Multimedia standards

A Quick Note on Multimedia

There is a reason that RedEye is listed as “Multimedia” on each year’s scheduling forms - creating and using multimedia is the primary focus of the class. This can range from embedding a relevant, original photo in an article to incorporating video, audio and interactive graphics in an in-depth investigative piece. The unwritten policy has always been that an article should include, at the bare minimum, hyperlinks and a photo. But really, RedEye staff members should have the practice to be able tell a story in a variety of media, and ultimately they should have the skill to identify which medium would best fit the story. There’s a reason the site is a “multimedia news organization” - a RedEye post with no multimedia would be like a One Blue Wall magazine with no poetry.

Attribution

When we use public domain or Creative Commons photos, videos, or illustrations, we absolutely must attribute them to their sources as clearly as possible. This doesn't mean saying "photo courtesy of Flickr" (because Flickr didn't take the photo, nor did Flickr do us a "courtesy" by letting us use the photo). All Creative Commons images must be attributed using Creative Commons' own guidelines (available here). Follow the formula TASL (Title, Author, Source, Link), as described in the Creative Commons guidelines.

We only use "Photo courtesy of" when someone who is not on the staff personally gave us the photo to use.

Good attribution:

Photo by Eric Pierce on Flickr, licensed under CC Attribution 4.0.

Bad attributions:

Photo courtesy Creative Commons

Photo courtesy Flickr

Photo courtesy Google Image Search

Video

Video is one of the primary forms of multimedia that RedEye offers. Videos can almost always improve the journalistic and aesthetic quality of articles by a great deal. The new rubric system includes two types of videos: news and feature. Although each type has its own set of guidelines and characteristics, there are many technical standards that all videos must meet:

• Video must begin and end with the RedEye video intro.
• Any music included should be copyright-free (and should be credited)
• All footage (b-roll or interviews) should 1) not be shaky, 2) be shot using the rule of thirds, and 3) on a high-quality, professional camera (preferably not an iPhone).
• Audio volume should be level throughout the video.
• External audio recorders should be used for all interviews.
• Interviews should be shot with 1) the subject looking across the frame (⅓ profile shot, showing both eyes but only one ear - diagonal), 2) the camera at eye level with the subject, and 3) the interviewer at eye level with the subject.
• Edits should be smooth - use the “Constant Power” effect for smooth audio fade outs and transitions.
• All people who appear on screen should be identified using a title slide or a lower-thirds title.
• There should be some overlap between interviews and b-roll.
• Video should have a coherent storyline - audience should not leave confused.
• Regarding style, look back at past videos published on the site.

Audio

Audio is typically used on RedEye as an add-on to an article - the writer will record one of their interviews on their phone, and then quickly trim that audio Less often, RedEye will include featured serial podcasts that focus on a specific topic, like “Synapse” or “R.A.M. Sports Talk.” These are both valuable to the site, and the former is almost essential. Any audio embedded into an article must meet these standards:

• All audio is clear. Listener should be able to easily identify every word spoken.
• All volume should be level.
• Any music used must be copyright-free and credited.
• Any audio transitions should be smooth; music should not abruptly end before the narration or interview starts.
• It is best to have multiple sounds playing at once - quietly play music or natural sound under the narration.

Photo

Photos are essential to the aesthetic quality of RedEye. Most importantly, every article must have an original featured image that serves as a preview for the article - it is the first thing the viewer sees. RedEye’s current theme is especially dependent upon high quality featured images for the articles at the top of the page. To make the site as pretty as possible, staff members should take a high quality photo as part of their reporting procedure. These are general standards for photos on the site:

• No posed photos during events
• No weird angles that obscure or crop the photo subject
• No pictures with people looking into camera
• No cut off limbs
• Make sure to keep all photo-editing ethical; keep it as close to how the moment actually was

Almost every article on RedEye has at least one image embedded within the text - preferably staff members will be able to check out a DSLR and take pictures with that at the event their covering, but if taken correctly iPhone photos are acceptable. Also, staff members are encouraged to coordinate with other photographers (from the photojournalism class or from another staff) and include their photography from an event into the article.

Design

Many RedEye articles include static infographics designed by a staff member - these are generally designed in Adobe Indesign or Illustrator, and are embedded in the articles as jpegs. There are less of these infographics than interactive graphics created online, but staff members are encouraged to show data and other information through traditional infographics when appropriate. For further instruction, refer to the Design Editor or view infographics created in the past.

Interactive

RedEye staff members are encouraged to incorporate as much multimedia as possible in their articles. While the most common forms of multimedia (non-text content) are audio and video, interactive graphics such as timelines and graphs can increase the attractiveness and effectiveness of an article. The tools RedEye includes most are Thinglink, Infogram, and Knightlab’s timeline. Staffers have used Thinglink to do multiple personality profiles; Infogram to create interesting pie charts; and the timeline tool to document pep rallies and the progression of certain current events.