Bethany Swain

What is ViewFinder

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

ViewFinder is an award-winning visual storytelling project created by my “Advanced Video Storytelling” class at University of Maryland where the students focus on creating compelling natural sound stories. You can read more about the project on their website (http://www.viewfinderumd.com), but here are links to our favorite shows.

Spring 2014 ViewFinder Team

Best of ViewFinder ’14 from ViewFinder on Vimeo.

Spring 2014 ViewFinder Team

ViewFinder ’14: The Other Games from ViewFinder on Vimeo.

Spring 2013 ViewFinder Team

ViewFinder: Overcoming Obstacles from ViewFinder on Vimeo.

Spring 2013 ViewFinder Team

ViewFinder: Small Business & Technology from ViewFinder on Vimeo.

Teaching

Some of my favorite stories

October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

Some of my favorite stories I share in my classroom, created by other people. The work is produced for a range of organizations including local TV, newspaper websites and radio stations.

Marcus Buggs, by Eric Seals:

Marcus Buggs; Growing up fast, determined to succeed! from Eric Seals on Vimeo.

The Twinkles: Chasing Perfection by Nyier Abdou:

The Twinkles: Chasing Perfection from Star-Ledger Video on Vimeo.

Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt (NPR) – http://apps.npr.org/tshirt/#/title
Land of 10,000 Stories by Boyd Huppert & Jonathan Malat (KARE 11-TV, NBC affiliate) http://archive.kare11.com/news/investigative/extras/stories.aspx

Teaching

Stand Up Examples

October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

Michelle Michaels—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iikMTvcMhk0&feature=player_embedded

Parts (pkg from above standup)—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxJUyiv369c

Joe Little—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbafGCMuBZw

Steve Kuzj—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnqDRBpUhrA&feature=relat

Teaching

Watch List

October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

VIDEOS Bethany produced at CNN

In Focus—natpkgs
- Favorites in Focus 2009 (40 minutes)
  - CNN’s Favorites in Focus – 2009 from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.
- Favorites in Focus 2010 (42 minutes)
  - CNN’s Favorites in Focus – 2010 from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.
- Nightshift in Focus (27 minutes)
  - CNN’s Nightshift in Focus – 2010 from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.
- Americana in Focus: Jobs that Last (8 minute highlights)
  - CNN’s Americana in Focus: Jobs That Last from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.
- In Focus highlights (19 minutes)
  - In Focus highlights from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.
- #FamilySolutions (20 minutes):
  - #FamilySolutions show from Bethany Swain on Vimeo.

Powerful Storytelling by Bethany’s Friends

The Twinkles: Chasing Perfection by Nyier Abdou:
- The Twinkles: Chasing Perfection from NJ.com videos on Vimeo.

Marcus Buggs by Eric Seals
- Marcus Buggs; Dreams Earned & Lost. An Uncertain Future from Eric Seals on Vimeo.
Behind the Lens:
- Maryland Moments – Fox45 Photojournalists 2015
  - http://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/through-their-eyes-fox45-photojournalists-look-back-at-2015
- Maryland Moments – Fox45 Photojournalists 2016
  - http://foxbaltimore.com/news/cover-story/maryland-moments-2016-our-cameras-our-microphones-your-moments
Throw – Early Light Media
- THROW from Early Light Media on Vimeo.
Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt
- http://apps.npr.org/tshirt/#/title
WHNPA Student Video Photographer of the Year
- Heartbeats of Fiji from Jon Kasbe on Vimeo.
- Tyesha from ora on Vimeo.
- Anawora from ora on Vimeo.
Darren Durlach’s 2010 NPPA Photographer of the Year Reel
- 2010 NPPA Photographer of the Year, Darren Durlach, WBFF, Baltimore, MD from Poynter Institute on Vimeo.
Darren Durlach’s 2011 NPPA Photographer of the Year Reel
- NPPA 2011 TV BOP Photography: POY from NPPA video contests on Vimeo.
Land of 10,000 stories by Boyd Huppert & Jonathan Malat:
- Emmett and Erling’s goodbye

Teaching

Teachapalooza14

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

**Lots of video examples from my presentations and more are under the “Favorite Stories” link above**

Summer Watch List

*Links to many of these stories and more under the “Favorite Stories” links above*

Summer14_WatchList_BethanySwain_v1

#SFBatKid links

SF batkid_BethanySwain_v1

5 Favorite New Tools I’ve added to my field kit

Bethany Swain Favorite New Tools_v1

Teaching

BEA 2015

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

#SFbatkid – Multiplatform Coverage of San Francisco Bat Kid Story

Questions for discussion

How do you prepare? What elements were pre-produced?
What format works best for each platform? What didn’t work?
What was your favorite story and why?
How did the elements vary depending on the outlet?
How many people do you think went into producing each story?
Is Make-a-Wish’s story journalism?
How does timeliness and deadlines impact elements and coverage?
How does social media impact coverage?
How do you make your story standout when every outlet in town is coveringthe same story?
Discuss challenges:o Making East Coast deadlines when covering a West Coast story
o Covering a story with lots of media, crowds and numerous locations o What to do when covering a busy event, with streets shut down, etc. o How to balance deadlines with quality

Links to coverage

NBC News, Joe Fryer—http://www.today.com/parents/holy-batkid-5-year-old-cancer-patients-wish-comes-true-2D11603304
San Francisco Chronicle—#SFBatKid video: https://vimeo.com/79541124
Collection of stories, including text: http://www.sfgate.com/batkid/
ABC News—http://abcnews.go.com/US/batkids-make-transformed-san-francisco-gotham/story?id=20899254
ABC News—TWEETS: http://liveblog.abcnews.go.com/Event/LIVE_UPDATES_Batkids_Make-a-Wish_Transforms_San_Francisco_Into_Gotham?Page=0
ABC Digital News Brief—VIDEO, PHONER & live report: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/batkid-saves-san-francisco-turned-gotham-city-20904112
ABC NEWS—VIDEO PKG for ABC World News: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/san-francisco-siege-making-bat-call-cry-bat-20906860
ABC NIGHTLINE—http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/batkid-saves-gotham-city-thousands-cheers-20908458
- Make-A-Wish—released 3 months after: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw3aWPxtpfE
YouTube—(cops getting in the way**) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAqHWcSCXI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1wAqHWcSCXI&app=desktop
STORIFY—http://storify.com/KQED/batkid-saves-san-francisco

Bethany Swain * @bethanysstories * www.BethanySwain.net * University of Maryland

ALS

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Pt. 2

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

From a teaching perspective

Thousands of #IceBucketChallenge videos have been posted online and too many break the basic rules of video production that I teach my students. Here are a few examples of videos that live up to the standards that this disease deserves.

#ALSicebucket Haters, watch this…

And this…

Further Analysis

More links and analysis

But hold on… this says “73% of donations are not used for ALS research.”

http://www.politicalears.com/blog/ice-bucket-fraud-als-foundation-admits-that-73-of-donations-are-not-used-for-als-research/

ALS response: http://www.alsa.org/news/archive/debunks-article.html

Snopes analysis: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/als.asp

“Three Unexpected Lessons from #IceBucketChallenge” http://www.business2community.com/social-media/3-unexpected-lessons-als-ice-bucket-challenge-taught-us-0985693#!bOFK4i

More on Pete Frates, from ESPN: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11366483

http://espn.go.com/boston/story/_/id/11366772/in-als-fight-pete-frates-message-loud-clear-ice-bucket-challenge

Ted Talk: Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong – http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong?language=en#

ALS

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Pt. 1

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017
by Bethany Swain

I Challenge You!

Alanna Delfino (ViewFinder ’14) turned the camera on me for a change after I was challenged by Ulysses Muñoz (ViewFinder ’15) in an #ALSIceBucketChallenge video. I challenge everyone to participate in this social event that draws attention and raises funds for ALS. So I am offering an incentive. http://alsa.org/donate/

How it works

For every student produced #IceBucketChallenge inspired video that tags me (@bethanysstories) and #ALSforEd on twitter, I will donate $25 to ALS. Up to $400 total donation.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

#ALSforEd
This is more than just an excuse to see students and friends get creative. My father-in-law, Ed Swain, passed away in 2004 from ALS. I was there when he died, after years of suffering. I want to see my students produce videos up to the production standards that this subject deserves. And even better if you also give a donation: http://alsa.org/donate/

Thanks Eric Seals for the No Vertical Video reminder.