If you haven’t heard of the internet phenomenon known as Youtube, you’ve probably been living underneath a rock for the past five years. For the uninitiated, Youtube is a video hosting website where users (that’s you, chief) can upload and watch user created videos. Youtube, and other services like it, can provide journalists with a better means of communication. However, you shouldn’t go overboard with your newfound power. Clips are better if they’re kept short and sweet. If you’re clip is over five minutes you might as well be showing an ADD kid a documentary on the intricacies of the FCC, given the nature of the internet today. So clips should be short, sweet, and informative.
Recently, on the homefront, a college group held a Regency era ball. It sounded somewhat interesting, and I wanted an excuse to film something and get up on our website. So I grabbed my camera, a reporter, and went to the ball. The clip’s short, not even three minutes, and could have been lengthened with what footage I got, but I felt that it wouldn’t have added much. Well, see for yourself:
That was by no means a work of art, but it is a start. I could have gotten the instructor’s name, and probably should have, I could have interviewed two other individuals who were waiting to play music. However, I wanted to make sure this clip stayed under that three minute mark. Now, given the situation, I could have split the whole thing up. I could have kept that clip the way it is and add two more: a clip with the musicians and a clip with the dance instructor. This would make the event a series where the user could choose which clip they wanted to watch at their own leisure. But hey, there’s always next time.
Again thoughts and criticisms are welcome.
