GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, 24 May 2013 — My video journalism workshop in Guatemala City ended with a group dinner of the professional journalists who participated in the event. They all produced terrific pieces, some of which I’ll be posting here, on my Facebook page, and on my YouTube and Vimeo channels. The workshop was sponsored by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and hosted by Nancy McGirr’s Fotokids.
What an honor to work with, and to help empower, these young journalists, and to pass onto them some of the knowledge and skills that I’ve been fortunate enough to acquire over the years.
I begin another workshop here on Sunday, this time with Nancy’s Fotokids.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, 23 May 2013 — With the end approaching for the video journalism workshop in Guatemala City, the journalists attending the event bear down on their final projects. The workshop is sponsored by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and hosted by Nancy McGirr’s Fotokids.
It’s such an extraordinary pleasure and honor for me to be able to work with these young journalists, and to pass onto them some of the knowledge and experience that I’ve been fortunate enough to acquire over the years.
I begin another workshop here on Sunday, this time with Nancy’s Fotokids.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, 22 May 2013 — She drives around Guatemala City, moving from story to story in a purple, unidentifiable car that she calls “Bubble.” She humps a camera, an over-sized tripod and whatever else she needs, to pump out an average of three stories a day. She is camerawoman, sound woman, correspondent, producer, writer and editor.
On a hot afternoon and despite the fact that Bubble is not equipped with an air-conditioning unit, she asks me politely as we ride through this crime-ridden capital, “Would you roll up the window for a moment, please?” She has spotted a handful of motorcyclists in her rear-view mirror and is concerned they might be some of the armed thieves who cruise the streets here looking for prey.
She’s the only journalist at her station who claims to be what I call a “backpack journalist” or “backpack video journalist.” She is Eslly Melgarejo, who works at Guatevision. And she loves what she does.
(Photos by Bill Gentile.)
Above, the not-so-kind streets of Guatemala City.
Above, Eslly plows into her coverage of a sporting event for handicapped children. She has selected to portray one child, who is blind, for her project in my backpack video journalism workshop. The workshop is funded by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and hosted by Nancy McGirr’s Fotokids.
Above, Eslly is accompanied by her Guatevision colleague Diego Silva.
Above, she shoots a sequence of the marching band.
Above, kids warm up for the competition.
Above, Eslly focuses in.
Above, Eslly shoots a sequence of her character, Miguel.
Above, runnin’ and gunnin’ — with heart and soul.
Above, a short break.
Above, Elssy, a local celebrity, hands out some of the prizes to kids who won competition.
Above, Eslly, Diego and Bubble head out to another story.
Here’s a review posted recently on Amazon.com by Ellen Clegg regarding my Essential Video Journalism Field Manual. Ellen is Executive Director of Communication at the Boston Globe.
“Bill Gentile, a renowned still photographer for UPI, Newsweek, and other outlets, is also a pioneer in video journalism. This field guide distills the lessons from his intense, hand-on workshops in Washington, D.C. The book covers the basics of his character-driven, intimate style of video journalism — it’s run and gun with heart and soul. Gentile covers everything from his six-shot system to ethics in the field to building a social media profile. His direct, energetic teaching style comes through, and he shares a few pertinent war stories along the way. He also provides numerous examples of scripts, treatments, and pitches, and introduces the reader to the basics of handling sound and narration. All in the interest of story, of course. In an era of too much content that skimps on storytelling, Gentile’s work, and his teaching, are refreshingly compelling.”
You can see this, and other reviews HERE.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, 21 May 2013 — Here are some shots from the video journalism workshop today, the second of our five-day event. Today is the first day of Production. Students headed out this morning to begin constructing the visual foundations of their 3-5 minute documentaries.
Yesterday we covered the visual alphabet, the Six-Shot System, character and informal interviews. When the students returned from the field today, we critiqued their work, then dove into formal interviews, dramatic story arc and script, among many others.
The workshop is funded by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and hosted by Nancy McGirr and her Fotokids.
Above and below, students review their own work.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, 20 May 2013 — Nancy McGirr (standing far right) opens the May 20-24 Video Journalism Workshop funded by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Nancy is hosting the event at her non-profit, Fotokids, in Guatemala City.
Below, I discuss composition with attendants.
Below, most of the group.
WASHINGTON, DC, 18 Mau 2013 — There are just 16 days left to SAVE $100 on the June 6-9 Video Journalism Workshop in Washington, DC. Use Promo Code BGENTILE to register at https://videojournalismworkshops.com.
You will learn to:
Articulate story ideas.
Capture powerful images and clean sound.
Recognize and cultivate dramatic story arcs.
Conduct compelling, in-depth interviews.
Write powerful treatments and scripts.
Narrate stories.
Edit for maximum impact.
Join the visual revolution! Join us in June.
Best regards,
Bill Gentile
WASHINGTON, DC, 18 May 2013 — During a trip to Venezuela last week, I visited the headquarters of Ultimas Noticias, one of the more widely read newspapers in the country and part of a broad and multifaceted media operation. The visit was part of a summer tour of presentations and workshops in Panama, Venezuela, Guatemala and Great Britain.
Below, members of the visual journalism team.
WASHINGTON, DC, 18 May 2013 — I address students and faculty at the Universidad Arturo Michelena (UAM) in Valencia, Venezuela, early this week.
I got back last night after a one-week trip to Venezuela, where I met with students and working journalists to discuss backpack video journalism and the technological advances that have made the methodology possible. I visited Barquisimeto, Valencia and Caracas and, as during previous visits, came into contact with wonderful young students eager to practice the craft of communication.
Sadly, and unlike my trip to Panama the previous week, I found Venezuela more polarized and more volatile than ever. Both trips are part of a multi-national tour that I’ve put together this summer. The Panama and Venezuela trips were funded by the U.S. State Department.
Tomorrow I head to Guatemala, where I’m conducting a video journalism workshop sponsored by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. (See http://www.trust.org/course/?id=a05D000000FIFPcIAP). I’m conducting another workshop this month in Guatemala, scheduled for the last week of the month and sponsored by longtime colleague and friend Nancy McGirr and her non-profit, Fotokids. (See http://www.fotokids.org). In June I head to London where I’m conducting a workshop for Thomson Reuters. (See http://www.trust.org/course/?id=a05D000000FJssUIAT).
Above, reviewing student work at UAM. Below, autographing handouts.
COLON, Panama, 9 May 2013 — These are images from the Samurai Youth Center in the Panamanian city of Colon. Again, these were incredibly nice kids who are looking for a safe outlet of their talent. Very responsive to any suggestion on how to better their lives.
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