ICFJ Anywhere: ICFJ, 9.9 School of Communication Offer Online Video-Storytelling Course for Indian Journalists and Journalism Students

A select group of Indian journalists and journalism students participated in “Video Storytelling – A Hands-on, Interactive Online Course.” This six-week seminar, offered by the 9.9 School of Communication and supported by the International Center for Journalists, ran from December 2, 2013, to January 10, 2014. Qualified candidates received a full scholarship. The best participants won a week-long coaching session with a video collaborator for The New York Times’ India Ink.

This course was open to journalists, bloggers, communications professionals, and students. It was designed for anyone who wants to learn to tell compelling video stories – a key skill for media and communications jobs. The course covered the basics of shooting and editing a video story. All the participants needed to participate was Internet access, and a simple video camera or phone/device with video and audio capabilities.

The instructor, an Emmy Award-winning video journalist, provided one-on-one mentoring. By the end of the course, participants knew how to produce a compelling report that combines video, sound and storytelling.

Participants learned the fundamentals of image composition, as well as basic shooting, editing and sound-recording techniques, through practical exercises. Instructors – working in English or Hindi – provided weekly critiques of videos. By the end of the course, participants were able to:

• Create a well-composed still image
• Frame a portrait/interview shot
• Apply the rule of thirds to pictures and video
• Sequence video shots to illustrate action
• Edit audio into videos
• Add narration to videos

Pierre Kattar (Lead instructor) is a video journalist and filmmaker based in Washington, D.C., and Paris, France. He is president of Pierre Kattar LLC. Previously, he worked as a video journalist for the Washington Post Digital and as a web developer for Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive. He has been an adjunct lecturer on video storytelling at Northwestern University’s Medill News Service.