Syllabus for Roster(s):
- 17Sp MDST 4559-004 (CGAS)
Adv. Reporting Syllabus
ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA REPORTING SYLLABUS
MDST 4559 004
SPRING 2017
Class Location New Cabell 1200-1250 MWF
Studio Location Wilson Hall 235
Instructor Wyatt Andrews
Office Location 212 Wilson Hall
Office Hours Appointments preferred, but office hours happen every day.
M W 2-5 PM
Tu Th 1-5 PM
Fr 2-3 PM
Email wyatt@virginia.edu
Office Phone 434 243 1675
This is a class for students strongly considering careers in news reporting, or news and documentary production. In AMR, we will focus on the higher level techniques involved in finding, reporting, videotaping and writing memorable news stories. This is a true practice class. You will each do three long form, deeply reported stories. You will also be the photographer and sound tech on three stories. The academic, book based side of the class will be assigned as needed to assist your reporting skills. We will spend significant time studying the overlapping crafts of narrative writing, story structuring and broadcast performance skills. There will be hard deadlines to meet, both to mimic the real world and to allow time for revision. Class time will often replicate the newsroom atmosphere, in which updates on stories, fact gathering, interview choices and interview performance will be debated and critiqued.
The goal of this class is produce reporting that is impactful, memorable, and impressive on your resumes. Journalism that makes an impact will be noticed in the job market.
Outside of the six story requirements, (three reports, three shoots) and the reality of deadlines, this class will be flexible. Much depends on the choices you make and the makeup of the class. We will do what it takes to get the three stories well shot and well reported. To do this, your input is not only welcome, its required. Flexibility will be given when obstacles arise. That said, once a deadline is agreed upon, it’s set. THE DEADLINES YOU SEE BELOW ARE NOTIONAL AND SUBJECT TO YOUR FEEDBACK.
On the six story goal, keep in mind that in professional life, you will do three stories in two days, sometimes without help. It should not be difficult for experienced student reporters to do three stories in 13 weeks —if you start your research and pitch work immediately.
This syllabus is a draft, a general plan. It will change week to week and get more specific once we know who actually takes the class and what skills and stories each student wants to pursue.
Students can choose to specialize in print/narrative reporting or TV video styled journalism, but print reporters must also learn how to shoot video and sound and learn how to ask on camera questions. You may also choose to focus on shooting and editing, but students focusing on production need to assist the fact finding reporters. This is all designed to prep you for real world multi media journalism.
Aside from the deadline flexibility described above, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A NORMAL CLASS. You have to want to do this and be willing to work many hours outside of class.
EXAMPLES —AND CLASS EXPECTATIONS
1. Demands on your time may sometimes be extreme. Interviews or events happen when they happen and you may need to be available to do an interview or tape an event crucial to your story at an inconvenient time. Our stories will involve teams, so you also need to be available to help your teammates—or find a substitute.
2. In a real newsroom or edit booth, criticism is direct. All journalists, even top level professionals are asked to re-do stories multiple times in order to make the story fair, well written, clear, factually accurate or to include different interviews. You will be asked for technical revisions. Please understand that criticism is integral to improvement. It will never be intended as personal, the point is to make your journalism and resumes better.
3. This is a no excuse class. Missing any kind of deadline or an assignment, without advance notice or arranging for backup, will be grounds for a 5-10 point course grade deduction. Reporters are on time. They are reliable without fail. They meet deadlines. They don't leave the building with uncharged or insufficient equipment. They record and edit flawless sound. The no excuse expectation in this class will help prepare you for the real thing.
4. All stories done for this class must begin with the people or persons impacted by the subject or policy being reviewed. That means no medical stories without patients, no “program” stories without the persons being effected or targeted by the policy or program. Higher level journalism is time consuming. It often takes an unusual amount of time to find the right people—who will also speak to you on camera, within the deadline period.
5. All sources will be spoken to in person or by phone before we take the time to do an on camera interview. Email is not good enough. Texting is not good enough. Email answers to questions are not acceptable unless used as a last resort in the name of fairness. Emailed answers used in stories need prior approval.
6. “X did not get back to me” will not be an excuse in this class. If we really need Professor A or Student B in a story—and they have not responded to texts and emails—I will ask you what you have done to physically locate them. Personal journalism is superior to email journalism, so that’s what we are teaching and learning to do.
TECHNICAL TRAINING
For the first several weeks of class, we will combine story pitches, readings and exercises with mandatory technical workshops on video camera operation, sound operation, and video or web editing techniques. Most, but not all training will happen in class. We will attempt technical fluency before heading out in the field. The schedule for this is TBD. There will be many updates to this syllabus.
Your input here is vital. If you feel left behind in any aspect of camera, sound, lighting, editing, file management, server operations or all of the above, tell me. Our goal must be zero technical errors. Tell me anytime you need more technical help.
STORIES
Students will be asked to do three long form stories. For print, that’s 3 articles and web postings of at least 3500 words, for which the main interview must be done on camera. TV reporters should aim for stories of 9-12 minutes in length. Reporters will edit (but not shoot) their own stories. All students will be also responsible to shoot a minimum number of stories, probably three, but that number will be determined by class makeup. Depending on the difficulty of your choices and class makeup, a two story minimum might be considered.
TEAMS AND DEADLINES
After the technical training, we will operate generally in two person teams. Each team will have roughly 3 and a half weeks to research, report, interview and edit the stories outlined below in order. The stories have to be organized in a way to allow both members of the team to report and shoot, swapping roles as needed. When shooting wraps, reporters then do their own exacting, scripting, editing and revisions. Deadlines will be set to conclude interviews, exacting, script draft one, final scripts and final edits.
1. Required. The Virginia General Assembly. One story must be based on a controversy facing the General Assembly and must include the people impacted by the controversy and lawmakers pro and con. The formal session is only 46 days ending on Feb 25. http://dls.virginia.gov/pubs/calendar/cal2017_2.pdf
2. Required. University or Charlottesville Community. Story two must be based on a controversy facing the University or Charlottesville area community. Sports policy counts.
3. Your choice. The third story is your creative choice. This can be a creative video or an uplifting feature story. It can be a long form, personal profile as long as the subject is a game changing individual in his or her field. It can be a personal essay or commentary, or a second sports policy story. It’s your resume.
The Accountability Requirement. In one of your three stories, you must conduct an on camera interview with an official responsible for a controversial policy. Class time will be used to strategize how accountability interviews are conducted.
The Public Records Requirement. In one of your three stories a deep dive and examination of public records has to be involved. We will sort out details in class.
The Live Simulation Requirement. For TV reporters only. Every story must start and end with (taped) green screen on cameras in the Wilson Studio. But —the first taping of the green screen for all stories must be scheduled during class time (these classes will be in the studio) and the first take will be done without the teleprompter in order to create a live broadcast simulation.
The Bridge On-Camera Requirement. TV reporters must do two on cameras in the field per story. This is both a journalistic and resume necessity. Details to be discussed in class.
CLASS POLICIES.
Class, lab and workshop attendance is mandatory. Absences must be explained in an email. In times of heavy interview conflicts, class might be cancelled, so please stay alert.
Computers and cell phones may not be on during class.
Factual error in any story is grounds for an F on that story; no matter how creative or aggressive your reporting might be, you may not be factually wrong. Lack of balance will also not be tolerated. Comprehensive research is expected for stories at this level.
You will not be graded on how you look on camera, but you will be judged in the job market. Everyone appearing on camera is strongly advised to look your best, and to wear attire expected in a professional environment. Photographers should help the reporters look good and sound good.
OFFICE HOURS
Please note that I have office hours everyday, specifically to allow time for meetings either in teams or one on one. Appointments are better than random to minimize any waiting. You are welcome and encouraged to use office hours for advice on story ideas, story approaches, overcoming obstacles, interview or on camera strategies, help with exacts, script organization and revisions— and narration coaching. All of the above will also happen in class; but feel free to use office hours when you feel stuck or need advice.
GRADING
Grading will be based primarily on the quality of your stories, followed by the quality of your technical skills. The guidelines below will change if you focus on print or production. There is no final.
Reporters. Is your story well written, and completely and fairly reported? Is the story memorable? Do you get high quality answers in your interviews? Do we hear a substantive question and answer on camera? Multiple q and a’s? Are there at least two bridge on cameras in your story? Were bridge on cameras done when the background is in action? Did you fail to land an interview or photo or fact due to lack of effort? Did you meet every deadline?
Photographers. Is the story well shot and the interviews well framed? Is the photography memorable? Is the sound flawless? Was every picture that might help the piece captured for the piece? Did you capture the right reversals of your reporter and walking shots where needed?
Editing. Does the edited story look and sound professional? Is the sound perfect? Are the playback levels the same from all elements? Does the story flow? Did you use the best pictures provided by the photographer? Is the story free of technical glitches, including jump cuts?
Story One 20%
Story Two 20%
Story Three 20%
Photography 20%
Editing 10%
Requirements/ Overall Effort 10%
94 to 100 [A ]
90 to 93.9 [A-]
87.5 to 89.9 [B +]
83 to 87.4 [B]
80 to 82.9 [B-]
77.5 to 79.9 [C +]
73 to 77.4 [C]
70 to 72.9 [C-]
67.5 to 69.9 [D +]
63 to 67.4 [D]
60 to 62.9 [D-]
Below 60 [F]
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
—A small handheld audio tape recorder. This is for listening to interviews. It does not have to be expensive, but it has to upload files to the lab computers. Your phone is acceptable, except for when you might shoot on your phone.
—Your cell phone—with a phone to USB cable. You will use this to upload video from the phone to the lab or to your computer.
—4 digital SD cards, 32 GB minimum each. Everyone needs their own SD cards when shooting video in the field with UVa cameras.
—Editing software. We are training and editing on Adobe Premier this semester. Having Adobe Premier on your personal computer is not required, but owning it frees you from always editing in the studio.
—Screen capture software. Having Camtasia or ScreenFlow6 on your computer is suggested but not required. You can use Camtasia on the lab computers. But if you want the option to edit at home, you will need HD screen capture capability. Ask for the student discount.
—Video Meeting software. Either Zoom (UVA has a free subscription) or Skype, but you need the ability to conduct and record HD quality interviews by computer.
—Makeup. Everyone, including print reporters, men and women, should see a local makeup consultant and purchase the kind of makeup you think/hope will maximize your on camera appearance, and be a good match for your skin. Some people will only need powder, but everyone needs something. Print reporters will need makeup because you will appear on camera during interviews. I will repeat that looking good on camera is not a course requirement, but it may help you in the marketplace. If I see something obvious that might help you, I might make suggestions, but my job is teaching you reporting.
BOOKS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
Books 1-3 have been ordered through the bookstore, but electronic versions are acceptable and cheaper.
- WRITING AND REPORTING NEWS, A COACHING METHOD
CAROL RICH, PAPERBACK, EIGHTH EDITION CENGAGE LEARNING, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1111344443
ISBN-10: 1111344442
- THE CRAFT AND ART OF FEATURE WRITING
WILLIAM BLUNDELL 1986, PAPERBACK, PLUME PUBLISHING
ISBN 978-0-452-26158-7
- ON CAMERA. HOW TO REPORT, ANCHOR AND INTERVIEW
NANCY REARDON, FOCAL PRESS 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0415831826
ISBN-10: 0415831822
Books, 4-5 have not been ordered through the bookstore.
- ASK MORE: THE POWER OF QUESTIONS TO OPEN DOORS
FRANK SESNO, AMACOM, 2017
- HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO THAT DOESN’T SUCK.
STEVE STOCKMAN, WORKMAN PUBLISHING 2011
HBO Subscription. To view HBO Vice, and Real Sports with Bryant Gumble.
CBS News Subscription. To view and discuss segments on 60 Minutes. CBS is available for free over the air, but costs a fee if you use the App or have a cable subscription.
Amazon Prime Video will be needed TBD for the third assignment, for those choosing to do a creative video.
ADVANCED MULTIMEDIA REPORTING
WED JAN 18 COURSE INTRODUCTION.
Read: The Syllabus. Seriously.
Class: Discussion and feedback from you is requested on the layout and timing of the syllabus, the workload, grading and expectations. We will discuss and form the first round of teams.
FRI JAN 20 GENERAL ASSEMBLY PITCHES
Read: General Assembly News from the main state newspapers. Richmond Times Dispatch. Washington Post. Norfolk Virginian Pilot. Roanoke Times. Charlottesville Daily Progress—or any local paper you might follow.
Assignment: Come to this class with TWO story pitches related to the General Assembly.
Assembly Schedule: http://dls.virginia.gov/pubs/calendar/cal2017_2.pdf
House of Delegates Hearing Schedule: http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/schedule/meetingSchedule.php
Senate Hearing Schedule: http://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Portal/Resources/Comcal.pdf
WEEK OF JAN 23 CAMERA OPERATIONS. SOUND TRAINING. GENERAL ASSEMBLY
MON JAN 23 CAMERA AND BASIC SOUND OPERATIONS
Read: How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck, Intro- Chap. 7, pp. 1-45. You may skip Ch. 5.
Class: Ashley Caudill conducts refresher course on operating Wilson cameras and the basics of sound inputs and mike placement.
Assignment Due Sunday Jan 29, 5pm Collab. 4 Teams will interview a friend or roommate on camera. The reporter will learn something remarkable about the life or experience of your subject and submit a written story of no longer than 500 words to Collab Forums. The interviews and reverse shots of reporters should be posted to the server when completed, but no later than Sunday 5pm.
I will post a list of how interviews should be framed and the minimum shot requirements for every interview. Look in Collab Resources.
WED JAN 25 CAMERA FRAMING FOR NEWS INTERVIEWS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY PITCHES 2.
Read: News Writing and Reporting Ch. 2, 5 and 7. (Basic News Story, Interviewing, Leads)
Read: On Camera, Ch. 1-4. Interview. Interviewee. On Camera. Writing the Story.
Class: The minimum shot and framing requirements for interviews. Ways to approach the friend interview assignment. Second round of discussion on General Assembly pitches.
FRI JAN 27 GENERAL ASSEMBLY PITCHES.
Read: Craft and Art of Feature Writing, Ch. 1, 2 and 4.
Class: We finalize the teams, stories and approaches for the General Assembly Story One assignment. We begin the process of dissecting the early submissions of friend interview.
WEEK OF JAN 30 TECH TRAINING/ASSIGNMENT CRITIQUES
MON JAN 30 CAMERA AND BASIC SOUND OPERATIONS
Class: Ashley Caudill returns with a focus on using the cameras and avoiding sound failure.
Assignment for Sunday Feb 5. 5pm Collab. The 4 Teams will reverse roles to interview a friend or roommate on camera. Same drill; again, the reporter will learn something remarkable about the life or experience of your subject and submit a written story of no longer than 300 words to Collab Forums. The interviews and reverse shots of reporters should be posted to the server when completed, but no later than Sunday Feb 5, 5pm.
WED FEB 1 ADOBE TRAINING IN CLEMONS
Class: Meet in the Clemons Media Lab for Adobe editing training with Ted Alvis.
FRI FEB 3 REVIEW OF FIRST ROUND WRITTEN STORIES.
Review and critique of the first round of friend interviews.
WEEK OF FEB 6 GEN-ASSEMB. SHOOTING AND INTERVIEWS 1
MON FEB 6 GENERAL ASSEMBLY STORY CONFERENCE
Read: Ask More, Chapters 1-3
Come prepared: 1) to lay out the shooting plan for your story, 2) how you plan to interview the real people or families who start the story and 3) how the schedule works with your shooting partner.
WED FEB 8 GREEN SCREEN TRAINING IN THE STUDIO
Read: On Camera, Ch. 12-13 Anchoring 1-2
Read: Jason’s Tip Sheet TBD posting
Assignment. Write a 15 second potential lead to your General Assembly story and memorize it. Save the text for use in the teleprompter.
**Class is in the studio, Wilson 235. Come to the studio in makeup or with your makeup. Jason is leading a workshop on the proper use of the green screen and the teleprompter. We will practice the live simulation requirement, without the prompter. **The 15 second limit is real. 13 seconds is too short. Over 15 is too long.
FRI FEB 10 WHAT’S MY STORY? FRIEND INTERVIEW REVIEW 2
Class: We do an in class exercise on internalizing the focus of any story based on three questions. Whats my story about? What will/should my lead character say? What will/should my story say? The ability to keep these questions in mind will focus your research, your preparation of key questions and should reveal what other facts and voices are needed to add perspective and fairness to the story.
WEEK OF FEB 13 GEN-ASSEMB SHOOTING AND INTERVIEWS
MONDAY FEB 13 GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPDATES. STORY DECONSTRUCTIONS
Class discussion on the progress of GA shoots, travel, interviews and obstacles. We also begin to view and breakdown TV news stories done on your GA subject and discuss how to analyze other stories for clues of what’s possible.
WEDNESDAY FEB 15 CAMERA AND SOUND WITH 2 AND 3 CAMERA SET UP
Read: Video Doesn’t S*#k. Ch. 8, 9, 16, 17
Read: Ask More Ch. 4, 5, 6, 9
Class: Ashley discusses previous problems with depth of field, focus and lighting. We will also set up a three camera shoot to discuss framing and lighting.
FRIDAY FEB 17 ADOBE GRAPHIC MOTION TRAINING IN CLEMONS
Assignment: Bring an idea for a graphic to include in your GA story. It should include four or five facts that need highlighting and may benefit from the animation and graphic capabilities of Adobe After Effects.
Class: Meet (on time please) in the Clemons G Lab for the second round of Adobe training with Ted Alvis.
WEEK OF FEB 20 GEN-ASSEMB EXACTS/ DRAFT SCRIPT DUE/ BEGIN PITCHES FOR STORY 2.
MONDAY FEB 20 DECONSTRUCTION: INTRODUCTIONS TO SOUND
Read: News Writing and Reporting, Ch 9, Ch 11; pp. 216-225 (broadcast writing section)
Discussion: Best versus worst from your GA shoots. Come to class prepared to discuss your best element, factual discovery, best sound bite or best Q&A. If you are excited about your sound, bring the exact quote. But if you are behind in your shooting be prepared to discuss the obstacles not yet overcome.
Class: A breakdown and discussion of how the best reporters use script lines going in and coming out of sound cuts to make some of the story’s most powerful observations and factual points.
WEDNESDAY FEB 22 DECONSTRUCTION: STATE HOUSE REPORTING
Discussion: We continue to discuss best elements and remaining obstacles.
Class: We deconstruct TV stories previously done in your subject area.
FRIDAY FEB 24 GENERAL ASSEMBLY WRITTEN DRAFT DUE
Assignment: A written draft of your General Assembly story is due Friday at 5pm, regardless of your shoot situation. Submit directly to me via email as a word doc. Follow the instructions in the GA Draft email.
Class: Class will not meet. I will start office hours at noon, and be available until 5pm to assist you with structure. You can make phone appointments if you can’t be near the office. Warning: as advanced students, we have to start with a draft of your structure. “Here are my exacts, what do I do?” was last semester!!
WEEK OF FEB 27 PITCHES FOR STORY 2/LIVE SIMULATIONS
MONDAY FEB 27 LIVE SIMULATIONS
Class meets in studio for live simulation green screens. Come prepared with a 15 second story top which you will do to time and without prompter.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 1
Same as Monday. Class meets studio for live simulations.
FRIDAY MARCH 3
No formal class, but office hours begin at noon to help with scripts.
WEEK OF MAR 13 STORY 2 SHOOTING AND INTERVIEWS
MONDAY MARCH 13 NARRATION TRAINING
Read: Audacity training sheet posted by email and also in Resources.
Class meets in Wilson narration booth for Audacity software training, courtesy Jason Bennett.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 15 REVIEW OF EXPECTATIONS/ STORY 2 PITCHES
Read: The syllabus to review class expectations.
Class in Cabell will review performance and grading expectations, with a focus on the common mistakes to avoid —and best practices to improve stories two and three. Be prepared to defend pitches for story two.
FRIDAY MARCH 17 STORY ONE FINAL EDIT EXTENDED DUE DATE.
Class will not meet formally, but office hours begin at noon for any video, narration or script advice needed.
WEEK OF MAR 20 STORY 2 SHOOTING AND INTERVIEWS
MONDAY MARCH 20 LOCAL REPORTING
Read: Writing and Reporting; Ch. 10, Storytelling and Ch. 19, Government and Statistical Stories
Re-Read Ask More, Ch. 6 Confrontations
Class: Be prepared to discuss Ask More, Chapter 6.
We will also entertain a class visit from Media Studies instructor Coy Barefoot, who is also an ace local reporter, and host of the Coy Barefoot show on the Newsplex. He will joined by CSPAN producer Ashley Smith, who is in town scouting a local documentary, with Coy’s assistance.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 22 ADOBE TRAINING ROUND TWO
Class meets in the Clemons G-Lab for Adobe round two with Ted Alvis. This is the training you requested in which Ted demonstrates the basic functions of Adobe, in a setting where you can take notes without computer distractions, and stop him as needed for your questions.
FRIDAY MARCH 24 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCREENINGS
Class: We begin the screening of General Assembly final edits, to deconstruct what worked and how to improve.
WEEK OF MAR 27 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCREENINGS. BEST PRACTICES. WRITING. STORY TWO SHOOTS.
MONDAY MARCH 27 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCREENINGS 2
WEDNESDAY MARCH 29 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCREENINGS 3
FRIDAY MARCH 31 BEST PRACTICES
Read: Video That Doesn’t Suck Ch. 6-8, 16, 17
Class. We will review the main takeaways from the General Assembly reporting, shooting and editing.
WEEK OF APRIL 3 LIVE SIMULATION WEEK
*WRITTEN DRAFT OF STORY TWO DUE VIA WORD DOC IN EMAIL, MONDAY APRIL 3, 5 PM
MONDAY APRIL 3
WEDNESDAY APRIL 5
FRIDAY APRIL 7 Class will not formally meet to give you studio time for editing. Office hours start at noon for narration and script assistance.
**FINAL EDIT ON STORY TWO DUE ON SERVER SUNDAY APRIL 9, 8PM
WEEK OF APRIL 10 **STORY THREE PITCHES DUE ON FORUMS WEDNESDAY APRIL 12 9AM**
WEEK OF APRIL 17 STORY 3 SHOOTING AND INTERVIEWS.WRITING. BEST PRACTICES.
MONDAY APRIL 17 Screenings of Story 2. Best Practices for Story 3.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 19 Screenings of Story 2.
FRIDAY APRIL 21 Screenings of Story 2.
WEEK OF APRIL 24 ***STORY 3 WRITTEN DRAFT SCRIPT DUE VIA WORD DOC ON EMAIL WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 5PM
MONDAY APRIL 24 Screenings/Best Practices
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26 Screenings/Best Practices
FRIDAY APRIL 28 Final Live Simulation exercise. On Lawn weather permitting.
MONDAY MAY 1 Office Hours begin at noon for consults. Class will not meet formally.
WEEK OF MAY 1 FINAL REVISIONS ALL STORIES DUE ON SERVER SATURDAY MAY 6, 8 PM
Advanced Reporting
This is a class for students strongly considering careers in news reporting, or news and documentary production. In AMR, we will focus on the higher level techniques involved in finding, reporting, videotaping and writing memorable news stories. This is a true practice class. You will each do three long form, deeply reported stories. We will spend significant time studying the overlapping crafts of narrative writing, story structuring and broadcast performance skills, but print reporters are welcome and encouraged to sign up. There will be hard deadlines to meet, both to mimic the real world and to allow time for revision. Class time will often replicate the newsroom atmosphere, in which updates on stories, fact gathering, interview choices and interview performance will be debated and critiqued.
The goal of this class is produce reporting that is impactful, memorable, ethical and fair, and impressive on your resumes.