Skip to content

On Ira Glass and Radio Lab

These two articles discuss some of the techniques and ideas that Ira Glass brought to the world of radio and some of the innovations that Glass himself can see in Radio Lab.

Please check out the first piece on Glass, listen to the two first profiles posted by Glass, and discuss what makes these profiles appealing, enjoyable and news worthy?

 

Tutorials on How to Use the JVC GY 100s

Here are a few tutorials on how to use our video cameras, generously created and posted by JVC Professional Europe

First video on the different components of the GY 100.

Part two, on how to format media and set the camera up

Part three, on how to charge, install and remove the battery. Setting recording format.

Part Four, on how to shoot in full auto.

Part Five, on shooting in manual.

Part Six, on exposure (iris, shutter, white balance and gain).

Part Seven, on manual exposure.

Part eight, on exposure in automatic AE +/-

Part nine, on how to customize the gain.

Part ten, on how to preset the white balance.

Part eleven, on how to use the zebra.

Part twelve, on how to capture better audio.

Part thirteen, on how to bring your files to your computer.

Creating an FTP Client Using Filezilla and Uploading Your Slideshow

Class,

here is my tutorial on how to create an FTP client to upload your slideshows to our server using Filezilla. Please make sure you upload your slideshows to the right folder.

 

Tips to Produce a Good Radio Story

1. Make your script as clear as you possibly can. What is the story about? How would you tell the same story to your mother, brother or your best friend?

2. Use your own words. You don’t need to sound affected . Use the PRESENT TENSE.

3. Tape your story in interesting places for a nice audio atmosphere. Always remember to record your background sound. These sounds will help you connect your clips and enhance your story.

4. Keep the clips short.

5. Try to feature different voices in your piece. Male and female voices, different accents from different places, and from people of different age.

6. Use music that fits your story. Be mindful of copyright.

7. If available use sound effects. A simple sound effect can go a long way. And you can get sound effects for free on several libraries online.

8. Finally, think carefully about your kicker.

For a few more tips go the BBC Radio, which has fantastic tips for voice overs. BBC has also a nice standard radio script template. Mia Carter’s Radio Journalism 101 also has great tips.

Radio Exercise

Please listen to these two pieces of radio journalism (A very lucky wind and The Bippolo Seed) and and answer the following questions:

a- What are the structural elements in the story (narrator/interviewees/background sound/music)
b- What element makes the story move forward?
c- How does the reporter integrate his sources to the story?
d- What are the differences between these pure audio stories and the ones we watched last week by Barbara Davidson from the LA Times?

Working With Pro Tools: Creating a Radio Session, Importing Audio, Trimming, Fading and Crossfading

Here’s how I would suggest you create your first Pro Tools session to work on a radio project. Remember that for now we will not be using any effects but simple audio tracks.

 

And here you can see how to import an audio track to your Pro Tools session.

This video shows you how to trim an audio region and how to apply a fade.

This video will teach you how to create a crossfade.

This video will teach you how to deal with volume on separate tracks and on the master fader track.

Finally, this one will teach you how to bounce your project and export it as a wav or an MP3 file

Creating and Saving Black Slides to Use in your Slideshow

For those of you who needed them, here are two tutorials on how to create the black slides for your slideshow projects. The video I shows you how to set up your title, byline and copyright slides and how to save the slides so you can use them in your slideshow project.


A Few Photo Tips: Framing and Shooting, Histograms, How to Best Use our Cannon 10Ds

As promised, here are a few links that you may find useful when producing and shooting your stories for a slideshow.

Framing and Shooting

1- Here are some basic tips on how to frame, find angles and shoot your stills. These are recommendations compiled by prof Duy Linh Tu.

Horizontal shots are always preferable to vertical, esp. when you consider our layout and the way slideshows in Soundslides are set up.

Fill your frame. Your subject should take a relevant portion of your frame (1/3 or more? That will depend on your story). It is harder to shoot groups than individuals, so try to anchor your shot on one subject and let the rest be on the background.

Create a narrative with your shots. Make your shots tell a story.

-Apply the Rule of Thirds. 

-Give your  some space to look.

 

Histograms

We discussed histograms in class, and how they can help you not only expose your frames, but also edit your photos in Camera Raw and Photoshop.

Here’s a good tutorial that can help you to dig a little deeper on how to use your histograms.

 

About the Cannons 10D

Although most of you will be shooting in full auto, here is an interesting description on the many options you have with your Cannons 10D. It gives tips to improve the way you focus and expose your frames, and offers a detailed description of all the functions available in your camera.

A Few Interesting Slideshows to Check Out

Here are four examples of good slideshows I’d like you to watch.

The first three were shot and reported by Pulitzer Prize Winner Barbara Davidson.

1- The Ballad of Mateo

2-Frozen and Forgotten

3- Pool Party

Here’s a link to Media Storm. They use both video and photography, but the basics of their storytelling is audio.

Check out “A Thousand More” story on Philly Mayer, a young boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Quick Guide to Soundslides

Here’s a really easy-to-follow tutorial on how to create a slideshow using Soundslides and how to embed it in a WordPress website.

Here’s the first video:

The second video tells you how to embed a Soundslides project in your WordPress blog.



Finally, here you have a link to Soundslides user manual