Media Lab (EL200) tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2007-08-07:/EL200/2009//27 2009-10-23T23:36:48Z Dennis G. Jerz | Spring 2009 | Seton Hill University Movable Type Commercial 4.23-en No Class tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.11062 2009-10-26T23:34:57Z 2009-10-23T23:36:48Z Your assignment this week is to gather sound from an event during the NCCHE conference. You will have time in class on Nov 2 to edit your work, but I would welcome a completed story (with intro and outro) at... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu Your assignment this week is to gather sound from an event during the NCCHE conference. You will have time in class on Nov 2 to edit your work, but I would welcome a completed story (with intro and outro) at that time. Oral History tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.11050 2009-10-20T04:44:13Z 2009-10-16T05:50:18Z Listen to one of these oral histories of Holocaust survivors, and reflect on what you notice about the use of first-person sound (rather than an announcer's voice) in making an emotional and persuasive impact.Life After the Holocaust... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
Life After the Holocaust
]]> Portfolio 2 tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.11049 2009-10-20T04:04:13Z 2009-10-16T04:22:40Z Put both parts in a single document file, and upload it to the slot on Turnitin.com.1) 400-word news article, covering your contribution to the Oct 14 issue of The Setonian. You may supply your own quotes for yourself, but I'm... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
1) 400-word news article, covering your contribution to the Oct 14 issue of The Setonian. You may supply your own quotes for yourself, but I'm asking you to supply quotes from two other sources as well. (In class I reminded everyone that it's easier to get quotes from people while you are actually doing the work.)  (As of Friday, Oct 15, there's still work to be done in distribution and posting the Setonian Online.
2) Story Pitch for NCCHE Conference. (See the ad in this issue of The Setonian, or consult the conference website.)  A story pitch is your request to be assigned a particular story for an audiou news story. What's the news hook -- the recent world or local event that means the public will care about the particular story you chose? Whom will you interview? An effective story will move beyond "Joe Expert spoke on Topic X last night, at a forum sponsored by such-and-such."  Note that the conference will bring international scholars to campus. While Joe X may be here to talk about an historical event from the WWII erea, here on campus you will have access to people with first-hand knowledge of genocidal issues and interfaith conflicts that drive many of today's headlines. So, while "I want to cover the banned music concert" seems like a no-brainer for a course focusing on audio production, I'm actually more interested in why you want to cover the event you select. How can you get a newsworthy story that relates to current events? (See What is Newsworthy? (mp3) or Newsworthy vs. Snoozeworthy)
]]> Ex 3a: Audio Body of Peer Profile tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10999 2009-10-05T17:48:08Z 2009-09-28T17:49:28Z In class, we will discuss ways to add interest to your main narrative, not merely by adding sounds in the background, but by using the sounds to SHOW things that you might tempted to TELL with your own words.... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu In class, we will discuss ways to add interest to your main narrative, not merely by adding sounds in the background, but by using the sounds to SHOW things that you might tempted to TELL with your own words. Sound Reporting tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10998 2009-10-05T17:42:33Z 2009-09-28T17:47:28Z Read this online excerpt from the book:Sound Recording: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and ProductionHere is a transcript of a radio story that incorporates sound in creative ways.Mapping New Orleans by Sound (text)On this page, you can listen to... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
Sound Recording: The NPR Guide to Audio Journalism and Production

Here is a transcript of a radio story that incorporates sound in creative ways.

Mapping New Orleans by Sound (text)

On this page, you can listen to the audio version of the story.

Mapping New Orleans by Sound (audio)
]]> Ex 1C: Edited Audio, Intro/Outro tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10993 2009-09-28T21:25:36Z 2009-09-26T22:04:11Z Bring to class your edited MP3, which should be about 3 minutes.Also bring a printout of your intro and outro text. Practice reading your intro/outro aloud, so that it and the audio you provide will end up lasting a grand... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu your edited MP3, which should be about 3 minutes.

Also bring a printout of your intro and outro text.

Practice reading your intro/outro aloud, so that it and the audio you provide will end up lasting a grand total of 4 minutes.

At some point in the near future, I will make a master recording, in which I read the intro text, then play the recording of your MP3, and then read the outro text. You'll hear how your recoding functions in the context of the whole collection produced by the class.

Think of the intro like the notes you read in the front of a book, where an editor introduces the work to the reader. 

The outro is mostly for someone who comes into the recording in the middle, and missed what it was about.  You could embed a final example, an ironic twist, a final joke, something the announcer can say to drive home the point you want to make.  But whatever you do, keep it short.

Here's an example.  The audio clip I've included features me interviewing my daughter, but neither I nor my daughter are terribly important to the story -- my daughter just represents one kid's opinion of one of the minor Star Wars movies, so I don't go into much detail about either of us. 

The text I've written below is designed to be read by somebody else, the anchor, whose voice ties together all the segments in the show.

(Intro)  For the generation that saw the original Star Wars movies as kids, the black-cloaked Darth Vader and the barrel-bodied R2-D2 were an inseparable part of childhood.  Dennis Jerz was 10 when he saw the original Star Wars in the 70s. Now, his daughter Carolyn has seen all the films, including a couple of low-budget made-for-TV films that were surprisingly dark.  In fact, Carolyn cried uncontrollably after those movies were over. The only thing that would calm her down was the chance to dictate a letter to the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas.  Here, Carolyn tells George Lucas just where he went wrong.

CMJ_Ewoks.mp3 (2min 10sec, 2.2Mb)

(Outro) That was Carolyn Jerz, a six-year-old film critic from western Pennsylvania. Her father let her review the Ewok Adventures, made-for-TV Star Wars movies, produced by George Lucas in the 1980s.  Incidentally, the next movie Lucas made was Howard the Duck, which "won" Worst Picture, Worst New Star, Worst Visual Effects, and Worst Screenplay in the 1986 "Razzies."
]]> Portfolio 1 tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10992 2009-09-28T21:07:45Z 2009-09-26T22:14:50Z Submit, in the slot in Turnitin.com, a single Word file with all text components of the portfolio.Portfolio Requirements1) Lab ReportWrite a 400-word news story, in the style of an inverted pyramid news article (with a lead instead of a thesis,... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu a single Word file with all text components of the portfolio.

Portfolio Requirements

1) Lab Report

Write a 400-word news story, in the style of an inverted pyramid news article (with a lead instead of a thesis, short body paragraphs with direct quotes that perform most of the work for you, and no conclusion -- see News Articles vs. English Essays and Invisible Observer) that reports on your contributions to the print edition of The Setonian that was just published. 

As I have mentioned in class, I am very happy if you write an article or take a photograph, but EL200 asks you to perform additional "backstage" work, such as copyediting, layout, advertising, and distribution.  The lab component of the course asks you to be assertive in arranging a lab time that is not only convenient for you, but also for the Setonian staff members who will supervise your work. (The Setonian editors are just as busy as you are, so please give them the time to respond to your requests, and please recognize that if you are only available from 2-2:45 on Tuesday afternoons, there might not be any work for you just then.)  Another option is learning how to upload articles and edit the Setonian Online, which you can do from home (once you learn how to do it).

Introduce all people you use in your story, by giving their full name and identification.  On subsequent references, use just the source's last name.  I'm asking that you include direct quotations from editors, fellow staff members, and anyone else who can help you present a picture of your contributions to the paper.

Please note that if you e-mail someone and say, "I need quotes for my lab report," you are asking that person to do work for you.  Remember, the Setonian editors are just as busy as you are, and I don't expect them to drop everything to help you at the last minute.

If, instead of "asking for quotes," you will get better results if you take a moment or two to formulate a question, such as "Do you have any advice for students who want to get involved in the Setonian?"   You might interview an upper-class student for advice on time-management, if you didn't actually manage to spend much time working on The Setonian this time around.



2) Story Ideas

What ideas do you have for news stories that make creative use of sound?  List three ideas, and develop one or two of them in more detail -- taking care to explain why the sound is especially important to the story.

3) Blogging Questions

If you have blogged before and you are comfortable with the blogging software, just say something like "No questions about the blogging."  Since I realize we didn't have the chance to demonstrate the blog software for either of the first two days the class met, and since we've moved on to Audacity, I want to make sure that if you would like some extra pointers on the weblog software, that you can tell me (in this section) what questions you still have. 

All I ask is that first you watch these two YouTube videos (20 minutes todal) that explain the blogging software.

Part 1:



Part 2:




]]> Ex 2b: Audio Recording (about 3 min) tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10970 2009-09-21T17:12:41Z 2009-09-14T17:16:09Z Submit an audio recording of your editorial, as an MP3. (Have access to your file during class, when I will tell you exactly where I want you to put it.) Please note that next week, for Ex 2c, I'll ask... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
Please note that next week, for Ex 2c, I'll ask you to write the wrapper -- the text that an announcer will read, to tell the listeners who you are and what you're writing about. (The sample podcasts on NPR.org include samples of these wrappers.) ]]> This I Believe Sample tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10969 2009-09-21T17:07:13Z 2009-09-14T17:12:28Z Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu original 1950 series, the contemporary revival, or the SHU summer reading event.

How does the sound of the speaker's voice affect your understanding of the speaker's point?  Note any particularly unusual effect that the speaker accomplishes by making a conscious choice about volume, speed, pitch, timing, etc. 

How can you use your own voice in a creative way, to help you to make your point?
]]> Ex 2a: 400-word Editorial tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10968 2009-09-14T17:03:33Z 2009-09-14T17:07:10Z Bring a written version to read aloud in class. I'm not asking you to record it yet.... Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu Bring a written version to read aloud in class. I'm not asking you to record it yet. Small Group Readings & Technical Practice tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10967 2009-09-14T17:03:07Z 2009-09-14T18:51:10Z Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
  • Get into groups of 3 and read your editorial aloud. 
  • Share the printed copy, and offer feedback and suggestions in small groups.
Technical Practice

  • Download Audacity Portable to a thumb drive or your network space.
  • Add MP3 support (which is not included in the free Audacity download due to copyright restrictions; it can be easily added, however). (Note:  We were required to have administrator privileges to unzip the required export file, so we couldn't complete this assignment in class.  Next week, I'll come around and share with you the files you need to export an MP3. In the meanwhile, just save your work as an Audacity Project.)
During class, practice recording this text (the First Amendment)
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
If we have time, practice editing it, normalizing the result, and exporting it as an MP3.

  • Edit.  Remove any false starts or unwanted sound before and after your text.  While it is unethical to edit live sound in order to alter or change the way a source speaks, it is acceptable for you to remove mistakes in your own studio recordings, and it is of course acceptable to isolate parts of what a source says, so long as your editing does not distort the source's meaning.
  • Normalize. When you are happy with your result, select the whole file (CTRL-A), and select Effect -> Normalize. (This will make everyone's selection play at roughly the same volume, which is very important when you are working with an archive of sound from different sources.)
  • Save and Export. Save your project (which includes all the digital information in an uncompressed form), and also File -> Export as MP3. (You will be prompted to point to the file you placed in your AudacityPortable\App\LAME directory, after which you should be able to export MP3s normally.)

]]> Journalism Basics tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10916 2009-09-01T03:10:25Z 2009-08-31T06:19:23Z A radio newscaster's voice begins each story on a high pitch, with the first sentence of the story ending with a slight drop. The second sentence starts at exactly this same pitch, which is an important audio cue that we're still on the same subject. Note this slight boost of energy in the third sentence, which is important because the tone can't keep dropping forever. Although I wouldn't do it when delivering a hard news story, I'm about to hang my voice, indicating I've got plenty more to say. My speech is formal but conversational, with both high and low pitches within each sentence, though the general trend has been downward. You can always tell the final sentence in a radio journalist's story; it slows down just a bit, and its pitches are the lowest of the whole piece. For the New Media Journalism program at Seton Hill University, I'm Dennis Jerz. Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu Background

We won't have time to look at all of this in class, but this handout (from my EL227 "News Writing" class), "English Essay vs. News Story," addresses many of the issues faced by entry-level journalism students who are used to writing for their English literature teachers. Note especially the section on the inverted pyramid.

Also noteworthy: this handout on Leads.

Radio News Delivery

Listen to a short news broadcast, such as the NPR Hourly News Summary. These stories will typically include audio clips from newsmakers, and perhaps the noise of crowds or nature. But for this exercise, we're just focusing on the sound of the radio journalist's voice.

Don't try to sound like "an announcer."  Forget the barking style of voice that radio announcers always seem to have in movies when they "interrupt this program with a special bulletin."
 
Radio News Delivery.mp3
(By the way, a typical radio story is just 50 seconds long, which is about how long it took me to read the following.
A radio newscaster's voice begins each story on a high pitch, with the first sentence of the story ending with a slight drop.
 
The second sentence starts at exactly this same pitch, which is an important audio cue that we're still on the same subject.

Note this slight boost of energy in the third sentence, which is important because the tone can't keep dropping forever.

Although I wouldn't do it when delivering a hard news story, I'm about to hang my voice, indicating I've got plenty more to say.

My speech is formal but conversational, with both high and low pitches within each sentence, though the general trend has been downward.

You can always tell the final sentence in a radio journalist's story; it slows down just a bit, and its pitches are the lowest of the whole piece.
 
For the New Media Journalism program at Seton Hill University, I'm Dennis Jerz.
Newsworthiness (Sample News Feature)

Next is an example of a news feature, which is far more conversational. I'm not trying to sound like I'm shouting to everyone who might be listening; rather, I'm talking to just one friend sitting right next to me.

This piece is a little longer -- we won't listen to it in class, but do pay attention to both the form (the way I use my voice) and the content (in which I give a 9-minute mini- lecture, expanding this brief handout on newsworthiness).

Brief summary:
  • Reporters report the newsworthy things that other people do.
  • The unusual or unexpected is more newsworthy than the ordinary and routine.
  • Famous or notable people (eccentric, infamous) are more newsworthy than ordinary people.
  • Weird, scary and violent stuff are newsworthy.
  • "If it bleeds, it leads." Disasters that don't happen aren't news.
  • Mildly annoying things that happen to notable people are newsworthy.
  • Events affecting more people are more newsworthy.
  • Nearby events are more newsworthy than distant events.
  • Current events, or trends that can be tied to a current event, are more newsworthy than history.

]]> Podcasting and Journalism Intro tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10915 2009-09-01T03:09:55Z 2009-08-31T15:24:42Z Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu
The term combines "iPod" and "broadcasting," emphasizes the collapsing distance between creator and producer of 21st century media. 

In the past, you needed the support of a broadcasting studio to get your voice in the public arena, but now the internet is full of chatter, of all levels of professionalism and quality.

From time to time, groups of students express interest in starting a radio station at SHU. Typically these students graduate before they make much progress, but I don't want to wait for a radio station to exist, before I teach my new media journalism audio  reporting skills.

The multimedia nature of 21st Century news reporting means that the ability to gather high-quality sound -- as well as digital stills and video, web links, and ideas for interactive features like polls or discussion forum topics) is increasingly becoming a core journalism skill.

The term "podcast" can apply variously to personal rants, informal product reviews, or comedy routines. This term, however, our "Media Lab" podcasts will be in the tradition of radio news.
  • An opinion piece, like NPR's This I Believe).
  • Some on-the-spot reporting (where you will record live sound in the field, from a speaker or interview, and work brief clips into the body of your own story) (samples -- KQV PittsburghKDKA Pittsburgh).
  • And some news features (NPR is the king of this sort of thing... here's a link to a story about the cancellation of "Reading Rainbow".... you're probably humming the theme song now.)





]]> Ex 1: Goals Statement tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10920 2009-08-31T22:29:49Z 2009-08-31T22:30:05Z Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu Setonian 1 On Stands tag:jerz.setonhill.edu,2009:/EL200/2009//27.10913 2009-08-28T03:08:15Z 2009-08-31T03:09:27Z Dennis G. Jerz http://jerz.setonhill.edu