You Boys Like Mexico!

Name the movie and I’ll give you props. (Have a feeling most won’t be able to nail it.) But the line stands true this week as I prepare to head down to Guadalajara, Mexico for the Society of American Travel Writers annual conference. I’ll be speaking again this year on multimedia and will also be launching my new company Plus Ten Media. It’s going to prove to be quite the trip I’m sure, but like all things, I’ve come to realize I won’t now it’s full power for many years to come.

Social Media vs. Traditional Media: The Wrong Argument

After reading a well thought out post on assessing ROI in a social media world, I responded with a comment. To see the original post go here. I have pasted in my comment below, which I think stands for itself.

Great post Jason, I can’t agree more with the Kool-Aid references. From a young professionals standpoint who grew up with both traditional marketing and new media marketing I can’t help but get frustrated with a majority of the conversation today about social media and how businesses are being told to pick “one or the other.”

Social media in my opinion is a tool, albeit a very powerful tool, but nevertheless a tool within a marketer’s toolbox. Too many times I feel we forget marketing is a 360-degree experience. Customers can be anywhere today – TV, print, online, mobile – and it is a companies job to effectively target and reach their selected customers through each of these mediums utilizing a variety of distribution methods.

When I explain marketing to potential clients I draw a circle and put their brand in the middle. Each part of the circle represents a different part of the pie, and in order to reach each section the company has to push their message out in that direction. Media once it reaches the edge can then flow in a circular pattern – say someone retweets and blogs about a message they saw in print and suddenly customers are reached across the circle – but it’s a complex web that must be built up over time and with the understanding that there is no one simple one answer.

Many times I find companies look at social media as a powerful tool, but then opt to place an Intern or entry-level employee at the helm. A senior executive might oversee the strategy, but the lack of economic investment means the “saving grace” of the companies marketing program is left up to an employee with potentially little allegiance. This makes me wonder: just what value do you really see in this? When I speak to companies I make it a point to not paint a social media vs. traditional media picture, but rather one that involves everyone in a form considered non-traditional.

The other large piece of the puzzle, and one that I consider equally if not more important, is the rise of content creation and understanding how content can be utilized in multiple mediums for the same purpose, but that I’m afraid is another topic.

Forget Tradition It’s All About Creativity

Traditional advertisements are a thing of the past. Okay not really — watching NBC Nightly News I can’t help but wonder just how sick I’ll be in ten years — but there is a new breed of highly creative marketing videos hitting the web, and some of the best are choosing Vimeo.com to host.

Last night while clicking around I stumbled across three in particular that caught my eye. Each had a different angle, but the same concept: With this product you can be creative in ways you didn’t think possible. I’d be curious to know what the budgets were, but for now I’ll just enjoy the videos and ponder how much time it took to actually create them.

Enjoy

Must Read: NYT’s Talk of the Newsroom: 1 in 8 Million

The New York Times defines 1 in 8 million as “an oral history project in which a different individual among New York City’s 8 million residents is profiled each week of 2009.” Metro editor Jodi Rudoren clarified, “The criteria for profile subjects are simple: Interesting person. Great talker. Never before mentioned in the NYT.”

The project has been stunning. Black and white photography complement strong gritty narratives one only wish they could capture on tape. But the real gem here is the unveiling of how many people it takes to produce the series. It should be something every magazine and newspaper editor takes into account: there is no one person who can do it all.

I would strongly recommend reading through the questions and answers this week, as a door is lifted off a backroom business so few understand. For starters check out this question and answer to how the slideshows are put together.

Copied From NYT’s Talk of the Newsroom
Q. I love the series and have watched all of them, many several times.

My questions are around the mechanics of creating the pieces. What comes first, the audio or the visual? How long is the usual interview? Is it edited down before the photos are taken? How long does Mr. Heisler spend with the subjects? As the scenes frequently go from night to day, I was wondering if it was all in one stretch or does the team revisit multiple times?

In the story on the corner drug store (Columbia Drugs), the tale involvded a hostage taking with “a kid” who — while held at gunpoint — picked the pocket(s) of his captors. How old was the “kid”?

Thanks for your insights. Keep the series going. I look forward to each new addition.
— Steven Lungley

Alexis Mainland: Steven, thanks for your questions.

Typically, the pictures for an audio slide show on our site are made before or during the recording of audio. That’s partly due to the deadline pressures of a daily news organization. The process of One in 8 Million is a little different and it has allowed us a more luxurious (I’m laughing as I type because I know my cohorts would not use that adjective to describe the process) production schedule. For One in 8, Todd Heisler doesn’t shoot any photographs until we’ve interviewed the subject and edited the tape down to a manageable length, about 4 to 10 minutes. This allows us to be sure a piece is going to work from an audio story standpoint before we pursue images. It also allows Todd to listen to the tape and get to know the character and the story before he and Meaghan Looram, the project’s picture editor, brainstorm photo situations. When everything goes right, I think this way of working helps us create the kind of intimate, cohesive pieces that we’re trying for.

Our taped interviews are usually around one hour long, give or take. But the producer almost always first conducts one or more pre-interviews with the subject on the phone or in person so that going into the taped interview we have a good idea of what the piece’s focus will be.

Seeking an accurate answer to your question about Todd’s time with subjects, I just spoke with him by phone. (He and Meaghan are looking forward to answering questions about the series’ photographs this week.) Todd meets with almost every subject at least twice. Instead of spending one long day with someone, he tries to divide his shoots into two or more sessions so that the subject can get gradually acquainted with him and so as to maximize the number of scenes that are available to be photographed. That being said, some stories are more easily captured in fewer sessions because of the singularity of the storyline — take The Sneaker Connoisseur, for example — and some clearly require multiple scenes to capture the narrative, like The Medical Tourist.

I put your last question about The Corner Druggist to Sarah Kramer, who produced this story. She said that the “kid” Joel Karp refers to was a young boy from the neighborhood, one of many who hung out in and around the drugstore back in the day.

- NYT 1 in 8 Million

Photojournalism at its best – New NYT’s photo blog

Just give yourself a few hours and check out the new New York Times photo blog appropriately titled Lens. The collection of photographs, stories, and slideshows is one of the best things to come out of newspapers today. And the packaging is near genius.

Rodale Publisher: “I think it’s time we should take back control, and set the policies”

Comments from the 5th annual Magazine Publishers of America digital magazine conference.

Rodale executive vice president and group publisher MaryAnn Bekkedahl, on charging for online content: “People have been talking for a long time about how the consumer is in control—I think it’s time we should take back control, and set the policies.”

Bekkedahl adds: “The 23-year-old on an iMac in the café—people are beginning to realize that isn’t great content. He doesn’t have the experience.”

So much to say, but I’m only 26 so I guess I should just keep my mouth shut and go back to taking unpaid internships.

- Quotes thanks to Folio Magazine by Dylan Stableford

1981 News Report: “News By Computer Still A Few Years Off”

You have to wonder something: why is everyone interested in reading a newspaper online in 1981 old? 

 

Thanks to A Photo Editor

New Media Skills: Creating Video Part 3 – Sweat The Small Stuff

This week’s Written Road Post

So what separates the pros from first-timers? Often, it’s just a few boneheaded mistakes that keep amateur videographers from producing quality clips. When I spoke to New York Times video journalist Erik Olsen last week, I got some insight into a few of those stumbling blocks. As you’re preparing to produce your first video here are some of the details that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Sound
“People rely on the camera’s microphone,” Erik told me during our interview. I’d be lying if I said I’d never made this mistake, so his words definitely resonated. “It can mean the difference between a good and bad video.” The lesson: your camera’s onboard microphone doesn’t cut the mustard.

I hate to tell you that there’s something else you have to buy, but take the time to research and invest in a separate microphone that provides professional quality audio. There are literally hundreds of options out there, and some really great articles helping you navigate the spider web of options. I’m currently testing two different microphones next week while shooting some video for Bicycling.com and don’t want to just recommend something I haven’t used, so when I know the pros and cons I’ll post my results and let you know.

Tripods
It sounds pretty intuitive, but Erik couldn’t stress this point enough: “Put your camera on a tripod.” Sure the Blair Witch-style of shooting is intriguing, but for most video a shaky picture will just be annoying and ruin a potentially good shot. Tripods allow you to create smooth and fluid panning shots, and to conduct interviews that are steady-framed and not distracting because of camera movement.

When purchasing a tripod keep the following things in mind:

· The cheaper the tripod, the less stable it will be. Typically, cheaper tripods work for flat surfaces, but the moment they are put on uneven ground they have a hard time keeping the camera steady.
· The lighter the tripod, the higher the price. This usually pertains to carbon fiber tripods, which can skyrocket into the $500+ range. Of course, the exception to this rule are the uber-cheap tripods which might be light, but will have a hard time holding up in the elements.
· The heads on tripods can make or break a shot. If you plan on doing a lot of panning, make sure you get a head that supports this use.
· Finally, if you travel a lot, consider a monopod, or micropod. These are lightweight, versatile, mobile, and easy to pack.

Keep your equipment safe
Be sure to protect your investment. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dropped a camera (both film and video) only to find that a well-padded camera bag saved my butt. I would strongly recommend either a Lowepro bag, or a waterproof, bombproof, Fort Knox pelican case. I use both: the Lowpro for everyday use and the pelican for traveling or rafting trips. Typically, both run around $100. This might seem steep at first, but making sure your equipment is safe, and in the same place every time, is key to successful video.

Six Essential Multimedia Blogs

New Written Road Post

Part three of how to create video without losing your shirt is coming next week. (I didn’t have time to finish the microphone reviews I was hoping to include) So this week I’m passing along a few blogs I would recommend adding to your RSS reader. Of course this is only a partial list, so if you have any another suggestions please feel free to leave a comment.

10,000 Words
10,000 Words is written by Mark S. Luckie, a print journalist who discovered his hobby of multimedia and his love for journalism could be combined to great effect. 10,000 Words gives journalists and web aficionados practical tips on how to best incorporate multimedia into their work. The site also culls the web for up and coming or underused technologies that enhance journalism.

Digital Photography School
Written by Darren Rowse, Digital Photography School is a website with simple tips to help digital camera owners get the most out of their cameras. The posts are phenomenal and the content top notch. If you have a digital camera this is like taking multiple photography classes at once.

E-Media Tidbits
Poynter’s Amy Gahran edits a solid daily blog pointing to some of the best multimedia on the web.

MediaShift
A great reference for how media is shifting online and changing society and culture.

Teaching Online Journalism
Written by Mindy McAdams who is a professor of journalism at the University of Florida, this blog is a key resource for new websites, SEO information, and what students are being taught in new media courses.

Online Journalism Blog
Great blog commenting on online journalism, interactive storytelling, publishing and all things internet. I consistently check out this blog when something catches my eye to see if any analysis has been posted.

New Cyclecross Audio Slideshow

I write a lot about being a multimedia journalist and how folks can produce multimedia packages themselves. Just this past weekend I went to a local cyclecross race with the goal to produce an audio slideshow and walk the walk. Three hundred photos and twenty minutes of audio later I sat down to work my magic. Even though I’ve done several of these before, I forgot how time consuming audio editing can be. I’m pretty happy with the final product and think the intro rocks. Overall I’d give it a 7/10 mainly since my photography could use a little help.