How audio, video can strengthen print stories

by Passang Norbu and Hanna Dagg

People today want news quick and easy and multimedia seems to be the news media’s answer. The number of news outlets that are turning to multimedia has increased dramatically, but with this growth spurt come more opportunities to fail. Multimedia has to not only capture the viewer’s attention but also effectively inform. The trick is finding the balance between the two. So the question is, what makes a successful multimedia piece?

It takes so many steps to create a successful multimedia piece, but it takes only one bad element to ruin the story. Here are some tips and tricks to help prevent mistakes and optimize results.

The world of multimedia can be divided into three parts: pre-production, production and post-production.

Pre-Production

• Know the focus of your story
• Write out the questions that you are going to ask in the order you are going to ask them.
• Compose open-ended questions.
• Make the subject answer in full sentences. Yes and no answers are a fast way to kill the audio of a good story and complete answers will make the editing process much smoother.
• Familiarize yourself with the equipment.
• Test that everything is working properly and that all batteries are charged.
• Take along spare batteries.

Production

• Use a variety of angles and shots.
• Whether shooting video or stills, having wide, medium and tight shots will keep the visuals fresh for the viewer.
• Shoot B-roll (B-roll is extra footage or sound you gather to show the setting of your story)
• Extra footage or audio will come in handy when editing your story. When in doubt, shoot it!
• Prioritize
• Conduct your interview first. This will give you a good idea of what video or stills will match with what audio.
• Audio levels
• Listen to your audio levels and make sure you can hear your subject clearly before starting the interview.

Post-production

• Utilize your B-roll
• B-roll video, stills or audio can add a scene-setting element to your piece that can capture and maintain viewers’ interest. It is also excellent for transitions in your narrative and for covering up choppy video transitions.
• Establish your focus early
• Another one of photojournalist Colin Mulvany’s tips is to introduce the reason for your story early. “Viewers can be a fickle crowd. If they don’t know what your story is in the first 20 or 30 seconds, chances are they will bolt.”
• Examine your narrative
• Make sure your story makes sense and is appealing to the common viewer. If you find yourself bored, chances are your viewer will be too.