Friday, February 22, 2013

Maryland 83 Duke 81

Here's the post I promised about my footage from the Duke game:

Last Saturday I went to the Maryland basketball game versus Duke. My friends and I took shifts waiting in line outside the Comcast Center from 6 a.m. to 3p.m., when students were admitted to the arena.

Regardless of where you stood in line, all the hours waiting were wasted when the doors opened. Students raced up the hill and pushed toward the gates, trying to get as close to the front as possible. I was pressed between friends and strangers in a wave of students that overwhelmed the security officers trying to contain the crowd.

When we finally made it inside, we found seats with friends who had grabbed a row earlier. We then learned the flash mob dance. Our performance during the media time out surprised fans and the video of it was widely circulated the next day.

The game, of course, was an emotional roller coaster. Maryland students are so invested in what some call a "fantasy rivalry" with Duke. Every time we stole the ball from the opponent, made a free throw, or earned any points, the student section exploded with screams and cheers. Whenever our team lost the ball or missed a shot, a collective moan or groan resounded through the arena.

It was a nail-biter at the end, but with successful free throws from Seth Allen, we made it over the threshold to topple Duke. Students were already crowding the steps so they they rush the court. We were sitting close to the floor and my friends started climbing over seats to get ever closer.

As soon as the buzzer sounded, it was a mad dash to the court. I grabbed railings and seats to keep from falling. In their effort to get on the floor themselves, students helped push me down to the court. Once on solid ground, we raced, arms in the air, cell phones in our hands, to celebrate and capture the moment.

I could describe what I saw, but I'll just let you watch and see for yourself:


Click here to see it on the Baltimore Sun's website! More clicks=better rank for my videos!

After filming the revelry for posterity, I texted my supervisor to see if he wanted the footage. I knew a photographer was there from the Sun but I doubt he jumped into the wild crowd to take pictures or video. My text didn't go through until I had left the stadium, and with his confirmation, I copied my best footage to a Drop Box folder from my cell phone.

The rest is history, I suppose. The raw video was posted online shortly after I sent it over and it has done well on the website. The video was viewed 87 times that night through the next day, making it the eighth most popular video on the website that weekend.

This experience helped me see that I can enjoy awesome experiences like rushing the court while also capturing it as a journalist. Sometimes I am so interested in recording everything that I don't truly experience it myself. Instead of shooting this footage for the Baltimore Sun, I shot it for myself using the skills I have acquired through this internship. Because of my attentiveness to a steady shot, I captured high quality video suitable for the website...which is so awesome and rewarding!

Look for my next blog with videos I worked on today!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Fires and Film Festivals

Happy Wednesday! Check out two videos I worked on today: one about a "twice baked" fire in Northeast Baltimore and one about a film festival featuring people with developmental disabilities.

For the fire video, I got to try my hand at recording a voice over. You may be able to tell that I have a cold: my voice isn't as enthusiastic as usual.

Look for a post in the next few days about my raw video from the floor of the Duke game last Saturday.




Friday, February 15, 2013

Orioles Interviews and Wheelchair Basketball

Today I edited three packages: two interviews with Baltimore Orioles pitchers and a package about the Maryland Ravens wheelchair basketball team. Check out the videos below and click the links to view the videos on the Baltimore Sun website. The more clicks and views on baltimoresun.com, the better my video rankings will be!

Also, I got a mozzarella, tomato and basil grilled cheese sandwich today from the Wheyich grilled cheese truck! And I tried a salted caramel brownie, which was delicious. And frozen yogurt with granola and chocolate chips. This is what interns do during their lunch breaks.




Article with Video



Video on baltimoresun.com


Video on baltimoresun.com

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Babe Ruth and the Valentonez

I recently worked on two very fun video projects: one at the Babe Ruth Birthplace, where a new short film is premiering about the star spangled banner, and another at the Peabody Institute, where a quartet called the Valentonez surprised an instructor with a singing valentine.

Check out both videos, share them on Facebook, and tell me what you think! Please comment below with feedback.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Just Do It

Lesson of the Day: Just do it.

I didn't learn this one from footwear, but from fear and confusion, from watching the action from the sidelines for a bit too long, from fumbling with my camera and filming with my mind's eye instead of the device.

I got a chance to film defendants and plaintiffs speak about the verdict in the Phylicia Barnes case at the court house today. I had never used one the Baltimore Sun's cameras, microphones or tripods before. I learned how to use each item but it was hard for me to focus. My mind was racing with nervousness and excitement.

As I headed down Calvert Street, I psyched myself up for this opportunity. I imagined a row of cameras set up outside of a courthouse and speakers at a podium. I imagined an empty spot for my tripod and a few minutes to set up. But when I arrived, I saw a cluster of reporters and cameramen around a small group of people.

This isn't my assignment, right? I'm waiting for a press conference, right? Wrong.

When the reporters dispersed, I realized I had missed the shot. I was still standing on the sidewalk with my camera in its bag.

I ran into a few other reporters from the Sun. One of them had filmed the father of Phylicia Barnes, the state's attorney, and others with his iPhone. Another got footage of Phylicia's mother. I set up my camera hoping to get a shot of the jurors leaving the courthouse, but they never appeared.

I was able to produce a package with the other Sun reporters' footage, but I was disappointed with myself. Why didn't I just jump in and film, whether I knew what was going on or not? If local broadcast stations like WBAL and WJZ were hovering around certain individuals, why wasn't I?

I just didn't know what was going on. I had never been in that situation before and I didn't know how to break in. I wanted to observe how the reporters behaved and how they filmed before I jumped in myself. But that wasn't my assignment, and I was crushed when I realized I had failed.

When it comes to news, you don't always know if what you're witnessing will become the centerpiece story. But when you recognize what's going on is important, you can't just stand there and watch it happen. As a journalist, it's my job it record it as it's happening, then edit out the bits that aren't so newsworthy.

I need to just do it. Use my elbows. Make my way through the crowd and be proud that I represent the most important publication in this city, even if I'm the only girl or the smallest person handling a camera.

Here's the video I edited. Let me know what you think.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Celebrating the Super Bowl in Baltimore

Tonight I drove to the office confident that there would be a Ravens victory and that I would be filming the reactions of jubilant fans. Both of these expectations were realized, but both in totally unexpected ways.

If you watched the Super Bowl XLVII, you'll know what I mean. The Ravens dominated the first half, but a power outage in the Superdome gave the 49ers an opportunity to chase after the lead. The final score was close but the Ravens were clearly victorious.

At the end of the halftime show I was ready to head out to Federal Hill, set up a tripod on the roof of Mother's, and film a live stream of hundreds of fans celebrating the big win. But after driving all over Baltimore for nearly an hour, my hopes of parking anywhere near Federal Hill were dashed. I returned to the office with a new assignment: to shoot a live stream on Centre Street.

I headed out again but the streets were dead quiet and barely anyone was around. After exploring a few streets, I walked into a bar packed with fans watching the final seconds of the game. I set up my tripod outside and hit record on the UStream app. Before I knew it, fans were jumping out of the bar, proclaiming their Ravens pride and filling the quiet night with the first celebratory cheers.

College students and locals started to walk around the city, cheering and screaming, meeting and embracing despite the chilly weather. I filmed at the bar and at Baltimore's Washington Monument. Some fans banged on pots and pans as they crossed the street, and drivers blared their car horns triumphantly. Everyone seemed to be filled with a renewed excitement and pride for their city and their football team.

As the crowds started to dissipate, I made my way back to the office, where I started to edit, ironically, footage of crowds at Federal Hill. Even though I couldn't make it out there myself, it was fun to see how packed the street became and the camaraderie a victory inspired.

Here's the video I edited from Federal Hill:


So now I'm going to make my way back to College Park, being especially cautious of drunk drivers and a few stray fans who are still walking home. I can say with certainty that being in Baltimore tonight was an incomparable experience and one that makes me excited to be here as an intern.

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