A film by Bruce Jones “Inspired by Paper,” completed at the NOW on PBS sponsored program with producer Bill Gentile and the Backpack Journalism workshop in Washington DC mid December. The 4 day workshop held at the America Film Institute Silver Theater was designed to build skills using prosumer video cameras and laptop computers to produce compelling broadcast and web programing. For my story I went to the Pyramid Atlantic Print and Paper Making studio and did a story on the paper artist Elizabeth Parthum.
The workshop was an amazing experience. Starting with a given assignment we were sent off to shoot footage over two or three days, find and develop a story about the place, tape interviews and produce a three to five minute program. During the four days we learned how to use a tripod, conduct an interview, set up shots, work with story arcs, develop a script, use our cameras correctly, deal with lighting, sound, it just went on and on. The classes ran for 12 hours a day, for four days, none of us left. With lectures by Bill Gentile of American University and PBS/NOW, Lesley Norman-a NOW producer, and a rep from SONY Video, plus assistance from two of Prof. Gentile’s former students we learned how to use the power of visual information.
This experience dovetails nicely into the other video productions skills I have been learning lately and has really pushed me to the next level. Great time.
