the e-workbook: tablet-based interactive tool for video storytelling

Andrew'Lihhttp://andrewlih.comTwitter:'Fuzheado''Email:[email protected]

The'E<workbook:'Tablet<based'interactive'tool'for'video'storytelling

Feb'28,'2012Annenberg'Innovation'Lab

D<Books

Associate'professorUniversity'of'Southern'CaliforniaAnnenberg'School'for'Communication'and'Journalism

Wednesday, February 29, 12

http://andrewlih.com

http://andrewlih.com

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Why$is$teaching$and$learning$video$so$hard?


Ten$years$of$training$journalists$and$students:$video$storytelling$is$

the$toughest$thing$to$teach


ProblemsUncle$Murray$“video$painting”

Unusable$pans/movesNo$clear$concept$for$each$shot

Bad$framingNot$enough$closeups

Inability$to$shoot$sequences(Not$to$mention$audio)


Why$is$it$hard?Multitasking

Technical$tools$complexityIntrusiveness$of$reportingSlow$feedback$loop$in

shooting/editingGaining$good$experience


HandsMon$instruction$in$shooting$is$low:$often$a$solo$act

Story research Shooting Editing


MotivationsIncrease$in$organizations$making$“footage$calls”$to$audience/crowd

Video$coMcreationCollaborative$editing


Examples$for$Citizen$JournalismCNN$iReportRawporterVideolicious

Wikinews/Wikipedia


Case:$VideoliciousRequesting$userMgenerated$videos$

for$lifestyle$brandsUnfortunately,$textMheavy$

descriptions


10


11


12

#FAILToo'much'text'instructionWouldn’t'a'visual'system'be'desirable?


Case:$RawporterCrowdsourced$videojournalism

#FAILUnclear'on'what'styles'of'video'footage'desired'by'news'organizations.Clip<based,'not'story<based.


SolutionWikis$started$out$to$share$programming$patterns

How$about$video$patterns?Provide$templates/direction$for$

content$creators


BBC$5$Shot$methodPattern$pioneered$by$Michael$

Rosenblum,$NYT$Television,$NY1,$BBC,$CurrentTV


Five$Shot$methodCloseup$on$handsCloseup$on$face

Wide$shotOver$the$shoulderUnusual/side$shot


17

Example:$Venice$Pier$Gets$its$Fill


Closeup of the hands

Closeup of the face

Wide shot

Over the shoulder

Unusual/alternative

WHAT!is!being!done?!Mystery!is!good:!half!the!frame!should!be!hands

WHO!is!doing!it?!Show*TWO*EYES,*not*a*profile*shot

WHERE!is!it!being!done?!Respect*the*LINE*OF*ACTION

HOW!is!it!done?!Combine*into*POVClike*shot

WHAT*ELSE!should!viewer!know?

1

2

3

4

5


Five$Shot$basicsStart$with$best$shot

Get$audience$to$ask$questions


Why$it$worksSequence$always$cuts$together

Usable$BMroll$all$the$timeMystery$closeups$draw$viewers$in


Adam$Westbrook“What’s$the$difference$between$amateurs$and$professionals?$

Pros$shoot$sequences.”

http://adamwestbrook.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/10McommonMvideoMstorytellingMmistakesMandMhowMtoMavoidMthemMadamMwestbrookMonlineMvideo/


http://adamwestbrook.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/10-common-video-storytelling-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-adam-westbrook-online-video/

http://adamwestbrook.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/10-common-video-storytelling-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-adam-westbrook-online-video/

MethodCompels$journalist$to$get$closeProvides$known$game$plan

Time$for$story$decision$makingWeb$video$demands$closeups


Open$Source$TextbookMultimedia$journalismCollaboration$with

Lam$Vo,$formerly$of$Wall$Street$Journal

Teaching$material...


MaterialsField$checklistshttp://andrewlih.com/blog


http://andrewlih.com/blog

http://andrewlih.com/blog

ChallengeChecklistMbased,$twoMhanded$operation$

can$be$cumbersome

Combine$these$two!


Evolution

Paper'book

Text/Photo

Audio/Video

Media$capture,$analysis,$transmission

•

Source:$http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eucharius_R%C3%B6%C3%9Flin_Rosgarten_Titel.jpg


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eucharius_R%C3%B6%C3%9Flin_Rosgarten_Titel.jpg


Evolution

Paper'book E<textbook

Text/Photo

Audio/Video


• •

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Evolution

Paper'book E<textbook E<workbook

Text/Photo

Audio/Video


• • •

• •

•





Instead$of$paper$instruction...Build$the$5$shot$method$into$device

iPad$screen$ridiculously$big,$sotake$advantage$of$its$UI$space


Prototype$interfacesShot$list,$instruction$and$camera


Prototype$interfacesAnalysis,$checklist,$camera$location


Prototype$interfacesStoryboard$of$shots$neededProvide$instruction/analysis

54321

Hands Face OTSWide Unusual

Closeup on faceWHO is doing it? • Frame with rule of thirds • Give “talk space” in front of eyes/nose. • Can cut off top of head, but not the chin. • SHOW TWO EYES!

2

FRAMING

EYES

NOSEROOM

e-workbook

REC

Analyze

Module: BBC 5 Shot


Interested$PartiesVericorder

iPhone$hardware/software

Five$shot$materials$used$in$video$training$at:

Notre$Dame$University,$West$Virginia$University,$WTOP$in$Washington$DC


ChallengesiBook$or$iOS$app?


iBooks'title'(ePub) iOS'app'in'App'Store

Portability Many'devices Apple<locked

Text'model Reflowable Static

Standard Open/malleable Closed/controlled

MultimediaBasic,'text<centric,'simple'video'and'audio

Advanced,'multimedia<rich,'media'capture

Screen'use Framed/flowed Full'screen

Book'size Lightweight Heavy

Authoring Simple,$variety$of$layout$tools Complicated,$programming


Development$pathMedia$capture:$iOS$app$

only$way$to$go

InMapp$editing/trimmingSending$video$for$evaluation

Feedback$from$instructor/editor


Development$state$atUSC$Annenberg$Innovation$Lab

Example$footage$and$evaluation$rubrics$done$

Video$system$being$prototypedEvaluation$system$being$designed

Prototype$in$Spring$2012


Future$workGeneric$XMLMbased$“storyboard”$

language,$beyond$5$shotsAlgorithms$for$analyzing$intraMclip$

and$interMclip$qualityCollaborative$features$for$immediate$

instructor/editor$feedback


the e-workbook: tablet-based interactive tool for video storytelling

Technology

aud video

journalism cnn

complexity intrusiveness

problems uncle