Interview 1: Raw

So, here is the first interview for my final project on Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA).
There will be another video later this week.

Vblog: Story Idea on ORCA

So, there is another challenge in this Multimedia Journalism class: making a video blog.

I decided to tell you about my plan on my final project on ORCA. It is interesting to know about the activities in the program. I was there several times. I wish I could enroll in the program because I'm interested in science and it is cool to observe marine animals in a water tank.

If you want to find out more, wait until I finish my final project.

In the meantime, please enjoy my first video blog.

As A Matter of Manner

Once I saw a book called “Otak Sejuta Gigabyte” (One Million Gigabyte Brain), originally titled “The Great Memory Book” by Eric Jensen, M.A. and Karen Markowitz, M.A. It is about how to use simple memory technique to recall names, places, etc. The bottom line: how to use boost your brain to store one million gigabyte of memory.

However, the rest of the blog is not about how we can use the brain, but, rather, about how sometimes the memory can fool you.

In our social life, there are certain responses that go together – either they are to show politeness or just a mere habitual things.

For example, if people say “Thank you” to you, what will you response?

“You’re welcome” (good one!)

Or, if somebody asks you “Do you want some drink?”, the polite way to refuse is to say what?

“No, thanks.” (awesome!)

Enough for the manner lesson. Sometimes we are so used to the pairs that the brain does not really process the questions before giving a response.

Scene 1:

I was on the bus to the downtown for a grocery shopping. The bus gradually stoped. My friend and I walked on the alley towards the front door. As a matter of manner (no pun intended), my friend said, “Thank you, Sir” to the bus driver. The bus driver (and some other passengers)) laughed. What’s wrong? The bus driver was a woman!

Scene 2:

I was walking down a street going back to my apartment. Somebody on the street asked me, “do you have a cigarette?” Without consulting with the brain, my mouth threw out “No, thanks.” Ten steps away, my brain accused my responsive mouth “you should have answered, ‘No, sorry’”.

Scene 3:

Day 1: Staff at the cafetaria : “Have a great day!”

            Me: “You, too.”

Day 2: Staff at the cafetaria : “Have a good lunch!”

            Me: “You, too.”

            Three second later I told myself, “She didn’t have lunch, she was working.”

Scene 4: 

I was riding an automatic motorbike (a good friend let me ride it after my manual motorbike was sold). Everytime I slowed down or I felt that I need to accelerate the speed, my foot stepped to change the gear. I was stepping on the air as there was no gear on the bike.

Scene 5:

Stranger: "How are you doing?"

Me: (hatchoo!!!) "I'm good, thanks."

(Help!) Ideas

As we are entering the second half of the quarter, here comes the most difficult part of the class: story ideas. Not that it is hard to come out with ideas, but there are too many ideas to pick. I want to do this, I want to do that.

So, after those ideas were competing for almost a week, here are the top two:

1.     CCID (Community College for International Development) program

Focus: what is CCID? What does it do good for the U.S.? What’s the contribution to EvCC? How regular student perceived the fact that the students are funded by the Department of State?

Possible use of multimedia: interview video (Craig Lewis as program liaison, Phebe Shen as program coordinator, one of CCID students), slide show or video on CCID students activities.

2.     APSU (Asian/Pacific Islander Student Union) – one of the most active student clubs in EvCC.

Focus: what is APSU? Who are the members? What do they do?

Possible use of multimedia: interview of members, slide shows on activities, video of one of the meeting.

Those are the two that I think possible to be reported.

Please tell me which one you like the most.

Should you have any other input, please tell me on comment.

A Story of A Storyboard

Editor: “Let’s report a story using video.”

Student journalist: “It’s video reporting time. Yay!”

Editor: “Are you ready?”

Student journalist: (looking for a camera) “This camera is too big, can I use my iPhone instead?”

Editor: “Sure.”

Student journalist: “Okay. I’m ready to go out and shoot.” (standing eagerly)

Editor: “Wow, hold on. Calm down. Before you go out and shoot, let’s plan the things you should shoot and how they are shot.”

Student journalist: (sighing disappointedly) “I thought what we need is to contact the source and shoot. Isn’t that the tip: shoot, shoot and shoot?”

Editor: “It’s true. But you don’t want to waste the memory by shooting aimlessly, do you? Let’s start with making a storyboard.”

Student journalist: “Storyboard?”

Editor: “Yes. Storyboard is a sketch of how to organize the story and a list of its content.“

Student journalist: “But, I cannot draw.”

Editor: ”Not necessary. You can make a storyboard using stick figure.”

Student journalist: “Well, why bother drawing if the picture is in my head? I mean, I know what I’m doing.”

Editor: “Well, the pictures help you define the scope of the project. Storyboard will help you define the focus of the story. Once you are done you can swap the pictures for a better flow and sequence.”

Student journalist: “I see. Should I make my own box?”

Editor: “It’s up to you. You can choose any available template you want or using a software.”

Student journalist: (fishing his iPhone back to his pocket) “See you soon, video camera. Let’s make a storyboard.”

Editor: (handing sheets of paper) “Here are some tips you can use to make your own storyboard. Make sure you finish it quickly, we’re on deadline.”

Student journalist: “But, I have just learned about it.”

Editor: “No excuse. I want it in my office at 2. You hear me?”

Student journalist: “Aye, aye, Capt’n.”

Sakura-Con 2012 in einem Blick

If you like anime but miss the last Sakura-Con in Seattle, here is an overview of what happened in Washington Convention and Trade Center on April 7-9, 2012.

(The music "Wind" by Akeboshi is the ending theme of Naruto, which was the reason I followed the series)