Multi-Media Training: Live Blogging with Elizabeth Daza

Multi-media Training/JAWS 2008
Three Quick Tips for Multimedia Stories on the Web:
1. Knowing what is a multi-media story. (not the same text of the story in two
media elements…there is MORE to it!)
Examples: Showing Chinese consumerism by touring stores, etc.

2. The web IS NOT television. (Examples: A story for National Geographic on the
last-known hunter-gatherer tribe where photos were a bit raw. It’s OK for
things to be raw.

3. Learn to drive people to multi-media. Think about teaser lines…gives them
things that they cannot see…until they hit the website. “See the Greenest
House on Earth.” “The Cost of Raising an Olympian”

Shooting Video with Elizabeth Daza (MSN Money):

Major Dos and DO NOTS
1. Always white balance…program camera to register people in the room…regardless
of the lighting of the room. (Panasonic 3Chip Camera/DVH)
a. Tell the camera WHAT IS WHITE.
b. Zero in on something white and tell the camera… (read manual about making
this happen)
c. Make sure it is registered

2. FRAMING
a. Key for all web work. Make sure there is not TOO much headspace, etc.
b. Man on the street interview: Focus in, zoom in on the person speaking to the
reporter. It is fine if reporter is off-camera.

3. FOCUSING
a. Zoom in all the way and THEN FOCUS. Then zoom out. Your picture will then
be focus despite the zoom…..WOW.
b. This only works if your subject is in one-place…no movement action. If you
are doing movement shots, use the auto-focus.

4. MICs
a. ALWAYS remember to do an audio check.
b. Make sure you HAVE audio. Make sure you adjust audio levels that way. Read
your manual.
c. Never go in the red.
d. If there is an internal mic, think about whether you want to disable this mic
(if you are using a lav). Some of this can be edited post-shoot but not
always…. Sometimes the camera will understand these two audios and convert
them into two channels.

5. GAIN
a. Know your gain function. This can open the camera’s sensitivity to
light….allowing that more light comes into the frame.