Michael Rosenblum keeps posting clips of Newark Star Ledger clients who’ve completed his vj boot camp that reflect the glowing deficiency in his training; copy reading. The displayed works ofJohn O’Boyle and Scott Lituchy have many positives — decent shooting and editing, excellent use of natural sound, but the narration is strictly “3rd Grade.” Everything about these two stories is professional accept the narration. Copy reading is as important to good video journalism as any element. Both John and Scott need to see the “Inflection Doctor,” and quick. Learning how to stress key words wouldn’t hurt either. Because I care about the evolution of the VJ model — why else would I have put out my OnQCo shingle in lieu of my country club membership — I’m offering free access to my talent performance tutorials to anyone who is struggling with copy reading. Just contact me at 650-207-2623 or pete@onqco.com for details. STOP READING BADLY.
Print journalists with video cameras will rule the Internet soon. While TV news operations continue to simply re-purpose their product for the web, print journalists are turning to video with a better understanding of how it works online. Print journalists are augmenting their writing with video. The Washington Post has trained 185 people to shoot and edit video. Today’s top story on Beet.tv is about how cheap video cameras transforming the print news industry. On the flip side — pardon the pun, the post also mentions Kara Swisher of D/All Things Digital, the digital arm of the Wall Street Journal using a Flip Cam for her blog. Unfortunately, what I saw was Kara abusing the Flip Cam. Get you to a laptop with Final Cut Pro, Kara. There is no place online for child’s play when you’re supposed to be a professional.
The biggest shortcoming I’m seeing among newly trained/converted VJs, is reading copy at a professional level. You can write like a pro but if you can’t read it well (using proper inflection and intonation and stressing key words) you’ll sound like an amateur. Case in point. On is blog, Michael Rosenblum sings the praises of rookie VJ Andre Malok of the Newark Star Ledger on his first published video. The story about the re-location of 10 bears is for the most part, pretty good — excellent writing, decent video capture, nice pacing….but, the copy sounds like a bored parent reading Goldylocks to half-a-sleep kids. That story would have been killer, were it not for the narration. Think of being a VJ like you would a major league pitcher. In the big leagues you need a good fastball, breaking ball and changeup. If you don’t have all three you’re likely not going to stay around long. A good VJ needs to excel in each of the components of video journalism — shooting, writing, editing, producing and performing. It’s a must
Major league bloggers like Jeff Jarvis, to the overly ambitious blogging soccer mom can stand to benefit from this device. It’s called a Flip Cam. It can record up to an hour and it comes with a built-in USB stick so you don’t need any wires to get video to your computer editing software. Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute first brought this to my attention as he showed the world how he blogged from the recent RTNDA convention in Las Vegas. If I were a newspaper editor, every one of my reporters would be required to carry one of these.
Okay, my putting stroke sucks. I stabbed it, okay? These cameras sell for $149. I got mine at Best Buy. Have fun playing with your Flip Cam.
Off on a production shoot in remote area…now, back to the grind.
Checked out Amanda Congdon’s new Internet gig. The former Rocketboom star, who quit to go mainstream with ABC News, is working down the 24-second clock of fame and is dangerously close to having the buzzer sound on her career.
Viewed Michael Rosenblum’s off-the-wall video on JK Rowling and TV. Ironic that VJ guru’s on-camera image is so backlit you’d swear and amateur was shooting it. Practice what you preach, Michael.
Words you’d like to be able to say. “My son/daughter is a video journalist.
Words you like never to have to say. “He/she works for TMZ.
Some advice to print reporters making the conversion to video for their paper’s online product (see SF.Gate). Five minute stories appearing in a box that’s half the size of a pack of smokes is not prudent. Click STOP! Shorter is better 2:00 max. The Internet viewer has a short attention span.
Since I brought so much equipment for our “Going Solo” session at this year’s RTNDA, I drove my Jeep to the convention from Northern California. As I viewed Las Vegas in my rear view mirror at 5:30AM Wednesday, I assembled some thoughts on the 3-days I spent there. Dr. Mona Khanna, our volunteer VJ got all B’s for her production skills — shooting, editing, copy readying, talent performance. A gentleman in the audience who trains VJ’s in Afghanastan ripped her pretty good for poor con
tent. Rightfully, so, her end product on the pluses of social networking lacked focus and strong content. From a production view she got good marks for a well paced product. Dr. Mona was great to work with and I suspect, will turn up one day soon as a major player in TV medical news. College students were the biggest draw at the session. From their comments and following a live copy reading exercise they demonstrated a pretty good grasp of how their skills need to be honed before taking that first job. The majority felt they were getting the proper training at their respective colleges and universities. Disappointing was a next to nothing turnout by news directors. It appears they are still in denial. Sorry they all didn’t get to see the 5-minute video on the all-VJ news operation we featured from KOHD-TV in Bend, Oregon. A good number of young people from the session stopped by afterward for more info on our announcement of the Break Room. All wanted to know how to get their demo reel up in lights for news managers to view.
I’m excited to announce the launch of our “Break Room.” The official launch announcement will come during the April 16th “Going Solo” session at the RTNDA convention in Las Vegas. “Break Room” is a free showplace for VJ’s and news managers. VJs can park their resumes and demo videos on our www.onqco.com site at no cost. News managers can scout the talent by simply clicking on. So, send us your demo videos and let us give your career a break. OnQCo reserves the right to post the best quality submissions. This free service is proof of our commitment to supporting the VJ model.
I’ve spent time with VJs from two TV stations in recent weeks and there’s a theme that’s repeated all too often…”I wasn’t properly prepared to be a VJ.” The VJs I spoke with all received training in the components that make up a VJ’s skills set, Lauren Biskind is a VJ at KOHD-TV in Bend, Oregon, market 192. Listen to her evaluation of her University of Arizona schooling. Click on LB Training.movie.
I recently spent two days at KOHD-TV (ABC) in Bend, Oregon shadowing a couple of their VJ’s or OMBs. The station, market 192, has only been doing news for a little over six months. They have a staff of six VJs. It’s the first job for all of them. After six months of spoon feeding her VJ’s, news director Nic Moye has found the secret to good hiring. She says make sure your VJ candidates are tech savvy.
CBS Corp’s razoring of it’s O&O’s yesterday has stunned the TV news industry. Check out the Watercooler at tvspy.com. Paranoia is rampant in many of the threads. Veteran TV news reporters everywhere have got to be reviewing their AFTRA pension numbers. While CBS Corp has sent sent several dozen vets to the shower, it will be interesting to watch for any VJs warming up in the bullpen. I don’t want to appear flip about the firings, Manny Ramos (28-years at KPIX) is a former colleague, but this could be the path cutting prelude to an influx of VJ hirings in major markets. One can do he job of three, when economics make it the only option. Stay tuned. TV news is hurting like never before. Next to take a hit — anchor salaries.
