As newspapers and magazines shrink and the resources of television and radio stations dwindle, food journalism is often the first section to get the boot. The web, however, presents a unique opportunity to explore food, recipes, and cooking in new and captivating ways.

For example, this past Thanksgiving, The New York Times served up one of its signature interactive projects that visualized what people are eating. The map illustrates what classic holiday dishes are most popular in various sections of the U.S. The Times Online tracked what Britain eats in an interactive infographic that measures the popularity of certain foods over time.




To track the location of local farmers markets, The Washington Post created an interactive online map that readers can use to track local food and produce. If you prefer your vegetables on a burger or burrito, you can also use fastfoodmap.com — an interactive map of the locations of McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and more — to satisfy your food cravings.




CHOW.com, a site for recipes and other food-related resources, also has a mix of food-related video that teach users to make food and other stuff. In just a few minutes, you can learn to how to fold a wonton, how to prevent an avocado from browning, and how to clean a cast iron pan.



Food journalism and especially recipe guides are ripe for slideshows. BBC News paired photos and audio to explore the wild, yet edible foods found in the British countryside. The Times-Picayune whipped up "12 Dishes Under $12" a video guide to great dishes from local restaurants. DNAinfo.com, the newly launched hyperlocal site covering the NYC borough of Manhattan, recently presented an interactive slideshow of dishes available during the city's restaurant week.




Food journalism, as with all news subjects, can be invigorated with a little bit of multimedia and a lot of creativity, which in the end makes the topic more interesting for readers and viewers.


Also on 10,000 Words

• 5 Creative uses of Flash and interactive storytelling
• Exploring the human body with Flash and video
• 10 Inspirational New York Times multimedia and interactive features

Labels: audio, flash, maps, video

For some time now, newsrooms have taken advantage of web technology to add interactivity to panoramic photos. Interactive panoramas can display a larger image in a smaller amount of space. As panoramic technology becomes more advanced, some news media are pairing 360° panoramas with video to create an immersive experience.

Notably, CNN used interactive video panoramas to illustrate the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti. As the car moves along the street in the embedded video below, online viewers can click and drag the image to change the angle of the camera.



Immersive Media has even more video panoramas from Haiti, including interactive views of damaged streets and crumbling buildings.

The interactive video panorama below was created by Yellowbird, a Netherlands-based company that specializes in interactive 3D technology. BBC News (via) has a detailed explanation of video panoramas, including the special cameras used to create it.




Panoramic photography isn't limited to video. Interactive photo panoramas have become a popular tool among news media and photographers and don't require tons of money or complex equipment to create.

For example, The New York Times also created a panoramic view of Haiti by stitching together various photographs and importing them into Flash to create one long interactive panoramic image of Boulevard Jean-Jacques Dessalines. The unique effect pairs the impact of still photos with the sense of space communicated by panoramas.



There are many more interesting interactive panoramas on the web. Panoramas can be used to illustrate a variety of news stories such as this interactive image of a crowd gathered to see U.S. President Barack Obama speak in Berlin or this interactive image of Times Square on New Year's Eve. This 360° view of Prague, billed as the world's largest spherical panoramic photo, is hosted by 360cities.net which contains many other captivating panoramas.




While video panoramas are relatively new and require specialized equipment, photo panoramas can be created with just a few tools and a little bit of ingenuity. Check out this previous post for tips on creating interactive panoramas, including how to shoot them with your iPhone.


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• 21 Free online photo editing tools

Labels: photos, video

A film critic, while comparing director Alfred Hitchcock's cinematic style to that of modern movie makers, said that modern film relied too heavily on dialog to tell the story and less so on the other components of film such as audio and visual imagery. The same can be said for modern video journalism that relies on soundbites and interviews to communicate a story.

The following videos prove that you don't have to have clip after clip of an interviewee of telling the story for you — sometimes the story just tells itself.

Another night in Beijing

Escape From Tomorrow

Many video journalists sometimes default to narration, often recorded by the reporter, to summarize and further a video story. Narration, however, is sometimes not necessary to tell the story of the video. Even for packages where interviews make up the bulk of the content, the interviews can be edited together to create their own narrative without the added layer of narration to guide the viewer.

The clip below is an example of this sort of narrative structure and uses the natural quirks and gestures of its interviewees to set up and characterize the story.

PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death and God

Video storytelling at its worst can be pedestrian and uninventive. The best video steps away from traditional storytelling techniques to create video that is both captivating and captures the subject. When shooting and editing your video, consider how other elements such as audio and various framing techniques can be used to enhance the story or send a message to the viewer.


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• 5 Creative uses of Flash and interactive storytelling

Labels: video

Why spend money on expensive multimedia tools when you can use comparable alternatives for free? They may not be an exact replacement, but how can you argue with the price?

PHOTO EDITING: Photoshop
Free: Splashup

Photoshop may be the industry leader when it comes to photo editing and graphic design, but Splashup, a free online tool, has many of the same capabilities at a much cheaper price. Splashup has lots of the tools you'd expect to find in Photoshop and has a similar layout, which is a bonus for those looking to get started right away. Splashup isn't the only free online photo editing program, check out this list of 20 more.

WEB DESIGN: Dreamweaver
Free: KompoZer

Looking to create your next web site without paying big money for programs like Dreamweaver? KompoZer, a free web design program available for immediate download, is great for both novice web designers and professional webheads who need more advanced editing features.

VIDEO: Final Cut, Adobe Premiere
Free: iMovie, JayCut

Many video editors, both novice and professional, use iMovie to create professional-looking videos and an amateur price. The program is included on modern Macs as part of the iLife package and has the basic features editors need as well as few advanced extras such as detachable audio and image stabilization. JayCut is an online video editor that lets registered users upload and edit their video for free. You can even add photos, audio and effects to your project. The final edited video can be shared on the web or downloaded directly to a computer.

AUDIO: ProTools, Adobe Audition
Free: Audacity, GarageBand

Audacity is a comprehensive audio editor with many of the capabilities of its costly competitors. The program, which is available for a free download lets users record and edit everything from simple audio tracks to complex professional work. GarageBand, which is included on modern Macs along with iMovie and iPhoto, takes a simple approach to audio editing and has the added capability of creating enhanced podcasts with photos, chapter markers and more. Find even more free audio editing programs here.

SLIDESHOWS: Soundslides
Free: PhotoPeach

Until recently there was no other slideshow tool that could compete upload Soundslides' flexibility and easy-to-use interface...until now. PhotoPeach lets users upload and order photos using a drag and drop interface, upload an MP3 audio file from a computer, add captions for individual photos and embed the final slideshow anywhere on the net. All this is familiar to anyone who has ever used Soundslides, but PhotoPeach offers all this and more for free, making it a strong substitute for Soundslides.

INTERACTIVE MEDIA: Flash
Free: Effect Generator

Effect Generator, a free online tool, lets anyone create common Flash elements such as slideshows, graphics, and embedded videos. Once you've created your effect the generator emails a link where you can access the Flash file you created. The layout differs from Flash and takes some getting used to but is a great alternative, especially for those just starting to learn Flash.

WORD PROCESSING: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Free: Google Docs

Many of the programs and tools on this list are substitutions for existing program. With Google Docs, you'll never want to touch Microsoft Office again. The free online tool lets anyone with a Google account create documents, spreadsheets and presentations as well as share the document for collaborative editing or viewing. Google Docs is accessible from any computer with an internet connection or you can work offline or download your finished work directly to your computer. You can even upload your existing documents into Google Docs.




Also on 10,000 Words:

• 21 Free online photo editing tools
• Where to find free sound effects and royalty-free music
• How to edit your video online for free or cheap
• How to create, edit and embed audio for free
• Essential multimedia tutorials and resources for do-it-yourself training

Labels: audio, flash, photos, video

CNN, one of the most watched cable news networks in the US, is not shy about incorporating never-before-used technology into its coverage. Whether its the now iconic "Magic Wall" or the questionably useful live holograms, CNN is using technology today that may be the standard for newsrooms everywhere in the future.

iReport

CNN was one of the first major news networks to actively encourage its users to not just send in tips, but to become the reporters themselves, when it launched iReport in 2008. The site encourages citizen journalists to submit photos, video, and stories, some of which appear on-air and many more appear online. iReport is still going strong and to date has received hundreds of thousands of submissions from around the world.

YouTube Debates

CNN really kicked off its use of innovative technologies during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Instead of a traditional debate with a news anchor fielding the quesions, the YouTube debates encouraged users of the video-sharing site to submit their own questions for the candidates. While the questions themselves were pre-screened and selected, it did mark an important shift toward the incorporation of user-generated content into a traditional media framework.

The Magic Wall

Likely the most hyped touch screen device since the iPhone, CNN debuted the "Magic Wall" during its 2008 political coverage and used it to display zoomable maps, county-by-county statistics, and the locations of its field reporters. Watching CNN anchors use the Magic Wall was a little like watching other kids playing with a cool toy and while its usefulness was questionable (the technology was parodied by Saturday Night Live), it did bring life to otherwise boring data.

Live Holograms

Reporter Jessica Yellin and Black Eyed Peas frontman/Obama supporter will.i.am were given the Star Wars treatment and beamed into CNN's New York studio to chat live with CNN anchors — even though they were miles away in Chicago. While it technically wasn't a hologram, it did make many jaws drop and helped CNN stand out from an already crowded political news market.

"Balance of Power"

CNN used the holographic technology again earlier that night with a 3D representation of the US Capitol to illustrate how key Senate races could affect the balance of power. Cable news networks often use infographics to synthesize complex data, but not may of them have done so in 3D.

"The Moment"

During the 2009 presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, CNN asked users to send in their photos from the event as Obama was sworn in. More than 600 submissions were combined to create one high-resolution, interactive photo dubbed "The Moment." The incredible photograph was powered by Microsoft's relatively new Photosynth technology and illustrated how crowdsourcing and citizen journalism could be mixed with innovative technology to create a unique and outstanding result.

The Race to 1 Million

When television celebrity Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN to see who could be the first to reach 1 million followers on Twitter, the internet was abuzz, placing bets on both sides. Who would win old media or young upstart? The competition became more intriguing when it was revealed that CNN didn't actually own @cnnbrk, the username that was amassing the large number of followers. In the end, Kutcher won the bet and CNN now has one of the most followed Twitter accounts dedicated to breaking news.

#CNNfail

Twitter users turned the tables on CNN and called out the network for its lack of coverage of the recent Iran voting protests. Using the hashtag #cnnfail, a seemingly endless stream of tweets admonished the network to dedicate more airtime to the story. In the end CNN complied, ironically using Twitter itself as a source for news reports from the country.

Live Webcasts

Many news networks offer online clips of previous broadcasts arranged neatly in video channels. CNN takes the idea a step further by offering live online simulcast of its television broadcast as well as live streaming video during special events such as the funeral for pop star Michael Jackson and the hearings for US Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. The online video strategy proved to be popular during the 2009 inauguration when an estimated 7.7 million viewers watched the event online. To add another layer of technical wizardry, a list of related Facebook status updates were streamed in a sidebar adjacent to the video.




And here is a timeline of these landmark moments, created by Kevin Sablan at Almighty Link using Dipity. Many thanks to Kevin for creating this visual example.




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• CNN headlines themselves making news
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• 10 Inspirational New York Times multimedia and interactive features

Labels: citizen journalism, social networking, video

Now that YouTube is a household name and more and more users have taken to watching long-form video on sites like Hulu, the question isn't whether video on the web will thrive, but what the future of online video will look like. There are many news organizations and tech companies who are exploring the next wave of online video or using existing video technology in creative ways. Here are a few examples of whats new, now and next.

Map mashups have become a staple in newsrooms around the world, but Vidmap is taking the technology to the next level by marrying video with dynamic maps. The example video below shows a car traveling in Meissen, Germany while the map on the left tracks its exact route.



The technology is similar to what the New York Times incorporated into its multimedia piece on the city's marathon: a street-level video of the route that moved in tandem with an adjacent map of the city.

Dipity, the site where users can create their own embeddable timelines, already made it easy for users to plot video on a timeline. One of its latest projects, TimeTube, takes advantage of the technology, allowing anyone to input a search term and watch related YouTube videos arranged chronologically on a timeline.



Most collections of YouTube video that appear on any given site are likely one long string of videos embedded one after the other. To bring the periodic table of the elements to life, the University of Nottingham ditched the list format and instead made the periodic table itself interactive. When a user clicks on an element, an embedded video pops up that discusses and showcases that element in a series of compelling video clips.



Of course, one cannot discuss innovative online video without highlighting GOOD Magazine and its unique video offerings, available both on its site and on YouTube. GOOD isn't the first organization to create animation or motion graphics, but it is one of the few to use these technologies in a journalism context — whether it be visualizing Barack Obama's résumé or explaining the concept of "vampire energy" (below).




And then there's video itself. There are a wide range of video cameras out there, but journalists often limit themselves to the same few devices.

CBS 4 producer Gio Benitez used a story about the iPhone 3GS to show off the mobile device's video-shooting capabilities, using the phone itself to record interviews for the story. There is a noticeable quality difference, but what better way to illustrate new technology than to use the technology itself? Read more about the response to the story here.

Finally, another relatively new technology that few journalists have taken advantage of is high definition, slow motion photography. Broadcast news nowadays is anything but slow, but the web offers a unique opportunity for illustrating the world around us at a slower pace, allowing the user to soak in details that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.

Examples include this HD video clip from the BBC program "South Pacific" of a surfer riding a giant wave, shot in slow motion to illustrate the beauty of the experience. The Discovery Channel also used slow motion video to capture a great white shark attacking a seal, shot at 150th of its actual speed. And in a showreel designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the SprintCam V3 HD system, the video below of a rugby match and other events shows how sometimes slower is better.




Also on 10,000 Words:

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• A quick guide to interactive YouTube videos
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• How to shoot great video quickly and efficiently

Labels: video

YouTube videos have come a long way since Evolution of Dance. Instead of just staring at the computer screen, a new crop of videos are encouraging users to interact with them by clicking on links embedded within the video. Interactive YouTube videos are being used to create games and quizzes and their use is only limited to the imagination of their creators.

First some examples of the videos, then on how to how they are created. Viewing each video on the YouTube site itself is highly recommended.

Barack, Paper, Scissors

Bboy Joker

2009 Oscars Interactive Picture Photo Hunt!

Super Mario Slots

Interactive Card Trick

YouTube Interactive Spelling Bee

Interactive YouTube videos function a lot like Choose Your Own Adventure books wherein the action comes to a crossroads and the viewer is left to make a choice to determine how the story continues.

The combined effect is a seemingly infinite number of choices, but for interactive YouTube videos it is in fact very finite: a separate video has to be created for each choice (Barack, Paper, Scissors has at least 140 different videos and thus at least 140 different outcomes).

The interactivity is created by overlaying annotations on top of the video. Annotations were previously used solely as captions or speech balloons leading viewer to another site for more information related to the video. Now they are transforming YouTube from a static video player to a tool for engaging the audience. Check out YouTube's help section for more information on how to create annotations.

The uses of interactive videos by mainstream news organizations remain to be seen, but the technology is absolutely worth exploring. The most obvious use would be to create news games, but lets hear from you: how would you use interactive YouTube video? Share your thoughts in the comments.


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• Where to find the best in Flash journalism

Labels: video

Sure your fancy video camera cost $2,000, but can it record underwater? No? Well if you're feeling extravagant or just have some extra funds left in the budget check out these gadgets that will take your work to new heights.

ContourHD Wearable Camera

Other helmet cameras have been featured here before, none of which captured such sweet-looking high definition video. The ContourHD records in a 1280 x 720 pixel, widescreen format at 30 or 60 frames per second and records up to 8 hours of video and audio. Be sure to check out some of the video captured by satisfied customers.

($299.99 | B&H Photo)

ProTrack Handheld Audio Recorder for iPod

Turn your iPod or iPod Touch into a powerful recording machine with this cool add-on. The ProTrack has a built-in stereo microphone and requires no cords, but also has an XLR input for connecting external mics. The recorder also comes with a headphone jack and — for 20 bucks more — a nifty tripod.

($159 | B&H Photo)

GardenWatchCam

Perfect for the horticulturally-minded photojournalist, the GardenWatchCam is a time-lapse camera that can be placed anywhere to capture nature's beauty over time. The small camera is weather-resistant and can capture photos at seven different time settings. The 1.3-megapixel camera runs on AA batteries and connects to the computer's USB port.

($139.95 | Amazon)

SRV-1 Blackfin Mobile Surveillance Robot

Let this pint-sized robot camera do all your dangerous shooting for you. The tank-like camera operates wirelessly, shoots at up to 1280 x 1024 resolution and fits in the palm of your hand. The little guy moves a foot a second and can run for 4 hours on a single charge. The SRV-1 requires some knowledge of computer programming to operate, but because it can tread where no human dare go, it is worth the effort.

($474.99 | ThinkGeek)

Infrared Flashlight Video Recorder

Sometimes journalism takes you to some dark and mysterious places. You can use your regular camera's onboard light or just use this handheld flashlight that doubles as a video camera. The flashlight records up to 15 seconds of video at 30 frames per second or 500 photos at 640 x 480 resolution with its 128MB of built-in memory. All the footage shot is downloadable via your computer's USB port.

($399.95 | Hammacher Schlemmer)

Pet's Eye View Digital Camera

Entertain Fido's ambition to become a photographer with this compact camera that fits securely on your pet's collar. The digital camera can be set at 1, 5, or 15 minute-intervals and is perfect for gaining insight on the daily lives of animals. Note: expect lots of photos of fire hydrants and worn out couches.

($49.99 | ThinkGeek)


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Labels: audio, photos, video

With President Barack Obama's recent nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court, many are left wondering who are the justices and what exactly it is the Supreme Court. Thanks to the internet, the inner workings of the Court can be explained visually, bringing to life the centuries-old government institution.


In response to news of the nomination, Congressional Quarterly has detailed the sometimes lengthy nomination process in an easy to use interactive bar chart. The stages of each nominee's confirmation are lined up side-by-side to give the user an idea of the complicated process.



Congressional Quarterly also has a compelling slideshow of the history of Supreme Court nominees that is worth a look. Other news media that have taken the online slideshow approach include the Huffington Post, which showcases photos of Sotomayor's childhood and family, and Pinko Magazine, which, in a more humorous approach, selects the top 13 television judges Obama should have nominated to the vacant seat.



Earlier this month, the New York Times asked its online readers who they thought should be President Obama's pick for the court. Visitors were presented with an interactive graphic that contained bios of possible candidates. Readers overwhelmingly chose Sotomayor to replace Justice David Souter after his retirement.

Back in 2005, the Times published a comprehensive interactive graphic of major court decisions and the judges that presided over them that is still relevant today. The information is sortable by year or by issue.



PBS has a wealth of online information about the Supreme Court itself, including a video series that traces the history of the Court back to the early 1800s and a text-based timeline that reviews some of the major court cases. The site also hosts an interactive quiz that questions visitors on the Supreme Court cases that affect our daily lives.



CNN has an entire multimedia package devoted to the Supreme Court and Sotomayor's nomination, including videos, timelines and a photo of gallery of the eight remaining justices. HowStuffWorks also has several videos that detail the history of the Court.

With all this talk about the inner workings of the Supreme Court, wouldn't it be better to just to see it for yourself? The Oyez Project, the go-to online resource for all things SCOTUS-related, has virtual tours of the Supreme Court building, the courtroom and the justices' chambers. The 360° panoramic images are made possible by the internet and are an invaluable inside look that in the pre-internet age could only be described with text.




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Labels: flash, video

1. The White House

Just a few months ago, the new presidential administration was greeted with antiquated computers and technology that forbade access to social networks like Facebook or even outside email. Fast forward to today and there are now a variety of ways to connect and interact online with the White House.

The official White House site has been revamped and updated to include a blog to keep the world abreast of President Obama and crew. The site also contains a number of photo slideshows based largely on photos from the official Flickr photostream.



The White House's official YouTube channel contains loads of speeches and press briefings and — to dispel earlier allegations of technology favoritism — the same content is also available on Vimeo.

After Barack Obama's landmark use of social networking during his presidential campaign it should come as no surprise that the White House is also friending people across the world. The president's pad has more than 126,000 followers on Twitter and follows a number of government agencies, including FEMA and NASA.

The White House also has more than 205,000 fans on Facebook and the president himself has more than six million fans, more than anyone else on the site. The White House is also on MySpace, along with both President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden.

2. The Vatican

As highlighted in this month's issue of mental_floss magazine, The Vatican — the centuries-old religious institution — is also down with new technology.

The official newspaper of The Vatican, L'Osservatore Romano, is available online in several languages as are many programs from Vatican Radio. The official radio station of Vatican City also has podcasts available for listening or to download.


Flickr photo of Pope Benedict XVI by Paul Resh

The Vatican's official YouTube has almost 200 videos that range from morning prayers to papal visits. The Vatican even has its own iPhone app that contains prayers and scriptural readings and is available in six languages.

3. Major League Baseball

MLB has all the bases covered with its wide range of ways to follow games electronically. The most impressive offering is MLB.TV, a subscription service where baseball fans can watch live games online in high definition. The site streams 100 games a week to hundreds of thousands of subscribers and the quality is hard to match.

If you prefer your baseball on the go, MLB has a series of iPhone apps including MLB At Bat, where fans can find the latest scores, standings and schedules, and MLB World Series 2009, an interactive game that features all 30 MLB clubs.

The official MLB site contains various other ways to get your baseball fix, including a series of blogs, podcasts, video clips and photo galleries. There is also an official Facebook page where social networkers can step up to the plate.

4. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The FBI, America's hub of criminal investigation with a reputation for secrecy, recently announced a slew of online efforts that will make the agency more open and approachable.

The Bureau's official Twitter feed shares criminal alerts and press releases with its thousands of followers and similar content is shared on the official FBI Facebook page. The videos featured on the FBI's YouTube channel give an insider's view of such operations as bomb training and prostitution stings.



In an effort to spread news of and apprehend the fugitives on its famed Most Wanted List, the FBI also has several widgets available that anyone can embed on their blog, site or social network profile and apparently the new media approach is working. The widgets have directed more than 2.5 million people to the FBI website and the Most Wanted widget averages more than a thousand views a day, according to a press release.

The FBI even plans to take its Most Wanted list to Second Life where virtual visitors can keep tabs on real-life criminals.



Also on 10,000 Words:

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• Sports arenas: How to put a multimedia twist on traditional coverage

Labels: audio, photos, social networking, video, widgets

New York City...center of the universe. Okay not quite, but there are a lot of great multimedia stories and interactive projects emerging from the City that Never Sleeps.

There is perhaps no better way to take in the many landmarks of Manhattan than an aerial tour of the area. In today's economy, a helicopter ride perhaps isn't the most efficient means of transportation, but thanks to Pixelcase you can still take in magnificent views of the city. The interactive, panoramic photographs let users zoom across the New York skyline, above the noise and traffic. More on how to create similar panoramas here and here.



The following map of a horizonless Manhattan has been circulating around the internet for good reason: it is a unique take on the flat map we are so used to seeing. The map, created by London design studio Schulze & Webb, was created and fine-tuned using 3D imaging software.



The City Concealed, a project of THIRTEEN, explores some of the hidden gems of New York City through a series of online videos. Offbeat locales such as the tombs and catacombs of Green-Wood Cemetery and Brooklyn Navy Yard — places likely overlooked by even native New Yorkers — are profiled. (Link courtesy of @fgeorge)



While the sights and sounds of NYC are fascinating, it is the city's more than 8 million residents that bring it to life. Tough Times, a project created by students at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, uses a combination of print stories, Flash, audio slideshows and video to tell the stories of New Yorkers struggling with the current economic crisis.

For example, the harrowing story of Maisha Morales, a single mother from Brooklyn, is detailed in a print story, but her raw emotion emerges from the accompanying video. A thoughtful analysis of Morales' situation is explained in an easy-to-navigate Flash infographic.



Local publication amNY also has a comprehensive collection of interactive photo slideshows and video, including "Young and Muslim in NYC," a series of video interviews complemented by traditional print stories.



Of course, one cannot discuss multimedia in New York City without mentioning the New York Times. The new media powerhouse is known for its captivating projects that explore global and national issues, but some of its most intriguing are those that focus on the city itself.

One such example is One in 8 Million, a series of audio slideshows that explore the lives of average New Yorkers. Stories include those of Melissa Dixson, a painter turned taxidermist and Christian Hubert, a bicyclist who suffers from vertigo.



The project is reminiscent of the Going to the End of the Line photo story featured in this post. The project focused on stations at the end of train lines where most commuters never venture.

The Water Dance, another photo slideshow from the New York Times, takes a simple, often overlooked moment and visualizes it as a metaphor for humanity. The result is one of the most captivating multimedia pieces to emerge this year.



One point should remain clear: While New York attracts creative minds from all over the world, the city does not have a monopoly on multimedia journalism. Large papers like the New York Times may have vast resources, but compelling multimedia projects can be created by anyone anywhere.

Have a multimedia story or project you're proud of? Share it in the comments and it just might be featured here on 10,000 Words.


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Labels: audio, flash, maps, photos, video

Shooting great video doesn't have to be a time-consuming process. By streamlining your workflow and limiting the chance for mistakes, you can reduce the time needed to shoot and edit your masterpiece.


Pre-production

When breaking news hits, the videographer is tasked with grabbing the camera and running out of the door with little preparation and often a vague idea of what needs to be filmed. But for those video projects for which prep time is available, it is a good idea to brainstorm what the video should look like before you go out to shoot.

Take a minute to consider and jot down the various setups, interviews and shots you'd like to capture. For example, if the story is about a bake sale, consider interviews with the bakers, including shots of the baked goods, people eating them, etc. If you are so inclined, draw a storyboard but leave it open-ended as news videography is often subject to unforeseeable change. The story itself shouldn't be planned ahead, but at least by brainstorming, you'll have an ideas of what the shoot will entail.

For novice videographers, a good portion of the time wasted in the field is experimenting with the video camera's various settings. Before going on a shoot, become familiar with the camera and know how to quickly access essential features like white balance and focus.

Once you and the camera have become best friends, remember to bring its buddies along: a good set of headphones, the appropriate microphone(s) for your shooting situation and extra tapes and batteries just in case. Nothing drags down video production like having to run back to grab a missing piece of equipment.


In the field

Before you begin shooting, limit the amount of unusable video by testing your audio levels beforehand. Prior to an interview, have the subject speak naturally into the microphone for as long as it takes to determine that the audio quality is perfect. Audio meters can give you an idea if sound is indeed being recorded, but use headphones to be doubly sure and, if possible, keep them on for the duration of the shoot.

Cut down on the time spent in the edit room by only shooting what you need. Before you hit the record button ask yourself "Is this necessary for the end product or am I just bored or antsy?" An itchy trigger finger will result in loads of necessary film. On the other hand, shooting B-roll, or video footage used to supplement the main idea, is necessary to give the video some flavor and break up lengthy interviews. Just be cautious not to overshoot.

For those shots you do need, capture each one in close up, medium, and wide angle so you will have options when you finally begin editing. Additionally, be sure to hold each shot for at least 10 seconds to ensure the shot is usable. There is nothing worse than having a great shot that is rendered useless because it is too short. If the video is intended exclusively for the web, concentrate on close ups as it is harder to make out important details on a relatively small computer screen.

The human brain is by nature forgetful so while you are shooting, create a log of your shots which will reduce the time spent looking for them later. Feel free to note whether a shot was good or bad and if it should be included in the final product. Once finished, label your tapes so they can be easily located.



The edit room

It's tempting to walk away from the edit bay as your video is being imported, but depending on its length, it is good idea to keep an eye on what has been shot, even if you have kept a detailed log. This will help in quickly identifying whether a shot turned out good or bad and will serve as a reminder of the sequence of events.

Most experts agree that online video should be at the most 4 to 5 minutes in length to ensure that it is watched from beginning to end by finicky web viewers. When editing, include succinct soundbites and be sure that interviewees are not repeating the same points. Avoid time spent selecting fancy transitions and wipes by just omitting them altogether. Include only what is absolutely necessary to tell the story and makes for compelling video.


Thanks to @danielday for suggesting today's post.


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Labels: video

As the economy continues to take a turn for the worse, many media organization and citizen journalists are finding creative and innovative ways to explain the complex factors that contribute to the slump.

USA Today uses a Flash-based map to compare homeowners who took on large amounts of debt to purchase a new home in 2000 versus 2007. Viewers of the interactive project can use a scrubber to toggle between the two years and make direct comparisons.



The New York Times also uses a scrubber to illustrate the ups and downs (but mostly downs) of the nation's stocks and commodities in 2008. Along with facts and figures, the interactive also provides a chilling narrative that explains the dwindling numbers.

Nothing's scarier than a sea of red, whether it's tons of edits scribbled in red ink or an indicator of a declining stock market. The S&P 500 Heatmap is a visual representation of the stock index that more cleverly illustrates just how bad things are.



MapLib takes the stock market/mapping idea in another direction with its Google Maps mashup of the world's financial centers. Bad news is it's red all over the world.



CNN has blended video of the everyday people who have been affected by the economic downturn with an interactive map of the unemployment rates, job losses and foreclosure rates in each of the 50 states. The project puts a face on what otherwise would be a series of sobering numbers.



The Crisis of Credit Visualised by Johnathan Jarvis is a unique video that explains one cause of economic woes through motion typography and animation. And because even a global financial meltdown sounds great when put to song, "Mortgage Crisis Blues" aural interpretation of why many homeowners found themselves in more debt than they could afford is depressing, yet catchy.



The New York Times asks "Has your portfolio plummeted? So has ours." It would be funny if it wasn't both serious and true. Nevertheless, the Times' "Calculate Your Financial Comeback" lets users input a set of variables, including current portfolio value, to determine how long it will take to recover from financial lows. The time span can be either heartbreaking or optimistic, depending on the answer returned.


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Labels: database, flash, maps, video

News photography at its core illustrates concepts that cannnot be conveyed through the written word. As such, some of the most basic but compelling stories can be told through a series of photos.

"Boxer" is an example of such a photo story: Photographer Nicolai Howalt captures adolescent pugilists before and after their bouts. In print, the story read something like "Little Johnny's cropped blond locks were now wild and tussled," but by comparing the two photos side by side, viewers can form their own reactions.



The same simplistic approach can be seen in AirlineMeals.net, a photo project that catalogs thousands of modern and historic food offerings. The site serves as a unique database for those who wish to know their culinary fate before they board the plane.

As technology enters into the picture, the possibilities for still-based photography become even more open. Photographer Nicole Young set up her Nikon D200 to take intermittent snapshots of her time cleaning her kitchen. While the resulting video sounds simple, it is evidence that time-lapse photography is a great way to document events as they happen over time. The same time lapse idea was applied by father Francis Vachon to capture his very active infant son, the results of which are humorous, yet enlightening.



Some of the best ideas are the most simple. Greg Peverill-Conti aims to photograph 1,000 faces and naturally uses Flickr as the place to host the collection. While there are few criteria of who gets photographed, the idea could easily translate into a news project that captures the faces of a particular community.




Simon Høgsberg, whose work was previously covered in this previous post, has created "We're All Gonna Die - 100 meters of existence," a 100-meter long panoramic photograph of 178 people shot in the same spot over the course of 20 days.




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• Photojournalism: Where to find the best in news photography
• Create brilliant multimedia projects from the mundane

Labels: photos, video

It's easy to take good video for granted until you've seen bad video: the poorly shot, poorly lit, shaky kind that makes any viewer cringe. Here are some of the worst offenses in videography:

1. Everything looks blue or orange

Video shot outdoors looks blue, while video shot indoors is a puke-colored orange.

Solution: Off-color video is often a result of unbalanced color temperature (see an example here). Use the camera's white balance feature — usually a single button or found in the features menu — to counteract the offending color.

2. Zooming back and forth during shots

Many video newbies have a trigger finger when it comes to the zoom button: static action is happening but the videographer repeatedly zooms in and out.

Solution: Let go of that zoom button! The temptation exists to do something with the camera if, for example, a person is talking for an extended period of time. But using the zoom too often can be distracting and result in mismatched edits.

3. Video alternates between clear and blurry

You've seen it before. There's some action happening in the video and as the subject moves the video becomes blurry and out of focus.

Solution: Most consumer-level cameras come with the autofocus feature turned on, which means anytime something moves in the video, the camera will try to regain focus, resulting in a blurred image. If you anticipate any sort of quick movements, turn off the autofocus which is usually found in the camera menu.

4. Jumpcuts

He's over here, now he's over there! If video begins to resemble stop-motion animation, something has gone incredibly wrong.

Solution: Zoom out and keep the action in frame. Refrain from stopping and starting the camera between continuous shots.

5. Subject of video is off-kilter, unbalanced or cut off

Something is weird about the video. It's tough to pinpoint, but it has to do with the framing of the subject.

Solution: One of the biggest mistakes when shooting video is ignoring the rule of thirds and the concepts lead room and headroom. Learn the basics of video composition from any book or online resource.

6. Excessive ascending or descending shots

The subject in the video is sitting down, but the camera is towering over him/her/it. Or the camera is at a low angle, making the subject look like a frightening giant.

Solution: Good video — especially the kind of video used in a journalistic context — should be shot at eye level. This means raising or lowering the tripod so that it is at the same level of the subject being shot.

7. Video looks like it was shot during an earthquake

The video won't stop shaking and is making the viewer nauseous.

Solution: Unless you're going for the Cloverfield style of videography, use a tripod whenever possible. If you don't have one, try low-budget tricks like placing the camera on a stack of books or leaning against a wall while holding the camera.

8. Video is dark and grainy

Nothing makes video more unwatchable than not being able to actually see anything.

Solution: Video shouldn't be a Rorschach test. Videographers should make use of a light kit or at the very least turn on a nearby lamp.

9. Audio is drowned out by ambient noise

The main character or interviewee is saying something deeply profound...but the sound of passing cars, honking horns or violent wind is drowning them out.

Solution: Get thee a microphone! The built-in microphones that come with most video cameras will pick up every sound in the area, but using a cardioid or unidirectional microphone will pick up only the sound you want to hear.


Once you've mastered the basics of online video, check out blogs like Video 2 Zero and MultimediaShooter to learn even more about what makes great video.


Also on 10,000 Words:
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Labels: video