Rugs For Potholes?

[NEWSSHOOTER3]

A fun reporter and I doing his franchise bit. I'd love to get some input:

CLICK HERE

 

[El Rojo Loco]

I like it. Good pacing and great shot selection. My only complaint would be the sequence of stores. I like the quickness, pops and pans, but it just felt a little too shaky. Like when the camera stoppe it hit a wall and bounced. I would have also liked a short sequence (of nats?) of the tailor when you first intro him, but that's just me.
Nice pak.

 

[adam]

I thought the sequence in the rug shop with the sewing was very well done. It's a strength of yours, and that's a good thing. I thought if you had worked the same sequencing technique to show the cars driving over the potholes that would have been a better way to represent the problem visually... although from your pictures I did get a good idea of what it is like to drive that road.
The hand held portion in the gallery was fine once but you repeated the pan to the picture twice and it didn't work the second time. I always like to see hand held work intermingled with steady sequenced stuff and I think you would have been well served to mix it up there.
Finally, the stick mic got more air time than the potholes. Maybe your station has some sort of stick mic policy, if so, I'm sorry. It was distracting and in almost every frame it appears it says "this isn't a real conversation, it's tv."
Those pieces are hard to do because, in my experience, it's a talent based franchise and you are playing by different rules.

 

[NEWSSHOOTER3]

No Free Passes

... it just felt a little too shaky. Like when the camera stoppe it hit a wall and bounced.

Thanks for not giving me a pass on that. You're absolutely right. Sloppy work!

And, thank you for your input. Much appreciated!

 

[MMrozinski]

Adam throws some good points out there... I'll add this.

This reminds me of some of the stories we do here with Andy Fox our 10 On Your Side hard news franchise or "branding" stuff. It's all crash and bang and focused more around the reporter than around people. (because Andy is always the best character and people love him for it) I love working with Andy because he's a good friend but personally I'm bothered by this type of journalism, especially without results/helping people. I like stories about people, people, people. I'm sure your consultants will come in and praise you all for this but it's not something I'd ever show on a resume tape.

I think we could start with the "active" live shot. There is active live shots and there is what we watched here. Having an active live shot does not mean bouncing the camera this way and that then that way and up and down and down and up till we get sick. Watching that live shot I was so confused about what exactly the reporter was trying to display and I couldn't really tell where exactly you all were.. it was just confusing made me dizzy.

I'll hand it to you... when you got to the sewing shop I thought I was watching a different shooter. That was some great shooting. The rest of it was pretty rough going.

I'm not sure why your reporter is hold the stick mic and I see a lav on the lady? You need to kick that stick mic to the curb but with the style of reporter your working with he probably sleeps with it at night.

I'd like to see you do a lot less panning and zooming and rack focusing. Start taking pictures that matter and ones you don't have to "spice up" I'll tell you that a station in our market tried this type of journalism and camera work. They went from powerhouse to hash marks. They cleaned things up and are becoming competitive again.

The pkg is supposed to be about this line that divides the property and most of the story should have been focused around that line and I really think it wasn't. I would have liked to see a shot with the camera on the ground sitting right on that line. "this is what stands between getting this road fixed"

We do stuff similar to this occasionally but I can't imagine posting it for critique. It's just one of those things we suck up and do... ya make it solid and clean and come in the next day hoping you get a better story.

I hope I wasn't too rough on you, I appreciate your post.

 

[NEWSSHOOTER3]

Bottom Line

... but personally I'm bothered by this type of journalism, especially without results/helping people.

I totally get that. But, we "ask the tough questions"and do stories for the "little man". That's what the bossman wants, that's what the bossman gets. And, as a follow up... my reporter went on vacation the day after this story. But, I stayed in touch with the lady at the art shop and she gave me the heads up when the city came out and filled the potholes. We went out and shot it. And, without exception, we have gotten results on every pothole story we've done... for months.

think we could start with the "active" live shot ... it was just confusing made me dizzy.

Again, we're mandated to do active liveshots, especially on these type of stories. I thought I did an okay demonstration, down to showing his feet where the line actually was. But, I understand what you're saying. I'm a strong proponent of good looking liveshots, on the stix. But, what the bossman wants, the bossman gets.

...when you got to the sewing shop I thought I was watching a different shooter... The rest of it was pretty rough going.

Well, that has, historically, been a strength of mine. This was outside of my recent comfort zone. I'm working special projects far more than these franchise pieces. So, thank you.

I'm not sure why your reporter is hold the stick mic ... he probably sleeps with it at night.

I'll give you that, but we have those hideous mic flags for a reason. Bossman likes them. Having said that, I probably could have laved him, as well. I just wasn't sure how the interview was going to go down, before we randomly walked into her shop. But... no, Harry is a former NPPA photographer regional award winner. He hates the mic as much as I do. But, we also have to balance the franchise/reporter bit, along the way. And, make no mistake, this bit is about the reporter... silliness. Bottom line!

... this line that divides the property and most of the story should have been focused around that line and I really think it wasn't. I would have liked to see a shot with the camera on the ground sitting right on that line. "this is what stands between getting this road fixed"

I understand what you're getting at. But, again, we kinda did that in the liveshot. Or, tried. Maybe you're right.

We do stuff similar to this occasionally but I can't imagine posting it for critique.

Well... I guess I'm posting it because I wanted some input. Input is what I got. I don't often work the G.A. pool anymore, so doing these are outside of my element these days. However, I do enjoy doing them. I just like to know how I might be able to do them a little better, so thank you!

 

[NEWSSHOOTER3]

The hand held portion in the gallery was fine once but you repeated the pan to the picture twice and it didn't work the second time.

Busted and agreed.

Finally, the stick mic got more air time than the potholes. Those pieces are hard to do because, in my experience, it's a talent based franchise and you are playing by different rules.

It has always been my rule that mics are meant to be heard and not seen. But, we have those ridiculous mic flags for a reason. Bossman likes them. I hate them. Bossman wins. My apologies.

And, yes. The rules are FAR different on these than what I grew up with!

Thank you for checking it out though. Much appreciated!

 

[MMrozinski]

A.J. I'm confused here. Did you want a critique or did you post to boast? Because it looks like you have an answer for everything and every suggestion someone gives you.

I don't think anyone in here is trying to belittle anyone. we look at your work acess what's right and wrong and we tell you what we think regardless of what you think. I think thats why people come in here because we aren't afraid to tell you what you need to work on. Is that not what you were looking for?

I guess I'm confused because I'm not sure how someone is out of their element shooting a general assignment story?

I'm not trying to be an a-hole. Adam said the same thing about being different that your used to. I'm not sure I understand that.

 

[NEWSSHOOTER3]

NEXT

No, Ski. Sorry if it seemed that way. I just had some thoughts. I won't ask you again. Promise.