Scary Shoot - Reminisce

Working for ABC News. On the eve of SA's first all-race election a terrorist bomb rocks the centre of town and shakes my home nearby. We're soon on the scene to see the carnage. Minutes later a colleage from the BBC World Service calls to ask if I can report from the scene. Here for the report of the elections taken from Viewmagazine's how to produce better podcasts.

South Africa's townships provided the backdrop to some of the most scariest reports, which looking back on, I have no idea how and why I did them.

No I do, when you're fairly new to the game, ( I'd had five prior years at the BBC before going off alone to SA in 1992) you're invincible and I wanted to see the world.

I'd boarded a plane to South Africa with nothing more than a newspaper cutting of someone I'd found in a South African freebie newspaper.

I asked him to meet me at the Airport.

He did.

Had he not I have no idea how I would have survived.

Alan Swedlow was not only one of South Africa's rising theatre directors, but a thoroughly decent man with a contacts book to die for. He's next door neighbour was a woman whom in years to come would serve as SA's ambassador to the UK, Cherly Carrolus.

inside the Townships
The townships became a hang out. That's were the stories were.

Surprisingly, they were also fairly close to Joburg, (Alexandra is in Joburg) which was a mystery to me.

Of all the newscasts I'd seen, I have never envisioned Soweto to be this huge place, with, yes call me naive, had a BMW dealership in its midst.

The great thing about South Africa is that I was never discriminated in my penchant to want to do different things.

What I mean is that London ( the BBC World Service) would happily take a radio package from me; whilst the next day I was either producing, directing and reporting a tv feature for an international outfitf, writing a newspaper article, or as I became involved in later, working with ABC News.

how to produce better podcasts - talking to US Air America, now WLIB veteran broadcaster Mark Riley

Close calls
I had many close brushes; once I was pursued by a car jackers after a new car I'd hired for a feature for BBC Radio 4, then a couple of Boers accused me of being responsible for concentration camps - being a brit you see, and then the littany of gun fire attacks in down town Joburg.

On one of the scariest assignments, we'd journeyed into Kathlehong, then labelled murder capital of the world. The previous day, our contact told us, several men and women had been gunned down.

"If you value your lives you will do exactly what I say" he whispered forcefully.

Clearly we didn't value our lives because we'd just signed a death warrant saying in the event of our deaths, the team taking us in were not to blame.

There came a point in our night patrol when someone aimed an RPG at our truck, but decided not to shoot when we flashed our lights. We all had night vision goggles on.

In a car coming home one day, a new friend who worked at one of the more prominent radio stations, Metro, warned me to stay down as we drove through one of Soweto's more dangerous surburbs.

A few days earlier he'd been carjacked.

As the robbers fumbled with his car keys, he let off 5 rounds into them, fatally wounding them.

The event was reported to the police.

What happened, I asked.

The police chief told me to go away, he replied, adding that the day I empty a whole cartridge, reload and empy another clip, I'll have something to be accountable for.

At that moment he took the gun, a glock from the glove box and waved it at me.

"It's got dum dum bullets designed to cause maximum damage" he said.

I asked somewhat tentatively to feel the gun: cold, was my assessment.


Multiskilling
With a high-8 camera I captured a few scenes that I have archived and will one day trawl through.

But I mention all this given the scorn one can now receive at being called multiskilled.

Frankly it was always about survival for me, but in a way I was no less scared about what you could do and would like to do after coming across Jerry Timmins.

Now one of the most respected senior senior execs at the BBC World Service, I happened to be around when he was a producer/reporter/director at BBC Newsnight.

Such was his prodigious talents that he was always in demand to help with a report.

Clearly I thought if you can learn these other things, aren't you merely raisiing your stock? I think so.

Why Newspapers will see off TV 2 - Lenslinger said... zzzz

Pictorial Timelines of a changing industry - a personal perspective

Channel 4 Doc shot on digibeta in South Africa. I'd first arrived in South Africa in 1992 and had shot and produced a number of stories. When Channel 4 News decided they were not going to send a correspondent over to South Africa during the 99 election, I flew out to shoot this which I sold as a buy-in to the news and put together five years later the website

Lenslinger has clearly had enough. Wherever you are the subject draws a sharp reaction.

In this case less so, one word "zzzzz" screams much better than an alternative reply.

Any title with newspapers and video in the same sentence will draw a peak from google's alerts.

The fight of the century, working with Lennox Lewis and filming his fight. The VX2000 does the job. I looked around on the weigh in and about three people among 40/50 had DVCams. Here I'm touching the ring to see how padded it is for when boxers hit the deck

It's bound to; it's about livelihoods, and which person this time (???, er that would be me) giving off pretentious incoherent opinions, which perhaps neither sound sensible nor intelligent.

In essence this is not about a them or us, though a trawl through viewmagazine reveals lots of those along the lines of websters verses traditional.

The larger picture ( OMG I'm falling asleep now. zzzz) is about what the industry might look like in a couple of years.

The trusty and sturdy BVW with beta provided the means for a robust shoot in Ghana, as Ecomog forces prepared themselves for an operation in Liberia. On hand was the US Special Forces sharing military tactics. For a piece to camera I simply handed the camera to one of the military to hold steady. In this clip I have added the original broadcast from Ghana's 1982 coup in which many of my class mates including me were caught up in the fire fight

You could say we'll always need big bands - a reference to how once many predicted the onset of the synthesiser would erode live music.

You'll always need a quality camera operator
Big shoots, the world cup, news may always find a happy medium, especially with HDTV's pre-eminence.

Even the New Media types concede this ( Here for a behind the scenes report at Apple's executive briefing)

I tried out the Sony's HD tapeless cam recently on a shoot -sublime!

Sony's tapeless camera- sublime. used it for a shoot in France

But the industry is not the one I recognise even from this shoot in the late 90s for Channel 4 News in South Africa, and Special Forces training for Ecowas soldiers going to Liberia. In 87 when I entered it.... forgel aboul it

I showed some of my students my trusty Uher recently - the look on their faces!

The death of King Hussein sees me in Jordan shooting a feature. This time the Vx1000 is the camera of choice. Here I'm being being entertained by a family. For Channel 4 News, anchor Jon Snow and I produce an inhouse feature on the day - No Video available

How we retool, re-engineer, rethink, in light of the Youtubes, googles and heavens knows IPTV on its way is something broadcast/media managers have had endless meetings about.

The change paradigm doesn't completely erode traditional practices, but puts pressure on jobs both in price and variation: the auditors have said that much. I remember when I could command twice the fee for camera work, so it's how we adapt to that change.

Actually a couple of friends have said forgel aboul it and set up resturaunts.

Otherwise some like the brilliant and perhaps one of the best all round cameramen of his generation, Claudio Von Planta - who' shot everything from Borneo jungles, up the Himalayas with the British Army ( he's ex army himself) to Ewan Macgregor travelling around the world on a bike, have thrown their hands up and are looking to alternatives

Zzzzzzzz I'm so asleep now!

In a forthcoming feature which I've finished shooting, a Telegraph exec talks about how a memo circulating the BBC talks about how the web team should up their game citing a few newspapers as the ones to beat.

Shooting a doc about Bob Marley with his manager in London. This time we've got the whole rig, blondes, reds going on, with the luxury of a monitor, but we're using a PD150 with a mounted lens. Videos still not been cut but some lovely original pics of Marley will be posted soon

Naka Nathaniel at the New York Times talks about being at CNN for a few days and the reaction from the CNN crew - that this is the future.

Not my words, but then you'd argue you're being anecdotal. (Yawn - yep it's catching)

"I could find you a dozen others saying the converse" brr who said that!

In the end I suppose it's about choice ( that does it - last freaking word). We change, we don't change. And at the moment newspapers in the UK, I couldn't talk about the US, are doing some changing.

Now where's that tapeless lensless camera that shoots microwavee super HD film. I'm taking my chances - someone wants some wobbly camera scenes.

Incidently I read recently some figures I stumbled across ( must find out where) that said TV viewing figures in the UK were holding well.

Clearly this is a ZZZZZ post

Why Newspapers will see off TV

I didn't choose the title of the talk, but it resonates nonetheless and is worthy of a robust look.

The media landscape's levelling, video and multimedia's prominance amongst media companies period, has produced a new beginning.

There are no formal custodians of video news any longer, but whilst broadcasters may have lost the upperhand, at least on the web, we rarely talk about great writings from broadcasters in the same way we do for print journalists.

Newspapers haven't lost their fight; no, online they' re cocksure for a new one on broadcasters' territory.

"Why newspapers will see off TV" is the stuff of alchemy; a polemic of sorts in which the empirical evidence gathered to make that claim is on shifting sand, certainly against the back drop of diminishing influence and circulation on the newspapers on the stands.

And frankly, given our entrenched psyche, our prediliction to TV as much as paper, it's difficult to write any one of them off.

If you were a betting person in this frenzied media storm, you'd need more than a strong poker face to place your bet on the presumption.


Newspaper Video
But when we cast around, look at the alpha models of newspapers presenting video, they present a strong case.

I have been watching Obama on the New York Times; a catalogue of diariased news reports where I can choose at will any video.

Somewhere within the body of the NYT are strong articles, a showcase of the best Word- smiths wooing audiences.

Elsewhere, there are any number of slideshows experimenting with form and function.

The Times in London explores the use of different web editions, while the FT reports an upturn in profits since the use of video.

These might be anecdotal, but to broadcasters represent a clear and present threat to their news and television.

It won't be lost on many journalist that when broadcasters needed to tool up, shore up their practices, strengthen their news hands, they dip, often raided the floor of newspapers.

Utopian journalist Andrew Marr's autobiographical account of his training days is among a long line of books that illustrates broadcaster's penchant for wooing newspaper journalist.

Why because of their nuanced writings. Broadcasters taught us to keep it simple, so sometimes simple.

It was in the air and then gone. No way to rewind so keep the language simple.

But online we can rewind and viewers are searching for that distinctiveness.

British superblogger Andy Dickinson echoed a point made to the BBC's Peter Horrocks about impartiality and biased writings that give newspapers the edge.

Then there's the others; print journalists invariably have their own body of contacts, can work alone, and can eke out a story via primary sources.

It is more often the case that newspaper writers turn to TV, than TV journalists getting a a large shoe-in as newspaper writers.


New Rules in Newspaper Video
The rules of video are also being redefined.

Slanted reportage, fair perhaps, but with a political bent is providing much succour for those who may have tired of the neutrality of news from within broadcasting.

From the coats of videojournalism, we discover newspaper journalism is better tailored to this new maturing discipline.

The new newspaper journalists writes with his camera as he did with his pen, not confined to styles and templates, time and 6'Oclock bulletins.

News happens all the time, and newspapers are validating that, finding fresh ways of cross promotion, making the web feel more dynamic as a breakling news medium.

Of course newspapers aren't home and dry.

Having had to reinvent themselves in the 50s/ 60s with TV's arrival, previously with radio and then with 24 hour TV News, they have become by Darwnism default much used to change.

They have become accustomed to responding; those that haven't tell a different story entirely within the Microfiche of dusty libraries.

Today, the Telegraph's hub has become a model for others. The Times' new look a breath of fresh design air, and more and more newspapers are embracing video.

Distinctiveness, longer format programmes, video-hyperlinked stories, more and more multimedia features will become the norm.

And what's knitting this new paradigm together - old fashioned good journalism that will never go away and the new derivative: video.

++End

David will be giving a performance lecture at Staatskanzlei (State Chancellery) in Erfurt, in the residence of the Prime Minister of the State of Thuringia, next month.

BBC Multimedia News Head interviewed by Viewmagazine.tv with unique global Video Blog

Immediate Release

1st February 2008.

The head of the BBC's recently launched multimedia newsroom has been telling Batten Award winning site, Viewmagazine.tv of the corporation's plans to be the best at multimedia journalism in a unique interview.

Lasting almost an hour Peter Horrocks spoke of the BBC's network innovators shaping new ideas, how it planned to drive a different brand of multimedia news and how he admired sites such as the New York Times.

He was speaking to Viewmagazine.tv's editor, David Dunkley Gyimah, at the BBC's headquarters in London.

Uniquely, Horrocks was also fielding video questions from a number of super bloggers, academics and journalists from around the world enveloping multimedia journalism in what's referred to as a Vlog Butterfly.

They included John Burke from the World Association of Newspapers based in France, Rob Montgomerry of Visual Editors in Chicago, Palesa Letlaka-Nkosi Head of Formats at the SABC, Blogger and lecturer Andy Dickinson, Jemima Kiss of the Guardian and Mike Jones of Digital Basin and The International Film School in Sydney.


Global Multimedia Journalism
"What the production demonstrates", says David, "is how small independent sites or bloggers interested in news and related subjects can join forces.

When I finally secured my interview with Peter, and you'll very rarely see videos of him, I had no other idea in mind than to contact people to ask them to field a question".

The whole thing took a matter of days: videos were posted which were processed and encoded in Flash, and then the site-build took over and the video promo.

David adds by default the project also flags up a discipline, he's been keen to promote called Integrated Multimedia Journalism, where one person, is responsible for producing, filming and editing a news feature and then taking over the coding in Flash and CSS - HTML design.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to Peter Horrocks of the BBC and to the many that participated", says David.

Some bloggers such as Katie M King of the Online News Association and JD Lassica were caught up with work so couldn't participate this time around.


Multimedia Vlog follow up
David is looking to produce his next Vlog Butterfly which he says could involve the director of one of last year's smash movies.

"I have been in touch with his personal assistant and it's just trying to find a convenient time" says David.

The authors of the questions are being posted their answers and a film showing the making of the video blog and visit to the BBC is now in the works, shot by one of David's ex students Don Omope.

David hopes to be talking about the Vlog Butterfly at a number of events including WAN in Sweden, Apple stores and in Berlin.

END
++++

Editor's Notes.
Vlog butterly here http://www.viewmagazine.tv/global_vlog.php
Promo for Vlog Butterfly can also be accessed from site

With use of pictures please credit Don Omope

Soundslide show - wow

When you're working alongside someone like John who has done this you're both privileged and in awe.

This year we've refurnished the online module, it's been pushed further to 360 degree reporting, so podcasts, soundslides, Flash, CSS, Videojournalism, online SEO writing and marketing, plus building a site at cost by evaluating the brief and add ons e.g. Java, XMl - all get a look in.

John my colleague will be taking the cohorts on a whirlwind tour of understanding how to take pics and producing soundslides like this.

Absolutely marvelous.

What I would give to be a student sitting in to hear John talk about Grime Britain - the years of Thatcher and the Miners strike.

BBC interview - Youtubed

Youtube promo interview with Head of BBC Multimedia Newsroom. I said Head of BBC News ( Woops!) I'm sure there's a difference. It wasn't intended.

I'll watch the bite back, see whether it's cataclysmic enough to remove.

Managing Change - the media way

On one of the busiest train concourses in London, commuters can be observed randomly criss-crossing one another heading for their destinations.

Whilst as good as clockwork, the 8.10 a.m commute from your house to work will be a harrowing journey of people packed into carriages resisting the temptation and scourn of other passengers to move up so others can join.

In each case a simple remedy beyond further stock and concourse investments may be at hand.

In the case of Victoria simply placing pedestrian lanes by colouring the ground with arrows pointing the way might ease the daily collisions.

On the trains indented sole marks indicating where passengers could stand would force even the most reluctant that there is room to move.

Both these instances involve change.

That is management change.


All Change
The solution may be techincal or otherwise creative, but often it involves changing the mindset of management reluctant to spend any more money without immediate returns.

Videojournalism and the new paradigm of multimedia is like that.

It could transform your fortunes, but how and presumably not overnight is the thought.

If you've been privy to the Telegraph's story of how they changed ( i really should post this video some time) it is instructive for the will and determination to lead the way.

For many months a core group of managers travelled the world visiting newsroom upon newsroom gathering and deciphering "intelligence", then processed that to set up the distinctive hub which gelled web and print.

Most change sparks thoughts of a revolution and the Telegraph has not been inure from criticism of change.

Internally, it starts, and then it spreads out with an envangelical zeal bringing others on the way.

Change happens all the time around us and we all cope in some way.


We're all changlings
You'll get up tomorrow having to negotiate something you didn't do the same way the previous day.

But the idea of change can often scare us.

It smacks of "in the with the new and out with the old".

It is a vision and hostage of our fortunes.

And at some point when the zeitgeist crystallises we have very little option; we simply can't wait any longer, for the paradigm has engulfed us. It's no longer a fashion - here today gone tomorrow- it's a way of life.

A new style is born.

The web was not going to last and it did.

Video was a pipe dream but we're awakening every day to new possibilities.

Whether you're Vjing or not, whether you're a fortune 100 company or not, whether you're a super tanker media company or not, change changes all the while, over lengths of time.

And it's not whether we can buy new shinny toys to do our latest bidding for us, but whether we're ideologically prepped ourselves for the ineavitable.

Change happens and in our organisation we make allowances for it; we'ne built in the change factor.

The BBC as you'll find out in our video blog interview has innovators within its rank.

You might even call them creative change merchants spotting the new new thing.

They're not alone.

But, but we could learn from this thesis.

The signs are we warm to change in principle as Clinton and Obama tell their stories, but the realities ahead can be awkard if we haven't properly managed those doling out and those on the end of change.

The days of a job for life was kicked into the long grass long ago; the days of continuing on a linear curve are now equally messy.

2008 - this could be the year video breaks free.

Or is that too radical a change.

shoot.cut.code.mix.publish 6 ways

Not so much life flashing before your eyes, more like watching a washing machine on a slow cycle.

Death under the sea, must be really be unpleasent.

I'd wrestled for what seemed an eternity to break free from a ribbon current whose strength resembled accelerator waves used for training olympic swimmers, and now I was slamming against armament, 20 mm shells, that could go Kapow any moment. Of course bad luck comes in threes

My oxygen tank, the result of my hyperventilatiing, was now registering low. I needed to find a minimum 5 minutes for deco time before surfacing otherwise risked the bends. Not really ideal circumstances for laughter therapy. Probably no one elses for that matter.

More with video here

Left side versus Right side new journalist - which one are you?

Can you see what it is yet? An image that requires spatial interpretation

Raise your hands now.

Few answered the call.

Minutes later a sea of hands naturally sprung up.

The question posed to professional journalists sought to gain an understanding of their artisan credentials.

Whom here considers themselves an artist?

It is a ridiculous question for scribes and frankly also phrased this way:"Who considers themselves a writer", isn't, worth asking.

But in some small and perhaps significant way this sits at the heart of the new new thing we're wrapping ourselves around - multimedia.

Around the 1860s the French physician Paul Broca was one of the first to unveil the functions of the brain and since then many neurologist have documented the hemispheral war between the two lobes.

But some things have become standard: the left brain eulogises words, sequences, abstract and analysis as its attributes, whilst spatial awareness, maths, images imagination among others exercise the right side of the brain.

And when we look at right side functionalities you might as well posit multimedia there, though, yes, writing is left side.

This might set up a couple of questions for which I'm not qualified to answer, but, pose well why not?

What graphic students set out as multimedia has a different meaning to where journalist place their store.


But the questions?
There's a reason not all of us can draw, as much as we haven't mastered the new tenants of multimedia - whatever they may be.

If a contemporary form of journalism is to emerge from the kinetics of now, then it isn't merely about learning tools such as Flash, Director ( ??) of SWX, is it?

Is it about finding ways of developing right side brain functions earlier on in the game, by say, incorporating innovative exercise, nay even, Art (scorn!!) and maths (code) into the education of journalism.

AT THIS POINT DAVID'S CLEARLY LOST IT!

For just as we've nutured the science of writing, literally from infancy at school to a higher state of delineating complex subjects into decipherable quintissential strings of letter ie words, should we not also be seeking artistic merit and code as a feature of advancing our multimedia, multimodal new disciplines?

And if we are to, what and which syllabi to start with to see the next generation through?

And if we dare, is that journalism any longer?

I studied Applied Chemistry for my degree and took Art seriously dropping it before A-levels.

One of my lecturers considered me dylexic when I failed miserably to write a gas flow computer cycle.

Truth, I couldn't see the point; oh the joys of youth :)

Has it made me a better journalist?

I couldn't tell you, which somehow mutes my point, but what I have belatedly realised from that discipline is its approach to problem solving and mind mapping - particularly organic chemistry which often had me rather absurdly building three dimensional bonding molecules in my mind into 3d fixtures.

Which doesn't mean wihtout the sciences or art, you're unlikely to be the Flash web guru you are today.

That's not the point here.

I'm just as exercised over the next code-ridden application to shimme across my desk.

I'm merely agonising over whether a new set of rules, principals, training needs to fashioned by those clever people in news and academia towards what might be termed causal story telling [in its simplest form, if that isn't tautology]

That is, the if and then; if this happens, then where does this go.

You'll note those are some of the rudimentary principles behind Flash

Technlogy inspires art and art inspires technology and somewhere in there perhaps some inspiration is required for the new 4th quadrant of journalism: space.

ambitious global Vlog Butterfly

It was an ambitious idea, but when I finally secured the interview of the BBC's Head of Multimedia Newsroom, I had the idea in mind.

I contacted a few friends and colleagues around the world. If they could pose an idea to the head of BBC's News what would it be.

We oomed a bit, some were straight of the bat, but all chipped in.

Ahh but the question had to be on video.

Yet still they persevered and then eventually via FTP and send it, the videos came through.

Peter Horrocks gave me considerable time for the interview, and I'm grateful for that.

And he answered all the questions.

That was the fun bit.

Now I'm encoding the video and building the application in Flash.

It should go Live with all the interviews on Friday and if I can say so myself, some insightful questions yielding absorbing answers.

If you work for the New York Times, then you'll be pleased at a segment of our interview.

Thank you to all that participated and to those that did not make it this time.

A Vlog Butterfly is a wonderful way to extend the value of an interview both in video, ( the clips are being sent to the respective authors) and giving ownership to smaller sites competing for attention in this blog-theatre.

I'm looking forward to showing this at a number of conferences I'm presenting at including Apple, World Editors Association, Berlin and Cultural Exchange.

The film which shows the behind the scenes interview with Peter Horrocks as well as an indepedent film on multimedia in conjuction with Dominic from the Press Gazette should be completed at some point.

Promo on Blip

Click To Play

Promo now on Blip TV

Timeline history for producing clip in viewmagazine.tv

Produce clip in FCP> publish to AE> back into FCP> compress export> import CS3 Flash> add Preloader> Add photoshop image treated>export with new parameters>import into CS3 dreamweaver> FTP> check bugs> send out to Blip> facebook etc

Viscerality, content and burning ice.

Dom Omope was the second shooter on the BBC interview involving a number of super bloggers from around the world.

He's a former student of mine in a manner of speaking who is now doing a masters at Goldsmith in broadcast journalism.

Whilst he has a strong visual eye he wanted to know more about aesthetics and promo making.

He'd shown some previous work to technicians he knew who commented that I'd used Boris FX to make this film Digital Diversity.

I don't use any effects from Boris or pre-made, preferring to create them in FCP and then After Effects.

In my studio we built this promo and it took about 10 minutes or less and then another 5-10 minutes exporting and washing it through Flash.

It's a visceral thing, but yes it can be taught and I think Dom took away a few tips.

One is identify a style and copy that. I trawl through Apple Trailers looking at new editing styles.
Secondly don't be afraid to experiment.

I laid the bare bones of this short promo within a few minutes, influenced by the camera movement, then set about manipulating the film.

An experiment I play with some friends is to show them a match fire, ask them to close their eyes and then place some ice on the back of their hand.

Many swear they have been burnt.

We're so used to matching perceptions with outcomes that it can be difficult to look for new meanings. I'm a fine one to speak myself, but I do like the idea of being taken out of a comfort zone.

Doesn't always mean a shoot will be a huge success. 9/10 times I'll make good of it, but I'm greedy ( sorry) I'd like each one to satisfy an element within me that says, this thing that we do is being moved on, even if its in small steps.

One of my inspirations is the Ronin. I'll post one of his latest promos later today.

Dream on David - 007 Videojournalism

A Quantum of Solace!

So I'm available for walk ons, VJ shoots and well and behind-the-scenes.

You'll rarely find a sapien fed on western movies who doesn't know Bond; I remember being carted off to the movies with an aunt to watch Spy who Loved me.

A new director at the helm again, this time Oscar nominated Marc Forster, behind “Finding Neverland” and “Monster’s Ball" - two very different flicks, so the direction should be one to watch.

I have had two brushes with 007 by proxy, one a dinner evening with Colin Salmon who stars as MI6 station chief Charles Robinson.

Fine actor who at one point was also being tipped for the James Bond role ( read here)

And the other an interview with former CIA head James Woolsey where we talked about 007 and what he thought about him getting a job within the real spook world.

Well for one thing Woolsey said, James Bond would have been called Officer 007 if he were in the CIA, as the CIA recruits agents to betray their governments and reveal secrets.

While if James Bond were in the FBI, he's be called Agent 007.

You can see the 4 minute interview here.

Now time to go take this Tux off. Why did I have it on. Can't remember now.

The Ferrari 599 GTB

Couple of months ago viewmagazine.tv showed the story of us ( friend and I) road testing a Ferrari 599 GTB.

What we didn't tell you was we had a puncture at the start of the shoot.

And do you know the Ferrari doesn't carry a spare tyre.

You call their headquarters and they send someone prompto in an equally fast car to come and change your set of wheels.

Mr tyre changer has an interesting lifestyle, sometimes jetting off to warm climes on the continent because of a beached Ferrari drivers call for help.

The full video story coming soon

Frankenstein Camera writes Sionphoto

We're back to the cams again with this from Sionphoto who
tells me about his HVR A1E Letus 35mm adaptor setup
Its really designed to be on a tripod, but its hand holdable enough,
especially if you're used to bigger cameras.

I might try mine with a monopod.

The Letus adaptor I have is the 'mini', whereas other cameras like
the Sony Z1, PD 150 or Panasonic DVX100
need an adaptor with a larger lens thread.

Using a lens like a 24mm kinda defeats the object of having limited
depth of field, so I'd pick a standard
zoom lens (35-80ish) or fixed lenses like 35mm or 85mm.

BBC Interview -Vlog Butterfly

Today, in a unique exercise for viewmagazine.tv a double whammy, an interview with the head of BBC News Peter Horrocks covering extensive ground in multimedia news and a vlog butterfly, in which 8 super bloggers and authorities in their own right posed a video question which Peter answered.

More soon

Vlog Buterfly

One day to go...

Heath Ledger The death of web news morals

Tragic by any circumstances, but also distressing that his parents learned about their son's fate via a news broadcast.

The explosion of media has a downside; the interminable race to be first.

Yes it wasn't born in the web era, but rears its head more often.

We saw it nakedly during the Virginia Tech shootings, and we'll continue to witness a slump in an area that must be preserved in the bid to tell others business: respect and a code of ethics.

David Brewer who was one of the earlier web evangelists to set up CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera shared a telling thought with me.

The desk team of a well known news brand reported an incident giving the names of the deceased; the incident itself happened on the African continent.

But watching the news from home, David hit the phones to instruct the team to cease to report further the names of those dead.

There was some bewilderment he says from editorial, but a call later from a senior editor thanking David put it into perspective.

When Africa seems so far away, when you don't know those involved, have no affinity, but know their names, what's the harm?

"We must first inform the next of kin", David would stress. Absolutely!

The dash for news, unmoderated, plentiful in its supply presents new dilemmas which outlets with no code of conduct could care less about.

Being first and gaining important currency and kudos overshadows a dying agreement of scruples and good judgement.

Whether it's ledger, Virginia or Africa, there are people affected by the pain of that story.

They deserve better.

We should try and keep some perspectives.

Feature stories - Testicular Cancer

I'm fishing out some stories that I made for BBC national radio and this one srtuck me. Testicuar cancer - one of those issues that dare speak its name.

I met a young man ex, navy in the Isle of Wight who'd had a testice removed because of the illness.

Miraculously he did manage to have children.

A specialist at Hammersmith hospital advocated self-examination by men.

I quipped after going behind the curtain, er slightly embarassing though isn't it.

Women exam their breasts all the time, no more embarrassing than what men should be doing.

I don't have the figures to hand, the presenter would have read out some about trends etc. but it does make you ponder.

I'll put it on itunes shortly

Front page of view features a little promo for the piece on multimedia with the vlog butterfly project - two days away.

Shoot Bourne - even cheaper @!^*!!

Thanks to Sionphoto who leaves this comment in response to last post which deserves a huge light of attention.

thanks muchos

sionphoto said...
...your spec is for PL cinema-cam lenses, which can cost a small fortune.

I have a Sony HVR-A1E with a Letus 35mm adaptor:

http://tinyurl.com/2ughqo

35mm adaptors usually flip the image upside down in the viewfinder, so you need an external monitor to 'turn' it back round.

The M2 needs an additional 'flip attachment' to turn the image back to normal, whereas the Letus flips the image to normal inside a single unit.

Get some support rods (they say you don't need 'em, but it puts a hell of a strain on the camera lens filter mount):

http://tinyurl.com/35gocn

and a 35mm stills cam lens (in my case, a 24mm Nikon) and you're good to go for plenty of handheld Cloverfield/Bourne SpewCam action, without having to drag an external monitor round to see which way up everything is...

The whole setup - which coincidentally I only bolted together for the first time yesterday - cost about 700 quid.