a story memorable and this story had two good ones. The first was the Hormel Spam Brand Manager saying that she wants Sir Can-a-Lot to be as famous as Tony the Tiger and the Pillsbury Doughboy. Everyone remembers Tony and the Doughboy. The other soundbite is the one used as the story  about SPAM going social comes to close. The storyteller says, "The best SPAM you'll find online." What a perfect play on words. That one little soundbite says it all.

Run and Gun Interviews:

1.  What is a "Run and Gun" interview? When can we use a "Run and Gun" interview?
when you are not planed to do an interview    1-2 questions  after a big event
2.  What is the first thing you should do BEFORE starting off for the interview?
get permission
3.  Why do you think we should ask for permission?
so you don't get sued
4.  Why should we always ask the interviewee to state and spell their names?
for the name tag and to loosen up
5.  Where should we place the microphone?
below their chin out of view
6.  Should we hand the mic to the interviewee?
no
7.  The photographer is responsible for the sound levels.  What are two things the photog should be aware of?    if their are any problems and background noise sound meters

8.  COMPOSITION:  How we should frame our interview shot:
a.  Eyes on THIRD______
b.  2 Eyes One _EAR_____
c.  Camera should be Higher, Even, or Lower than subject? EVEN
d.  Talking space or  Nose____ Room


BACKGROUNDS:
9. Avoid shooting in front of  __window_____.

10.  Why should we keep signs out of the background?
distracting
11.  If we were doing an interview about the high cost of parking at EVHS where would a good place to interview be? in the parking lot

12.  What is a demonstration interview and what are the benefits?
they show a perpose

Your name: Andrew ohmann         Date:

Broadcast Journalism A

Mudhouse package assignment

Assignment sheet and rubric (15 points)

Rationale: Not every shot fits – even all the cool ones.

Objectives: Plan, write, and edit a news package without needing to go get any of the material yourself. Stick to a focus statement. Learn the editing software without the trouble of cameras. Discern good footage and audio from poor.

Directions: Individually, you will create this news package and complete the work for it in class. All the files you’ll need are  on your computer’s C Drive. Be sure to save your project to the Period 1 folder. Within the Period 1 folder, create another folder called Mudhouse.

Your focus statement is: “It’s too hot for coffee.” The location is a coffee shop in Missouri called “The Mudhouse” in the hot summer month of July.   

About the audio: The package should include nat (natural) sound at least once, no music, and you must use the interviews and stand-ups provided.

Length should fall between :45 and 1:15 TRT (total run time).

Before you move on and do too much editing, you need to hand in the “Planning and Writing” documents below.

RUBRIC: Your Mudhouse news package will be graded on the following criteria. Please check your video against this rubric between every stage of the project. This is an individual project.

 

Aspect

Points

 PLANNING AND WRITING (5points)                                                                    __/5

Catalog (shot-by-shot description) of the raw footage is typed, complete          __/2

All the sound bites and stand-ups are typed up, word-for-word                           __/1

Your final story is written out, like a script                                                            __/1

The interviews and VOs complement each other and tell a story around the focus statement  __/1

EDITING (10 points)                                                                                               __/10

Absolutely no digital effects (fades, dissolves, graphics, digital transitions); just edits  __/1

B-roll video matches the audio consistently                                                               __/2

Final cut lands between 45 and 75 seconds                                                                __/1

Final cut sticks to the focus statement                                                                        __/1

Natural sound is used appropriately at least once                                                       __/1

The interviews and voice-overs flow together without technical hesitation (no black blips)     __/1

Contains at least two sequences of Wide/Medium/Tight (or Tight/Medium/Wide)                   __/2

Final cut includes at least 15 camershots                                                                              __/1

How do to this:

Step 1: Open Premiere and do the following:

                a. Create a new project, saving it in the C Drive, Period 1 folder

                b. Import the three files: B-roll, Sound Bites, Stand-ups

Step 2: Describe each shot in the B-roll file. List this in a Word document

Step 3: Type out, word-for-word, the Sound Bites and Standups files.

Step 4: Write a script that uses the Sound Bites and Standups. This must stick to the focus statement “It’s too hot for coffee.”

Step 5: Lay out your script (in video) on your sequence in Premiere (on the Video 1 and Audio 1 tracks). Check the length and be sure it lands between 45 and 75 seconds.

Step 6: Find B-roll that matches what the speakers talk about and place it in the Video 2 and Audio 2 tracks.

Cross country team

1st We come up with a Topic: the topic is runing the football for homecoming game.
2nd We decide on a Focus Statement: cross country team is going the distance.
3rd:  We Conduct Interviews to get Sound Bites to use in the interview: are cross country team holds traditions very dear to us.
4th We Shoot B-Roll to complement the sound bites: helicopter overhead shot.
5th  We Shoot our stand-up: linking shot when they hand off the ball and the reporter is talking.

Friday project

Story title:

The art of violin bow making

Total Run Time: 2:28

1 cut in of his hands
2 cut in of his arm
3 close up of his face
4 cut in of him shaving wood
5 close up of his face
6 nodding shot of him
7 medium shot of him
8 close up of wood
9  over the shoulder shot of him
10 close up on the carving
11 cut away on the wood
12 extreme close up of violin head
13 tracking shot of the violin head
14 ecu of horse hair
15 pan of lamp to his tools below
16 a closing in shot of leveler
17 close to medium of his tools
18 medium to close of bows
19 close  of wood shavings
20 medium of wood beams
21 close up of end beams
22 close up of cut away wood
23 close up of him
24 close up of two bows
25 pov shot of two bows
26 close up of bow elasticity
27 cu of him talking
28 medium of him lighting something on fire
29 pan shot to close up of him holding beam
30 close up of him talking
31 cut away to him whittling
32 medium of him whittling wood
33 ecu of his face
34 close up of the bow
35 cut away of polished bow
36 DARKNESS
What you noticed overall: i noticed that this story was about the art of something not just a story i belive that the purpose of this story was to inform in a good way about violins some of the things i noticed were for example they did alot of close ups on the violin and guy making it. also whey did a lot of in depth shots of the making of the parts. if i had to take something from this video it would be that close ups make something a lot more personal and detailed.

Eastview Broadcast: Reading

Read, in Dotson’s book, pages 43 thru 55. Respond to what you read, and use these questions if you get stuck: What strikes you as interesting? In what ways do you agree or disagree with him? How does this fit where you are as a writer, and how will it help you become a better one? 
(100 words minimum). 

Dotson's comparison of great stories being like onions is an interesting one. I agree with him totally. You need to peel of the layers of an onion to get the the center. Dotson peeled back the layers of the onion to give a fresh spin on the pearl harbor story.You need to delve into the details and gain more information for your story. I also found his techniques on how to defeat the remote, being conversational, an the use of active voice interesting. I agree with his use of active voice and using a conversational style. The use of these techniques help me as a writer. I find it much easier to write when I am being conversational and using a active style. If I remember and use these three techniques and remember the others it will help me to improve my writing.

So, Dotson highlights the following:
- How to defeat the TV remote control
- Be conversational
- Gobbledygook and clichés
- Active voice
- Write in threes
- Surprises


Read this story and watch this one (a bit of a sports theme this week). Write two paragraphs (one about each) that explains how the story uses/handles at least three of these aspects. Give specific examples (100 words in each paragraph, so at least 200 total words).

In the story "Doing the Right Thing" the writer uses the following three aspects: be conversational, use active voice, surprises. He writes in the story in a very down to earth, conversational manner. One example is when he refers to the insurance behemoth who donated the prize. He uses a question to gain more insight. He does a good job of storytelling. The use of active voice makes me feel like I am there at the event watching everything unfold. I can hear the smack of the stick against the puck as it slides toward the goal. His use of active voice makes a person want to read further. The ending of the story is a great use of surprise. The fact that the boys won (even if they switched places), gave the money back (by being honest about the switch), and in the end received even more memorable rewards from the Vikings, the Wild and other things is a great ending to the story.

The story "End of a 12-son football dynasty for Minnesota Family" is handled much in the same way as the other one. The writer uses the following techniques: defeating the remote, be conversational, and write in threes. The remote is defeated in the very first sentence we hear. For a mom or dad, one of the great days of life is watching your kid compete on the athletic field. A person can relate to that and it makes them want to listen further. The reporter is very conversational in his storytelling and the way he interviews the Ahos. You feel like you are a part of the story. The way he explained the how cold it was really set the scene. It was cold enough to make your eyes water. I can almost feel it. It was interesting to see how he wrote in threes when describing how they supported their sons. Screaming like teenagers, cursing like Minnesotans and cheering each one on like they were an only child. The use of these techniques makes a story timeless. 

Discuss the purposes of Stand-UPS:
the reporter goes to the place you cant go takes you some where you can't go. they become the b roll
they also use props to make it more interactive. also you need to be surprising. also must move story forward.








Answer the following questions on your blog:
1.  What is the lead in this story?  Does it intrigue you to keep watching? the lead is that you never expect all of this they get you hooked on what they are talking about.
2.  What are the 5W's of this story:  Who, What, Where, When, Why
who the lady that's house was broken. where this lady's house. what her house was broken into by the doggy door. when 2 weeks ago.why the robber wanted to take her stuff
3.   Give an example of the reporters Voice over or seque (Write it down word for word)
its hard to imagine something like this could happen in a quiet neighborhood
4.  When do we see the reporter's stand-up?  Beginning, Middle, or End?
middle
5.  What is the purpose of this reporter's stand-up?
 to show the first house that was broken into.



Write and perform 3 Stand-Ups using the following scenarios: (OR TRY YOUR OWN)
$1000 stolen from cafeteria
Accident in school and someone was hurt
Excessive screen time affects students
Improper recyling at EVHS
B2 Stairwell is too crowded
5 minutes not enough time to get from class to class 

i was gone

WALLDO

6 Camera Angles

• Wide- Many subjects in one scene
• Angle- Shoot at an angle, not always staight on
• Low- Put the camera below the person, get down on the ground
• Linking- Can tell 2 stories with one shot, pan left to right
• Depth- Can show creativity, having something in the foreground and backgroung
• Opposite- Action/ reaction, get the action and then the reaction, film from a way you normally wouldn't

Changing Idenity

i was gone   

Changing Idenity

We will begin by watching a High School broadcast story titled Changing Identity

Answer the following questions on a blog post about the story:

1.  Identify and explain as many WALLDO shots as you can.
They have a lot of low shots. They have a lot of creative shots, such as behind the toaster.  Had a nice linking shot of the wind chimes, going down to Noah.  The toaster was depth.

2.  What is Natural Sound?
Natural sound is what you hear in the background.  The noise that is already there.

3.  Identify several examples of Natural Sound in this story?
The toaster, his piano, his dog, cars in the background.

4.  How does Natural Sound enhance the story?
It makes it sound more real.  The dog and he toaster, I feel as though this natural noise is kind of a comforting sound to show that Noah is just like everyone else and his gender doesn't make him any more different.

Awesome ASSIGNMENT FOR FRIDAY:
Regarding the book by Bob Dotson, Make It Memorable: Please read the introduction and Section One (pages 3-41). Then, answer the following questions and be sure to exceed the requested word counts:

o What do you notice about the way he writes? Use specific examples, please. (75 words)

The writer, Bob Dotson, writes in first person. For example he starts out saying “My grandmother worries about my life’s work.” By writing in first person Dotson makes me, the reader, feel like I am a part of the story. Dotson also uses a conversational style that is very engaging and keeps a persons’ attention. His story about Fred Benson just flowed and was enjoyable to keep reading and learning more about. Mr. Dotson shares his insights in a manner that is very easy to understand and implement on your own. His use of the non-question/question is a great technique for getting unique soundbites that most reporters would miss in their haste to get the story.

o What did you learn from reading pages 9 to 27? (75 words)

Mr. Dotson fills pages 9-27 with a lot of useful information. He talks about the Rule of Threes, Filling the silence, and the Non-Question/Question. The Rule of Three refers to the pattern in which people respond in interviews.  The almost always answer a question three times, each time in a different way. Silence can be awkward but sometimes it can lead to more memorable and shorter soundbites. The Non-Question/Question technique is more conversational and just talking with the person about what is going on in their lives. This sets them at ease and usually leads to more interesting soundbites. These techniques can help you tell better stories. Finding strong central characters is also a good way to get a great story. Fill your story with details both with your writing and your images. I learned how to show people what they have missed even when they are standing next to it.

o With the scripts: What do suppose is described in each column? Why would it be split like that? What else is interesting about the scripts? (50 words)

The left column of the script is for the action or photo that is to be used. The right column is for the interview between Dotson and the interviewee. The scripts are written in two columns in order to make it easier to put video to text. The use of columns helps a person build their story faster. This format is similar to a script for a play. 

o On Page 34 (and to the end of the section), Dotson writes about a long-form feature. Find one of these (a story at least 4 minutes long) on a TV news magazine such as Rock Center, 20/20 or 60 Minutes. Then, give and explain examples of how the storyteller uses the five bulleted traits Dotson gives on Page 34. (200 words)

Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes Reporter, utilizes the long-form feature points in his story, “Jobs programs for people trapped in unemployment”, that aired on August 12, 2012. The long-form feature points are: scene setting, foreshadowing, conflict, character growth, and resolution. The story is introduced with startling statistics about employment. He sets the scene with a panel of college-educated, unemployed people from all walks of life. He foreshadows the issue when he talks one-on-one with the panelists and they share their candid stories and conflicts that arose as a result of their unemployment. Their unemployment has resulted in emotional and monetary effects. Many have lost their self-esteem and are dealing with depression. These are highly educated individuals living on minimal salaries supplemented by food stamps. Some people losing their homes, and families. These people are being discriminated against because of their unemployment duration. He transitions into a part of the story that introduces a program and a person who is working on a resolution to the unemployment issue. Joe Carbone, a Connecticut businessman working for “The Workplace” who creates a program called “Platform to Employment”. This program helps the unemployed regain their character, learn how to confront their fears and find employment again. He closes with the panelists again, talking about how they have all finally found employment.