The Aftermath

You have half a year. Half a year? That’s it? What the heck happened to my college life? Here I stand, only days away from finishing up my second to last semester in college and I wonder, where did the time go? I’ve spent the past semester swamped with reporting, IT projects, theater performances, and all this talk about the future of journalism. Now, it’s coming to a close with one final go around in the spring.

Yesterday, I interviewed two women who don’t have enough to give their children much of anything for Christmas. Thanks to the Voluntary Action Center in Columbia, they have piles of gifts to put under the tree. Stories like these are what keeps me going in this business and this world. The rest of our newscast was filled with a story about a police officer scandal, a man charged with pornography charges and yet again, MU is discussing more tuition hikes. And there was my beautiful, sweet tale about volunteers giving their time and money to families less fortunate than some.

I have “blossomed” as Sarah Hill, our KOMU 8 News at Five Anchor/Reporter, put it this semester and throughout the years. I knew I’d get better but I have to say I’m quite proud of myself for getting this far without giving up or losing my mind, quite frankly.

My camera and interviewing skills are miles better. Not to mention how much more comfortable and cool I am on-air. I finally decided to give myself the goal to memorize my six live report since I have the five and the recap to work on it. It felt exhilarating to be free without paper and to just let it flow. My live shots are a heck of a lot better that way. I can only go forth and keep on improving.

Here's my latest story at KOMU: The Best Gift is Giving

On a Weekend Getaway...Journalism Follows.

Wherever I go this summer, especially, journalism seems to slip up on me, no matter where I hide. I decided to venture down to Charleston for a weekend to see the beautiful, southern charm of a town while a college friend traveled there for a photography convention. Not just any convention, the National Press Photography Association's Awards convention. Patrick somehow led me to believe it was something lesser of value. Oh I figured out in no time, I was in for a treat. I didn't think much about the convention. I thought I'd sight see and show around then meet up with him whenever he wasn't occupied. Turns out, you can't escape the journalism world, especially during this lesson-filled summer I'm experiencing.


Still photographers weren't the only ones invited and recognized at this event. Videographers too were amongst the ranks. Patrick told me to bring some of my video work and have those professionals take a look. I arrived at 8:30 and sure enough, not a minute later, the critiquing began.


I sat down with two videographers: one from Des Moines, IA and the other from Wichita, KS. They both had some great suggestions and tips to strengthen and improve my video. One big shooting tip I remembered the most is to think about the flow of your shots: when you're about to shoot something think about what you want before and after that shot. It's got to be a continuous flow, so thinking about the big picture is key.


We went through my videos and picked on one story I did where I had this sticky situation about shooting still objects. That was the theatre story three weeks after it burn down. Mary, from Wichita, said the best thing you can do as a videographer is to find a way to shoot something 25 different ways.


"That was the most difficult thing to do...I had to shoot a park bench 25 ways," Mary told me.


"Shoot the donut and the donut hole...get creative," the Des Moines photographer explained.


They both talked about wanting to see the specks of te fire on the stage; we've got to see the tiny details. Try a wide shot from different angles: through the trees, from the parking lot.


Turns out, making this trip would be more than just a shopping spree...a bit more rewarding you'd imagine.


After that evening's critique, Patrick and I headed out to see the town of adorable Charleston. It has such wonderful charm and quaintness that I couldn't possibly give it justice. There are numberous shops, cafes, restaurants, one more cool than the next. Boutiques block after block, a place my mother wouldn't dream possible.


Saturday morning rolled around and I decided to venture out in the daylight. There was a farmer's market set-up across the street...long story short, I walked around and spent two hours just browsing the town until I couldn't take the heat or the walking any longer.


After lunch with Patrick, I swung back over to the photography convention, only to realize I came just in time for the best lecture, (at least for me). Fox 45 in Baltimore's photographer, Darren Durlach, won numerous awards for his phemonenal videography. He had some fantastic editing, audio and video to display and tips to go with them. 

• Always have your ear open for the best audio; don't just shoot video.
• Get the mic up close and personal; get those nats!
• Think creavitely...go for the interesting angles: shadow, reflection, etc.

Those are just a few of the many notes I jotted down at his engaging lecture.

Later that night, everyone get primped and pretty for the awards banquet. I got to see some amazing photos and video. One's that captured the pure essence of life that drives me to be a better visual journalist. This kind of work makes me realize how much I love the field. No matter the small pay, I'm positive this career path I have begun is worth all the stress.

At the end of the banquet, we all went out, enjoying the quaint town of Charleston. Sitting there among brillant photographers, I felt lucky to be surrounded by such talented, fun-loving people who understand and love the crazy world of journalism.

I never expected to learn such a wealth of knowledge in one weekend, originally thinking it would be an escape from journalism. Like I always say...Journalism follows those who truly have their heart deep in the depths of the field.

Golf Hotspot Numbers Up to Par

Here in Myrtle Beach, golf isn't just a sport. It's a lifestyle. After a bitter, cold winter, Golf Holiday and Barefoot Resort and Golf say numbers are looking up as more golfers hit the course. Despite the hot summer weather, those golfers are still grabbing their clubs and hopping on their carts, mostly at those early morning tee times.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com

I was able to interview and shoot this video for the story. It was a fun story out on the golf course (Fazio Course) talking to golf experts about the tough winter season Myrtle Beach experienced. Golfers, of course, came down once the cold cleared out.
We went out on a golf cart and spoke with some vacationing golfers, who come down to Myrtle Beach every now and then. Some said they preferred to golf in the cooler hours, teeing off around 7:00 a.m. while others said they'd golf any time of day. By this time of the year, the temperatures, especially that day, are up in the mid to upper 90's. With humidity, it feels like 100's!! Honestly, I'm not sure if I'd even be golfing at all. It's already in the mid 80's by sunrise.

Photo Courtesy: Barefoot Golf

Nevertheless, shooting and interviewing on the green, was more fun than I ever expected.

"Isn't it great that one day we're out on a fire and the next we're at a golf course? I love this job," Jennifer said to me. "I know! I love it too!" I agreed.
This is exactly what I wanted from this internship. A path to pull the passion out of me. These kinds of experiences are just what I'm talking about.

My look live turned out really well. Jennifer said I had great energy and good references to my location. I had the golfers gearing up to go behind me. I used some nice video over my voice and then came back to me on camera with the course as the background. I did trip up on my words at the end, but recovered and decided it looked better than the other recordings. I'm very proud of my progress. Every new look live comes with improvement!

WMBF News' webstory

Here's the video!

Fuel Spill at Local Exxon Station

The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control had to flush out a storm water drain after diesel fuel spilled at a Exxon Mobile station in Myrtle Beach on George Bishop Parkway, just off Highway 501.

Horry County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene a little after 5:30 that morning after the tanker's driver said the gas tank caught the curb as he tried to exit the gas station. The truck then began spilling fuel.

Photo Courtesy: thecarconnnection.com

Adam Myrick, spokesman for DHEC, believes the truck lost between 60-80 gallons of diesel from its saddle tank. Myrick said the saddle tank is the fuel tank that helps to power the cab of the truck.

The Exxon station was temporarily closed. It did re-open a few hours after DHEC cleaned-up the spill.

Here's WMBF News' webstory.

I think this was my best Look Live, yet. My writing was tight, I was composed and talked at a good pace. I used a little VO to cover up what I talked about. I'm very pleased with my progress. It also helped shooting this breaking news story after a fresh haircut. :)

Check out the video here!

Oil on Our Shores in SC?

Turns out, if any oil does come our beaches, it's not much to fret about. Even though the threat to oil on these coasts is still months away, state agencies aren't taking any chances.

"DHEC decided to be proactive and get some baseline samples to see what was out there," said Sean Torrens, environmental health manager for the Department of Health and Environmental Control. "[We're] basically looking for oil and references to oil in the water."

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com
Torrens said they took 10 samples up and down the coast, including here in Myrtle Beach near Spring Maid Pier.

"Everything came back at pretty much next to zero," Torrens said. "It was as low as you could read."
At Coastal Carolina's Center for Marine and Wetland Studies, they say they are also watching the spill closely.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com

"Finding oil in water is not always that unusual," Director Paul Gayes said. "Boats go by, there's other kinds of things that may put oil in it. A baseline is important to give you some kind of sense of what conditions normally are."

Gayes says it would take the oil getting into the Gulf Stream to bring it to South Carolina's coast, adding that the Gulf Stream is well off the Palmetto State's coast, 60-80 miles offshore. Areas like the tip of Florida and Cape Hatteras are not so removed.

We went live from the Spring Maid Pier spot and recorded a Look Live VO/SOT. I'm very pleased with using references as to why I'm where I am and my writing. I rushed my last phrase and my outcue a little too much. I'm working on slowing that down.

WMBF News' webstory

Oil on Our Shores Story Video

Come Home! The City's Got a Curfew!

Not so fast parents! Teenagers 17 and under in Myrtle Beach were required to get their butts inside between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. but right now, that is NOT the case.

After lawmakers ruled the city's helmet law unconstitutional, the teen curfew got put on the revisal schedule, too. It was included in the lawsuit because it was passed at the same time. Violations were considered infractions, but the Supreme Court says the curfew can only be enforced if violations are considered misdemeanors.

Until that law is altered, the curfew cannot be enforced, Myrtle Beach spokesperson Mark Kruea says, and making the change could mean harsher penalties.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com
"The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor is up to $500 and/or 30 days in jail," Kruea said. "So potentially it can be a stronger, much stronger penalty than a simple $100 fine. The administrative infraction carried no possibility of jail time."

The lapse in the curfew came just in time for senior week when recent high school graduates came to Myrtle Beach. While many graduates are 18 and would not be affected by the curfew, some of them and their friends are 17 or younger.

We talked to a few teenagers who were relieved to hear about the curfew lapse.

"I like it that it's beach week and there's not a curfew because you don't have to worry about being in trouble, I guess," said Amber Young, who just graduated from high school in Virginia said came to Myrtle Beach with her 17-year-old friend Lindsay Pickeral.

Brandon let me do most of the interviewing. I find it a little easier to talk to teenagers because I'm a little close in age, plus my sister is one. I'm used to dealing with that lovely age.

I was able to record a little look live. I didn't end up throwing on a sound bite or VO but I do think the energy I have in the look live is good. I also think I'm learning to speak slower and emphasize my phrases better, while not using my entire body or head to highlight certain words. I do have to agree with Greeley that these earrings are a bit distracting, especially in the field. I don't plan on wearing those again while reporting.

Teen Curfew Story Video

Low Voter Turnout in Palmetto State

Two weeks after the state's primaries, only Republican candidates made the ballot for the runoff in the great state of South Carolina. Having that said, less voters were even eligible to vote in the first place. Only Republicans and those who did not vote in the primaries could cast their decision in this runoff.

We stopped by a voting spot at Fire Station No. 5 in Myrtle Beach in Horry County and talked with voters. Many felt it was necessary to vote in the runoff because "it counts more than the primary", it's the decision maker for November's ballot.

One voter said it was much easier to vote on the runoff because there weren't nearly as many choices as the primary. The 1st Congressional District seat and Governor candidates in the Republican party appeared on the ballot. Republican Tim Scott took the races for the 1st Congressional District seat and female pheonmenon Nikki Haley, a Sarah Palin supported candidate, grabbed the Governor Republican spot.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com

When we came to the primary voting place at Fire Station No. 5 two weeks prior, voters lined up and piled in. It was quite the opposite for the runoff. Since Horry County residents come from different states, many voters don't seem to be dedicated to South Carolina politics yet.

Holly Tankersley, WMBF News' Political Analyst, said this runoff certainly had it's disadvantages.

"It's very difficult especially when we're talking a runoff in only one party," Tankersley explained. "You just really have to beat the bushes. Go out there, shake people's hands, tell them how important it is. "

Sandy Martin, the director of registration and elections for Horry County, echoed the fact that turnout does tend to drop for runoffs.

"People, they're all hyped up for the first one," she said. "Unfortunately, they need to be hyped up for the second one because this is going to be the deciding factor so we hope everyone will turn out again."

Jennifer gave me the opportunity to record at Look Live VO/SOT. I'm very pleased with my writing and enthusiasm. I still need to slow down in this one, but I was able to record going all the way through and I'm definitely getting better at just running through and talking, like a live shot. I want to be as best I can in this area, especially because I'll be reporting live once a week in the fall.

Voter Turnout Story Video

Broadcasting from the Beach: The Beginning

60 miles of sandy beaches, resorts galore, one beach side bar and club after another. Tourists walk the streets and beach for miles along Ocean Boulevard. Lights, camera, action! Wait, what? That's right. I said cameras! I'm interning at a television station near the beach; Myrtle Beach to be exact.

Now, don't get any ideas. I'm working five days a week, 40 hours or more. It's not all fun and games. Unless you're like me and consider TV News thrilling and exciting. I'm not joking. One day on the job and I'm hooked. I'm interning at the NBC Affiliate, WMBF News, for two and plus months, waking up at 2 a.m. three days a week, 3-11:30 p.m. on Thursdays, and then having a more normal schedule, coming in at 9:15 a.m. on Fridays.
Granted waking up at 2 a.m. pretty much sums up a weird sleep schedule, but I'm telling you, it's so worth it. These people are talented, knowledgeable, helpful and overall, just amazing! Jennifer Grove is showing me the ropes as a morning live reporter along with her well-skilled photographer, Drew, who will be switching to the normal shift, sadly. Luckily, another great photographer will take his place. That's Ian! He's wonderful, hard working, and from Jersey! We have lots of laughs!

Jenny is beyond wonderful. She's bright, a total natural at this gig and completely inspiring. She can come up with a catchy phrase or word in a matter of seconds. Her presence on air is totally mind-blowing. I hope I can learn from her and have my own great presence.

I've been able to record a few look live shots. So I'm getting some experience learning to improve my writing and on-air experience. Jenny had some great tips and critiques for me, too. She says once you know what you want to say, if you're recording, let go and put your script/notebook down and let it flow. It was amazing how much more natural I felt once I did that.

I think Mizzou's J-School has certainly given me a leg up on broadcasting. I'm one of the more experienced interns they've had; I have a general idea of how to work with everything and everyone. It's so interesting just watching people's interpretation of how they cover the news, coming from so many different journalism schools. I'm so thankful that Missouri has taught me so much in such little time.

Brandon Herring is my dayside reporter bud on Fridays. I go out with him and I get to ask questions during our interviews and shoot much of the video. He really lets me just go to town for my hands-on internship! He makes me laugh so hard. He's a great reporter and knows how to take things lightly even when times get rough.

Brandon actually had to edit a package in less than an hour in the live truck. I was amazed by his talent and vigor to get the job done. That's another thing I look forward to learning: how to handle pressure first-hand. When he writes his intros and look lives and tags, he lets me give my input, essentially giving me the opportunity to improve my writing skills.

On Thursdays, I'm working with production. Drew and Brian are teaching me how to run audio and graphics. I've had the chance to punch a few buttons and knobs, to help run the show. This is something I've been meaning to learn at KOMU, but hadn't had the chance. I'm so grateful that WMBF is offering so much in just 2.5 months! Drew is currently training to be a director. So he's teaching me a little about that, too. I think it's really vital to know how production works and maybe even know how to run a bit of it. You should know, as a reporter, how they help you and how you can help them. It's all a team effort!

It's been three weeks since I began. I cannot believe the amount I've learned in that short time. I look forward to the rest of the internship. I cannot stress enough how important it is to step outside of your comfort zone, outside of your journalism school/TV station, and take a look at how other newsrooms are covering the news. You'd be amazed what you can learn from other people, especially ones that are in the position you will be a year from now. I have a much better feeling about becoming a broadcast journalist. I definitely have the passion for this tough business.

Helping Hands

Almost three weeks after flames engulfed a local theater, help has finally come.

I wrote in an earlier blog about the Maplewood Barn Theatre in Columbia going up in flames. That was my first reporting shift: talking about the theater board members plans for the future. Now, my third reporting shift touched upon those plans in action.

The City of Columbia cleaned up the fire debris and laid down hay around the burned area. It also re-seeded that section of land. It also agreed to pay for a new stage. Eckhoff Construction built Maplewood's outdoor stage only three weeks before the fire. With the City's insurance cutting the costs, Eckhoff agreed to re-build the stage.

More than just one company and the city are helping. Little Dixie Construction has dropped off one trailer for the theater company to use. Another one is on the way. Maplewood will store props, tools and supplies in one trailer. The other will serve as dressing rooms, complete with air conditioning. Little Dixie offered up these trailers for no charge.

Columbia Parks and Recreation is also working with Columbia Water and Light to install a temporary power source on site. The theater would need some kind of system to operate its lighting and sound board. Those city officials are hammering out the details on where to put that power source.

If the theater does have all its essentials to put on its first summer performance on May 14th, Ice Chalet Antique Mall has opened its doors for Maplewood to use. Ice Chalet is located off Grindstone Avenue. It's also the future home of Galatic Fun Zone.

With all these different businesses helping out Maplewood, I knew I'd have plenty of people to talk to. The web story was filled with lots of quotes, facts and additional information that wasn't involved in my broadcast version. I was so happy telling Jen Reeves that my web story would be very detailed. She was just as enthused.

I'm really glad I was able to set-up my interviews at the site of the fire. It provided me with compelling camera interviews. However, a glitch: some shaky video was involved. I probably should've relied on my tripod more so. Nevertheless, for doing two off the shoulder interviews and a wireless microphone, I did okay. I didn't realize how much that wireless mic didn't pick up at times. Scott Schaefer, our videographer, told me about this issue after I was done shooting. I learned my lesson: it's convenient but maybe not completely reliable. I was frustrated while editing sometimes. Luckily, A2 picked up sound perfectly well when I needed to use it.

My writing has really improved. I felt very confident walking up to the Tiger Chair, knowing I had a few lines that made my piece ring. After all that reading this semester, I'm really catching onto what makes a good story. You can't be obvious when writing your track most of the times. Descriptions are far better than pure, plain and bland statements. Nevertheless, those quick facts plain and simple are necessary some of the time.

I swear it seemed like I had experienced an earthquake after reviewing some of my b-roll. First off, I almost never have issues running out of video. This was the first time I struggled. I had too many wide shots. I thought I tried to get creative, but instead I was overwhelmed and tired, perhaps. Next time, I'm taking a moment to think and shoot and record for at least 12-15 seconds per shot. That was irritating, but again, lesson learned.

I'm asking better questions as I've progressed this semester. I'm figuring out which ones are necessary for facts and which ones are good for sound bites. The more I've planned, the better I've been. Leaving some room for silence has helped, too. Sometimes asking a non-question works. All those lectures and readings really are paying off! I'm so glad Greeley is such a wonderful professor.

I look forward to seeing what this theater will do in the future to rebuild its historical site. It's really a shame the barn burnt down, but as Lee Willkins, a board member said, "It's a phoenix rising from the ashes." That's their theme this year. Catchy! I love it.

Luck of the Draw

Isn't interesting how the world has it's moments that just have us wondering: Why? Why me? One Saint Paul, MN woman knows exactly what I'm talking about. KARE 11 in Minneapolis covered a story about a singer with a shocking story. Just before Molly Maher's band would be booked for Rock The Cure, a concert dedicated to fight breast cancer, Maher received news she has breast cancer.

• Maher works at a guitar store in Saint Paul, Willie's American Guitars. 
• She's 39-years-old and never expected cancer to be in the cards. 
• No one in her family has a history of any cancer. 
• Maher found a lump in her breast. 
• Doctors diagnosed her in February. 

In the article, she claims to be healthy, eat right and exercise, but luck gets in the way." Not the kind of luck you wish for.


The founder of Rock The Cure, Angie Hanzel-Palomo, wanted Mahler's band to be the opening band for this year's breast cancer fundraiser. Maher and Hanzel-Palomo go years back as Molly has helped Willie's donate guitars to Rock The Cure.  These are guitars signed by musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Etheridge.

Photo Courtesy: KARE 11

Moller Maher and Her Disbelievers would be a part of the concert this time. Maher's already has a connection with the fund's benefits. The Susan Komen fund, Rock The Cure's breast cancer fund, offers free breast exams through the SAGE women's clinic. Maher's had these free exams.

• This year's concert will be the ninth annual Rock The Cure. It's raised a whopping $120,000 for breast cancer already. 

Maher's had a few months to fight her own battle while preparing for the performance.

• The rocking and rolling takes place May 1 at 8 p.m. 

I like the way Kare 11's Renee Tessman writes this story. She includes facts, great, emotional quotes and background into the character leading into the story. The story has a good flow.

I was confused whether or not Hanzel-Palomo had sent the email before or after Maher's diagnosis. Tessman quotes Hanzel-Palomo saying she had the invite email to Maher in her drafts email.

• The reporter never clarifies when she sent the invite and the reaction Hanzel-Palomo gets. I think this is important to make clear to readers. 

It makes us assume what we want. We shouldn't have to assume anything. That kind of irritated me.

I like that there are a few links embedded in the story. It's easy to navigate and find any additional information right in the body of the story.

• I wish we used our links that way at KOMU. I think it would be easier for viewers to have the option to go to the links and numbers section and/or click on links directly in the story. 

The photos have plenty of depth to it. I was jealous of the fantastic photography.

• I want to improve my videography to take shots that compel viewers like Maher's photos do. The depth allows you to feel emotions through the photos. 

It's a simple story with a deeper meaning. Although Maher has bad news, she gets to experience it in a good way.

• Performing to help others while fighting her own battle. 

That's made me feel very bittersweet.

The reporter demonstrates this idea very well with the structure of the story. Like I said before, it has a nice flow. That is the most important thing for a story, I believe.

The story made me want to close my eyes and listen because the audio was very enticing. At the same time, I kept wanting to watch the smooth flow of shots of Maher and others playing. I felt at ease with this story. The flow showed in words and through broadcast. That is a tough thing to accomplish; one I'm striving for every day.

Market Madness

Fresh fruits and veggies galore all in one spot grown right in your local area. Yumm! Too bad the city is cutting funding that helps support this place. I'm talking about a farmer's market in Myrtle Beach, SC. I figured since I'm heading down to Myrtle Beach this summer for an internship, I should check out how all the local television stations cover news. I simply searched Myrtle Beach in Google News and found this story. It caught my eye because I did my first story about how popular farmer's markets have become last semester.

The anchor seems to be a little distracted in the intro. It takes her a while to spit out what she's trying to get across. It's distracting to the viewers. As the directors takes the package they use a graphic that says "Top Story" which I found to be interesting and eye-catching.

PHOTO COURTESY: scnow.com

One thing I noticed was a lack of a natural sound opening. This brings viewers closer to listen and watch. The reporter did not start her story with sounds of the market but with her voice. It's not as appealing. I'm an avid fan of nat opens. It's a must!

I enjoyed much of the video, especially the close-up shot of the tomatoes. You could see how plump and juicy they looked; it made me want to go out and buy one! However, I feel like the reporter didn't demonstrate how many people were at the market. I wanted a few more wide shots in the story.

Wendi, the reporter, does provide good facts with numbers of how much money the city will save by cutting support to the market. I like that she talks to several different people shoppers and vendors, but I want to hear from one of them sooner. There's too much of her talking in the beginning to the first sound bite.  I also noticed that she re-used a piece of video within 15 seconds of the story. That's a bit redundant.

I did like the framing on all of the interviews. You had a good feel for where they were at; she created a good background for all of them. I'm a fan of starting your sound bite with b-roll video then going to the video of the interviewee and back to b-roll. It has a nice flow. I'd like to incorporate that in my reporting more often. I wish I had more time in my past two reporting shifts to tweak my stories to do that. However, that's not always appropriate. I think it can be used often but not always.

PHOTO COURTESY: sodahead.com

The sound of the cash register was a great transition out of the sound bite and into her voice track. That's the kind of sound viewers want to hear. Wendi's stand-up was very demonstrative and provided good information. She showed us the fruits and veggies and turned to a local vendor as she talked about the changes local vendors will see.

She goes to a sound bite with a "Myrtle Beach Spokesperson". I'm not sure what that means. I feel like that title is way too vague. I'm assuming he's on the city council or maybe not. I would want a more direct title for this person.

Wendi uses phrases like "plans to tackle" and "funding slated to stop". These are catchy and flashy. Love them! Good writing makes a big difference. I'm working on making mine better with every story.

Tragedy for Local Theater

Acting's been a hobby of mine since the seventh grade. I fell in love with theater from the first play I witnessed in junior high. When I came to college, it was so hard to realize I no longer had time to take part in theater. I've taken a few theater classes luckily, attending a few plays here and there.

Sunday night a friend of mine told me he went to a play over the summer at this outdoor theater. He said he the audience sat outside and watched the play; it's stage was outside too. There was a barn behind it as it's back stage and storage place.

On the night of Monday, April 5, that very barn theater went up in flames. I couldn't believe one day after my friend told that story, the theater was gone. My friend Laura and I were jogging that night nearby and saw the giant cloud of smoke from afar. Then, the sirens came. One fire truck after another after another flew past us on Grindstone Parkway. To make a long story short, we tried to get closer to the fire to see what exactly was up in flames, but we never got close enough to figure it out.

We ran back and I immediately got on twitter. There were several tweets from KOMUNews that the Maplewood Barn Theatre was on fire. I learned the following morning it had burned to the ground completely.  This is one great thing I love about news nowadays. You can get instant coverage from reporters and citizens on Twitter. I'll always use this in my reporting.

Tuesday afternoon I walked into KOMU wanting to know more. KOMU 8's Allison Archer was already working on the fire investigation story. I spoke with her and found out what she knew and also looked at her video. I was purely interested in the story on my own without knowing what happened next. Randy assigned me to cover the board members' meeting that night; they'd be discussing what to do now that the theater is gone. Looking at the video and asking Allison really helped me get a better idea what was going on so I could further my story. I'm so glad I was so curious.

I started looking into finding out the exact time and location of the meeting by searching on the theater's website, looking for phone numbers. After I got several voice mails, I realize that I should've asked Allison before I did all the unnecessary searching. She had the president's cell phone number. I called him and told him I'd like to attend the meeting and get an interview afterward. He said he'd love to have me and felt it was necessary for the media to cover what they'd be discussing.
                                                             
Thereafter, I went through media manager and pulled in all the potential video I could use of the fire the night before and the destruction video Allison had shot Tuesday morning. I'm really glad I did this because it really saved me time later on.

I pre-wrote my script as much as I could so that once I got back from the meeting, I could just plug in the rest of what I got from the meeting. I decided I'd talk about the brand new stage built three weeks ago in my stand-up. I asked one of the other reporters who was covering the election if he'd like some photog experience to shoot my stand-up. Chris Saunders and I headed out to the scene. We both learned a great deal how to use the cameras in tough lighting and how to make my stand-up look the best it could to show the burnt stage. I'm very proud that we took the time to make it look good. The only thing I wish I did was say, "it's just a burnt platform" instead of "just a burnt platform." The "it's" would've named the stage that I left out.

I pulled in my stand-up and laid it down on my sequence. I did as much as I could before I headed to the meeting. I'm glad I pre-planned like I did. I learned a lot about creating your own luck, being organized and planning ahead.

When I got to the meeting at Flat Branch, I was a little overwhelmed because the lighting was poor and it was so loud, I could barely hear what was being said. I adjusted everything on the camera so the lighting was decent. That turned out okay, I wish I got more shots that weren't so shaky. I took the camera off the tripod to get a different angle, but it was still too shaky. I got all my information written down and asked the president, Michael Scott, to verify what I had overheard. Then, I did my interview with him and another board member. I got great sound bites, but Michael spoke softly. I pulled him away from the crowd, but it wasn't enough. I learned that in that kind of situation, maybe I should have pulled him outside the restaurant.

I got back and put the package together in less than an hour. It was pretty difficult but I got it done. It wasn't the very best, but I learned a lot and I think I did well with the timing and all. I got a lot of compliments on my stand-up. I'm definitely proud of that.

Theater board members want to try and fix up the burnt stage and put on next month's play at Nifong Park. It all depends if they can afford to put up tents to store the costumes, props, tools and such to use in place of the barn. The other option is to perform at local colleges.

Covering a theater fire was interesting and sad at the same time. I felt sympathetic for the board members as a reporter and a theater lover. I'm glad I can add this story to my background. I learned a great deal.

Covering Fires

Smoke escapes and flames ignite as scared faces watch a burning building. It's always interesting to see how stations cover fires. I looked at WMBF News in Myrtle Beach at a recent fire it covered. I think its reporters did a fine job covering this fire.

There were also two photos on the web of the fire. One photo showed the smoke building up from the apartments on fire. The other was just a shot of the fire truck. I didn't think it was very stimulating.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com

The reporter should have put a photo of the fire more close-up. It's a 'duh' moment showing a fire truck. We all know they're going to have a fire truck at the scene of fire.                                    


It's extremely important to show viewers where a fire is located.
WMBF News' story is a great example of how to do this.

Photo Courtesy: wmbfnews.com    
              
They go from the anchor to boxes with a map and zoom in to show the exact location of the fire. Then, the story uses photos sent in by viewers of the fire scene. This is a phenomenal way to use social media and citizen journalism to your advantage.                                                    

You can use what you don't have when your crew wasn't on the scene. I love how journalism has grown to use things kinds of opportunities.

They had a live reporter on the phone. I'm assuming that they simply couldn't get their live truck on the scene for some reason. This is another good way to get a reporter's perspective live when you don't have all of your tools. They used a picture of the reporter so you see who was talking on the phone. This is a tool many stations use that I think is a smart move. People want to see what they hear. Since they can't see the reporter, a photo is the next best thing. The producers rolled the fire photos while the reporter was talking about the fire. This is another way to put pictures to what you're hearing.

The reporter talks about the status of the fire, what neighbors are saying, how many apartments were affected by the fire and what fire investigators are looking into. These are the fine details you want to talk about to inform your viewers.

Here's Kyle Grainger's story: Fire

Green is Alive with the Sound of Music!

Go Green! That's the big fad these days. Many people advocate to save the environment.  But I'm not blogging about that. I'm talking about the one day everyone wears green...for the Irish! St. Patrick's Day. One Columbia woman doesn't just wear green on this day. She's a musician who brings her talents to senior citizens on St. Patty's Day. Another reporter, Kylie, and I went out to cover the holiday festivities and ended up with a great, little story. The executive producer at KOMU told us she passed by a house fully decorated in green. She thought it'd be worth stopping by and possibly talking to the owner.

 
When we got there, no one was home. We decided to get some video and head downtown and talk to people celebrating there. Just before we packed up our gear, Cookie Hagan pulled in her driveway. She was wearing this great black hat rimmed with green and green beads around her neck. "This is going to be great!" I thought to myself. We told her that we were doing a little story about St. Pat's Day. We said we loved her house and we'd love to talk to her if she didn't mind. She was more than willing. We began to set-up while she went inside. I shot most of the video while Kylie gave her thoughts. Since we were set-up in front of the house, Cookie came out her front door, so we had the perfect video of her to use. Turns out Cookie plays the harmonica and ukulele in several bands.
Photo Courtesy: thegift.com

We asked her questions like, "Why decorate on St. Pat's?" "Is there any special meaning?" "Are you Irish?" We got some great quotes from those questions. She said she's 'Cookie O'Hagan' every March 17th. What a crack up. I was having one of the best St. Pat's Days and I was working! Imagine that!

We asked if she'd be stopping by a senior center to play her harmonica and she said, "Sure! Why not?" We asked if she could play play her for us in her house in case we couldn't get in the senior center. This worked out perfectly because it provided us with more video. She played O' Danny Boy; an appropriate melody for the day. One thing I wish I did: get video of the boom box playing so the viewers could see music came from her playing and the CD player.

Luckily, we got in the senior center and got video of Cookie playing for her friend Sue. Sue was a bundle of joy. The expression on her face was priceless. I wish I had a different angle on the two of them. I eventually moved my camera angle, but didn't have very much time to get enough video from that view point.

Here's the story we put together at KOMU: An Irish Song.
                                                   
                                                                                                          Photo Courtesy: musicwithease.com

Up In The Air

Heights have never made me nervous like some people. I could stand at the edge of a cliff, feel my heart beating and love every bit of it. Every vacation my family and I took, I wanted to partake in any adventurous, dangerous activity offered. When I was ten, my brother, sister and me hopped on a small plane and took a ride around the area of the North Woods of Wisconsin. It was one of the greatest memories I have.

When an airplane story crossed my journalism path, I jumped to cover it. There's this little aircraft repair shop in Fulton, MO. It's been open for 10 years, but any average passerby probably never noticed the shop.

I'll admit that I could have covered this story a heck of a lot better. I needed more of a business side. I only spoke to the guys at the shop. As my professor stated, too much like a commercial; I agreed.

Nevertheless, I had fun and learned a great deal.

Skytek's shop is a four-car sized garage at the Elton Memorial Airport in Fulton. During the wintertime, the owner, Bob Moseley, says they're pretty slow. But lately, they've had the business this winter since opening.

I wish I had gone to Skytek when it was a little warmer and not so much snow on the ground. That day kind of limited me to what I could shoot. I wish I had video and sound of the plane engine and the mechanics moving the planes.

I shot my stand-up in front of the plane. It looked pretty cool but I thought of a better idea after I had already shot it. I could've sat in the actual plane and talked. That would've been much more captivating. Worried about returning the camera, I left Skytek without re-shooting. Looking back, I wish I had just stayed a bit longer and re-did my stand-up.

I had some nice sequence shots but the natural sound wasn't as strong as I had hoped. Again, having the plane engine noise would've made the story much better.

Also, my framing on my interview with Moseley was too wide. After I shot my third story, Running For Robert, I think I learned my framing lesson.

Even though my story wasn't up to par, or to my liking, I learned what it takes to repair small airplanes. It takes a lot more knowledge to repair small airplanes because mechanics need to know how to fix every part. On commercial planes, each part of the plane is designated to certain mechanics. Moseley said he and his guys could easily walk into a big plane shop and fix those air crafts but it wouldn't be quite as simple for the big plane mechanics.

I had a good laugh with all the Skytek employees. I'd love to see the skies one day again...maybe Skytek can help.

Ah! Unda' Da Sea!

Oceans are a mystical land...or should I say land of seas? Bodies of water where there are more species and plants than the mind can imagine. Beneath the big blue waves lives a world unknown to the average boat rider. An article describes how half of the Earth's life may very well may be under the sea. After I skimmed through Huffington Post's 'Green' stories, I found a link to a story on McClatchydc.com. "Buried alive: Half of Earth's life may lie below land, sea" captures readers from the get-go. The writer, Robert S. Boyd, describes astronauts' duties seamlessly into biologists' jobs. He uses strong, catchy verbs like scour. Those kind of verbs are what make good writing.

The story goes on to say that scientists believe half the living organisms on the planet are buried in the ocean or places alike. A few examples: rocks, soil, tree roots and aquifers. Along with the writing accompanies a graphic depicting the 'subsurface biosphere'.

The area that half of our living things are in the dark, Earth's basement, as Boyd says. I've always wondered what lies underneath all that sand we see, lurking down under the sand.

There was a fascinating quote in the article about what may be beneath the surface. Boyd quotes a microbiologist saying,"The organisms that live in this environment may collectively have a mass equivalent to that of all of Earth's surface dwellers." Isn't that profound? Could you imagine having twice as many living animals and plants as we do now? We simply don't have room. The microbiologist goes on to say that these creatures may help essential environmental, agricultural and industrial problems.

I didn't like the way the writer set-up these quotes. They were combined into one paragraph; it's hard to distinguish. I think he should have separated them more clearly. He described the microbiologist in the same paragraph all bunched together; that was distracting.

In 2011, several scientists will venture to North Pond in the Atlantic to drill four holes in the seafloor to observe what lies beneath. Boyd ends his story with this last bit about the future plans. This is the perfect way for readers to look for more.

Here's a link to another story I found similar to this one. Check it out! World's Largest Live Underwater

Pills Don't Always Cure The Pain

Advil, Tylenol, Exedrine, Aleve. I know from that last I use to take one of those pain relievers every instance I had any kind of ache. Prescriptions on the other hand, well I took them as directed and never got addicted. For one woman, pills took a priority in her life.

One Newsvine story featured a Pennsylvannia law student and her addiction to prescription pain pills. I can't take my eyes off the photo; it's very enticing. Laurie Besden's expression has a look that can't be described in perfect words. The ones that come to mind: numb, regret, pain and embarrassment. Besden relied on prescription pills to pass her bar exam and then she couldn't live without them. 

The writer, Karen Asp, set-up the story in a great and organized matter. She separated it into categories and expanded on each with quotes and information. This makes it much easier for readers to be able to actually go deep into the article and read each part. 

This kind of piece needs lots of facts to back up the truth of the matter. Asp did that wonderfully. I can't believe 7.5 million adult women abuse prescription medicines. That's a huge number. That awe factor I'm feeling is exactly what Asp wanted.

Photo Courtesy of Newsvine.com 

Besden would get heart palpitations if she didn't take her pills after a while. That's a scary thought. This is the kind of quote you need to include in a health story. 

There's a bright side to this story and I think that's what gets people reading. If anyone reading has a pill problem or knows someone that does, he/she can look to Besden for hope. I enjoy stories that feature people in depth like this one. It's much easier to read about a topic if there's someone to relate to. Of course every story needs to be humanized, but I feel like more featured stories like these have a greater appeal.

I'd love to improve my writing to reflect that kind of work. 

Running Never Looked So Fun

"Running is totally pointless." That's what my friend told me after I told her I ran a few miles that day. I've never been much of a runner myself but since I got to college, running and I get along more than I ever imagined possible. It's a great feeling, especially when you're actually done running. That's the thing about it. People often run for fundraisers because it feels so good when you've crossed that finish line. You raised money and ran for a good cause. I finally went to one of those running fundraisers for a news story. You could feel the motivation and strength just standing there watching all those people run just to help a cause. 

I met Suzann Smith who use to hate running. I immediately laughed with her when she told me that. I told her I dreaded the mile run for gym class all semester long, but I never had a problem stretching for sit-and-reach or anything like those tests. 

I met Smith at the Key Largo Fitness Center, Running For Robert. Robert Canine served as a Staff Sergeant in the Army until last May when he came home severely injured. He lost both his lower legs. He got a special home from Homes For Our Troops. Canine wanted to give back to the organization. He has a goal to raise $100,000. The Eagle's radio host Tom Bradley helped Canine put together a fitness-filled fundraiser. I'm so amazed when people like Bradley do such kind acts like these. It makes me believe that deep down, the world is good. Canine was so easy to talk to: gracious, kind and happy as a clam to be a part of a great cause. I asked him two questions that didn't really make sense to him and that really weren't relevant to the story. I feel like those questions came out of thin air. I'm going to stick to this: if I'm not sure where I'm going with my question, no one else will either. I'm getting better at asking questions and narrowing my focus, now. 

Smith joined a group that all runs just because it's good for you. Team Slogger, they call it. Slowly but steadily they run together. I thought it was perfect! Just my kind of running! I love when I go out to cover a story and find people I want to be friends with and/or join their group. They had t-shirts with this slogan on the back, "Unintentional ineffective attempt at running. Not actually running, not quite jogging, but sometimes faster than walking. Please stop asking, we are really trying, honest!" 

Now that's some good old honest, amusing truth for you. She and her teammate Steve were a fun pair to talk to. I tried to look around and see what kind of glances runners would give me. Smith and Steve's seemed to be the most welcoming. 

I think I shot some good video but maybe I could've used a little more creativity and tried to get off the tripod and experiment. I'll admit that using the maximum height on the tripod turned out well for me. I interviewed Canine's brother Jamie standing on a treadmill. I think it looked pretty neat. 

This was a heartwarming story and fun to shoot. I hope more stories like these cross my path again. 

Here's a link to learn more about Robert:

Robert's Story

Reporting Sings To Me

I’ve always had a love for music. That basically guided me to covering a story about a local community band. Two band directors in the Jefferson City area wanted to bring former musicians in the area back to playing their instruments. 

Ever since I left high school, there’s been a small hole in my life now that I have no time for choir and piano. So any opportunity I can be surrounded by music, I’ll go for it. Paul Hinman, the band director of Jeff City High School, was a great interviewee. I tried to ask open-ended questions that would lead to more than one answer. This was one of the first things I learned about interviewing people. I asked many short and simple questions that I could use for facts before I put Paul on camera. My fellow reporter friends Mark taught me this trick, per say. It saves time going through tape that you won’t use as sound bites and makes the interviewing process more enjoyable and like a conversation than a chore. 

It wasn’t easy getting all of my video at once. Paul had to reschedule our interview because he had to handle both the band meeting and the high school booster’s meeting at the same time. Luckily, it worked out in the end because it was a great interview and we were able to talk about all kinds of things outside of the story’s topic. I enjoyed watching the band members laugh and interact with one another just at the meeting, discussing how long it’s been since they played an instrument. 

I told Paul that I’d much rather be out reporting and talking to people about their stories than be in the newsroom. I’m a people person and doing this story made me realize how much I love reporting. No matter what problems pop-up, I still enjoy the core ideals of reporting. 

The 60s and Alzheimer's

I’m a fan of The Onion, an adventurous and different kind of news outlet. The other day I ventured into the Science and Technology section of the news site and found a story touching on Alzheimer’s disease and the baby boomer generation. The article is entitled, “Alzheimer’s Disease Causing Baby Boomers To Misremember 1960s Even More.” It talks about a study researchers at Stanford University conducted that shows this brain disease is beginning to make the 1960s a little fuzzy for the baby boomer generation. 

What really attracted me to this story is honestly the photo. It’s a picture of a gray-bearded man who seems to be looking off into space. (Photo Courtesy of The Onion) I felt kind of sorry for Harold Finster. I was curious what he can and can’t remember. The caption under the photo says, “Harold Finster could not possibly have been on state at Woodstock during Country Joe’s “Freedom,” because the song was actually performed by Richie Havens and Finster was living in California at the time.” It made me want to read more about Finster and his possible memory loss. I like when journalists give you a taste of the story at the beginning that isn’t exactly the main point. It’s a great way to pull readers and viewers in. This is exactly what this writer did, especially with the caption. 

There was an interesting bit saying some people thought they personally ended the war in Vietnam even before Alzheimer’s struck. The neuroanantomist said, “It’s just sad...” I agree with him. You almost have to laugh then realize how serious this disease is and how people just a bit older than my parents are feeling the affects. Maybe I should I say forgetting the affects. Finster’s son, Dylan, has a few quotes talking about his dad’s ‘old, innocent lies’. I thought that was a positive way to look at the degenerative disease’s effects.

The article says Harold thought he had hung out with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin back in the 60s. Alzheimer’s blurs the lines of your past and perhaps, dreams of celebrity friendships. As the article goes on to say, “mixing fact with fiction...” was the main effect in a majority of the boomers studied.  I’d probably start meshing real life and dreams myself. 

The last line highlights the best importance of the story: “Alzheimer's may be loosening their grip on reality, but we're not sure how firm it was to begin with.”  This makes you leave the story with a smile on your face.  I can imagine that reality isn’t always 100 percent clear in our minds despite how much we really can recall. 

Here's a link a video about the study: Alzheimer's Study