Multimedia Reporting

The first person that popped into my head to interview was Levar Thomas, owner of Iconic Coffee in Hackensack. He exuded such joy and pride in the shop that I want to know more of his story. He also mentioned that he changes the imagery on the shop walls often so those should photograph well.

For this assignment, I’ll be visiting either Animal Haven or a Cat Cafe. My main focus will be on how these organizations help and protect these animals. I will talk to either an owner, manager or worker to find out the process of adoption and how they choose the right families for these pets in need of a good home. For the Cat Cafe I will speak to either an owner or manager about how this type cafe came to be and how it benefits the cats and kittens as well as the patrons.

The Eras Tour: An Immersive Movie Experience Connects Thousands of Swifties

HOST INTRO: After a five year hiatus from touring, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was highly anticipated by her fans as this tour uncovered a  “journey through [all her] musical eras.” Swift describes this  tour as the most “electric experience” of her life, and therefore decided to bring the immersive film to the big screens. Fans from all over the world are taking Swift’s suggestion of “[singing and dancing], eras attire, and friendship bracelets,” and are turning their movie theaters into full blown concert-esque experiences. Patricia Prado spoke with individuals from both ends of the screenings, a movie theater crew member and an audience member/Taylor Swift fan.

TRACK: I am here at AMC 19th Street East 6 in New York City with a crew member, Janese Fall. Fall shares what it was like for her and her fellow crew members as they prepared to welcome fans to the Eras Tour movie. An immersive film experience that was highly anticipated by Taylor Swift’s fans, who are better known as “swifties.” 

ACT – JANESE: I worked the Friday night that it opened, and it was an increasing amount of people. I think almost everyone that was coming was for Taylor Swift. We had to prep a lot extra beforehand. We were also selling merch from the Eras tour so we had to prepare for that as well. We also did the bracelet thing, all of our crew members had bracelets on and we were trading with the customers.

TRACK: In reference to lyrics in Swift’s song “You’re On Your Own Kid,” in which states: “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.”

SOUND: Taylor Swift performing her song, “You’re On Your Own Kid,” from the “Surprise Song” portion. This sound clip was taken from the Eras Tour Movie screening at AMC 19th East 6 at 8 pm, the screening I attended on October 14, 2023. 

TRACK: As heard in the audio clip, from my 8 pm screening on October 14th at AMC 19th East 6, It is clear that swifties have taken it upon themselves to make this tradition. To curate friendship bracelets to trade amongst each other at her shows, and of course, the film experience was no different. Through these bracelets, fans have the ability to connect with others and form a community with fellow Taylor Swift enthusiasts at events such as these that celebrate the artist and her music.

TRACK: For some fans, the movie was a similar rerun of the show they attended, while for others this was their Eras Tour experience due to the difficulty in securing Eras Tour tickets. 

Through this immersive movie and concert-like experience, Swifties were provided an environment in which they were able to comfortably dance, cry, and sing their hearts out to their favorite songs from the ten “eras’ of Swift’s discography. Due to the audience’s high energy and enthusiasm, they are often seen as “too loud” and disruptive as their screams and singing can be heard by audience members in other showing rooms. The following audio clip has been provided to me by Khushi Gupta, a Baruch student I interviewed. This audio clip is from an evening screening at AMC Empire 25 at Times Square in New York on opening night, October 13, 2023.

SOUND: Fans screaming and singing along to “Blank Space,” at an opening night, 7 pm screening at AMC Empire 25 at Times Square in New York. 

ACT – JANESE: I’ve heard it (fans singing) and I’ve also had people from theaters next door come up to us and tell us like “Oh I can’t hear the movie because all I hear is Taylor Swift.” My managers have tried to lower the volume for the concert, but that’s not really going to help. Especially when it’s a concert. People are going to be singing and dancing. 

TRACK: This singing and dancing was prevalent when Baruch student Khushi Gupta attended a screening in AMC’s Times Square location. Gupta is a Communications and English double major who is also the president and founder of Baruch’s Fan Society club. Prior to the movie, Gupta was able to first experience the Eras Tour at Metlife Stadium on May 28th. When asked to describe her experiences (both concert and film) and rate her theater experience from one to ten, the immersive film was almost a perfect ten to her.

ACT – KHUSHI: A 9.5, because I broke a nail in the movie theater. So I was really sad about that, but apart from that, because I was getting up to dance but then I tripped over a seat. Just the experience in general, I’ve seen so many movies, never like this. again I don’t know how Taylor does it. She makes her concerts seem like something we’ve never seen before. Her production value is unlike any other concert I’ve ever been to. And the movie experience, people were dancing. There was this couple in the corner slow-dancing to “Lover,” it was so cute.

TRACK: Gupta attended the movie with both her mother and sister, decked out in their previously purchased merch from both the tour and Swift’s “Red (Taylor’s Version) album release.

ACT – KHUSHI: We were all dressed in merch and we got compliments from other people. It was a really fun night, and it cemented our bond together as a family but also coming together to see Taylor. In the movie theater itself, there was no judgment from anyone, no one was telling us to sit down or not make too much noise. Everyone was like enjoying seeing Taylor but also seeing the happiness that other people were experiencing.

TRACK: If Gupta could use three words to describe it all, she’d use the following:

ACT – KHUSHI: Powerful, emotional, and an experience. 

TRACK: In an Instagram post, Taylor Swift stated that the Eras Tour movie is a “film that so vividly captures my favorite adventure I’ve ever been a part of: The Eras Tour. And the best part is, it’s an adventure we’re still on together.” The Eras Tour movie will be in theaters until January 2024, inviting fans to continue to produce “joyful chaos,” as Swift describes it. For Baruch College, I’m Patricia Prado.

I want to do a story on an up-and-coming fashion designer who creates most of her works through upcycling. I would follow and interview her as she designs (sketches, pulls different thrifted patterns and textures she might want to work with)/creates a new garment. Think of it almost like one of those “day in the life” YouTube videos.

FIIZ: The electric pop duo. The two girls are in their 20s, pursuing their passion for music making. Their brand is colorful and exciting with flashing lights and blurry pictures. I will follow them around for a day and show how they incorporate their music into an ordinary day in NYC.

Host Introduction: Recent trends reveal an exciting shift in study habits among college students: the rising popularity of “study music.” This phenomenon has increasingly gained traction over the past few years, suggesting that students seek new ways to enhance their studying efficiency. Google Trends data shows a rise in interest in studying music since November 18, 2018, with notable peaks on September 26, 2020, and December 10, 2022. This growing trend raises intriguing questions about the effectiveness of music in academic settings. Shamar Alleyne has asked students about their musical preferences during study sessions, probing whether they gravitate towards the lyrical or instrumental and the underlying reasons for their choices.

Narration 1: Within the Newman Library at Baruch College, I meet Baruch freshman Jon Rydler. Jon shares that lyrics can be a source of motivation during his study sessions. He also expresses a strong liking for the rapper Tyler, the Creator.

Jon: Its tough decision because when I listen to Tyler I like to listen most of his beats and it’s very uplifting, energetic and fast going at times, there just some songs that are more lyrical that I like to listen to words that put in a thinking set of mood, making me think about the work that I am doing or in general what I am doing in my life.

Narration 2: In the vertical building of baruch college, Michelle Moo shares her preference for lo-fi music in her study routine.

Michelle Moo: When I am studying, I listen to more instrumental music just cause I can have more of deep focus. Whereas lyrical I get distracted by the lyrics and won’t get any work done. But Instrumental music helps me calm my nerves cause it don’t me feel as overwhelm as when I am by myself or have other background noises. Um I listen to lo-fi music were has it doesn’t have lyric but a beats and melody to help me study better.

Narration/sound: Lofi music as a sound byte.

Narration 3: Venturing further into the realm of study music, we encounter the distinct type of study music called lo-fi. According to Forbes, Lo-fi music, recognized as a subgenre of downtempo electronic music, is characterized by its laid-back vibe and hip-hop beats. It has recently surged in popularity as a preferred genre for work and study environments. However, for students like Branden Oppendisano, lo-fi isn’t the only choice for studying music.

Braden: I like a lot hip – hop and rap, I think I usually listen to lyrical but I’m more productive on instrumental. When I am calmer, I am better at studying and helps me retain knowledge.

Narration: Observing students at Baruch College, we’re witnessing a trend many are increasingly relying on instrumental music to aid their studies. But it’s not just student experiences that highlight this; Healthline.com’s did a study that outlines benefits of study music like stress reduction, motivation enhancement, and improved focus. Furthermore, a 2007 study shows classical music can help the brain process and understand new information more effectively. In the Newman Library’s computer lab, Brentley Britton shares his preference for specific music types to sharpen his concentration during a study session.

Brentley: I listen to more instrumental because lyrical I feel like i have to listen what the rapper is saying whereas instrumental I can vibe out because it more calm and it makes me focus more while I’m studying.

Outro: As finals draw near, I hope this information enhances your next study session. Shamar Alleyne signing off.

Host intro: With increasing tensions in Kashmir where Indian military presence, according to Samaa News, “has been implicated in numerous inhumane and unethical actions in Kashmir”. Kashmiris are struggling with blockades that forces them to be contained with the ongoing violence. Demonstrators took it to the streets of the United Nations to protest in the pouring rain for the liberation of Kashmir from Indian forces. Madina Amber spoke to the organizers of the rally about their goals for their protest movement. 

Ambi: transitions to pouring rain and faded chanting to a quite indoor setting, fade down as track begins

Track: I’m here with Mohammed Asaad Raza Saifi, coordinator of the Sufi Peace Forum and the Raza Foundation, inside his Brooklyn apartment sitting warm and comfortably scrolling through the pictures on his phone of the rally. 

Act: Mohammed: It’s an opportunity to have like-minded people together for the cause of greater good for society, for the world and for humanity.

Track: He says standing in front of the United Nations was a unique experience.  

Act: Mohammed: people like to call it the headquarters for the world. So it’s a very symbolic place where people for decades have been protesting and voicing their concerns and their issues for various reasons.

Track:  He says he saw the rain as another symbol.

Act: Mohammed: so I mean for us what is rain going to do? Rain is not a bit of harm to us compared to the things those people are going through. So it also in a way it’s kind of a kind of our sympathies with them to show that we’re willing to do the most we can for them.

AMBI: sounds of chanting  and rain faded down as track begins

Track: In the midst of the rain, demonstrators were huddled together passing hot tea to each other. Under an umbrella held by Mohammed also stood Dr. Pir Syed Muhammad Ali Raza Bukhari. Dr. Bukhari is Parliamentarian of Azad Kashmir and Chairman of the Sufi Peace Forum and the Raza Foundation. Later, I was able to speak with him personally inside Mohammed’s home.

Act: Dr. Bukhari: So it was a great day and it was really amazing experience that our part of the rally, it was powerful experience. And witnessing the collective efforts to raise voices in the support of justice and human rights.

Track: he mentions how his position as a parliamentary leader plays a role.

Act: Dr. Bukhari: So being a Kashmiri parliamentarian my presence at, uh, UN headquarters to bring global attention to the plight of the people of Jammu Kashmir because they’re struggling for their, uh, fundamental right, right to self-determination. …. and their demand is that United Nations should play its role and UN should implement its, uh, security consult resolution on Kashmir.

Track: Kashmir is divided into regions where Azad Kashmir being influenced by Pakistan and Jammu Kashmir being under Indian influence. For over seven decades after the independence of the Indo-Pak region there has been ongoing tensions over who should be able to control what. And the people that are occupied are struggling to speak up as India’s government has placed restrictions on internet and media services. “The Indian government’s alleged involvement in widespread killings and ethnic cleansing of innocent Kashmiris has raised international concerns” (Samaa). 

Act: Mohammed: Dr. Bukhari’s background is very interesting too…I was told that he’s ancestry has been full for 300 years in that region.So working with him there’s a lot of insight a lot of in different ways with his cultural on the ground and there’s a lot of insight on how day-to-day life is on both sides of Kashmir.

Track: Dr. Bukhari, alongside Mohammad, talked about working with a young person like him. 

 Act: Dr. Bukhari: Well, having, you know, a young individual like Mohammed Asaad Raza at the demonstration adds a refreshing perspective and energy to the cause…being a Kashmiri is our duty that we should join this sort of events, but… I’m grateful to the friends of Kashmir to the, uh, youngsters because…it’s really great thing because they’re supporting and they’re raising their voices in the support of, uh, humanity.

Track: The rally was made up of over 50 people representing from New York to Maryland and as far as overseas back to Kashmir. Organizations such as the Sufi Peace Forum represented the voice of silenced Kashmiris for the cause of freedom from oppression and through their charity, the Raza Foundation, aimed to help raise funds to help those who are impacted from the conflict.

Act: Mohammed: He’s been very vocal at a very very young age back to my point of the youth being involved in such matters that at a young age…the youth is the future and especially in this day of age…it’s pretty much at your fingertips… so as the younger generations come by and start to understand this cause it will obviously have a more steadier and heavier impact on causes as to for example in Kashmir issue also any causes that are similar to it.

Track: Dr. Bukhari chimes in

Act: Dr. Bukhari: Because this issue of Kashmir is not just a political issue, but a humanitarian issue…. So it’s a really great thing that we have to come together as a, a united community, and we have to raise our voices for the peace. So in this way, we can create a peaceful world for all.

Act: Mohammed: So it’s very important that people should care. And support a cause like this and it’s not just Kashmir it could be a Palestinian issue or it could be any other issue throughout the world that has the same problem where people are being oppressed. So the whole purpose of this cause and why people should care for it is to fight oppression.

Track: Dr. Bukhari and Mohammed will continue to look forward in the future for other events to attend to assist with humanitarian work of those living in oppressed circumstances. For Baruch College, I’m Madina Amber.

Reminders and Upcoming Dates

Video pitches due on Thursday. (A 2-3 minute, character-driven, non-narrated video.

Here are a couple of student videos for inspiration:

This last one was made for the advanced multimedia reporting class I typically teach once a year. If any of you are interested in pursuing video further, I recommend looking into this class.

The classic sequence that every budding videographer learns when starting out is the five-shot sequence.

• Close-up on the hands.
• Close-up on the face.
• Medium shot.
• Over the shoulder shot.
• One additional creative angle.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=h1QeTIWqQwA%3Ffeature%3Doembed

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SUjnEc6Ak6o%3Ffeature%3Doembed

You won’t always edit things in this exact way when you do a sequence in the real world; sometimes it’ll only be three shots, or it might be ten, and they might be in a different order. But the five-shot sequence is a useful framework for thinking about depicting an activity clearly and engagingly with video.

DSLR Camera Settings
…and how we apply these settings to video

White Balance

You can always use auto white balance on the fly or if you’re uncertain as to the light temperature. The problem with AWB though is that it can change when light changes, even a little bit. So if you’re shooting a person talking and they lean forward, the colors in your shot could potentially take on a different tint.

• White balance will only appear in the menu as an option if you’re not shooting in Auto.
• There are little pictures in the camera to help you with white balance.

• The picture of the light bulb is TUNGSTEN LIGHT. Tungsten light is most indoor light (except for FLUORESCENT LIGHT, which has its own setting)—lamps, non-fluorescent overhead light, most stage lights, etc. Tungsten light is ORANGE. So when you tell your camera you are shooting in this orange Tungsten light, it corrects for it by adding what is at the opposite end of the color wheel (blue).
• The picture of the sun is for outdoor light, or KELVIN LIGHT. Kelvin light is BLUE, so the camera corrects for it by adding orange. There are also pictures for different gradations of light (i.e. shade, cloudy).

• You can also MANUALLY set your white balance in numbers based on the KELVIN SCALE. This is very useful for two-camera shoots where you want the light temp of both cameras to match.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iu1LxvYUXZo%3Ffeature%3Doembed

EXPOSURE

When you are controlling for exposure, that means you’re telling the camera how much light to let in.

What overexposure looks like.

When using a DSLR, there are THREE WAYS to tell the camera how much light to let in

• Shutter speed
• ISO
• Aperture (F-stop)

SHUTTER SPEED

• For still photos, the shutter speed is important because it tells the camera in what way you want it to freeze motion (do you want a bike whizzing by to be a blur in the photo or do you want it to be completely frozen so you can see every detail?) Since we are shooting moving images, we don’t have to worry about this. For video, as a rule of thumb, you want your shutter speed to be double the number of frames per second you are recording. Since with these cameras, we’ll be shooting in 30 frames per second, WE SET OUR SHUTTER SPEED AT 1/60.

• We shoot with our shutter speed at 1/60 probably 99% of the time. However, to let more light in in a low-light situation, you can get away with setting your shutter speed at 1/30.  DON’T SET IT LOWER THAN 30 BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE YOUR IMAGE STUTTER.
• If it’s really bright out or you’re shooting a performance with hot stage lights and you want to let in less light, you can, however, set your shutter speed higher than 60 (in multiples of 30—so you can set it at 90, 120, etc.)

ISO

 ISO tells your camera sensor how much light to let in.

• THE HIGHER YOUR ISO NUMBER, THE MORE LIGHT YOU ARE LETTING IN.
• Remember, with DSLRs it is always a give and take, push and pull relationship with letting in light and image quality. So the higher your ISO number, the grainier your image.
• In general, if you are outside you’re using a lower ISO (like 100 – 320) since outdoor light is brighter, and inside you’re using a higher number (like 800 – 1600) since indoor light is weaker.
• Generally if you use an ISO 2000 or higher you start to see grain on these cameras (although that doesn’t mean you should never do it.) 

APERTURE (F-STOP) 

• F-stop tells your lens how much light to let in
• THE LOWER YOUR F-STOP NUMBER, THE MORE LIGHT YOU ARE LETTING IN
• The other important thing your f-stop controls is your DEPTH OF FIELD
• DEPTH OF FIELD: the distance between the nearest and the farthest objects in a shot that appear in focus.
• The LOWER your f-stop number, the SHALLOWER your depth of field.
• The HIGHER your f-stop, the DEEPER your depth of field (i.e. more is in focus)
• Even though a shallow depth of field looks really cool and cinematic, you have to ask yourself if it is serving the story well. There are absolutely storytelling reasons you would want everything in the shot in focus and other storytelling reasons you would want only a small portion of the shot in focus.
• MAINTAINING FOCUS WHEN SHOOTING WITH A SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD IS WHAT TRIPS A LOT OF PEOPLE UP. At f/2.8, for example, your subject’s eyes might be in focus, but the tip of her nose is not. If she moves forward even half an inch, her eyes are no longer in focus. So you have to be on your toes at all times shifting the focus ring to maintain focus on her when she leans in to tell you that juicy secret, or your moment is lost.

The relationship between the ISO and the f-stop is what you’re always negotiating when deciding what to shoot.

The LCD screens on our cameras skew a little dark, so it is easy to OVEREXPOSE (let too much light in so your shot is blown out—similar to blowing out your audio because your mic levels are up to high, or “too hot.)

But if you can master depth of field, you can use pull-focus or rack focus shots to great effect.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I-N_7QXA6xE%3Ffeature%3Doembed

FOCUS

 It is really easy to shoot video that is OUT OF FOCUS with these cameras. If your stuff isn’t in focus, you just wasted a lot of people’s time. So pay attention to focus at all times.

• Use the focus ring on the lens to shift focus (turn ring with your elbow down, not sticking out sideways)
• Zoom in all the way on your subject and focus, then zoom back out to your desired framing; the subject will stay in sharp focus

Once again, I’ll remind you of the importance of good audio:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-PLMiA18tBc%3F

Thanksgiving Break Assignment:

Shoot a 30- to 45-second interview clip and a five-shot sequence of that person doing something. Make sure the raw video is available to you by class time on Tuesday the 28th, our next class after Thanksgiving. We will be using these materials in our video editing workshop.

In the interest of efficiency, this CAN be someone from your main video assignment if that works with your planned shooting schedule—you can just use a short piece of your interview.