My name and face on a Times Square e-billboard! That’s not something I ever expected.
Click on the photo to see a transcript of the webchat.
In my webchat, “Intro to DIY Mobile Journalism,” I explain how to use a smartphone to collect soundbites, nat sound, video clips, B-Roll, and offer tips on which apps and tools work best for mobile storytelling.
Evelyn Tipaci conducted the interview via Twitter and wrote this recap:
Our guest today is Cindy Rodriguez, a Journalist-in-Residence at Emerson College in Boston. Hi, Cindy! Thanks for being our guest. Cindy, please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at Emerson.
So happy to be a part of this chat. At #EmersonCollege, all journalism students learn how to write and produce news stories across all platforms. I created a class called Covering Immigration this spring and we had a great semester. I’m teaching it again in the fall. This summer, I’m piloting a class called Creating a News Show for the Web. We’re going to have a blast.
That sounds exciting! Great classes, Cindy! What exactly is mobile journalism and does using small cameras in addition to smart phones still qualify under mobile?
Anything that you can take with you to produce journalism on the go is mobile. As long as you can upload it to your site (if you are one-person-banding it) or send it to your editor (if you work for a news outlet, it’s mobile).
Can any smart phone be used? Which do you recommend?
Yes. I use an iPhone because I’m a Mac user and find that it’s easier to stick with one platform.
Cindy, what about tablets? Can these also be used in place of smartphones?
iPads are great because you have more screen room to see what you are editing. You can take photos and video with it, too. You’ll need a tripod. There are many on the market. As for audio, you’ll need to wire it so you can get good sound. Put your iPad or iPhone on Airplane mode so you won’t get a call or notification sound in the midst of collecting audio. Also, turn off all apps running in the background so that you’re not wasting battery power. If you’re going to be out for several hours shooting video, you’ll want back up power. A recommendation: ht.ly/ltCK6
Placing your phone on airplane mode is a great tip especially when you can’t redo the soundbite, especially with breaking news. How do you gather and generate attractive soundbites for a story using a smartphone?
On the cheap, use the built-in mic and remember it’s on the BOTTOM of the iPhone. Keep it about 8 inches from the person speaking. Make sure you don’t have distracting sounds in the distance. Having a mic will guarantee better sound. This one works well and it’s $40: ht.ly/ltDn0 It comes with the iRig Recorder app, which will allow you to edit on your phone or iPad.
Cindy E. Rodríguez 