What makes good audio, and how do you get it? How do you know which photos should accompany certain audio clips?
Aligning two different media isn’t always easy, and it’s more challenging if neither is a format you’re very comfortable with. Multimedia Producer Lindsay Lazarski talked about some of that when she guest-lectured last week. Refer to that discussion and the one-sheet she handed out as you work on your story.
Assignment requirements
Produce a 60- to 90-second audio slideshow on your beat. This should follow the examples Lindsay showed us in class, and the storytelling approach we’re taking this semester. Consider this more a very short documentary than something you’d see on TV news. Decide if you want to narrate or let the story tell itself, but you shouldn’t include any kind of sign-off (I’m John Smith reporting for Temple University!)
You need one or two human sources (this is to be determined by your pitch). Non-human resources can be used but are not required. These human sources need a first-degree connection to the story. Non-human sources should be worked into the project through text or narration.
You need a variety of compelling images and audio clips, and should not use the same photo twice. Take several shots at varying angles to create a robust gallery of photos to choose from.
All audio and visuals must be your own work. We will not be using Creative Commons material for this assignment.
All human sources need to be identified by first and last name, and some title or other information to convey their relevance to the story. Use lower thirds.
Upload your completed audio slideshow to YouTube. Give your video a compelling web-friendly headline and fill out the description field. Create a WordPress post with a headline and intro text to describe your video. Add a photo you took for the assignment at the top of the most, and make sure it’s properly sized and aligned. Embed your video below the description you wrote. Your video should appear as an embed, not a link. Follow these instructions to make sure your video displays properly.
Grading
- 3 points off for headlines that don’t meet the requirements
- 5 points off for a missing YouTube description
- 2 points off for spelling and grammar errors
- 2 points off for failure to properly identify sources (human and non)
- 3 points off for editing errors (obvious jump cuts, bad audio levels)
- 3 points off for not tweeting your published WordPress link
- 5 points off for not sending contact information for sources
- 10 points off for missing sources or sources that don’t meet the requirements
- 10 points off for factual errors
- 30 points off for incorrect spelling, punctuation or capitalization of a source
Deadline
Stories should be published no later than 3 p.m. March 10. All elements must be present at publishing time for the assignment to be completed. Assignments no posted by deadline without clear communication with me beforehand of a hardship will result in an automatic zero. Email me the link to your tweet about your story, and the contact information for your human source(s).
Temple University Multimedia Storytelling 