Backpack Journalism Blog

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.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, 8 May 2013 — During my visit, I had the opportunity to breakfast with some of the key owners of Panamanian media outlets. From left are Juan Luis Batista, Bolivar Aleman, Guido Rodriguez, myself, Julia McKay of the U.S. Embassy in Panama, Rafael Candaneda, Guillermo A. Adames and Hernan Posada.

We had the opportunity to discuss how technology had opened up vastly greater opportunities for media owners as well as practitioners, and how citizen journalism has become an increasingly important component of the broader journalism landscape. The breakfast was held at the Club Union.

Below, the view outside Club Union.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, 7 May 2013 — Panamanian students and I discuss “backpack video journalism” and “citizen journalism” at the University of Panama. These students were eager to learn about how technology grants the power to communicate today like never before.

I had the opportunity to share some of the black-and-white images I made for United Press International (UPI) in 1979 while covering the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua.

(Photos by Julie McKay)

WASHINGTON, DC, 4 May 2013 — Save $100 on my Video Journalism Workshop June 6-9 in Washington. Use my Promo Code, BGENTILE, at http://videojournalismworkshops.com

And check out “Chain Gang” at http://vimeo.com/11084281

WASHINGTON, DC, 25 April 2013 — Here’s the ad for the workshop I’m conducting in Guatemala on 20-24 May. The Backpack Video Journalism Workshop is sponsored by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, which is sponsoring a second workshop, to be held in London on 24-28 June. Both events are being offered to working professionals.

To see the whole ad, click HERE.

While in Guatemala, I’ll conduct a workshop for Fotokids, a non-profit founded by former Reuters photojournalist and colleague, Nancy McGirr. That should be a lot of fun.

WASHINGTON, DC, 29 March 2013 — Here’s the YouTube version of the State Department film on “citizen journalism.” Click HERE.

Citizen journalism is just one component of the broader methodology that we refer to as “backpack video journalism,” the craft of film making done by a single, properly trained practitioner with a hand-held digital camera who knows how to properly speak the visual storytelling language.

This video is a measure of the fact that the U.S. State Department recognizes the power of visual storytelling as a tool for citizen engagement in the democratic process.

WASHINGTON, DC, 22 March 2013 — Some of the footage used in this piece about JFK was drawn from “Through Their Eyes,” the one-hour documentary that my wife, Esther, and I made about AU Abroad students in Cuba during fall 2011. We’re proud to see it used in conjunction with coverage of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s speech on world peace.

You can watch the video HERE.

We screened a fine cut of our documentary on 30 January of this year. The final version should be ready for distribution soon.

How curious that the histories and the destinies of Cuba and the United States still are bound together so tightly. And how sad it is that the AU Abroad program that we documented in 2011 will not be conducted in Cuba this year for lack of student enrollment.

- Bill Gentile

22 March 2013

WASHINGTON, DC, 15 March 2013 — This is a brief piece put together by the U.S. State Department on “citizen journalism,” one component of the broader methodology that we refer to as “backpack video journalism.” Erin Finicane is a former student of mine at American University’s School of Communication, and she embodies the ideal of citizen journalism. She’s talented and idealistic, and wants to use media to affect positive change. She made this video during my Backpack Documentary class. I’m so proud of her. You can watch her video HERE.

The State Department also did a video on me, as instructor and practitioner of the craft. You can see it HERE.

I hope you enjoy them.

WASHINGTON, DC, 11 March 2013 — James Niceley (left) uploads sound from our new documentary, “Through Their Eyes,” about six American University students studying in Cuba during Fall 2011. “Jake” is Assistant Professor at Mike Curb College of Arts Music & Science, and Assistant Chair of Music Production Technology, at Daytona State College.

Jake is doing the “sound sweetening” of our documentary, which we screened on 30 January at American University.

(Photo by Esther Gentile.)

WASHINGTON, DC, 10 March 2013 — At the end of our recent Video Journalism Workshop we paused for a group photo. At top from left is John, a character in one of our videos, then assistant Nick Ray, participants Christian Jarboe and Walid Jawad, and me. On bottom is participant Thuy Dinh, John’s daughter, Denise, and Chief Assistant Esther Gentile.