Robert Peston, the BBC's star Business Editor is rightly receiving all the praise for breaking a number of important finance stories, but here's a name that won't mean much to you but garners growing admiration in the city.
Sandy Jadeja a Chief Market Strategist of ODL and listed here on the London Stock Exchange for his trading credentials, spoke a year ago about a market set to go into hyper spin.
And speaking to him yesterday he says it's going to get much worse. How does he know?
Well you can watch him on CNBC where he talks market speak or you might want to tune back here sometime when I intend to do a Cine-VJ feature.
Sandy and I crossed paths at my Apple Talk. He was in the audience and wanted to find out how he could combine some of the things he does, using complex software to read the market with Cine-Video Journalism to show how he does it.
We've toyed with doing something but have been short of time, but now?
Lack of Financial Video Journalism
Earlier this week I asked why TV and VJs weren't pursuing financial video journalism stories.
Well might as well put my money where my mouth is...
In the future I'm looking forward to getting together with friends at Reuters and the Financial Times to talk more on financial Video journalism.
Here's a link to previous collaborations.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Can you fix a debate- neutral journalism ?
The national ledge carries this story:
It says Matt Drudge unearthed this partisan fact.
The book is indeed listed on Amazon, published by Random House inc saying:
So does Matt Drudge and similarly minded thinkers have a point? Given Gwen's work with Lehrer has anyone criticised her in the past.
On Wikis Newshour site, it says the programme has run into trouble for being bias interestingly towards the Republicans:
In the UK where there are no prime ministerial pre-election debates, I thought how likely could it be to have a journalist of note moderate an important debate, and have a book supportive of a cause.
We might know the political persuasion of Jon Snow or Jeremy Paxman, but we'd bet their do a through job on any political head.
So is this just a political party machinery making mischief, or more so stirring a non hornets' nest to side track Palin's lack of credible international knowledge that suggests in live debate she WILL trip up on this subject.
US politics - you couldn't make it up, or could you?
"Biden-Palin Debate Scandal: Gwen Ifill in the Tank, Gotcha Journalism on Deck?"Gwen Ifill, it goes on to say has a book pending on Obama: "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.", so will have a vested interest to spear Palin.
It says Matt Drudge unearthed this partisan fact.
The book is indeed listed on Amazon, published by Random House inc saying:
Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s.And her background is impeccable:
GWEN IFILL is moderator and managing editor of Washington Week and senior correspondent of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Before coming to PBS, she was chief congressional and political correspondent for NBC News, and had been a reporter for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Boston Herald American. She lives in Washington, D.C.
So does Matt Drudge and similarly minded thinkers have a point? Given Gwen's work with Lehrer has anyone criticised her in the past.
On Wikis Newshour site, it says the programme has run into trouble for being bias interestingly towards the Republicans:
In October 2006, a study by the left-oriented media analysis group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) accused The NewsHour of lacking balance, diversity, and viewpoints of the general public, in favor of Republican and corporate viewpoints.Obviously Gwen will have her own personal views. It is possible to be part of a structure and nor necessarily go with its views.
In the UK where there are no prime ministerial pre-election debates, I thought how likely could it be to have a journalist of note moderate an important debate, and have a book supportive of a cause.
We might know the political persuasion of Jon Snow or Jeremy Paxman, but we'd bet their do a through job on any political head.
So is this just a political party machinery making mischief, or more so stirring a non hornets' nest to side track Palin's lack of credible international knowledge that suggests in live debate she WILL trip up on this subject.
US politics - you couldn't make it up, or could you?
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Hello this is Hillary Clinton !
An email from a friend arrived and after I read it I went whoah!
So what do you when you answer the phone only to hear the other person say.
"Hello this is Hillary Clinton".
Well that's exactly what's happened to her partner.
And now we're working on a way to get the audio of the conversation
So what do you when you answer the phone only to hear the other person say.
"Hello this is Hillary Clinton".
Well that's exactly what's happened to her partner.
And now we're working on a way to get the audio of the conversation
Embracing the digital media economy - funny
Back by my own ajudged demands here's the sketch that defines how millions of us may be feeling at anyone time.
If you're new to blogs, video journalism, twitter, and a host of other doo daas, enjoy knowing that everyone at some point has felt the same.
Even as we're led to believe in Guttenberg's era
If you're new to blogs, video journalism, twitter, and a host of other doo daas, enjoy knowing that everyone at some point has felt the same.
Even as we're led to believe in Guttenberg's era
online and broadcast video - the differences ?
Uber blogger Dave Lee asks the question:
"What’s the difference between online and broadcast video?
Plenty, I’d say, but judging by some of the online video published by even the biggest news companies, I’d hazard a criticism that no-one quite knows what should be in a good online video."
And then goes on to ask whether say the Piece to Camera should be dropped.
Here are my thoughts:
TV has a few aids that are a part of its language that I wouldn’t throw away online. e.g. the cutaway, V/0 and PTC.
But new times require new ideas.
The PTC/stand up still has value, particularly in a crowded media space where brand value is important. That’s primarily one reason broadcasters use PTCs in their reports.
Online it may be more of a necessity.
However, what’s up for grabs is how one transforms the PTC to avoid looking like The Batman and here’s where video journalism offers something distinctive.
Couple of years ago Mark Norman from the BBC picked up Circom’s first VJ award.
He was in Iraq, when a missile exploded in his vicinity. At a skewed angle, on the floor, rough and ready, he fired off a PTC.
He captured the moment well. It was an appropriate piece of reportage to convey his fears.In such circumstances I’d like to think many would do the same.
Then there’s Andy Toft, now at Setanta Sports, whose use of the PTC at his previous outfit captured the zeitgeist.
Changing Media Language
If we look at how the language of film making has moved on to stay relevant, it leads one to ask fundamental questions about TV and TV News making.
So for the creative video journalist there’s room to exploit.
The loose rule is to justify what you’re doing.
However one caveat. Video journalism is not a one-size-fits-all.
What it is on the web or TV is an expressive language e.g. gonzoism, or I whisper auterism at telling a story creatively.
Broadcasting in style, but does it always work?
The credit crunch, the dour economy, the blood on the floor, now lets cut to our reporters looking immaculately cut in bespoke suits.
There's something incongruous about the image. Reportage has become so slick, you might call it "fashionable drama reporter".
In Ron Powers' The Newscasters - the news business as show business", we see its origins.
The broadcast networks really did seek celebrity status; helicopters carted the super reporter from location to location.
Those were the excess years and they've not been forgotten. Newscasters aped Dallas and Dallas looked to the broadcasters - a veritable circle of admiration.
But then we tired of the slick and drama got busy redefining itself, splintering of to a 'look and feel' that created the impression that this was hard work.
Compare Miami Vice with Don Johnson to The Wire
In broadcasting, reportage has come to look so effortless in its production and delivery that it underscores one of its biggest sells; the drama that takes place in and around the story.
It's the swan syndrome - looking good on top, but disguising the hard work below the line.
And because almost everyone works to this template, it is the convention. But why?
Stage Managing News
A hardened stage managed programme that's supposed to capture the essence of this thing called: News, which is often not nice, pretty or straight forward presents an out of sorts picture.
I believe that's what sublimely viewers are tiring of and I'd like to be in a position to show that empirically.
When the news is utterly compelling you can forget about the background noise for a moment: the suits, looks, immaculately manicured hands.
There's sense somewhere broadcasting from the Paris Fashion Show or Downing Street, but on the streets of crime or the grub road of failing economies, it's odd.
It's particularly jarring when reporting from the scene of a crime.
There is a different way to producing a programme that attempts to explain the day's events and behind the walls of development media companies and media universities is one of the prime places to show this.
Radio discovered that in the 90s, when a slew of programmes wanting to appeal to their constituents went zoo, exposing some of the things that took place behind the scenes.
Others looked for more live events to capture the mood; you felt you were discovering the story with the vast talents of the reporter.
There have been signs of that this week, but no sooner has a live link ended the broadcasters revert to an 80s type.
Anyone with a budget and up for the challenge to develop some thing new?
There's something incongruous about the image. Reportage has become so slick, you might call it "fashionable drama reporter".
In Ron Powers' The Newscasters - the news business as show business", we see its origins.
The broadcast networks really did seek celebrity status; helicopters carted the super reporter from location to location.
Those were the excess years and they've not been forgotten. Newscasters aped Dallas and Dallas looked to the broadcasters - a veritable circle of admiration.
But then we tired of the slick and drama got busy redefining itself, splintering of to a 'look and feel' that created the impression that this was hard work.
Compare Miami Vice with Don Johnson to The Wire
In broadcasting, reportage has come to look so effortless in its production and delivery that it underscores one of its biggest sells; the drama that takes place in and around the story.
It's the swan syndrome - looking good on top, but disguising the hard work below the line.
And because almost everyone works to this template, it is the convention. But why?
Stage Managing News
A hardened stage managed programme that's supposed to capture the essence of this thing called: News, which is often not nice, pretty or straight forward presents an out of sorts picture.
I believe that's what sublimely viewers are tiring of and I'd like to be in a position to show that empirically.
When the news is utterly compelling you can forget about the background noise for a moment: the suits, looks, immaculately manicured hands.
There's sense somewhere broadcasting from the Paris Fashion Show or Downing Street, but on the streets of crime or the grub road of failing economies, it's odd.
It's particularly jarring when reporting from the scene of a crime.
There is a different way to producing a programme that attempts to explain the day's events and behind the walls of development media companies and media universities is one of the prime places to show this.
Radio discovered that in the 90s, when a slew of programmes wanting to appeal to their constituents went zoo, exposing some of the things that took place behind the scenes.
Others looked for more live events to capture the mood; you felt you were discovering the story with the vast talents of the reporter.
There have been signs of that this week, but no sooner has a live link ended the broadcasters revert to an 80s type.
Anyone with a budget and up for the challenge to develop some thing new?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Newsnight's star stand-in editor, Jasmin Bhuttar
Pics of Jasmin Bhuttar taken from a video camera from David visiting Peter Barron before he left his role as editor to join Google. I'm pressing Jasmin on a question and she's not going to budge answering it. Re-edit interview soon.
These are possibly the first glimpses of the very talented and guarded, acting Newsnight editor Jasmin Bhuttar who's standing in after Peter Barron was headhunted by Google.
I'll be posting about Newsnight, which appeared in this week's Guardian.
I worked on the programme when I was starting off my broadcast career.
In the runnings for editor include Daniel Pearl, deputy editor of the 10 O'Clock News and Eddie Morgan, an ex-Newsnight staffer.
Nailing the stand ups/ piece to camera as a videojournalist
Nailng the Stand Up/ Piece to camera as a videojournalist from david dunkley gyimah on Vimeo.
The clip you're seeing involves me emerging from a police press conference amongst a queue of policemen and involved no camera operator. How did I do it?
I'd been on the morning shift - a raid to arrest a throng of criminals was being organised by the police.
The codename: Operation Bumblee.
During the briefing I took the necessary shots I needed, caught the duty Sergeant speaking to his men, then realised I needed a bridge.
A bridge would enable me to relay the mood at the time.
So I gauged how long I had, took the camera - a beta 100 - and placed it outside the briefing room and pressed record.
I then went back into the room knowing I only had one shot at this emerging with the police.
In fact I guffed the first because I could see a policeman standing in front of the camera, so I went back in and sandwiched myself between some other policemen and did the take.
Watch the guy in the frame, a newspaper reporter, who has written on his face a look of surprise, before quickly realising what I was doing.
The report was part of a lengthier one on Crime and the opening shot comes from inside Wormwood Scrubs - a high level prison where I'd been inside interview inmate who were serving life sentences.
The film itself is from my archive 1995. I'll try and find the original video report
Financial stories, banking crisis, video drama
It's a financial story of colossal value, yet trawl the video vaults of the new video age producers online and to use that cliche, financial stories made-into compelling video are conspicuous by their absence.
It's not that viewers are tired of news, they're tired of the way we make it, is the maxim that's come to define why viewers are abandoning news, according senior TV news exec.
Never has this statement rang so true as the economy slowly implodes while video producers look for the low-hanging-fruit video pieces.
When it comes to business stories, historically producers have had to test themselves. The action often happens behind closed mahogany doors and computer screens.
And how do you talk to your constituents explaining the complexities of business without them falling asleep.
But today, the lack of video stories turning finance into high drama has worn thin and the drama can't get any higher.
Great Story Telling
In the last week, quite fortuitously Jeff Randal, the Telegraph's Editor-at-Large has been able to tweak a commissioned set of programmes to the BBC to deliver compelling radio to catch the adrenalin of this high drama.
Good solid producing, backed by a spring in the step at reporting business - that's what Randal delivers.
When I was at Newsnight I recall the programme used a fun fair to explain the ups and downs of a time; the UK's perennial business cycle of boom and bust. It was brilliantly worked.
And on the small box, it's to those we've trusted to understand how the economy a sick patient is continually throwing up: Newsnight and Channel 4.
But where oh where are the Video journalism pieces?
This is where the slow brew of video making and the way newspapers operate, compared with TV, was going to reap major dividends.
Newspaper Video Journalist
Let the video journalist onto the beat, out to their contacts, into the communities and see what they come back with.
The repercussions for this story run so deep, so wide that you could throw a video camera out on a fishing line and it'd catch the breathlessness of this issue.
And while I'd raid my contact book and that of my journalism colleagues to get into any financial institute in the city, the other side of the story, has largely for the meantime been neglected by TV and video producers online.
You.
It's the equivalent of embeds filming the chaos in the war room of a major conflict, yet ignoring the calamity on the battle field.
In part the excuse could be it's yet to trickle down in any great scale, but shareholders, home owners, pension holders, buy-to-letters are going under.
Video journalism was not just going to be about point and shoot, or even slavishly following the TV agenda, but to break new ground.
It's not that business video isn't interesting, it's the way it's been historically made that may suggest it can't make interesting video pieces
It's not that viewers are tired of news, they're tired of the way we make it, is the maxim that's come to define why viewers are abandoning news, according senior TV news exec.
Never has this statement rang so true as the economy slowly implodes while video producers look for the low-hanging-fruit video pieces.
When it comes to business stories, historically producers have had to test themselves. The action often happens behind closed mahogany doors and computer screens.
And how do you talk to your constituents explaining the complexities of business without them falling asleep.
But today, the lack of video stories turning finance into high drama has worn thin and the drama can't get any higher.
Great Story Telling
In the last week, quite fortuitously Jeff Randal, the Telegraph's Editor-at-Large has been able to tweak a commissioned set of programmes to the BBC to deliver compelling radio to catch the adrenalin of this high drama.
Good solid producing, backed by a spring in the step at reporting business - that's what Randal delivers.
When I was at Newsnight I recall the programme used a fun fair to explain the ups and downs of a time; the UK's perennial business cycle of boom and bust. It was brilliantly worked.
And on the small box, it's to those we've trusted to understand how the economy a sick patient is continually throwing up: Newsnight and Channel 4.
But where oh where are the Video journalism pieces?
This is where the slow brew of video making and the way newspapers operate, compared with TV, was going to reap major dividends.
Newspaper Video Journalist
Let the video journalist onto the beat, out to their contacts, into the communities and see what they come back with.
The repercussions for this story run so deep, so wide that you could throw a video camera out on a fishing line and it'd catch the breathlessness of this issue.
And while I'd raid my contact book and that of my journalism colleagues to get into any financial institute in the city, the other side of the story, has largely for the meantime been neglected by TV and video producers online.
You.
It's the equivalent of embeds filming the chaos in the war room of a major conflict, yet ignoring the calamity on the battle field.
In part the excuse could be it's yet to trickle down in any great scale, but shareholders, home owners, pension holders, buy-to-letters are going under.
Video journalism was not just going to be about point and shoot, or even slavishly following the TV agenda, but to break new ground.
It's not that business video isn't interesting, it's the way it's been historically made that may suggest it can't make interesting video pieces
Monday, September 29, 2008
Knife Crime debate live radio -Inside story
Currently listening to Inside Story a debate on BBC Radio 4 in which host Steve Hewlett analyses the way knife crime has been reported in the UK.
The panel are from a broad range of media, e.g Guardian, BBC, The Sun, Standard and Telegraph etc. Joseph Harker - Assistant Comments editor from The Guardian, and someone I have known for a long time has crossed swords with Anne McElvoy a columnist at the Evening Standard.
Ms McElvoy used the word "random" referring to the attack on Ben Kinsella - white.
Joseph argued it intimated that the other murders involving black youth wasn't innocent.
Quite prickly!
The Panel discuss the figures from latest reports with Mark Easton, now the BBC's Home Affairs Editor ( He was at Channel 4 News when I worked there) saying actual figures show crime going down.
Joseph Harker agrees that you could not ignore however that 2/3rd of the deaths have been been black.
Undoubtedly an angle we can't ignore, he said. Hewlett asks what he calls a vexed question. Does knife crime reflect racial stereotypes? A montage ffs of news broadcasts.
The arc image of knife crime
Hewlett interviews race czar and former broadcaster Trevor Phillips who talks about the power of the image in reporting knife crime.
There are two types of black characters within the story, mums, suffering; dads, dignified and then the hoods.
Trevor then raises a poignant and powerful, if not controversial depending where your POV point, why knife crime was is where it is.
He says a generation of refugee children from vicious war torn regions are now maturing in a culture which is ill suited to understand their back grounds.
He concludes the media is not working hard enough to find out what's going on here.
Hewlett asks the Sun if they were getting it wrong. Their representative vigorously denies their coverage is loaded. That's an insult he adds claiming their reporter is himself black.
He says race issue has been blurred.
Ben Kinsella and Robert Knox says Harker got massive coverage. Cites figures that the 23 non white murders got less less than 50 reports, whilst Ben Kinsella and Knox got 200 and 300 stories respectively.
The Sun earlier commented that Knox, who was to star in Harry Porter was a celeb story.
Coverage of crime
Does the coverage reflect a lack of understanding of black families, asks Hewlett.
Harker says yes qualifying. Easton adds sometimes the press is reluctant to say really wants going on, putting forward the view that a black on black killing is less in philosophical terms a story compared to a white boy being stabbed out on a drink.
The Sun speaker is uncomfortable with this.
Does the Guardian understand this issue asks Helwett to Harker.
Harker's response is intriguing in so far as he does not defend his colleagues unequivocally: They are white middle class, from the home counties, so they see things another way.
When Ian Blair the Met Chief Police said the Media was institutionally racist that's what he was referring to says Harker.
So what did the debate reveal?
That there are chasms of difference in the way the media see the story and that whilst it's likely there will be further deaths, that the media has not got to the bottom of reporting the substance of these heinous crimes.
The panel are from a broad range of media, e.g Guardian, BBC, The Sun, Standard and Telegraph etc. Joseph Harker - Assistant Comments editor from The Guardian, and someone I have known for a long time has crossed swords with Anne McElvoy a columnist at the Evening Standard.
Ms McElvoy used the word "random" referring to the attack on Ben Kinsella - white.
Joseph argued it intimated that the other murders involving black youth wasn't innocent.
Quite prickly!
The Panel discuss the figures from latest reports with Mark Easton, now the BBC's Home Affairs Editor ( He was at Channel 4 News when I worked there) saying actual figures show crime going down.
Joseph Harker agrees that you could not ignore however that 2/3rd of the deaths have been been black.
Undoubtedly an angle we can't ignore, he said. Hewlett asks what he calls a vexed question. Does knife crime reflect racial stereotypes? A montage ffs of news broadcasts.
The arc image of knife crime
Hewlett interviews race czar and former broadcaster Trevor Phillips who talks about the power of the image in reporting knife crime.
There are two types of black characters within the story, mums, suffering; dads, dignified and then the hoods.
Trevor then raises a poignant and powerful, if not controversial depending where your POV point, why knife crime was is where it is.
He says a generation of refugee children from vicious war torn regions are now maturing in a culture which is ill suited to understand their back grounds.
He concludes the media is not working hard enough to find out what's going on here.
Hewlett asks the Sun if they were getting it wrong. Their representative vigorously denies their coverage is loaded. That's an insult he adds claiming their reporter is himself black.
He says race issue has been blurred.
Ben Kinsella and Robert Knox says Harker got massive coverage. Cites figures that the 23 non white murders got less less than 50 reports, whilst Ben Kinsella and Knox got 200 and 300 stories respectively.
The Sun earlier commented that Knox, who was to star in Harry Porter was a celeb story.
Coverage of crime
Does the coverage reflect a lack of understanding of black families, asks Hewlett.
Harker says yes qualifying. Easton adds sometimes the press is reluctant to say really wants going on, putting forward the view that a black on black killing is less in philosophical terms a story compared to a white boy being stabbed out on a drink.
The Sun speaker is uncomfortable with this.
Does the Guardian understand this issue asks Helwett to Harker.
Harker's response is intriguing in so far as he does not defend his colleagues unequivocally: They are white middle class, from the home counties, so they see things another way.
When Ian Blair the Met Chief Police said the Media was institutionally racist that's what he was referring to says Harker.
So what did the debate reveal?
That there are chasms of difference in the way the media see the story and that whilst it's likely there will be further deaths, that the media has not got to the bottom of reporting the substance of these heinous crimes.
Online Video to On TV - Making the Online video transition to TV
Going from Online to TV - that's the dream of Filminute.com and they're inching closer to it
Almost every media company, newspapers now, hold out the hope that their videos will make compelling watching and break viewing records.
But the holy grail, at least now, is still getting access to the TV screens.
Current.TV sorted that out as part of their growth strategy.
Online is still the long tail
Where once upon a time, broadband was the outback, strategically within a number of broadcast corporations, it's become the ground for the added extras.
Some time ago I spoke wrote for journalism.co.uk that "Broadband's capacity offers scintillating innovation, it would be a shame to waste it"
Today, the loose theory is using broadband to conjure up new shows that can be used to work a potential audience. It's still about eye balls and now those blog comments can be used to craft the show: television by committee or is that the wisdom of crowds."Television Networks and publishers eager to enter and go beyond Web 2.0 are using it as a repository for repeats. At best meeting the need from 'cash rich, time poor' audience. At worst just plugging a nuisance gap: 'what do we do with this all this capacity?"
In time I believe the newspaper industry will be marshaled by their own visual agencies; a suped up Press Association gearing their products for cable, Net TV and various other outlets to amortise their videos.
There is money there, someone's just got to be build the agency and find the buyers.
Online to onTV
Filminute demonstrate how with compelling content, the move looks more than feasible.
Last week I worked with its one of their executive editors to design a look and feel around their existing content: 25 one minute films, which have courted publicity from Wired and Variety and played at a purpose-built cinema in Selfridges - unheard of.
[Part of Filminutes running order used to construct the programme from Vancouver]For the first show, the links came from the sharp looking Presenter Peter Shinkoda from Vancouver and Exec producers Sabaa Quao in London and John Ketchum in Bucharest.
The above link to the show is Not the final broadcast version which was attempting to resolve technical film issues between cameras shooting NTSC and PAL.
A small team of fantastic producers from notes discussed with Sabaa pulled together their shoot - all in a day and the tapes were sent over.
I shot three segments with Sabaa in London within Selfridges - half a day including the outline of the show. And then a day of editing.
The hold up - day or so - came from sourcing appropriate music.
But the result is, you can see on Adobe's Player platform - something that you could imagine on television, with behind the scene extras on each film maker in the competition.
With the amount of video and specialists within newspapers etc, this surely has to be part of THEIR strategy, at least in a manner of making money from their assets.
I'll post a longer how to including some of the problems involved with NTSC and PAL shooting on viewmagazine.tv,
Tomorrow - creating adverts with one person crews, video journalism
Trends in newsroom 2008 - superb
Whether you're a journalism educator, media exec or media watcher, here's something you should try and get your hands on: Trends in newsroom 2008 .
I had mistakenly thought it was one of the many conference give aways, from when I attended WAN, but I have been worming through over the past month and it is quite frankly a superb narrative of the changing landscape with a who's who of what they're doing and how.
Often reports can be too centric, the West, Europe etc. This report takes a broad scope and delivers some pertinent, as well as early warning signs of further change ahead.
It does cost 250 Euros, I have just discovered, but if you're an outfit, that's hardly anything to quibble.
Simply a good buy. I'll add some more notes on the contents later.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Day after peace - superb documentary
As big themes go, it doesn't get any bolder or perilous than this. A simple absurd idea to have peace blanket this globe of attrition.
One man's desire, an incomprehensible drive, whom at times was ridiculed, humiliated, but he kept going.
The mere inclusion of Peres in a video shown to the League of Nations blew it for him, but he regrouped and along the way sought interdependent thinkers e.g. Angelina Jolie, Jude law, Annie Lennox, who shared his passion and were willing to give their time and support.
And then one day, one day in September the guns stopped. They fell silent in Afghanistan - a province riddled with killings, so that humanitarian aid could be given to those who needed it most: children.
This wasn't just a superb documentary, it was life changing, for any cynic or doubter, that the will of the determined conquers all.
Superb.
The film starts from 1999 when Jeremy Gilley had his dream. The film, award winning and why yes, documents his odyssey to change a significant core value of people and the world.
That one person, with the help of others could do this puts to shame others.
It also puts into perspective our loyalties, priorities etc.
When he first launched no one was interested.
He deserves all the riches of humanity that comes his way.
One man's desire, an incomprehensible drive, whom at times was ridiculed, humiliated, but he kept going.
The mere inclusion of Peres in a video shown to the League of Nations blew it for him, but he regrouped and along the way sought interdependent thinkers e.g. Angelina Jolie, Jude law, Annie Lennox, who shared his passion and were willing to give their time and support.
And then one day, one day in September the guns stopped. They fell silent in Afghanistan - a province riddled with killings, so that humanitarian aid could be given to those who needed it most: children.
This wasn't just a superb documentary, it was life changing, for any cynic or doubter, that the will of the determined conquers all.
Superb.
The film starts from 1999 when Jeremy Gilley had his dream. The film, award winning and why yes, documents his odyssey to change a significant core value of people and the world.
That one person, with the help of others could do this puts to shame others.
It also puts into perspective our loyalties, priorities etc.
When he first launched no one was interested.
He deserves all the riches of humanity that comes his way.
Videos Online - future standards
It wasn't too long ago that we were crying out for a greater experience online. Constricted pipes prevented anything approaching 100kp downloads.
The magic number by technologists was 8mb download speeds, which would enable us to watch lives stream - mirroring the data rate of tvs' stream.
Livestation.com has already cracked that, with a fair few other ISPs; the experience of watching online may not quite be television but its creeping closer.
And yes whilst the two are not the same, I firmly believe the experience of watching a film at 640X480 or more outstrips 320X240.
You only have to watch an Apple trailer at different sizes to get the point or less Holly wood Studio Vincent Laforet which I came across on Angela Grant's superb videographer - posted by Dan Chung.
Or please do have a look at Hillman Curtis' new stuff who uses prime lenses to achieve such great shallow depths of field.
Consumer end, we're getting there. Most of the movies I can now post will make it around 950x540 with file sizes as low as 25mb thanks to the supreme compression in the h264 codec.
This morning I posted some of the films that reflect, I hope, a more appreciative viewing experience, as well as what I use VJ for: news, docs, commercials, long format programmes and corporates.
As videojournalism matures, full quality screen will become the norm; granted grainy news worthy images will still take pride of place, but with new camera-lens technology, the experience is about to go up several notches.
Journalism is about to get more visceral.
The magic number by technologists was 8mb download speeds, which would enable us to watch lives stream - mirroring the data rate of tvs' stream.
Livestation.com has already cracked that, with a fair few other ISPs; the experience of watching online may not quite be television but its creeping closer.
And yes whilst the two are not the same, I firmly believe the experience of watching a film at 640X480 or more outstrips 320X240.
You only have to watch an Apple trailer at different sizes to get the point or less Holly wood Studio Vincent Laforet which I came across on Angela Grant's superb videographer - posted by Dan Chung.
Or please do have a look at Hillman Curtis' new stuff who uses prime lenses to achieve such great shallow depths of field.
Consumer end, we're getting there. Most of the movies I can now post will make it around 950x540 with file sizes as low as 25mb thanks to the supreme compression in the h264 codec.
This morning I posted some of the films that reflect, I hope, a more appreciative viewing experience, as well as what I use VJ for: news, docs, commercials, long format programmes and corporates.
As videojournalism matures, full quality screen will become the norm; granted grainy news worthy images will still take pride of place, but with new camera-lens technology, the experience is about to go up several notches.
Journalism is about to get more visceral.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Video journalism book - but what's in the book?
Oh no another self indulgent book, with one snag; it hasn't been published yet, despite me toying around with chapters.
So a book that combined video journalism, multimedia and the rest, what might be inside.
I suppose it would be what you'd want to know at conferences
Here's a couple of ideas:
- Videojournalism circa 1994 what worked and what didn't. NB The BBC's hyperlocal idea for news has come full circle.
- Video journalism in Sport - How video journalism was used in the Lennox- Tyson fight. tips sich as fast shutter speeds
- Video journalism in wars and conflicts
- Moving from basic video journalism to advance
- Flash and Video Journalism - some of the early work 1999, I did with a colleague using Flash and Video and how that's dramatically changed.
- Motives and techniques in long format. Recently I have finished a number of projects : a commercial, long format half hour show and promo - vertical editing.
- In about three weeks I'm pitching a script which mixes docu and drama. Mmm
- Added xtras - what you need to give your shoots that bit more
Am I allowed to publish the Phd stuff I'm doing, which is kinda........ ok just a thought
p.s if you look at the front page of viewmagazine.tv, those little boxes animate into pictures and pretty much cover the breath of my media - starting from 1987 at Radio Leicester
Academic multimedia lecture rooms - what's the blue print?
So here it is, the academic multimedia lecture room
Less geared to the concentric spatial approach, but an array of screens, which at any time can be independent of each other.
The primary facing screen can be replicated across four others.
Skypes and Ichats are intended to come off the back of live news broadcast where the editor will give us a couple of minutes for students to ask questions.
Oh and I'm told I can in a kafkaesque flick of a switch control every one's screen.
[Moral outrage and indignation follows]
Ok I didn't say I would do that.
Incidentally one door away in googleesque, down play fashion is the anti room - a sort chill out space with movable chairs and tables that can be built like Lego into an array of seating configurations
But the question is what should the multimedia lecture room look like?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
What makes a new journo exceptional
The needle's got stuck on this, but then it's a new year; the next crop of talent is ready to take the challenge and the blog sphere is humming to this amongst academics and hirers.
Whilst the question draws some parody with jokes about light-bulb changing from lawyers to rugby players, everyone has an opinion; there's some common ground.
These are the best of times and the worst of times.
Basic principles, tick.
A penchant for the new and evolving culture, tick.
But for me the one things that stands out is that insatiable, big fat pressing
Because if you're nosey, don't take no for an answer, have an insatiable desire to understand what's going on, then a lot of those other things will fall in place when they cross your path or not.
Why is online different to print?
Why should I have to learn video if I'm a print journo?
Friends psychologists say we lose our propensity to question as we mature. Some outfits if you look at the US elections have completely lost it.
Margaret Thatcher, as Prime Minister was renowned for not entertaining questions from the public ( that famous incident).
.....
Why? Because at some time, that why drives you to discover, drill, mine, root out answers.
One of our students on her exit interview smiled, when she added:"best part of the course being up till 2,3 in the morning fixing our site".
You have to admire such focus and not be surprised when the why pays dividends.
And in case you're wondering, I don't advocate 2/3 morning work outs or as we used to call them at boarding school TDBs Till day Break, as a pre-requisite to fortitude.
But I guess if something's goto be done, it's goto be done, which reminds me of an item on Radio four when a US Law team had closed a deal on a Friday and needed to present on Monday morning, only to hear that their Brit partners quipped: "But it's Friday".
Whilst the question draws some parody with jokes about light-bulb changing from lawyers to rugby players, everyone has an opinion; there's some common ground.
These are the best of times and the worst of times.
Basic principles, tick.
A penchant for the new and evolving culture, tick.
But for me the one things that stands out is that insatiable, big fat pressing
Because if you're nosey, don't take no for an answer, have an insatiable desire to understand what's going on, then a lot of those other things will fall in place when they cross your path or not.Why is online different to print?
Why should I have to learn video if I'm a print journo?
Friends psychologists say we lose our propensity to question as we mature. Some outfits if you look at the US elections have completely lost it.
Margaret Thatcher, as Prime Minister was renowned for not entertaining questions from the public ( that famous incident).
.....
Why? Because at some time, that why drives you to discover, drill, mine, root out answers.
One of our students on her exit interview smiled, when she added:"best part of the course being up till 2,3 in the morning fixing our site".
You have to admire such focus and not be surprised when the why pays dividends.
And in case you're wondering, I don't advocate 2/3 morning work outs or as we used to call them at boarding school TDBs Till day Break, as a pre-requisite to fortitude.
But I guess if something's goto be done, it's goto be done, which reminds me of an item on Radio four when a US Law team had closed a deal on a Friday and needed to present on Monday morning, only to hear that their Brit partners quipped: "But it's Friday".
Ditch the news- who cares anyway
ITV, the UK's biggest commercial broadcast network will either rue the day or rub its had with glee crowing to its shareholders.
For today the the UK's regulatory broadcasting body, OFCOM will likely allow ITV to ditch its news.
So for example Bordertv will reduce its regional 30 minute slot from half an hour to 15, with news coming from elsewhere, Cumbria - a neighbouring region.
It's like saying New Yorkers will receive part of their news from DC.
The move saves nearly 200 million pounds ITV can give back to its investors and cuts up to 200 jobs.
So to be expected, a lot of people are livid, employers and viewers alike.
The harsh reality is the looming digital switch over, ITV's falling ad budget revenue, which has been slipping year on year and the fact news cost a lot of money, and pound per second doesn't square up the books compared with say drama or reality tv.
ITV effectively wants to relinquish its public service role, an anachronism you might say anyway in these free-for-all digital times.
So if you ever needed reminding, broadcasters aren't altruistic and while they use words such as audience what they mean is their shareholders and ensuring executive staff have a job to go to.
This is instructive, a model to befuddle the populace at the birth of TV and radio, when execs decided how expensive it would be to get a license to transmit, but would be cheaper with a TV set to receive pictures has had its day.
This is the industry's mini-financial crisis. It wasn't supposed to be this way, and five years ago most execs scoffed at the idea that TV, a structure built on solid business acumen would be in dire straights.
As Ed Richards, the chief executive of Ofcom, put it on Radio 4, it's about protecting peak time news, which audience TRULY want to see.
Earlier this year I was asked to a meeting of former broadcasters in the Midlands looking to exploit ITV's plans.
Whilst the BBC is considering going more local, its opposition is moving the other way.
Some one's right somewhere, but then the BBC does receive 3.4 bn UKP in license fee money.
So you're an entrepreneur with a local newspaper, what are you to do?
For today the the UK's regulatory broadcasting body, OFCOM will likely allow ITV to ditch its news.
So for example Bordertv will reduce its regional 30 minute slot from half an hour to 15, with news coming from elsewhere, Cumbria - a neighbouring region.
It's like saying New Yorkers will receive part of their news from DC.
The move saves nearly 200 million pounds ITV can give back to its investors and cuts up to 200 jobs.
So to be expected, a lot of people are livid, employers and viewers alike.
The harsh reality is the looming digital switch over, ITV's falling ad budget revenue, which has been slipping year on year and the fact news cost a lot of money, and pound per second doesn't square up the books compared with say drama or reality tv.
ITV effectively wants to relinquish its public service role, an anachronism you might say anyway in these free-for-all digital times.
So if you ever needed reminding, broadcasters aren't altruistic and while they use words such as audience what they mean is their shareholders and ensuring executive staff have a job to go to.
This is instructive, a model to befuddle the populace at the birth of TV and radio, when execs decided how expensive it would be to get a license to transmit, but would be cheaper with a TV set to receive pictures has had its day.
This is the industry's mini-financial crisis. It wasn't supposed to be this way, and five years ago most execs scoffed at the idea that TV, a structure built on solid business acumen would be in dire straights.
As Ed Richards, the chief executive of Ofcom, put it on Radio 4, it's about protecting peak time news, which audience TRULY want to see.
Earlier this year I was asked to a meeting of former broadcasters in the Midlands looking to exploit ITV's plans.
Whilst the BBC is considering going more local, its opposition is moving the other way.
Some one's right somewhere, but then the BBC does receive 3.4 bn UKP in license fee money.
So you're an entrepreneur with a local newspaper, what are you to do?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Briefing Palin for photo op II
So if I were briefing Palin for her photo-illustration with Afghan President Hamid Karzai here's what I'd say:
Sorry, matters on video journalism will resume shortly
- Stand to the his right for the camera; it's the dominant position.
- Don't look at the camera for THE Shot and do not be broad smiling. Be looking at him. It shows engagement.
- Stand slightly leaning into him but half a foot just in front; if gives you further height dominance
- Have prepared your response. Yep doesn't matter what the president says, even though you more or less know what he's going to say from your aides' briefing.
- Let him do a lot of the talking and you nod in agreement
- Wear dark colours and a scarf around your shoulders; deference which'll show, and lead him to be generous with his response.
- Don't take or answer questions on financial matters. Remember tax payers will still be sore from the 70 billion plus bail out plan for financiers.
- Refuse any attempt, in the walk to and from the interview to chat to any female staff; ruins the image.
Sorry, matters on video journalism will resume shortly
Palin - Film me but don't ask a ***** word
ABC Reports a series of meetings scheduled between the Republican's VP runner Sarah Palin and world leaders was due to take place "in camera".
You can observe but you can't report cuz they'll be no reporter.
We all know and have worked the pool system, but this would have been something not to have a reporter present.
You might as well get your own camera ala PR and flog the video with your icon at the top.
Rightly so there's been a hue and cry. C.f ABC News's blog, with word that broadcasters would have boycotted showing anything.
Webwise it would have been interesting to see whether online news sites show a blank or black screen in protest - something that was done in the 90s when US authorities sought more power to curb the independence of online sites.
Now I have been using the past tense through out here because it appears, from ABC, that the fire has been put out as a CNN producer will now be allowed in.
No word on who the producer is and what they'll be allowed to ask.
But in light of this foreign policy cram, how much I wonder will Palin allude to an expanse of international experience from her meeting, and more importantly what quotes are likely to be lifted for the ads to highlight her competence.
Oh slip of the tongue; jolly laugh with reporter: " I meant should she become VP, which I see no reason why she should not".
Too late, we know which one we'll edit. See those film review pages where comments like: "Great film but the acting sucked", and the review on the poster becomes; "****** Great film.
Yep you're ahead of me.
Now come to think of it was PM Gordon Brown having a freudian dig at Palin when he said government is no time for a novice.
Meanwhile says Palin, "There Obama put that in your pipe and smoke it. I met Karzai".
Next week, the SALT Treaty is revisited.
You can observe but you can't report cuz they'll be no reporter.
We all know and have worked the pool system, but this would have been something not to have a reporter present.
You might as well get your own camera ala PR and flog the video with your icon at the top.
Rightly so there's been a hue and cry. C.f ABC News's blog, with word that broadcasters would have boycotted showing anything.
Webwise it would have been interesting to see whether online news sites show a blank or black screen in protest - something that was done in the 90s when US authorities sought more power to curb the independence of online sites.
Now I have been using the past tense through out here because it appears, from ABC, that the fire has been put out as a CNN producer will now be allowed in.
No word on who the producer is and what they'll be allowed to ask.
But in light of this foreign policy cram, how much I wonder will Palin allude to an expanse of international experience from her meeting, and more importantly what quotes are likely to be lifted for the ads to highlight her competence.
" I found Mrs Palin, to be fully aware of the pressing issues of security within our country and her pledge and commitment to seek greater interaction to resolving the festering sore, when she assumes her VP role".
says Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Oh slip of the tongue; jolly laugh with reporter: " I meant should she become VP, which I see no reason why she should not".
Too late, we know which one we'll edit. See those film review pages where comments like: "Great film but the acting sucked", and the review on the poster becomes; "****** Great film.
Yep you're ahead of me.
Now come to think of it was PM Gordon Brown having a freudian dig at Palin when he said government is no time for a novice.
Meanwhile says Palin, "There Obama put that in your pipe and smoke it. I met Karzai".
Next week, the SALT Treaty is revisited.
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