Shanthi’s Blog

The mandate to use multimedia in this project has definitely made the project more complex. Normally I would rely on Internet research, books and phone calls to get the information, however this time we need audio and pictures which means we have to get out into the field and get active.

In a way it has made the story simpler to tell, because if using audio you are telling someone elses story with the help of their words. Although it makes it less factual, it does make it easier using a person’s own words with supporting images. However the “reconnaissance” aspect of the  project has made it harder.

I have definitely dragged my feet with this assignment (seen in the lagging project posts) and I’ve found that I am less motivated to collect information from out in the field. I’ve also found it hard, because in my head I’ve had grandiose ideas of flash slideshows and that has made me drag my feet more instead of inspiring me.

I would most probably spend a good day or so just researching my story idea. Currently, I only did a quick survey online to see what was out there before deciding. I also left it too late to do my big project idea, which was probably too big thinking about it now. Thinking about it, I would focus my idea more (which would come in the research stage) and possibly focus on an event, which would mean I would do all my active field work over a certain period of time.

I need to do some more field work between now and the project deadline. I need to talk to Mythos and go back to Rotisserie Panama on Jean Talon. I need to finish writing the article and finish putting together the multimedia parts together. For the multimedia I was planning on using a map with different Montreal Greek restaurants, a timeline of Greek immigration to Canada and a Soundslides about the importance of food in Greek culture.

I looked at the New York Times infographic called All of Inflations Little Parts. I really enjoyed this infographic. I thought that the layout of the infographic, a warped pie chart, made the information a lot easier to understand and process for the average person. When the mouse hovers over a certain area, an info box pops up, showing the product, the share of spending and the change over 2007 to 2008.

Normally, inflation, is a confusing and slightly boring topic, despite it’s importance especially in today’s economic climate. If the information contained in the graphic has been in an article, for example, it would have been a lot harder for the “average Joe” to understand. It also shows a lighter side to the economic crisis by including very little purchases such as bananas, indoor plants and vending machines.

The second infographic I looked at was CBC News’ Taser Related Deaths in Canada. I thought this was one was plain, and probably would have worked better as a timeline rather then an infographic. The map, although good for putting the information into a geographical context (although maybe a little obvious that the majority of deaths would happen in major cities) it doesn’t really show if there is any “trend” of taser related deaths easily. For example, there were three deaths in 2003, six in 2004 and five each in 2007 and 2008, which seems to have risen. This also makes it more confusing for the audience I think, because it is in a jumbled non-chronlogical order.

Another thing I didn’t like about this infographic was (small and pedantic but still a worthwhile opinion) was that to be able to click on the other dates you had to close the window everytime. Although, a small, small issue, it meant that while I was looking at it I was getting annoyed and giving up on looking at every single bit of information that each date held.

A quick note about the New York Times infographic on Barack Obama’s Victory Speech. I thought this infographic was amazing, and I am amazed that no-one has created this before. Allowing users to search his speech for specific words and play that part as well as having a transcript next to the video is absolutely ingenious. I think all important speeches, world wide, will start being broadcast to the internet like this in the near future.

Sound Slide 1: White House Photo Op, The Chicago Tribune

I really enjoyed this Soundslide show of a photo op with ex-PM John Howard and (soon-to-be) ex-President George W. Bush. It really captured the atmosphere and, the facade of photo opportunities. I think the reporter may have chosen to create a slide show instead of a video because it’s a different medium, that hasn’t had too much coverage in the media. Nearly everyone has seen, via video, the press (or paparazzi) in a photo op, and this was a much more interesting way to show it – especially the photos that made it seem like a video. Also the random shots of Condelezza Rice and also the very last shot, showing White House staff, waiting patiently for the press to be sheparded out so they could get down to business was a really good one. The sounds used are just the natural sounds i.e. sounds directly recorded from that particular situation.

Sound Slide 2: The Big Draw, The Washington Post

This slide show was more effective then a video because a 3 minutes video of children drawing is, honestly, boring. This helps present the information in a more informative fashion. It also means people focus on what the interviewees are saying instead of, if it were a video, being distracted visually. It was probably easier taking photos in a classroom with young students then trying to set up video shots. The sound used in this piece was similar to that of the third sound slide – interviews playing overtop of hushed natural noises.

Sound Slide 3: Stoves for Guatemala, Houston Chronicle

This slide show was similar to the second one, in that it probably was easier for the reporter to do a slideshow over a video – setting up all the shots etc. It also allows for particularly interesting shots – such as the legs in mud, or the hands moulding one suqare, with about 20 or 30 other squares in the background. It also allows for a detailed explaination of the stoves, which you might not have been able to do in video because of the time it took, and definitely not able to do it in print due to the spatial restrictions, especially since this story isn’t particularly hard-core news worthy.

The difference between this slide show and the first two, is that it requires an introduction that is more then a sentence long. The first two don’t need an introduction. However, all three of these pieces aren’t hardcore news stories, possibly one of the main reasons that they decided to do a slide-show of them on the website.