Month: May 2021

https://youtu.be/AkKscGWNZXI

 

 For such a short movie, Extremis was such a powerful film. I honestly heard the title and had no clue what it was going to be about. I think the first scene introduced the topic quickly but smoothly because we were brought into full emotion. The first scene was in a hospital room and you can tell everyone is upset because of how the camera angles were able to get up close shots showing a lot of emotions in everyone’s face. Donna’s family was so upset at seeing her miserable in tubes but they were confused about what they should do because the tubes were keeping her alive. I also like how it touched on the emotional factor of being a worker at a hospital. I like the scene where they’re all discussing what they can do for these patients and the camera shows this angle where you can see everyone has different opinions and then it shows one of the doctors fall and break down. That scene was powerful because it also shows how doctors are emotional and can also get upset by the conditions of their patients. Seeing this documentary opened my eyes to what unfolds in the ICU, and how stressful the life of a doctor can be, and the decision they have to go through to achieve their patient’s happiness whether they have to be hard on the families or hard on themselves.

https://youtu.be/ODOiMWj7tCA

What a powerful documentary. It was extremely thought provoking and definitely pulled at the heart strings. The documentary showed what goes on behind the scenes and what goes into making these life or death decisions. Being either a doctor or a family member in that scenario is probably one of the most difficult things to go through.

The director did an amazing job painting this picture to the audience. Their attention to detail is what draws the viewer in and gets them involved in the story. I could tell the director and anybody who put effort into making this film possible really used time and technique to portray the mood and message across in the best way possible.

The shakiness of the camera adds for a more of a reality feel to the documentary. It also adds a sense of  uneasiness because this is such a difficult topic to cover. The director did an amazing job at catching emotional shots that made the audience feel what these people were feeling.  I think that is important because it gives a sense of connection.

The shots that paid extremely close attention to detail, like water dripping, or the numbers on the screen I think were done very purposefully to supplement the plot and message. This documentary is all about extremes, so I think the extreme close ups were a way of reflecting that extremity.

Discussion: The Business of Multimedia Journalism

Learning how to come up with a story, report that story, compose a photograph, mix sound, and shoot B-roll and then put it all together into a clear and cohesive story is only half the battle. Something that often gets left out in school is the practical side of how to make a career out of this. Sure, you might get a good internship while you’re still in school and then get hired and start working your way up. But there are a lot of different ways into the industry, and a lot of them involve taking a little bit of initiative. I’d venture to say that most journalists I know have freelanced at one point or another.

Freelancing can be a great gig, and it can also be terrifying when you’re first starting out. Here are a few common issues freelancers often run into:

Do I need a website? YES. Showcasing your previous work is more important than any well-crafted resume. The importance of being able to refer an editor to a slick portfolio website cannot be overstated.

How do you know how much money to ask for? It’s easy to undervalue your skills when you’re first starting out, but it’s worse to ask for too little money than to ask for too much. Some publications have set rates: a flat rate for a certain kind of story, or a day rate, or they’ll pay by the word. In other cases, there’s room for negotiation. If you’re not sure how much to ask for, consult your colleagues. Always try and get them to reimburse expenses.

What’s the deal with taxes? You still have to pay them. You’ll become very familiar with the 1099-MISC form. Keep your receipts so you can write off as many business-related expenses as possible: Equipment, plane tickets, etc.

How do you make sure you get paid in a timely manner? Send an invoice as soon as you file the story. I usually ask the person receiving it to confirm they’ve received it and to tell me when I should expect the money to arrive. If they don’t respond, follow up early and often. “Polite but incessant” is my motto.

I can’t use the school’s programs anymore. How much is it to buy Adobe Premiere and Lightroom and all that stuff? Not actually as bad as you might think, because you no longer even have the option to buy them outright; there’s a monthly subscription service to the Adobe Creative Suite that costs anywhere from $10 to $50 a month, depending on how many programs you need.

What kind of equipment should I invest in? When it comes to still cameras, if you’re on a small budget, I usually advise people to start with a pretty basic camera body and to invest in a few good lenses if you’re going to spend money somewhere. When it comes to video, it’s become kind of an arms race out there and DSLR cameras don’t always cut it anymore. Take a look at Storyhunter assignments to get a sense of what outlets are looking for:

“C300 or C100 strongly preferred—higher end DSLRs accepted”

“Need to have a C100 or equivalent and lav mics”

“A camera capable of shooting 1080p 24fps and 60 fps for slow motion, if possible 4k video and 120 fps for slow mo”

The good news is that if you don’t have five grand to drop on a camera and audio equipment tomorrow, you can rent gear from places like Adorama and KitSplit.

I just spent an insane amount of money on my new equipment. How do I protect it? Insure your stuff! Renter’s insurance can sometimes cover your gear, but there’s usually a pretty high deductible for theft etc. If you’re planning on working internationally, insurance tends to be quite expensive, especially if you’re working in areas considered “high-risk.” NPPA members get a discount through one company, but make sure to shop around.

Freelancing is lonely. How do I meet other people in the industry? Journalists tend to be a social bunch. It’s an industry where skills are obviously important but where you can also go pretty far on the strength of your personality and on who you know. You already have a huge advantage by virtue of the fact that you live in New York, one of the world’s biggest media hubs. Make yourself known to editors and colleagues by checking out industry events like these:

ScreenUp NYC 

Video Consortium (New York chapter)

The Bronx Documentary Center

RISC Training (first aid training for freelancers who work in remote, sensitive, and conflict areas, often host events/panel discussions at the Brooklyn Brewery
risctraining.org

Resources

• Photojournalism

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA membership gets you certain benefits, including discounted camera insurance and press accreditation; follow them to find out about grants)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2233179993/

Photography/Multimedia Internships and Jobs (great place to find out about entry-level opportunities)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/608650785837641/

Photo Grant Opportunities (great place to learn about grants/competitions/exhibitions for emerging photojournalists) https://www.facebook.com/groups/205928780146/

Lightstalkers/N11 (for photojournalists)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/5235712822/

Photojournalism Now (blog focused on photojournalism and social documentary photography)
https://www.facebook.com/PhotojournalismNow/

Women Photograph (a resource for female* documentary and editorial photographers and the people who would like to hire them—GRANTS!)
https://www.womenphotograph.com/

Eddie Adams Workshop (a prestigious, game-changing, three-day workshop for emerging photographers in upstate NY that puts you in a room with some of the biggest names and top editors in the industry)
https://www.facebook.com/EddieAdamsWorkshop/

The New York Times Portfolio Review (free but competitive, puts you in a room with some of the top photo editors in the world for advice and critiques on your ongoing photo projects)
https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/…/applications-open-for-the…/

Photoville
http://photoville.com/

The International Festival of Photojournalism
http://www.visapourlimage.com/en

• Audio Journalism

Third Coast Audio Festival
https://thirdcoastfestival.org/

Public Radio NYC Google group. Be warned, you’ll get a LOT of emails but it’s a great place to pick up transcription work and the occasional tape sync, which usually pays about $150 for a fairly easy recording gig: [email protected]
(Let me know if you’d like me to add you.)

Radio Women Rule the World (for women in radio) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1514423228769048/

• Video Journalism

Storyhunter (online brokerage where videojournalists and filmmakers can apply for assignments)
https://storyhunter.com

Global VJs
https://www.facebook.com/groups/globalvjs/

Binders Full of Video Journalists (for female VJ’s) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1006816089433804/

• All Media

Vulture Club (for international journalists) https://www.facebook.com/groups/197918473577006/

The NVC (the non-Vulture Club, founded by people who were kicked out of Vulture Club—long story)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/439000736155194/

Freelancers Get Your Freak On (for freelancers who work in different media and are looking to collaborate) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021852794578554/

Journo Housing Exchange (for wandering journalists looking for short-term housing around the world) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1639458896367607/

Journalism and Trauma (a place to discuss how we as journalists engage with trauma, from how to interview someone who has experienced it to how to cope with our own direct or indirect trauma)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/468146643386958/

Ladies Writing and Journalism (for female print journalists)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/159810750800770

Binder of International Reporters (for women who work internationally) https://www.facebook.com/groups/634887219990543/

Binders Full of Digital Journalists (for female journos who work in digital) https://www.facebook.com/groups/globalvjs/

Riot Grrrls Of Journalism (global group for women who work in all different media) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1698979077092920/

• Formal Groups/Organizations

New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) https://www.facebook.com/NYABJ/

(NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/NABJOfficial/

South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA)
https://www.facebook.com/South.Asian.Journalists.Associati…/

Asian American Journalists Association
https://www.facebook.com/AAJAHQ/?ref=br_rs

National Association of Hispanic Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/NAHJFan/

Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA)
https://www.facebook.com/AMEJAGlobal

Association of Health Care Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/healthjournalists

Society of Environmental Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/SocietyOfEnvironmentalJournalists

Native American Journalists Association
https://www.facebook.com/NativeJournalists

The International Association of Religion Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/The-International-Association-of-R…

Association of Food Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/AFJeats

Overseas Press Club of America
https://www.facebook.com/opcofamerica/

Society of Professional Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/SocietyofProfessionalJournalists/

Committee to Protect Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/committeetoprotectjournalists/

Blink (resource where outlets can search for and hire freelancers)
https://blink.la/

 

• Funding Opportunities

International Center for Journalists
https://www.facebook.com/icfj.org/

The International Women’s Media Foundation
https://www.facebook.com/IWMFpage/

Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
https://www.facebook.com/Pulitzercenter/

Open Society Foundations
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/

 

If you know of any others, please feel free to share! This is an ever-evolving and incomplete list.

I went into this film completely blind with no clue on what the premise was. The cinematography for this film was exceptionally well done and I can see why it was praised. I felt almost as if I was there and in the moment. Aside from that, this film was deeply impactful for me. I usually don’t get emotional during films but this one had me crying almost entirely throughout the runtime. I think it’s because of the fact that this subject matter is so realistic and that something like this could happen with no warning to us or anyone of our loved ones and it’s a scary thought to think about. I’ll be honest, I was never really comfortable with hospitals beforehand and this film just amplified it. The fact that so many people and loved ones have to be hooked up to machinery in order to live is scary and everything that comes with having a loved one in a severe state is scary. I also feel that the doctors that have to undergo these circumstances repeatedly should be praised. Having to see multiple patients with family and friends and having to discuss whether they should continue to use a machine or not is not easy for anyone. Not only that but the fact that they have to deal with all these emotions and yet still remain calm and collected for the family’s sake is hard beyond belief. This film tackled it’s subject matter in a very realistic way and that’s what made it so powerful. It provided a real insight into what it’s like for certain people that have had to go through that and illustrates to the audience how difficult it can be.

After watching the film Extremis, it really shined light on how difficult the life of an intensive care worker can be on a regular basis. Usually patients take the opinion from the physician since they believe whatever the doctors says is the best option. That’s why watching the documentary was so moving, everyone in that situation doesn’t have the stable mentality to make such a huge decision. With the introduction of Donna, her family saw that being connected to all those tubes was making her miserable, but if she wasn’t, her life would be in fatal risk. Families have to determine how long they want life to linger on, and question would their sick ones feel more pain than relief. 

The filming captured by Dan Krauss was remarkable, even in a short period of 24 minutes, the film packed in so much about such a sensitive topic. Before taking this class, I never really focused on the different angles that directors use when filming, but now I see a significant impact. The close up shots on the face showed the true remorse each person was going through whether it be the patient, family member or Dr. Zitter herself. Even the background music and side shots added an extra depth to the story, since the environment inside the ICU is rarely documented on such a large scale. 

 

I have more footage of the interview to further integrate.

I went into this film not really knowing what I’ll be seeing. I was surprised it was short but provided so much information on this sensitive topic. The opening scene was heartbreaking. It showed the effects of not being able to communicate. It was a bit difficult to watch but I knew it was going to be one of those topics that are not discussed enough in society. As the film progressed, the main topic became clear. The scenes of the people restrained to those breathing tubes were extremely disturbing. It became more of a reality shock that everyone dies someday. I remember towards the middle of the film, one of the patients’ relatives points out that we tend to put off death and shrug it off consistently, and then one day it arrives. I agree with that and the film also opened my eyes in terms of having these types of emotional conversations with family to better prepare for the inevitable. Overall, I found the film to be effective and it served its purpose of informing the public. Also, I thought the shaky cameras and the dark color schemes throughout the film were effective in delivering emotion to the audience.