News Story
Journalism Background
Bob Dotson advice for journalists on Radio Television Digital News Association's YouTube Channel
Radio Television Digital News Association's YouTube Channel
ARTICLE - Bob Dotson's Storyteller's Checklist
Activity: News Story Analysis
Search for news clips containing famous Canadian news reporters Peter Mansbridge or Lloyd Robertson on cbc.ca or ctv.ca.
Perform an analysis of the two videos that you viewed identifying how the following impact the story and its intended audience:shot selection, transitions, story types, narration, lighting and B-roll footage.
Provide links to the videos that you analyzed.
EXTENSION:
Share your analysis with the class in the discussion area. Respond by watching two videos suggested by your classmates and write a comment for each.
Journalistic Code of Ethics
Society of Professional Journalists
Radio Television Digital News Association
Cybercollege's Tips for writing a news broadcast
How to Shoot Video
The Establishing Shot
The Wide Shot
The Tight Shot
Sound
Steady Camera
Head Room
Nose Room
Lighting
Jump Cut
Cutaway Shot
How to Edit News Stories
Lesson on News Style Edits: J-Cut vs. L-Cut
Adobe Premiere: Lesson on Editing News Style Edits
ACTIVITY: Video Editing
Using Adobe Premiere, practice creating J-cut and L-cut edits with your video clips.
Adobe Premiere: Lesson on Audio Recording
ACTIVITY: Audio Recording
In Adobe Premiere, use the Record Voice Narration feature to narrate a clip. Using the Audio Mixer try increasing the volume of the narration and decreasing the volume of the soundtrack at different points for emphasis and so that quiet voices can be heard above music. Then, experiment with the various audio effects built in to Premiere.
Building Text and Objects
Lesson on importance of Texts and Objects in News Stories
ACTIVITY: Building Text Objects
Students practice creating animated, rolling, and crawling text for videos.
ASSIGNMENT
NEWS STORY
Report on a news story in your school or community. Some ideas include a new school policy, success of a sports team, profile of a teacher, or a new school trend.
News Story Guidelines:
- The video must include 10 - 15 shots.
- It must include a sequence of at least five shots.
- You must submit a shot list.
- You must submit a script for a short reporter stand-up segment.
- You must submit a project proposal.
- The video should be 1 - 2 minutes in length.
- The video must include b-roll footage.
- The video must incorporate supers.
- You must use news-style editing techniques.
- You must apply the journalistic code of ethics.
Submit your shot list, scripts, and project proposal for teacher approval before you begin filming.
Upon approval, you may begin filming your interviews, b-roll footage, and reporter stand-up according to your shot list.
Remember to acquire any needed permission for filming on school or community grounds and when filming minors.