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[julesmartin]

Team Project

We're currently right on track with our team project. I'm the team leader for the group, and I feel that I, in addition to the other group members, have done a phenomenal job at communicating and getting interviews scheduled.

So far, we've wrapped up all of our footage for the Root, MaGerks, and the Oak House, and have our final interview tomorrow, 5/8, at Paulies.

This weekend, we have a plan to meet and discuss how we'll be splitting up each of our roles. We plan to each focus on one of the business, and edit each interview/write an article for each place. We already have several photos taken and a few graphics in mind. The goal is to be done early next week, so that we have plenty of time to prepare for our presentation on Thursday 5/16.

[julesmartin]

Marcus Yam Reflection

This past Wednesday, photographer and photojournalist Marcus Yam spoke to our class. I thought it was especially interesting that he seems to specialize in photographing war, or political unrest all around the world. 

He dove deep into his work especially in Ukraine and Israel. What I like most about his photos is how eye-catching they are. He edits his photos in a way in which the most important elements pop, making you focus more deeply on the subject of the photo. I especially liked the photo of the Ukrainians laying on the train tracks in the freezing snow. His photos unveil different aspects of the war that you wouldn’t necessarily see from just watching the news or reading about it.

I also respect the fact that Yam doesn’t have a lot of experience in reporting or writing. He seems to have learned his skills through constant exposure to these high-stress areas and situations, where he’s able to learn on the fly and figure things out as he goes. For example, he had to completely fend for himself in Afghanistan, not knowing the language or any of the country’s customs. At certain points of war, he would even have to try to figure out exactly what happened through his photos. For example, was there a drone explosion or not, or an attack, etc? He had to speak to people in the area to fully figure out what happened at points, so that he wasn't captioning his photos with false information.

Unfortunately, toward the end of Yam’s presentation, I had to head out early. However, during my final few minutes in Turner Theater, he spoke about something that hit close to home. Like I mentioned before, he’s been in Israel covering the Israel-Hamas War. Upon arriving on October 9th, he’s been working ever since and finding new stories to tell through his photography. He was forced to get creative and focus on something that others weren’t focusing on, which is hard to do and impressive that he was able to tell such an impactful and heart wrenching story. He couldn’t just go for the “bang bang.” 

His story was about identifying the hostages through their remains. He spent weeks at the National Forensic Center in Tel Aviv, and documented the Jewish custom to collect, identify, and bury the human remains.

Ultimately, Yam’s story is very interesting considering he didn’t even go to school to be a photographer nor a journalist. He has real passion for photography, and is very skilled at storytelling and capturing moments that might get overlooked otherwise.

[julesmartin]

AI Presentation Reflection

It's obvious that for the past year or so, the concept of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been a hot topic of conversation within all industries and life itself. To be honest, it's definitely something that I've shied away from, as it's scary how smart and realistic some of its features are. I'm not ready to pass some of my responsibilities over to an AI robot that can conduct research, tell me a story, or even create a picture or video for me.

However, Mike Reilley's presentation changed my mind about some forms of AI. Personally, I'm scared of it taking over our lives, and the world itself; however, he taught us tools and ways to utilize it to enhance our work, and to not take the authenticity away from it. For example, a tool that I found super valuable is the ability to cater the answers by Chat GPT, or any of the other databases, directly to yourself or anyone at all. I loved how he showed us the filters that he has set, in which the database presented information in a specific way that's unique and easily understood by him specifically as an individual. I think that this can be super helpful when used in different professional industries, especially in journalism, as journalists write and report in a different way than others. It's much more direct and to the point, and having the ability for AI to reduce information to that level is very helpful.

Another thing that I learned is that all these AI databases are still being developed each and every day. They're not going to be the most reliable, and it's extremely important to fact check before presenting or submitting anything that has been enhanced with AI. Reilley taught us the importance of using multiple databases to get more diverse and reliable information, and so that you can compare and contrast the differences between each database. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Overall, I learned ways in which I can use AI in a more effective and educated way, rather than just having it spit out random information for me. I learned how to use AI for the better, not in ways that have the potential to share misinformation or take away from the work that I'm doing. After Reilley's presentation, I'm no longer afraid to use AI, but rather excited to use it, especially in the professional world, as it truly has the ability to enhance my work if used correctly. I think it's important for myself and others to utilize some of his trainings, as it's impossible to use AI for the better unless you have a good understanding of it's functions and how it's "brain" works.

[julesmartin]

Reflection #3 - Reflect on your Personal Story

Something that I've struggled for a long time is figuring out what "my story" is. It's sort of crazy, because I first started thinking about this topic about four months ago, when I was asked in a different class about my life story. My professor asked us to talk about a difficult time in our lives, and share those details with the class when we were in Tanzania, Africa this past January. Prior to our initial conversation about it in November, I had never really reflected on my life to that extent. So, when we were assigned this project during the first week of class in February, I already had a pretty solid idea on what I was going to focus on. I was in shock by how this had worked out so perfectly for me.

Because of having to open up so much to my classmates in January, I already felt a sense of comfort with this assignment. I was excited to get started, as I became very passionate about sharing my story and hearing about others.

I think the hardest part for me was figuring out how exactly I was going to organize my video. I knew I wanted to make it seem like I was being interviewed in a sense, but I didn't know what pictures or b-roll I wanted initially. Once I rented out a camera from the gear room and planted myself into the editing suites for eight hours one day, it all sort of fell into place.

The process of creating this project was fun and unique, but it became a lot more meaningful after I presented it to the class. I was so nervous about it, but multiple people came up to me and told me how much they enjoyed it. Their response made me comfortable enough to share it with family and friends, who also loved it. Rewatching it over and over again has truly made me realize how much I've grown these past few years at Elon, and how far I've come since I was younger. It's making my Elon goodbye a little harder :(, but I'm so thankful to have been able to do this project.

Overall, my video turned out the way I wanted it to. I wish I had been a little more creative in my b-roll and slightly more innovative in my storytelling, but I think I got my point across the way I wanted to. Now that it's over, I definitely would've adjusted the lighting a little more, and maybe eliminated a few pictures in return for more b-roll or footage of me talking to the camera. I wish mine was slightly less of a slideshow, and more of a compilation of multiple videos.

In the end, I'm so proud of myself and my classmates for completing this project. It's not an easy thing to do, especially when it comes to presenting to the class. But everyone did such an amazing job!

[julesmartin]

Class 2/21/2024

During class, we presented on different articles that encompassed the lives of Black journalists. Each presentation was unique, and focused on a different realm of the ongoing issue that Black people are underrepresented in the industry.

Whether we were talking about the lack of Black journalists in a newsroom, the tendency for their ideas to be overridden by, for example, white male editors, or the lack of stories for Black people from bigger news organizations, all of the presentations had one common theme -> the journalism industry is one of the many where Black people feel less than, and it's something that needs to be changed going forward.

I think that this project was especially significant for our class, and Elon University students in general, as we're made up of majority middle to upper class white students. Before heading into the professional world, it's important to acknowledge what racial disparities exist in our specific field, and how we can approach that when we're working, for example, as a journalist.

Going forward, I plan to read more news from smaller, black-owned media outlets. It's always important to diversify your news intake, but this project especially opened my eyes to the fact that some of the news we are consuming has a tendency to completely disregard certain aspects due to race. I know that newspapers or news sites owned by Black people won't only have stories about them, but stories for them, which is also just as important to incorporate a more diverse perspective into the world and also represent Black people in a positive light.

[julesmartin]

Reflection #2

Scott Harrison’s story touched me way more than I expected. His story was engaging, as it not only exhibits his own personal growth of how his mother got sick and he fell into a deep, dark hole involving alcohol and drugs, but also showed how he later did good for the world. Who knew that wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City would result in a hugely successful charity, benefiting millions of people globally.

There were multiple major events displayed throughout the video, which made me compare it to a mini documentary. The events shown in chronological order, like his mother’s illness, Scott moving to New York, then traveling to Africa, and how the Spring actually came to be really helped me follow along with the entire story. It truly began with Scott at rock bottom, and carried us through to where he is today, and how the smallest gesture of donating just a few dollars can go such a long way. 

This past January, I spent three weeks in Tanzania, Africa. In Tanzania, I had the privilege of visiting multiple tribes and villages. As we drove down the dirt roads in our safari vans, we saw hundreds of women and children balancing gallons of water on their heads, meanwhile carrying several other items for their families or taking care of a group of cows. They would walk for miles in the blazing heat, while us Elon students were cruising by in our nice vans. It was incredibly upsetting and heartbreaking to watch, especially when we saw a tribe go to a small lake and smother themselves with the bug-filled water that goats and cows were simultaneously drinking out of. This experience completely changed my perspective on my life, and what life is like in these underprivileged countries. After visiting Tanzania, all I’ve wanted to do since is give back to the amazing people we met. Scott’s video touched me on a personal level because of this experience, and truly opened my eyes to this amazing organization that I plan on subscribing to. Because I saw people living in communities that lack clean water, this video pulled at my emotions as I know how horrible the living conditions are, let alone the clean water aspect.

The part that was most powerful for me was seeing Scott actually spend time in these villages and seeing the joy on children's faces when they got clean water. The kids look so pure and innocent, and they absolutely deserve the world and I’m so happy that Scott has created an organization that benefits so many people. I also think that the way he was able to show the donors how their money was being used is an amazing tactic to show people that his charity is real, and thirsty for more and more people to partake as clean water is a necessity for every single person globally.

[julesmartin]

Telling Your Own Story

During the past few class periods, I’ve loved watching several videos of other students telling their own personal stories. The variety of videos have made me feel more comfortable about the assignment as a whole, and even though I’m still gathering my ideas and thoughts about my own, I’m very excited to get the ball rolling with my project. I think it’ll be a great way for me to be creative and utilize film and audio tactics that I never get to take advantage of when producing broadcast news stories. In recent months, I’ve realized that creativity is something that I’m passionate about, and I’m definitely looking to pursue something in the future where I can have a creative outlet beyond news.

Each and every video we watched was different. My personal favorite was the first one we watched about the student who was a junior in college at UNC Chapel Hill when the pandemic hit. Even though I was a senior in high school during that time, the hardships that he faced were extremely relatable, and it made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the midst of the darkness that I experienced throughout quarantine. It also made me realize that people beyond seniors in high school also had struggles and losses that held just as much weight as my own. I was so focused on losing my senior prom and graduation, meanwhile others' future careers were jeopardized. I realized that looking back, as sad as it was in the moment, I’m happy about where I was in life when Covid hit. I also thoroughly enjoyed the student’s artistic capabilities when filming. He’s so talented, and I’m envious of how he was able to tell his story. I hope I can share mine half as well as he shared his.

Watching these videos also taught me that everyone has a story, and you really don’t know what’s going on in other people’s lives. In one of the videos, I would’ve never guessed that it was going to be about the student's brother dying, or them becoming a father while still in college. All of the videos had some sort of twist or surprise factor that kept me engaged, but also made me feel something within me whether it be sadness or gratitude or anything in between.

In terms of the Pixar video, something that I found the most interesting was that all of the storytellers were emphasizing that their stories are inspired by actual events that occur in their own lives. It’s important to realize that storytelling can be more natural than people think. This is something I struggle with a lot, because I often feel like I have no ideas at all. But basing stories off real events and thinking critically about them can often lead to a great story, and be more relatable to the audience.

[julesmartin]

Reflection #1

All the Pulitzer Center speakers made me think more deeply about both how and why we interview people who have experienced or live in particularly traumatic situations. If there’s anything I learned from this hour long video, it's that it's essential for journalists to build that bond with their sources in order to get the most meaningful story, and also to create a space where the person feels comfortable sharing their account. 

The video made me realize that I’ve never been in a situation where my source is coming from an extremely traumatic situation, such as being a victim of violence in war or sexually abused and so on. However, even if my end goal doesn't entail reporting in these war zones where I’m putting my life at risk, some of the methods that these journalists use to build trust with their source is still transferable to even the stories I do here at Elon. I feel that I’ve always been able to establish a relationship with my sources and make them comfortable enough to talk to me about their story; however, there’s clearly still a lot I didn’t know based on this video. I feel that I’m good at establishing trust with the majority of people I talk to, but these journalists pose additional methods to use when interacting with people of different cultures and backgrounds. It goes to show that there’s so many more aspects to journalism other than just writing or taping a story. You also need common sense and people skills in every single story you tell, and it's essential in creating a good and meaningful story.

In the future, when I show up to a site where I’m filming both interviews and b-roll, I want to avoid taking my camera out right away. One of the Pultizer grantees spoke about how the camera can be intimidating, and it can create a barrier between the reporter and the source when trying to create that trust. Another tactic I want to implement in all of my interviews is doing more research on my topic and source before meeting them. The journalists in the video make it clear that it’s essential to learn all aspects of, in their case, one’s culture, which can help one pose questions in a specific way and how to develop different kinds of questions. Personally, I think this is something that I’ve always struggled with. I often have a list of more surface level questions without doing further research on the source, and the additional research can open up the door for more meaningful conversations.

The video also made me think about the relationship between journalists and their editor, or journalists and their newspaper or network that they’re writing for. A number of times, the journalists in the video made it clear that when producing stories in these more vulnerable conditions, far away from home, only the journalist knows exactly what it was like to live and breathe in that energy, not the editor. Sometimes you must sacrifice your relationship with your editor if it’s for the safety of the source by not asking them certain questions. This is something that I want to keep in mind going forward in my journalism career, and it also goes to show that any story seems to have the potential to be changed by someone at a higher level than you, which is tough to grasp.

Lastly, one of the parts that I really connected with throughout this video is the mental health of journalists, and how important it is to take care of yourself when immersing yourself in these traumatizing situations. I never really thought about needing to preserve my own mental health when going into the journalism industry, but based on what these experienced journalists said, I will definitely be keeping that part in mind when looking for jobs and working in a high-stress news environment. I also reflected on the fact that I never want to be a journalist who goes and captures these kinds of stories in life threatening situations. I think that it’s essential to report on victims of violence, but I don’t think I’m someone who’s built to report on those situations. However, all of the building trust tactics that they talk about are essential for anyone, no matter what story you’re working on.