Monday, November 8, 2010

11-8-10 Truman Show

We will watch The Truman Show this week and write a final paper. The outline is due on Thursday, November 12 (posted to your blog) at the beginning of the hour. The final paper is due on Friday, November 12 (posted to your blog) by the end of the hour.

All Truman Show materials can be found here:
http://www.district196.org/evhs/academics/broadcast/materials.htm

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

10-19-10 Camera Review

Today we're going to do a camera jeopardy game for review.

Be ready for a quiz on cameras/editing tomorrow.

Monday, October 18, 2010

10-18-10 Videos

Today you will watch and critique the videos made by students in the class.

Expect a quiz this week on the camera notes.

Friday, October 15, 2010

10-15-10 Post Edited Videos

When you have finished editing your video in Premiere, go to File/Export Movie. You will create an .avi file on your desktop.

You then should log into youtube.com using your Google account. You should upload your video to youtube.

Next, you should copy and paste the youtube URL to a new blog post.

You should do this by the end of the hour.

Monday, October 11, 2010

10-11-10 Editing

Introduction to Adobe Premiere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9je_VkSQ04

We are going to take the video we shot from last week and learn how to edit.

Monday: Basics of Premiere (Menus, Layouts, Buttons), Video Editing (Duration, Speed, Selecting Clips, Arrow-single clips, Range Select-multiple, Track Select, Multitrack Select)

Tuesday: Transitions (Transition Settings), Filters, Rendering (ALT)

Wednesday: Audio Editing, Titles, Superimposing, Animation.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

10-6-10 Camera Unit

For reading time today: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/1896.pdf

We will do our camcorder scavenger hunt today during class.

Monday, October 4, 2010

10-5-10 News Bloopers

I will be gone in the morning attending my daughter's field trip. We will be watching Television bloopers during the class period. We will continue the camera unit on Wednesday.

Friday, October 1, 2010

10-1-10 End of Dotson Unit

For independent time today, view this photojournalist's demo reel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfosaXRTcXY

We will take a quiz on Writing and Bob Dotson.

We will start our camera unit on Monday.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

9-30-10 Finished Stories

For reading time today, watch a current Bob Dotson story:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19333758/ns/today-today_people

We will watch "Top Cop" in class today.

We will review the key points of Dotson's book "Making It Memorable".

Your finished story is due Friday at the beginning of the hour. You can email them to: tyler.krebs@district196.org

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

9-29-10 B-Roll

Susan Smith Trial: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Smith

We will watch the “Susan Smith Trial” story in class and talk about camera shots.

For reading time today, read through the steps on this website:
http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/shooting_tips/

You will have the rest of the hour to work on your script by adding the left column (Video). You should also make any revisions based on your peer feedback. You should have this finished before class begins on Friday.

9-28-10 Peer Editing

For reading time today: http://www.newsoftheweird.com/archive/index.html

We will watch the San Francisco earthquake story together in class.

You will choose a partner and peer edit their story. You can do it through the comments area in the blog or you can e-mail the Word document, track changes, and e-mail it back.

You should try to do at least 2 peer edits. If you have time, you should do more.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

9-27-10 Writing Stories

For reading time today: http://www.theonion.com/

We will watch "Boys of Summer" in class today and talk about it.

Great article on writing for television news: http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp006.htm

You will have today to finish writing your story. Use the Dotson book as a guide on how to format your script. Your stories are due at the beginning of the hour tomorrow.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

9/24/10 Organize Soundbites and Write Segues

Choose one story from Steve Hartman: http://election.cbsnews.com/sections/assignment_america/main500617.shtml

How to Write Broadcast Scripts

Broadcast scripts are meant to be heard and should be easy to read. As a writer, it is your duty to make your script friendly to both the listening audience and the people reading the script out loud. Follow these basic guidelines for writing a broadcast script.

1. The writing should be casual and conversational. Broadcast writing is aimed toward the listener.

2. Create an outline, listing the highlights and main points of the story.

3. Write the body. Include all necessary facts and figures and touch on all highlights. Broadcast stories are typically 100 to 300 words, based on the amount of time dedicated to the story. 100 words equates to approximately 30 seconds of air time. For this assignment, it should be 1 minute in length (about 200 words)

4. Write the introduction. This should introduce the story to the listener in an entertaining way, to "hook" them into listening to the rest of the story.

5. Write a conclusion. This will wrap up the story in a clear manner. You want to end your story with one of your best soundbites. Leave the viewer with hope.

6. Format your script in accordance with basic broadcast script guidelines. Use the Dotson book as your guide.

7. Edit the script for grammatical and factual errors. Present to a copy-editor that can find mistakes you overlooked (we'll do peer editing in this class).


Tips & Warnings

* All copy should be typed and double-spaced. Don't use semicolons. Write out abbreviations. Use underlines for emphasis and dashes for long pauses.
* Don't use slang.
* Fact check. Your journalistic credibility is at stake, so don't be careless. Always keep your source notes.
* Limit the amount of figures you include, as too many will lose the listeners' interest.
* Use conjunctions sparingly. Words like "furthermore" and "however" are a mouthful for a reporter and unnecessary for listeners.
* Avoid relative clauses. "Dracula, who feeds on the blood of humans, only comes out at night." This interrupts the flow. Instead, try "Dracula feeds on the blood of humans. He only comes out at night."
* Use the active voice. "He blew their minds" instead of "Their minds were blown by him."
* Write in the present tense for immediacy. Instead of "The citizens of New City will vote today" try "New City citizens are voting."
* Keep sentences short. The reporter has to breathe.
* Copy should be clear, conversational and easily understood.
* Make your script accessible. Avoid jargon and technical terms that will go over the heads of the public. If you must use a technical term, define it.
* Be objective in your writing, do not editorialize or add personal or philosophical comments. Stick to the story.

You should have a rough draft of your A-Roll by the end of the hour on Monday.

9/23/10 Listening Activities

Here is your reading activity for the day:

1. Read everything before doing anything.

2. Put your name in the upper right hand corner.

3. Write the word “name” and circle it.

4. Write the date in all capital letters in the upper left corner of this page.

5. Draw five small squares under your name.

6. Put an X in each square you drew.

7. Put a circle around each square.

8. Put a circle around everything you wrote so far.

9. Put an X under your last name.

10. On the back of the paper multiply 733 by 419

11. Draw a rectangle around the number you just wrote.

12. Loudly call out your first name when you read this so your teacher can see who got this far.

13. If you think you have followed directions carefully up to this point, call out, “I have!”

14. On the back of this page, add 109.34, 1984 and 8965.

15. Put a circle around your answer, then a square.

16. Count from on to ten backward in a normal speaking voice.

17. If you are the first person to get this far, call out, “I am number one!”

18. Write the numbers from 1 to 10 on the line. Underline all even numbers.

19. Say aloud, “I am almost finished.”

20. Now that you have finished reading carefully, do only sentences 1 and 2.


Before tomorrow's class, you should write all of your interview answers to your blog. We will work on organizing soundbites and writing your segues in class tomorrow.


1. Following directions handout.
2. Who is the best listener you know? What makes them a good listener?
3. Partner purposely doesn't pay attention and is a bad listener.
4. Ask a queston followed by silence. What happened? (Dotson's non-question question). We have two ears and one mouth for a reason.
5. Ask multiple questions.
6. Ask very long question.
7. Confirm their answer and use the non question.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

9-22-10 Interviewing Activities - Poynter

Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Bridges

We will watch Dotson's story - “Ruby Bridges” (Stories are now all online at previous blog post)

What does Dotson say about using the elements of a novel (setting, foreshadowing, conflict, character growth, resolution) in your story?

You will post your three "experts" for your story and the three interview questions you will ask to your blog before class starts tomorrow.

Some online interviewing practice and information:

Go to: http://www.newsu.org/ or http://www.poynter.org
Register (it's free). Then start the online learning tutorials:

Interviewing:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nu_interview04

Be a Reporter:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=knight_reportgame08

Handling Trauma:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=dart_trauma05

Beyond the Inverted Pyramid:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nwsu_asf07

Writer's Workbench:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nu_workbench05

Telling Stories With Sound:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nwsu_soundStory07

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

9-21-10 Dotson

What does Dotson say about using silence (non-question/question)? What part of your story does Dotson say you should write first? What does Dotson say about the importance of characters? What does Dotson say about the 5 senses (writing to the corner of the screen)?

By the end of the hour, you will have a topic and an angle for your story. You will post it to your blog. You will also begin collecting data.

You should be able to summarize your story in three words: Subject Verb Object

We'll practice this with the Dotson stories today.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

9-16-10 Law/Ethics

Read this or other stories about being fired because of Facebook: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/24670937/detail.html

We will finish taking our notes on law and ethics.

Remember that your assignment is due before you come to class tomorrow.

You can expect a quiz in class tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

9-14-10 News Notes and News Log Assignment

For reading time today, read this article.

What are your thoughts about the Ines Sainz article?

We will finish taking our news notes.

Citizen Journalists:
http://ireport.cnn.com/

http://www.twitter.com

ASSIGNMENT DUE ON FRIDAY:
Watch 30 minutes of the news (write down the show title, channel and time). Write a quick description of the story, the length of the story and which criteria(s) of newsworthiness apply (unusual, timeliness, proximity, significance, prominence, human interest). This assignment is due at the beginning of the hour on Friday, September 17.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

9-10-10 Blogs

Begin by reading www.cnn.com

You should have your blog completed by the end of the hour. Experiment with different settings on your blog.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

2-9-11 Photoshop Ads

For reading time today: www.startribune.com

You'll have the hour today to create your advertisement for your product. When you are finished, you will save it as a .jpg and post it on your blog.

In Photoshop, go to File/Save As/.jpg choose medium (5) for quality

Create a new post on your blog and click the Add Image button.

For format, choose none and click on the Image size medium button.

On Monday, you will present your ad to the rest of the class by doing the following:

1. Describe your ad and your product.
2. Tell us who your target market would be.
3. Tell us what magazine(s) you would use for your advertisement.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

January 21 - News Stories Assessment

Anyone who hasn't finished their stories should complete and export them (directions on the board) today. For everyone who has finished, you will do the following:

1. You will make a post to your blogs today that includes a self-assessment of your story (copy and paste the information below).

2. You will do peer assessments of all of your classmates' stories. You need to write down two items that were done well and one item that could be improved for each person. Post these to your blog as well.

All of the stories are located here.



Broadcast Journalism Story Self-Assessment (Copy and paste this to your blog post)

Is the topic relevant and interesting? Does it relate to our audience? 1 2 3 4

Is the story angle clearly defined? Is it unique? 1 2 3 4

Is the stand-up informative and creative? Does it lead into the story? 1 2 3 4

Are the interviews important to the story? Experts? Restate question? 1 2 3 4

Are transitions smooth and informative? Sequence makes sense? 1 2 3 4

Does the story make sense? Does the A-Roll drive the story? 1 2 3 4

Do the camera shots add to the story? B-roll? Correct shots? 1 2 3 4

Is sound used to enhance story? Music? Natural sound? 1 2 3 4

Is the editing clean? Graphics? Sound? Transitions? 1 2 3 4

Is the story the proper time length? 1 2 3 4

Total ____/40

Comments: (What was done well? What improvements should be made?)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

January 5 through January 15 - Story Unit

You will work in groups of 3-4 to create a story. The entire group will use the same topic, angle, interviews and b-roll. Each person will have their own standup and segues. You will each edit your own stories. This assignment is worth 40 points.

Here's the outline:
1/5/10 - preproduction (topic, angle, interview questions)
1/6/10 through 1/9/10 - shoot interviews and b-roll for entire group
1/6/10 through 1/9/10 - each member shoots their own standup and segues
1/11/10 through 1/15/10 - edit stories

You can use this story template as a guide:
http://www.district196.org/evhs/academics/broadcast/StoryTemplate.doc

Monday, January 4, 2010

1-4-09 Editing

We will be in B128 editing our one minute video from our camera unit. Each student will edit their own version of the video.

12-20 through 12-22 Editing

We will be down in B128 learning how to edit using Adobe Premiere.