Final Project Topic

Liz, Anya and I came up with our final project idea today and I think it's going to be great!!!

I don't want to give too much away because it'll be more exciting to explain it as it unfolds, but basically, we're going to be doing a little investigation on the old Bethlehem Steel property. Let your imaginations wander...it's going to be a good one!

Do you Tweet?

Much to my dismay following a new found love affair with Twitter, I have come to learn that not too many Lehigh students are using Twitter. In fact, they don't even understand what it is. Ok, Ok, I may be getting a bit ahead of myself because just a few weeks ago I was basically blogging about how dumb I thought the whole thing was but really, I'm a newborn Twitter-lover.

This week's lab was all about figuring out which kind of environments are most ideal around campus for audio and visual effects on camera. We were given a list of 8 places to go on campus and to ask community members the same questions about a topic. Of course, we jumped all over Twitter because it's fresh on our minds, but apparently, it's not fresh on the minds of most college students.

To start, finding a volunteer to even give their feelings about the web site was like pulling teeth. We found ourselves getting to a point where we were forcing people to just even talk about a time they heard someone talking about it from a distance. Some people, on the other hand, jumped at the opportunity to be on camera and hear themselves talk. It was a pretty hilarious contrast.

In terms of the logistics, I don't think we had much of a problem with lighting anywhere. For the places outside, today wasn't too bright so the lighting was fine. With the audio aspects, we ran into a few problems with background. Pay attention to Todd from Dave's Deli and you'll notice that the TV is on in the background...quite a shame because he gave an awesome answer and even followed up with me and Anya when the interview was done, offering to give us any help we may need with anything in the future. Nice guy. Go to Dave's Deli and give him your business...seriously.

The project went basically like I thought it would. The bulk of the work landed in getting the footage. The editing process this week was pretty simple because we were really only dealing with transitions and credits. But the filming...that was a task.

Anyway, I think I'd have to say that of all the projects I've done for Multimedia Reporting, I'm most proud of this one. Take a look! Enjoy!!!!

Lab 5

This week's lab seems pretty easy. At least the editing part, which was our demise last week. Stay tuned on Friday for the real report!

Citizen Journalism at Its Finest

The George Polk Awards are given to journalists by Long Island University in New York and are considered to be extremely prestigious. This year, whoever shot the video on his cell phone of Iranian protester Neda Soltan won the prize, making it the first time ever the award was given to an anonymous journalist.


http://gawker.com/5473153/cell+phone-neda-cameraman-wins-polk-award


Goes to show that as long as you're in the right place at the right time--and of course, you have a cell phone--you can be considered a content creator rather than just a consumer. This shift from one-to-many to many-to-many is quickly closing in. Poor professionals. They're doomed.

Did this work....?

I'm crossing my fingers that when I press publish post, you'll see the YouTube video above my copy. Oh, the trials and tribulations of multimedia reporting...you never know what you're going to get!

Dance Team Video

Our video is done and I have to say, it's pretty impressive. I have to thank Anya and especially Liz for putting in the extra time...I couldn't have asked for a better team!!!

And yes...as you can see, I have forgotten how to embed. For now, enjoy the link as I search through my notes to figure this out. Sometimes, I seriously think that I'm entering the early stages of Alzheimer Disease at age 22. YIKES!

Stay Tuned....

Liz, Anya and I worked for more than 3 hours today working on our video for Lab 4. While I have to say it's pretty close to perfect, we can't post it yet because we still have to work out some kinks that Liz graciously said she'd work on tomorrow. So basically, stayed tuned for the link....it's a good one!

On another note, I realize that I've been seriously slacking on my posts. Not because I have nothing to say, because honestly, I always have something to say, but really because I've had zero time. I haven't mentioned this yet, but this semester, I have an internship every day at the Office of Communications and Public Affairs here at Lehigh. I love it. I recommend that for anyone who is interested in any kind of communications or PR path to look into an internship here. The people are beyond nice and I'm learning so much. Specifically, I work in the media relations division under Dina Silver Pokedoff who has already taught me so much. I'm really learning how to do a lot of media research and how to apply it to relevant and current events that someone on Lehigh's campus can weigh in on....it's so interesting how the world of media works...it's all intertwined (like a media ecosystem....yep, I said it!).

So, as I leave my post (the first for the week...oops), stay tuned for our video. It's pretty damn good if I should say so myself.

I borrowed a classmates footage today in order to complete the lab. This presented a few challenges because 1. I'm not familiar with the person who was interviewed, 2. I was not familiar with the collected footage until I began the project, and 3. I am not used to the style used by the person who's footage I used. Don't get me wrong, I'm VERY appreciative of her for allowing me to use what she did on her own, however this has taught me a very valuable lesson: If I have the chance to do the work on my own outside of the classroom (meaning, I am in possession of my group's camera), the I MUST take advantage of it.

Needless to say, I'm not too thrilled with what I created in the lab today. I mean, I guess its what Professor Littau is looking for, but at the same time, it's basically the bare minimum. On the other hand, I'm glad I'm learning the basics so that later in the semester things can get a little fancier. Professor mentioned today in class that by the end of the semester, we'll be able to go back to the work we did at the beginning and laugh and how amateur our videos were. Can't wait!!!

Twitter

Ok...so I may have spoken too soon regarding Twitter. I set it up a while ago and didn't use it until now. 4 posts in...I'm loving it! I don't think anyone is actually reading my "tweets" but when it comes to me keeping track of my own life, I think I might find it to be pretty organizational.

FOLLOW ME....rebeccaraphe!!!

LOST!

Due to an interview, I missed class today and I'm a bit nervous....I'm LOST!!!! We received an assignment that I'm not too sure how to go about completing. I need to meet with Professor Littau ASAP to figure out how to go about all this in order to complete it correctly.

Here's what I figure. I need to figure out where this blog is actually going to go. So far I've been using it as basically a diary to talk about what we learn in class. But let's get serious. If I were someone who happened to stumble upon Becca Raphael's blog about her Multimedia Reporting class at some school in Pennsylvania, chances are I'd click back to Facebook and go about my normal procrastination routine. Standard. I need to figure out a way to make this forum both apply to what I learn and what I'm all about---as a person, and more specifically, as a student. I've got to start really thinking.

Also, TWITTER! I still don't get it! I can see how a business might be able to use it as a marketing tool, but as a person, I'm NOT trying to market myself. "Hey everyone! Pay attention to me as I wash the dishes!" No. Again, I need to start thinking.......