hello eric!
my name is meenakshi ravi. i work with a team based here in london which produces a weekly global media watch show called the listening post for al-jazeera english. the show is called the listening post and our broadcast takes critical and irreverent looks at global news coverage - of events and non-events. we also track developments in the use of media.
a story we are tracking for our upcoming broadcast is about the big donor show and the attention it attracted. it looks like the show caught your interest since you have put up a fair chunk of it as a clip. i am trying to get in touch with people who were following the show and i think your perspective would be interesting.
A section of our show is called Global Village Voices. We ask for viewers opinions on the week’s stories via webcam. we would love to hear what you think about the big donor show. did you feel that it was a bad idea at the beginning? do you think that maybe the show was trying to play god by giving people kidneys? after the show announced that it was all a joke, did you feel angry? or do you think the hoax was worth it considering all the awareness it created? do you think the show has done something good by creating awareness in this way? could they not have done it in a better way? are we beginning to allow reality TV a little too much freedom?
Just in case you are able to do this, I have attached our list of hints and tips for video blogging. we would like to get your video file by wednesday morning if possible. the file will need to be uploaded, and i have attached instructions on how to do it below. i know the time is short, but it would be great if you could do this. you obviously need not answer all the questions. they are just for you to get an idea of what we are looking for. feel free to pick just one or two and give us your reply.
here are those tips:
- Install any software that comes with your webcam – unless you already have it.
- Plug in your webcam.
- Find a quiet place to record your comment, so that background noise doesn’t cause a problem.
- Think about what is behind you in the picture. A plain backdrop is usually the best.
- Secure the camera on an even surface so that it doesn’t wobble or shake.
- Frame the picture so that you have your head an shoulders in frame with about a quarter of the frame left empty at the top, for head space (the more of your face we can see the better!)
- Make sure that your microphone (often part of the webcam) is directed towards your face (if possible!)
- Think about what you want to say before hand, but don’t worry about getting it all word for word, its good to be as natural as possible.
- Don’t worry about getting it right first time you can always re-record as many times as you like.
- If you find it difficult to look into the lens of the camera and talk, find a spot to focus on just above the camera and talk to that.
- Record on your webcam software OR quicktime if possible, and choose the option to save file as an .MPEG (although any recording software will do, I can convert most files).
- Once you start to record count 5 seconds in your head while looking at your spot, before you start to talk, and when you have finished count 5 seconds before stopping the recording. This will give us clean in and outs for edit.
- Start your piece by saying your name, who you are and where you are from.
- Speak clearly and not too quickly.
- Around a minute is the optimum length.
- Once you are happy with your piece, save it and upload it to
www.yousendit.com (you may need to register for free first). Direct the file to listeningpost@aljazeera.net.
would love to hear from you! have attached a link to a clip of our show for you to check out..
thanks,
meenakshi