Top Tips For Mobile Journalism - Ivo Burum

Summary

Eve Oberon, a lecturer at Latrobe University, shares her expertise in mobile journalism with global investigative journalists. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing story over technology, planning, and using mobile phones strategically. Oberon offers practical tips for shooting b-roll, editing, and understanding the storytelling toolkit. She highlights the democratizing potential of mobile journalism, enabling individuals worldwide to tell impactful stories.

Takeaways

• 📱 Mobile phones are powerful tools for investigative journalists, enabling them to capture and tell stories effectively.
• 📹 The emphasis should always be on the story first, not the technology. Good storytelling is paramount, regardless of the tools used.
• 🗺️ Planning is crucial for mobile journalism. It serves as a roadmap in the field and a guide during editing.
• 🔍 Understanding the appropriate technology for the story is key. Different regions may have varying levels of tech adoption and comfort.
• 🎥 B-roll footage is essential for enhancing video storytelling, providing context and depth to the narrative.
• ✂️ Editing should start with the story structure, using draft narration if necessary, before refining with b-roll and other elements.
• 💡 The SCRAP method (Story, Characters, Resolution, Actuality, Production) is a useful toolkit for understanding and structuring stories.
• 🏆 Mobile journalism has been successful in producing award-winning content, such as 'Eastern Gateway', and empowering underrepresented voices.
• 🌐 With billions of mobile phones globally, there's immense potential for individuals to tell impactful stories from their communities.
• 🌟 Mobile journalism democratizes the ability to create and share stories, allowing for a more diverse range of voices to be heard.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the global investigative journalism conference discussed in the script?

The main focus is on the use of mobile phones by investigative journalists to create powerful stories, with an emphasis on story development and the appropriate use of technology.

Who is Eve Oberon and what is her background?

Eve Oberon is a lecturer at Latrobe University, teaching mobile journalism and media industries. She has 30 years of experience in television, working as an executive producer, producer, and writer, primarily in current affairs and general production.

What is the significance of developing self-shot skills in mobile journalism?

Developing self-shot skills in mobile journalism is significant because it allows journalists to create compelling stories using just their mobile phones, which can be a more accessible and cost-effective method compared to traditional video equipment.

What is the first tip Eve Oberon gives for mobile journalism?

The first tip is to always prioritize the story. Technology should not be the primary focus; it should serve the story being told.

Why is planning important in mobile journalism according to the script?

Planning is crucial because it acts as a map and lifeline for journalists in the field, helping them know what to film and aiding in the editing process by providing a structure for the story.

What does Eve Oberon suggest about the use of technology in mobile journalism?

Eve Oberon suggests that the choice of technology should be determined by the story first. Journalists should not let the technology dictate the story but rather select the appropriate tools to tell the story effectively.

What is the role of b-roll in mobile journalism as discussed in the script?

B-roll, or cutaway footage, is essential in mobile journalism as it provides the overlay footage used to enhance narration or interviews, making the storytelling more dynamic and visually engaging.

How does Eve Oberon recommend approaching the editing process in mobile journalism?

Eve Oberon recommends editing the story first and then focusing on the b-roll. This involves quickly establishing the story structure, even with draft narration, and then refining the edit with the appropriate b-roll to give the story its final form.

What does the acronym SCRAP stand for in the context of storytelling as mentioned by Eve Oberon?

SCRAP stands for Story, Characters, Resolution, Actuality, and Production. It's a storytelling toolkit that helps journalists understand and structure their narratives effectively.

Can you provide an example of a successful mobile journalism story mentioned in the script?

One example is 'Eastern Gateway,' an award-winning film about refugees leaving the Middle East and seeking safer lives, showcasing the potential of mobile journalism to tell impactful stories.

What is the potential impact of mobile journalism as highlighted in the script?

The potential impact of mobile journalism is to democratize storytelling skills, enabling people worldwide to tell life-changing stories using their mobile phones, thus empowering communities to share their narratives.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Mobile Journalism Insights

Eve Oberon, a lecturer at Latrobe University and an experienced television professional, shares her expertise in mobile journalism. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing story over technology, planning, and understanding the appropriate use of technology based on the story's needs. Oberon discusses the significance of b-roll footage and the editing process, advocating for a structured approach that starts with the story and then integrates b-roll. She also introduces the SCRAP storytelling method, which involves understanding the story, characters, actuality, and production logistics.

05:00

🌐 Impact of Mobile Journalism

This paragraph highlights the transformative power of mobile journalism (mojo) through various case studies. It mentions 'Eastern Gateway,' an award-winning film about Middle Eastern refugees, and underscores the empowerment of indigenous Australians who became journalists after training. The paragraph also celebrates the success of young journalists in Timor who have been creating impactful videos for five years using their smartphones. The potential of mobile journalism is underscored by the fact that with 7.1 billion mobile phones globally, nearly half the world's population has the means to tell impactful stories, thereby democratizing the skill of storytelling.

Keywords

💡Mobile Journalism

Mobile Journalism, often abbreviated as 'Mojo', refers to the practice of using mobile devices to report news and create journalistic content. In the video, the concept is central as it discusses how journalists can utilize smartphones to tell powerful stories. The speaker, Eve Oberon, highlights the importance of mobile journalism as a tool for democratizing storytelling skills and empowering individuals worldwide to share life-changing narratives.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of conveying events in a narrative form to engage an audience. It's a recurring theme in the video, with Eve emphasizing that the story should come first before the technology. She advises journalists to focus on the narrative they want to convey, rather than being overly reliant on the tools at their disposal.

💡Technology

Technology, in the context of the video, refers to the various tools and devices, particularly smartphones, that journalists can use to capture and edit stories. The video suggests that while technology is important, it should be chosen based on the needs of the story, not the other way around.

💡B-roll

B-roll, in video production, refers to supplementary footage that is intercut with the main action to enhance the narrative. In the video, Eve advises journalists to shoot B-roll footage to support their main story, using it to overlay narration or interviews, which is crucial for creating engaging video stories.

💡Editing

Editing is the process of selecting and arranging content to create a coherent narrative. The video stresses the importance of editing the story first, using draft narration if necessary, to establish the structure before integrating B-roll footage. This approach helps in achieving a 'story bounce' that allows for a more fluid storytelling experience.

💡Character

Characters are the individuals or entities that play a role in the story. Understanding the characters is crucial for storytelling, as it helps in shaping the narrative and driving the story towards resolution. The video mentions that knowing the characters is key to creating a compelling story.

💡Actuality

Actuality refers to the real events or occurrences that are captured in a journalistic piece. It provides authenticity and currency to the story. In the video, actuality is mentioned as an essential element that journalists need to film to ensure their stories are grounded in reality.

💡Production

Production in this context pertains to the logistical aspects of creating a video story, including planning and execution. The video suggests that even short stories require thoughtful production considerations to ensure a successful outcome.

💡Democratization

Democratization, as used in the video, refers to the process of making skills and opportunities accessible to a broader range of people. Mobile journalism is seen as a way to democratize journalistic skills, allowing more individuals to tell their stories and potentially influence change in their communities.

💡Smart Mobs

Smart Mobs is a term that refers to groups of people who use mobile technology to coordinate and act collectively. The video cautions against a techno-determinist approach, suggesting that being part of a 'smart mob' is not the sole answer to effective storytelling; rather, the focus should be on the story itself.

Highlights

Mobile phones can be powerful tools for investigative journalists.

Eve Oberon has 30 years of experience in television and now teaches mobile journalism.

Storytelling should come first, not technology.

Planning is crucial for fieldwork and editing.

Technology should be chosen based on the story, not the other way around.

B-roll is essential for creating compelling video stories.

Editing should start with the story structure, not the b-roll.

Starting the edit process early can alleviate stress from having too much footage.

Understanding the story and characters is key to effective storytelling.

Actuality gives a story currency and relevance.

Production logistics are important, even for short stories.

Mobile journalism can democratize storytelling skills.

There are 7.1 billion mobile phones globally, offering vast potential for storytelling.

Mobile journalism has been used to tell life-changing stories, like 'Eastern Gateway' about refugees.

Indigenous Australians have used mobile journalism to tell their stories and gain employment.

Mobile journalism empowers communities to tell their own stories.

Transcripts

[Music]

but the global investigative journalism

conference we are some of the world's

leading experts for their top tips when

investigating stories

[Music]

one of the key lessons is how mobile

phones can be used by investigative

journalists my name is Eve Oberon and

I'm a lecturer at Latrobe University our

teach mobile journalism and media

industries before that I'd spent 30

years in television working as a an

executive producer producer and a writer

and I worked in current affairs and in

general production but about seven or

eight years ago it had enough of TV and

I I left basically and I began to

develop the shove the self-shot skills

that I developed in TV over a period of

twenty years into a mobile journalism

program and I've been wandering around

the world now working with journalists

from Syria from Yemen from other EU

countries and other countries in you

know use your teaching them how to make

stories politicize stories powerful

stories using their mobile phones think

story first it's always story story

story don't get sucked in to to take a

techno determinist approach and think

technology is going to be the answer

it's not you've got a it's not about

being one of the smart mobs you've got

to be net smart tip number two is plan

plan your story don't think that a

little plan is restrictive or

prescriptive it's actually your map your

lifeline so if you plan a story that's

actually going to help you in the field

you'll know what you're actually filming

it's also going to help in the edit

suite because that initial plan becomes

your first edit map my third tip is that

you have to think about technology a

little bit for example if my boss was to

send me to Africa to film lions I

couldn't do it all on a mobile phone I'd

be eaten so what I'm saying is you've

gotta actually think story first so if

you think story you'll work out what

technology you need to make the story

and then it's really interesting with

mobile journalism cuz in some countries

even a mobile phone is too much in other

countries and like in the EU for example

they really love technology and they

love to put a lot of gadgets on their

phones but in the Middle East they use

just a mobile phone because they don't

want to be painted as a target so

technology is important but you decide

on technology by thinking story first

and tip 4 is b-roll or cutaways or

clipper builder it's the overlay footage

the cover footage that you use to put

over a bit of narration or to put over

an interview when you cut an interview

down when you think you've shot enough

b-roll shoot some or you haven't got

enough and the key is to shoot your

story first and then shoot your b-roll

around your story when you know what you

need but that doesn't mean that you

don't shoot your b-roll before you start

shooting story for example if you turned

up here to this conference and there

were a whole bunch of people yelling and

screaming outside you'd shoot that when

you got there before you shot the

interview about that Elling and

screaming b-roll is the key to making

great videos stories b-roll and

narration if you can get b-roll

induration right if you could learn to

write in and out of pictures you'll be a

great video storyteller my fifth tip is

to do with editing edit the story first

and then worry about your b-roll the

idea is to get your structure down very

very quickly using even draft narration

just get something down to get what I

call the story bounce happening once you

have the story bounce happening you can

then move the blocks around to your

structure is right editorially legally

and for whatever reason and then you can

paste it up with b-roll give it its

breathing space so edit the story first

edit it quickly if you're walking around

nervously worried about starting an edit

because you've shot too much footage the

best way to fix that feeling is to start

don't worry if you're wrong if you're

wrong you'll know it really soon and

you'll be able to fix that but if you

don't start you'll just get more and

more stressed so start the Edit cut the

story

my most essential tip it's a really

simple think story story story when

you're thinking story you really need to

think scraps scrap is a storytelling

toolkit it's a story understand the

story and you'll know who the characters

are understand the characters and you'll

know how to actually put them together

which is the next part are for

resolution what's the structure of the

story

as for actuality actuality is all the

real stuff that you need to film all the

stuff that's happening it's the stuff

that gives your story currency and P is

for production it's the logistics even

short stories you should be thinking

about those in the old days we used to

do it in the Train

on the way over now actually I don't

know when we do it because things happen

so much quicker but we need to think

about scrubber they've been a lot of

great mojo stories made with people that

I've worked with that the most recent is

the award-winning Eastern Gateway which

is a film about refugees leaving in the

Middle East and moving across to a safer

safer life but they've also been really

stories that are close to my heart

indigenous people in Australia who who

actually did the merger course and then

ended up becoming journalists getting

full time workers journalists that's

really important to give them full time

work in their own communities that's

very hard to do in Timor we have some

young journalists that five years ago

learned how to do this they said to me

we would never be able to create video

never unless we were able to do it on

these phones we don't have the funding

we don't have the ability to get video

cameras they're still doing it five

years later and and doing it really

really well so there's many many good

examples of mobile journalism there are

7.1 billion mobile phones in the world

there are three billion smart phones

that means almost half the world's

population has the ability to tell

life-changing stories and that's the

real potential of mojo it's a way for us

to democratize our skills to give back

to people who are interested in changing

lives in their own community

that's my case study my example of where

it's been successful

[Music]

you