Breaking the Silence

It's been ages since I've blogged, so I thought I'd post an update. The months since graduation certainly have been exciting. Here's a little re-cap of all that's gone on:

Travel

Dallas, TX: My sister and I visited Dallas, Texas for some cowboy fun! We got to fly in a small cessna plane piloted by non other than my awesome Aunt Cathy! (Of course, we opted for a major airline to take us between New Jersey and Texas.)

Denver, CO: My cousin's wedding took my family across the country and into the mountains of Estes, Park. I was bit by a duck during a hike in the Rocky Mountains, but the trek was still worth it.

Virginia & North Carolina: I visited the Eastern Shore of Virginia to shoot potato guns and to enjoy some boating. While I was down there, I took a few short trips to Moyock, NC to visit what is now my permanent residence (and to eat some raw fish with the hippest aunt and uncle around).

EUROPE: The biggest trip I've taken since my last trip to Europe. This one I did on my own (but with a tour group.) It was an indescribable trip through Italy, France, and Spain. Rome, Florence, Pisa, Nice, Monaco, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Barcelona, and Madrid, just to name a few! I'm already ready for another European adventure!

The Move & The Job

The biggest change since graduation is my move down south and my new job! I now live in Moyock, NC and work just about 25 minutes away in wonderful Chesapeake, VA. I'm Communications Specialist for the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast. So far it's been an amazing job. I work with the kindest people and I always feel busy. I get to do a lot of writing--mostly in the form of press releases, but I love having the practice. I'm meeting a lot of people in the Hampton Roads area, including many media professionals. I've appeared on WAVY TV 10 and Channel 48, along with some local radio stations, to promote Girl Scout Cookies. I've also had my hand in marketing and advertising. So really, I am getting so much experience from this one job!

That's the update. Hopefully the posts will become more frequent so they won't have to be so long. Any WC broadcasters who happen to read this, I want updates on you as well!

Till next time, ya'll!

The Transcending News Story

I love watching award winning news packages. It’s so easy to sit through a 30 minute newscast and see nothing but thrown together vo-sots and packages with no artistic attention at all. But every once in awhile, you can catch a real gem.

"THE CONTENDER"

John Samuels

WXIA/Atlanta, GA

This one is obviously great. It won 1st place in the General News category of the National Press Photographers Association’s 2006 awards.

I love the sound, the extreme close ups, the unique camera positioning and lighting. I love the way it’s written. The sounds draw you in, then he throws in the twist of the boxing being this guy’s ministry.

I also like the line that the boxer says about “transcending boxing” and how that’s a way to get non-boxing fans to want to watch you box. If you ask me, this package is a “transcending” news story. I couldn’t care less about boxing—but I couldn’t stop watching this award winning story.

Could Be Done Better?

It’s been awhile since my last post, but I’m still spending a lot of my free time searching—searching for jobs and for short docs on the web!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid263777579/bclid430296705/bctid430296521

This one I got right from the National Geographic website. It’s interesting and informational, but a bit dry if I may say so. It reminds me of a video we might have been forced to watch in high school went we had a substitute teacher. Don’t get me wrong—it’s not badly done, but I would have done it differently. Maybe starting with more of a mysterious edge—why are these people painting on the sides of ancient buildings? It’s graffiti at its best. Or perhaps a closer look at one of the artists shown in the spot.

Either way, it’s an interesting topic—something new learned from these fun short videos!

To China in Under 4 Minutes!

I have definite preferences when it comes to what kind of documentaries I like most. They're short, well written, and more often than not have something to do with people in a far off land I've never been too (even if that place is in the US!). They all teach me something I didn't already know. I also like the fact that many of these could easily be a spot on any news program. It's interesting how really good news journalism can be exactly like many short docs.

I love Current TV. This doc is on cave dwellers in China. It's amazing to think that people actually live like this these days! Just add this to the places in the world I need to visit.

Enjoy!

Another Documentary from Across the Pond

I guess I have a thing for documentaries narrated by people with British accents. This one's about LongHorn Jim and the babies he takes care of--both his lambs and his real children.

Just as a warning, part of this documentary is definitely gross if you ask me. I don't care what people say, birthing is not a beautiful process. But it's just a small part of this excellent short.

I love the different camera angles—the extreme wide shots, the close ups-- and the calm narrative voice. I like the way the story juxtaposes Longhorn Jim’s real children and the lambs he’s taking care of. Sometimes you don’t know which he’s talking about.

It's so well told and well shot. Another great one from FourDocs.

Flag Etiquette Doc -- A Do or a Don't?

Do you know flag etiquette? This short documentary is made up of still photos of flags found all over New York City. It doesn't so much tell a story, but read off a list of do's and don'ts when it comes to the American flag.



I was on the fence about whether or not I really liked this documentary, but I've officially decided that I do. It does what it set out to do--inform the public about flag etiquette and use really nice photos of flags to keep the attention. I like the calm, quiet music behind it as well.

And to be honest--I think any voice over done by a person with an accent would keep my attention for any amount of time.

An Animated Documentary

The UK's Channel 4 is smothered in controversy right now because of the Princess Diana documentary set to air tonight. While I’ve lost some respect for the channel due to the current situation, I do like checking out the videos on their website—something I’ve been doing for months now.


Today I watched this FourDoc—New Light Room—and totally loved the way it used animation to tell the story! No interviews, no people, barely even any scenery, just clever camera tricks.

What a fun way to put together a documentary!