Category: Module 5

Infographic

I chose the infographic in the story “Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Unstoppable” on fivethirtyeight.com. I chose this article because it was about entertainment, more specifically The Emmy’s, and the actress being discussed was one that I have seen in many different shows. I liked this infographic because it did not include an overwhelming amount of facts or stats, but I still understood the point that was trying to be made.

julia-infographic

This infographic was built on the basis of comparisons. The different shows that Louis-Dreyfus has appeared in are all laid out next to each other to prove the point that she thrives on the various formats and genres of TV. The causality in the infographic is change over time, and it is done successfully by displaying the data in a graph format. The TV average is also shown as a dotted line to give more clarity to the point being made. All elements of design and data are integrated together. IMDB is a credible source when it comes to entertainment ratings, so having that as one of the variables as opposed to just “user ratings” allows readers to trust the data being presented.

Module 5: Multimedia story production

Introduction:

Writing is a crucial skill, but we now need at least basic production skills across multiple platforms. We will kick the tires on some basic forms for multimedia projects, and you’ll complete one for this class.

Learning objectives:

  • Evaluate different multimedia projects
  • Develop multimedia skills
  • Propose a multimedia project for your beat
  • Revise that project based on feedback

Steps to completion:

Background:

  • Blaine chapter 3, 10-14, 24
  • Tufte handout
  • Video on podcasts:
  • Listen to a podcast geared toward current events and culture. I’d suggest one of the Slate.com or NPR podcasts. Write a short blog post in the linking to the one you chose and explaining why you chose it, what you liked about it. Include a list of interview segments and voiceovers. Tag your post “podcast” and post it in Module 5 by Sept 19.
  • Find an example of an infographic from a news story. The New York Times’s Upshot vertical and http://fivethirtyeight.com are good choices. Write a short blog post in the coursework category linking to the one you chose and explaining why you chose it, what you liked about it, and which of Tufte’s principles it used. Tag your post “infographic” and post it in Module 5 by Sept 19.
  • Find an example of a photo package (not just individual shots in the text, but a gallery or slideshow). Write a short blog post in the coursework category explaining why you chose it, what you liked about it, and what you think could have been strong in either the image or the caption. Tag your post “photos” post it in Module 5 by Sept 21.

Reflective:

  • Class discussion Sept. 20: Podcasts and infographics
  • Class discussion Sept. 22: Photos
  • Class discussion Sept. 27: Audio work time
  • Class discussion Sept. 29: Work time for profile interviews

Exploratory

  • Record an interview with a classmate about his or her passion and edit it into an audio profile along the lines details in the video above. It should be 2-4 minutes in length and saved in mp3 format, ideally using Adobe Audition. Upload it to SoundCloud and post a link in the Module 5 category with the tag “audio profile” by Sept. 28.
  • Conduct two interviews for your profile story and put transcripts in a Dropbox Paper document shared with me by Sept. 30.
  • Add your multimedia project proposal to your budget by Sept. 30.
  • Poynter tests due by Oct. 1.