Spring Accent Orientation

Welcome to AccentPlease take one of everything on the table

Agenda•Play w/ yarn

•Learns lots of stuff

•Eat Pizza and brainstorm

What shape are you in?

• Look at the shapes on the sheet.

• Circle one shape that represents something about you. Write what it represents on the sheet.

Shapes have meaning

Meet your editors(AKA Shape Shifters)

• Sarah Neve: Editor-in-Chief

• David Rodriguez: Assistant Editor

• Alma Hernandez: Photo / Web Editor

• Jamie Carpenter: Campus Editor

• Jana Lelek: Layout / Graphics Editor

• Chris Scott: Layout / Graphics Intern

Shape Shift

• Find someone you don’t know very well

• Introduce yourself, and show him or her the shape you picked. Explain yourself.

• Ask each other :– “Tell me something about yourself that

makes you unique or different.”

• Make a yarn shape that represents that person’s story.

• Look at what your partner made. If you don’t agree with it, make your own shape for yourself or revise it.

• Eat Pizza

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are needed to see this picture.

Report Out

• Show us your shape and explain it.

• Get a movie ticket

Lessons• Journalism is storytelling

• People’s stories are interesting

• Visual storytelling is powerful

• Visual storytelling takes collaboration

How to get an “assignment”

Best Way Good Way Might Work

Writing Don’t get assigned. Pitch an idea at the story meetings.

Get to know your editors; check the list of homeless stories posted on the web after meeting; contact your editors.

Sit around and wait for desperate editors to contact you. This works better if the editor knows who you are.

Photos Come to the story meetings and either pitch an idea, or team up with a writer.

Get to know your editors; check the list of homeless shoots posted on the web after meetings; contact your editors.

Sit around and wait for desperate editors to contact you. This works better if the editor knows who you are.

Art / Graphics

Come to story meetings and pitch infographics for packages, or make a running graphic coverage element.

Get to know your editors; check the list of homeless graphics posted on the web after meetings; contact your editors.

Sit around and wait for desperate editors to contact you. This works better if the editor knows who you are.

The story meeting• All editors met every two weeks when the

previous issue is released to begin planning for the next issue

• All staff are encouraged to attend• All staff can pitch, brainstorm, or volunteer

– Pitch - You have thought through the basic angle of coverage that YOU want to write / shoot / design

– Brainstorm - Throw out ideas that you think someone should cover

– Volunteer - An idea is on the board, and you want to cover it.

The Pitch

• The best way to work on issues you are passionate about is to prepare and suggest.

• Include the following:– BRIEF summary of the idea / Angle– BRIEF summary of the info you have found

already– Explanation of how you will research it

(Sources)

What will be approved?• Editors (not me) decide what goes in the issue at

the budget meeting immediately following the story meeting. They will consider the following:– Newsworthiness (Timely, Important, Entertaining)

– Audience appeal (Is this story right for Accent readers? Are we the right ones to cover this?)

– Space

– Visual possibilities

• Editors may decide to run content as print and web or web only content

The Process• You promise an editor that you will do something

– At the story meeting, over the phone, via e-mail, etc.

• You do it ASAP– There are only five days between the story meeting and

deadline for most pieces– You are encouraged to get feedback from editors before

deadline– You may work in the field or in the office

• You get notes and revise– Editors will have feedback for you ASAP. – It’s a good idea to make yourself available the Monday

after deadline

• Finalized, approved content goes into production

Will all content that goes through the process be published?

YESIn print, on the web, or both

Production Cycle OverviewPut it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light. --Joseph Pulitzer

Production Cycle Overview• Monday

– Morning - previous issue distributed

– 1 to 2 p.m. - Open story meeting in RGC 101.1

– 2 to 3 p.m. - Adviser and editors meet about previous issue and staff business

– 3 to 4 p.m. - Editors establish story / photo assignments

– 4 p.m. - E-mail with assignments including “homeless” stories sent to everyone on Accent list

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Tuesday - Wednesday

– Writers and photographers produce content

• Editors have limited office hours to accommodate meetings with staff members.

• Editors work with staff members via e-mail and over the phone

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Thursday

– Content deadline• Photographers upload shots to FTP server

or come in and help to edit / caption photos

• Writers e-mail or drop off story drafts• Editors review all content, and contact

staff immediately with suggestions and necessary changes

– Production begins• Content editors and layout editor create

wireframe on whiteboard• Layout editor transfers wireframe to

InDesign, and creates InCopy assignments for all text

• Photo editor begins editing photos.

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Monday

– Final content in InCopy• Editors finalize written content and

place it into InCopy assignments

– Photos chosen, cutlines written• Photo editor chooses photos that will

run in issue• Contacts photographers who write or

revise cutlines

– Layout adjusted• Sizes of original wireframe adjusted

to accommodate content• Headline and cutline assignments

created

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Tuesday

– Rough Layout Finalized• Stories can no longer change in size• Headlines and cutlines inserted in

InCopy

– Photos edited• All photos color corrected and sized

– Copy finalized• Editors make final minor edits to text

in InCopy

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Wednesday

– Layout finalized• Typography perfected• Photos placed• Special graphic items finished and

placed

– Final Copy Edits• Copy edit intern proofs all text for

grammar, usage, and AP style

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Thursday

– Files Finalized• Layout checked for technical

requirements– Color Mode– Fonts– Graphic Links– File types

• Files made into pdf and uploaded to printer

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Content Week

Production Week

Production Cycle Overview• Friday

– Photo / Web editor begins process of uploading content to web site.M

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Content Week

Production Week

Q:What can I do?

A: Written content, Photos, Art

Written Content• The big story - This is what you traditionally think of when you

think of a newspaper story– 250 words or more– Based on SOLID (shoe leather) research

• Quote / fact based if objective• Fact based if subjective

– Usually packaged w/ photo and graphics– Has impact

• Short coverage - This is what you probably actually read in the newspaper– Less than 100 words– Based on SOLID (shoe leather) research

• Quote based if objective• Fact based if subjective

– Can accompany big stories or stand alone– Often part of a graphic element

Writing- The Big Story• Research

– Form relationships with sources so they want to talk to you– Be there– Interview– Research More

• Inform and inspire– Celebrate the good– Cast light on the bad– Important changes in readers and communities start with

big stories

Writing - short coverage

Photos• Photojournalism - Event coverage

– Visually tell a story in a fraction of a second– Fill in the story with a well written, fact-rich caption– Get candid shots, fill the frame, capture action and emotion

• Photojournalism - Environmental Portraits– If the story focuses on a person, we need a portrait of the

person in their natural environment– Can be candid or posed– Capture the essence of the person– Should have beautiful lighting

• Photo Illustrations– Can be staged, altered, composite, or made into art– Illustrate a concept– Usually part of a package

Photojournalism - Events

Photojournalism - Environmental Portraits

Photojournalism - Photo Illustrations

Art• Infographics - Information presented visually

is almost always read– Charts, maps, graphs, diagrams, lists, timelines etc.– Should be VERY visually appealing and loaded

with facts

• Illustrations - Accompany written content– Can be in any medium– Should illustrate, not decorate

• Stand alone content - Editorial cartoons, comics (single cell or strips)

Art -InfographicsPresent facts and numbers visually

Art - IllustrationsTell the story visually

Art - Stand alone contentUse cartoons to make a point

What do I get for doing all this work?• That warm, mushy feeling you get when you see

someone picking up your work and enjoying / learning from it

• Training and experience• Pieces for your portfolio• A web presence• A small “Thank You” payment each semester• Activities

– Field trip to Statesman Coming Soon

• Free travel!

The portfolio based break check• Once per semester, contributing staff members will

meet with me to review their portfolios of published work.

– Two assignments published -$20.00– Three assignments published - $30.00– Four assignments published - $48.00 (20% bonus)– Five assignments published - $60.00– Six assignments published - $90.00 (50% bonus)

– Plus - $5.00 / assignment raise per semester after the first semester.(The raise is retroactive provided you can show me work from previous semesters at the portfolio conference)

Join us in BIG DAPRIL 8-11

• TIPA Convention

• First 20 people who meet the first deadline and apply go free!

What now?

• Meet the editors

• Write an e-mail to the editor over the weekend

• You will be contacted on Monday

• Check the web site!

The assignment• Email an editor. Give them a reason

to remember you and give you work:• Include all of your contact

information• Pitch a great idea for something you

want to produce• Include a plan for words and pictures• Volunteer to shoot or create graphics

as needed• Include links to or examples of

previous work• Be professional but not boring

Sarah Neveeditor@austincc.edu-News coverage, column and opinion ideas, general coverage etc.

David Rodriguezeditor2@austincc.edu-Feature, entertainment, arts etc.

Jamie Carpenter

editor3@austincc.edu-Campus events and other issues

Alma Hernandezpictures@austincc.edu-Photo ideas and assignments

Jana LelekLayour@austincc.edu-Art and design ideas