Reading Section Three

Read in Dotson’s book pages 55 thru 71. Then:
1. What do you find most interesting about what he says on these pages? What stands out as particularly useful to you as a storyteller? (75 words)To answer the rest, you must visit the site for Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 Stories (http://www.kare11.com/news/investigative/extras/stories.aspx). Pick two that look interesting. Watch them. Then, pick one of those and answer the following prompts about it, please:
2. What is the name of the story, and on what date did it first air?
3. List and describe four instances of natural sound.
4. List and describe (including the type and what they are showing) four camera shots that you find interesting.
5. Write a possible focus statement for the story (strong verbs; no “-ing” words)
6. How does this story utilize Dotson’s “Building Blocks” (from Page 68)? Discuss a few of them, please. (100 words)





1. I found it interesting when he talked about the way to change up the stories. He told his readers a story about how in one night he got called in to do three stories due on Monday. Bob decided to take onb all of the stories. He said he was going to film them completely differently than one another. Bob Dotson is a creative journalist in the sense of how he can actually create different pieces off the same storyline. As a storyteller, I will remember to ask open ended questions and to have a pause just in case they add a final thought.

2. The name of the story is "Land of 10,000 Stories: Race For The Cure". It was aired on May 13, 2013.

3. The runners chanting of celebration
    The band playing in the background
    The baby making noises
    The bells going off for each mile they reach

4. Tight shot of the women's hat that says "survivor"
    Wide shot of the whole place walking
    Medium shot of talking to one runner with her mom
    Medium shot of the baby in the stroller

5. People walk for cures

6. This story utilizes Bob Dotson's Building Blocks by the pictures, words, silence, natural sound, sound bites, and graphics. They used a picture of a grandma holding a son right before she passed away from cancer. Next, they used words. The way they talk about the race makes you remember the previous facts they have brought up. Third, they used silence. The reporter would often pause leaving silence to fill the scene. It made it a lot more dramatic and real. Fourth, they used natural sound. You could hear the people chanting and walking down the street. Also the band playing behind the walkers. Fifth, they used sound bites. They would put each sound bite at the correct spot that made sense. Lastly, they used graphics. They let us infer or make connections to the situations going on in the scenes. For instance... I knew they reached the two mile mark because they used a graphic to show the mark, not verbally.

Mudhouse (final script)

Stand up: "Everybody knows to come downtown to the Mudhouse for a great cup of coffee. But nobody wants coffee when it's 105 degrees."

Interview: "You know, during the summer months, we ice most of our drinks. A lot of our customers still need their caffeine fix. You know, so if they usually get a latte, they'll come in and get an ice latte instead."

Interview: "Well pretty typically, I like a hot cup of coffee, but in the summer it’s just really nice to come in and get a cool drink.”

Stand up: “For coffee shops like the Mud House there is one way to beat the heat, and that’s to offer refreshing, cold drinks.”

Interview: “I’ve got the ice Mud Puddle right here, one of their classics. It’s got vanilla, and mocha, A little bit of chocolate mixed in there, and mix it all up with some ice and it’s a good, good drink. A little bit of cream and it tops it all off.”



 

Ask them their first and last name and to spell it.
Ask them if there is anything else to add.
Avoid verbal responses to the person being interviewed.
Let them fill in the silence.

Mudhouse written script (unedited)

What they said:

“During the summer months we ice most of our drinks. A lot of our customers still need there caffeine fix so if they usually get a latte they will come in and get an ice latte instead.”

“I probably come in here two to three times a week, usually. Maybe max three times a week.”

“Well typically I like a hot cup of coffee, but in the summer it’s just really nice to come in and get a cool drink.”

“I’ve got the ice Mud Puddle right here, one of their classics. It’s got vanilla, and mocha, A little bit of chocolate mixed in there, and mix it all up with some ice and it’s a good, good drink. A little bit of cream and it tops it all off.” 

“We read a lot of medical books and herb books and they said drinking coffee can actually cool you down than drinking cold sodas and stuff. It has something to do to reduce the heat of the body, and it seems to do okay.”

 

Stand ups:

“Everybody knows to come down town to the Mud House for a great cup of coffee, but no one wants coffee when it’s 105 degrees.” 

“For coffee shops like the Mud House there is one way to beat the heat, and that’s to offer refreshing, cold drinks.”

“Another great thing about the Mud House is that once you get your drink and sit down, there’s a lot of great artwork.”
 

B-roll- medium shot “During the summer months we ice most of our drinks. A lot of our customers still need there caffeine fix so if they usually get a latte they will come in and get an ice latte instead.”

“I probably come in here two to three times a week, usually. Maybe max three times a week.”

“Well typically I like a hot cup of coffee, but in the summer it’s just really nice to come in and get a cool drink.”

“I’ve got the ice Mud Puddle right here, one of their classics. It’s got vanilla, and mocha, A little bit of chocolate mixed in there, and mix it all up with some ice and it’s a good, good drink. A little bit of cream and it tops it all off.” 

 

“We read a lot of medical books and herb books and they said drinking coffee can actually cool you down than drinking cold sodas and stuff. It has something to do to reduce the heat of the body, and it seems to do okay.”

 

Stand ups:

“Everybody knows to come down town to the Mud House for a great cup of coffee, but no one wants coffee when it’s 105 degrees.” 

 

“For coffee shops like the Mud House there is one way to beat the heat, and that’s to offer refreshing, cold drinks.”

B-roll- medium shot 

“Another great thing about the Mud House is that once you get your drink and sit down, there’s a lot of great artwork.”

 

Friday's Assignment

Take a week off from Bob Dotson’s book. This week, we focus on camera shots (follow the link to the list if you need a refresher). Watch both of the videos embedded below.

Then, pick the one you find more interesting. For it, you’re going to write a shot-by-shot account of it (pausing so you can describe each shot). It will take a little while. (You can look at my sample for the Boyd Huppert story we watched in class). On your blog post, give the following information:
Story title:
Total Run Time:
Then, list (and number) each shot in sequence and describe each in 4 to 8 words. For example:1. Close up of doctor’s hands
2. Medium shot of doctor operating
3. Medium shot of reporter asking question
4. Medium shot of doctor sitting, talking
5. Extra close up of doctor’s new microscope
6. Tracking shot (moving) with doctor while walking

What you noticed overall: Finally, write a summary section of at least 100 words about trends, patterns, similarities, differences or strategies you noticed in the stories (either just in the one you focused on, or between the two). You're looking for overall lessons or takeaways that you can apply to your own video shooting.


Story Title: Disappearing jobs: Video store closes shop
Total run time: 2:58
1) Close Up of the sign of the place
2) Wide shot of the whole place
3) Medium shot of store owner stacking videos
4) Wide and Low shot of outside the place
5) Medium shot of customer
6) Close up of a film
7) Medium shot of customers searching
8) Low to ground shot of dog in store
9) Shot of the inside of store but the outside raining too
10) Eyes on third
11) Medium shot of him walking out of store
12) Closing shot of the street

Overall:
I noticed in the shots some trends. For instance, the video taper went from medium shot to tight shot a lot. He always has the interviewee's eyes on third. One strategy that was used was when they filmed the customers buying and searching for films. It made me realize how the place was always filled and popular. One pattern that was used was how they would go from wide shot to the interviewee to another scene shot back to the interviewee. It made me connect with the interviewee and his store. The video taper did a good job of showing the whole store from different angles and perspectives.

How the Story is Put Together

1st We come up with a Topic:
2nd We decide on a Focus Statement:
3rd:  We Conduct Interviews to get Sound Bites to use in the interview:
4th We Shoot B-Roll to complement the sound bites
5th  We Shoot our stand-up
6th:  We Edit our story together adding Voice Overs as Seques between interviews.

1) Relaying the football to home coming

2) Cross Country team runs ball far

3) Kid at beginning: "Our cross country team holds traditions very dear to us"

4) Over head shot of the kids running on the highway

5) The coach almost forgot the football. The reporter stood talking about how crazy and hectic it was before they went to go run.

6) "They didn't realize how long they would be running"

Reading: Section 2

Read, in Dotson’s book, pages 43 thru 55. Respond to what you read, and use these questions if you get stuck: What strikes you as interesting? In what ways do you agree or disagree with him? How does this fit where you are as a writer, and how will it help you become a better one?
(100 words minimum)

In Dotson's book, pages 43-55 I learned many things. What I found most interesting though was when he talked about how you need to "write to express, not impress." He said people want something from your writing and I totally agreed with that. Readers don't just read it for no reason. They read it to obtain information they find interesting or newsworthy. When I write, I like to make a picture in the reader's head. He talked about doing that on page 52 when he said to "write to create imagery. Look for little details that can be at a level the viewer cannot see." I liked the way he worded that and could connect to that through my writing.

So, Dotson highlights the following:
- How to defeat the TV remote control
- Be conversational
- Gobbledygook and clichés
- Active voice
- Write in threes
- Surprises

Read this story and watch this one (a bit of a sports theme this week). Write two paragraphs (one about each) that explains how the story uses/handles at least three of these aspects. Give specific examples (100 words in each paragraph, so at least 200 total words).

In the story, Doing the Right Thing, one aspect that was written in there was being conversational. I could feel like he was just talking to me instead of being almost out of a textbook. It made me more likely to keep on reading. Another aspect they used was surprises. There was a twist in the story when the parents, Pat and Kim decided to be truthful and the boys agreed. So when they turned away the money it surprises the readers. But yet, there was another surprise when they got rewarded for their honesty also. One more aspect used in this story was how to defeat the remote control. This story had a lot of happiness to it and showed how when being honest, good things may come from it. It interested me into keeping on reading because it made me happy.

In the video, Dynasty for Minnesotan Family, one aspect written in this story was how to defeat the remote control. I wanted to hear more because it was heartwarming how she was crying at the last game. Another aspect in this story was surprises. I was shocked when I heard that there were twelve boys. I was also shocked when they talked about how the boys were evenly spaced out so every boy was at least on all of the posters from 1998. One more aspect in the video was active voice. The reporter was to the point and got the information out of the interviewee right away. He did a good job of not wasting time but covering it all.