Intro to Advanced Video Journalism

Image: Nyasha Kadandara

Introduction

Here’s me.

Video journalism has changed a lot in recent years. The arrival of DSLR cameras that also shoot video meant that a dozen years ago, it was suddenly affordable to shoot and edit a 1080p HD video as a “one-man-band” and the quality of the resulting product would blow editors away.

These days, with the sudden ubiquity of 4K and beyond cameras and other advances in technology, video has become a bit of an arms race—it’s become more expensive to stay competitive. There are still plenty of outlets that will hire you if you’re shooting on a Canon 5D (DSLR) or equivalent, but more and more are looking for a higher-end cinema camera. Many outlets are also looking for someone who can deliver extra bells and whistles like drone footage. But there are rental options like KitSplit that have popped up to help you work at that high level without having to go deep into credit card debt. And video tends to pay better than print or still photography, so it has that going for it as well.

The advent of the streaming era has also given rise to a golden age of documentaries. There is a lot of prestige and money in documentary films and docu-series these days, especially those shot in verité style. I’m currently in talks with National Geographic to have Baruch host a screening of “The Territory,” which just premiered at Sundance.

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Now your turn: What are you hoping to get out of this class, and what sort of video storytelling interests you? Feature-length documentaries, dream job (VICE? BuzzFeed? NYT? Independent filmmaker?), subject matter, style, breaking news, short docs… what would you like to do?

Syllabus

Advanced Video Journalism

Please note that the schedule on this syllabus will be ever-evolving, with  dates subject to change based on availability of guests, etc. so please refer to this site for up-to-date due dates and scheduling. I will be posting class agendas each time we meet with updated and detailed info on assignments, due dates, etc.

A Sampling of Short Documentaries

For next class…

Set up a Vimeo account with photo and bio if you don’t already have one.

Please bring your memory card because we will be doing a hands-on workshop with the cameras, and you’ll be signing yours out for the semester (assuming that we stay at an enrollment of 12).