Friday, April 24, 2009

Videojournalism diary log-leaving orbit

Fans of Capt Jim T. Kirk will recognise the play on the title.

All in day's work having slain a Klingon, fallen for some beau, and had an existential discussion with Spock.

Moments of grand illusion, as this moment I feel like I'm having a Kirk moment, except for the beau. Yeah shucks.

I haven't stopped writing. Our Masters in journalism students are in the final furlong of submission: online journalism and videojournalism. There have already been notable successes in their ranks. But some heavy lifting remains for the coming days.

Meanwhile the Obama video for the South Bank. I have produced a first draft. Reason? I'm still not satisfied with the footage and pics I have, but ever the optimist, I'll push harder next week.
Thanks to Tom ( Kennedy) formerly Wash Post for the contacts his throw me.

Miami University are compiling a multimedia template of ideas, so had a delightful Knight scholar ping me for info. We'll do it, we'll definitely do it.

Next week I'm looking forward also to seeing supervisors of my Phd prog. Liz, the Dean of the programme had some good news around the Outernet, that I have been obsessing about, but not mentioned in recent posts.

I need to give my Phd more love, even though it consumes my waking life. The more I know, the more I understand, the more I understand, the more I know, the more I know, the more confusing it becomes.

Last time I used that was in an article about South African politics, when I was thrust into its politics at the dying end of apartheid.

Logbook some more
This week South Africa went to the polls to elect a new government. I miss South Africa. But hopefully will be there in the Summer doing some training and catching up on friends, and people in documentaries made in the early 90s.

Then it's a 500 days or so towards chapters for my book, which has been very cathartic in some way, committing years of trials and tribulations to this thing we do to paper.

I'm interviewing one of the heavyweights next week in the videojournalism firmament. He Julian was responsible for bringing video journalism to Britain in the mid 90s.

Julian I have recently discovered was the class mate of Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) at the London School of Economics and has more than his fair share of stories to tell, that made a gathering of us laugh.

Mick: " **** this I'm off to get famous
Everyone else: Yeah yeah yeah.....

Videojournalism... yeah what's that? Should get back to shooting a story at some point. LOL