Introduction to Multimedia Journalism Skills
- Audio gathering and editing
Lecture and practice, Monday, 9 a.m. to noon
- Soundslides
Lecture and practice, Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon
- Flash basics
Lecture and practice, Tuesday, 1:30 to 5 p.m.
Audio Gathering and Editing
- Super-Fast Guide
to Audio Editing (PDF, 236 KB)
Includes instructions for how to download and install Audacity, a free audio-editing
program that works on Windows and Mac. You can print this.
- Editing Audio with Audacity (Part 2) (PDF, 193 KB)
Multitrack editing, fade in/fade out, remove noise, isolate small sound bites from a larger file.
- The No-Fear Guide
to Multimedia Skills (PDF, 735 KB)
This is the same printed handout distributed at the workshop.
- BBC: Advanced Radio Tips
Don't let the word "radio" deter you -- these simple lessons (written
for school kids) are for everyone who works with audio, whether or not
you ever go "on air." It's one page that will help you gather and edit
better audio. Another
BBC page teaches us a lot about handling the microphone,
including when to use a condom (I'm not kidding).
- Audio resources page
Here are links to all kinds of tutorials and guides to interviewing for audio
(and radio) presentation, how to edit, tips, best practices, etc. This
is my own page that I update at least once a year.
- Tutorial: An MP3 audio player for any Web page
Play audio directly on the page, whether it's on your blog or on your newspaper's
Web site. The player is free. All you have to do is copy and paste, and
upload your MP3 file.
- Links to gear (under "Audio")
This is a page I update often to provide links to specific equipment through
Amazon.com. Make sure you check around to get the best price. I'm not promising
you that Amazon always has the best deal.
Soundslides
Download the fully functional demo version free: Soundslides
Works on either Windows or Mac. You can learn to use this program
and even publish audio slideshows without paying for it, but you should appreciate
that Joe Weiss quit his day job at the Raleigh News & Observer to support
and enhance this software full-time. If you start using it regularly, Joe
deserves to get paid.
Here is all that you need to make an audio slideshow:
- The Soundslides software.
- One edited, final MP3 file.
- Your photos, already cropped and toned, saved in the JPG file format.
Copy them into a folder before you begin, and make sure the JPGs for this slideshow are the only JPGs in that folder.
Read Tom Priddy's
tutorial for
a great overview of how a professional photojournalist works with Soundslides
in his everyday job (used with Tom's permission). Tom recommends Nhat
Meyer's article about getting great audio, at SportsShooter.com. Publishing
Basics for Soundslides are online, in the Help files.
Soundslides Examples
- After the Riots: A Soundslides about the housing projects in Paris, by the British newspaper The Guardian. Exceptional storytelling and great use of sound.
- In this
fine example of a Soundslides slideshow, an undergraduate photojournalism
student tells us the story of a production of the Nutcracker ballet. She
produced this while on an internship at The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun. Notice
the variety in shots, scenes, lenses, etc. Notice too the excellent
editing of the pictures to match the content of the audio.
- Guitar Lessons at the Central Area Senior Center: An 81-year-old Seattle woman loves taking guitar lessons. No narration, nice story, several interviews skillfully edited together.
- When you listen to this
unusual example from the Chicago Tribune, you may get some
new ideas about audio.
- Cockfighting in Puerto Rico: Awesome photos, wonderful audio that puts you at the scene.
Flash Basics
When you're ready, start
here and advance to here.
Where I Like to Buy Gear
- Amazon for audio
recorders, headphones, point-and-shoot cameras
- B & H for
microphones, video equipment, professional gear
- eBay for anything
and everything (used gear is okay!!)
Educational Prices for Software
Contact Information
My e-mail:
My blog: Teaching Online Journalism