Through the Multimedia Production class at the University of Wyoming I was expecting to learn a few new journalistic platforms to expand my tools. Specifically, I was expecting to learn everything about audio and video as those were two forms of journalistic sharing that I was unfamiliar with.
Through the audio assignment, Audio Profile Featuring Sophia Mayers, I chose to do a profile of my little sister since I was quarantined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was simply expecting to learn how to edit voice recordings and what software to use for that purpose. I have already become very comfortable with interviewing due to my experience working as a writer for The Branding Iron on the University of Wyoming campus. I used Audacity for the purpose of editing my voice recorded interview with Sophia Mayers and thoroughly enjoyed that experience. It was a simple software to follow and I found the process therapeutic and relaxing in a certain way.
For the video assignment, Video Production in Quarantine, I was expecting to learn tips and tricks to make a video interview entertaining and well composed. However, due to the coronavirus I feel I was not able to learn everything I was hoping to if I was still having on-campus classes. I was able to learn what could be entertaining to the public and I learned good ways to compose the final product through using iMovie on my laptop. Hopefully that assignment was a success and hopefully I can learn more from that assignment to further my skills in video.
In this class I was able to practice many soft skills such as efficient communication, listening and understanding, perspective and critical thinking which all specifically helped my article post, More Than Just Cupcakes at Sugar Mouse, 50TH Anniversary of Earth Day and Historical Activities in Mechanicsville, VA During COVID-19 posts. Through these I was able to practice conversational skills through interviewing, different perspectives on varying topics such as fundraising and COVID-19, and critical thinking overall due to the creative and purposeful topics chosen for all my assignments in order to indulge the audience. All of these soft skills will help my future career in journalism and photography for me to be the best I can be and for me to stand out from others in the same fields.
I found the article post assignment, More Than Just Cupcakes at Sugar Mouse, the most meaningful simply due to the incredible story I was able to find to write about. I love that I was able to tell the story of Ruth Williams, her cupcakes and her fundraising for trafficked girls in Cambodia through this assignment, especially since this incredible story is based out of Laramie, WY.
I found the video assignment, Video Production in Quarantine, the most challenging due to my personality. I found it very difficult to remember to pull out my phone to document me for the vlog I chose to conduct since COVID-19 kept me from having an interview or other topics to share via video. I found the editing aspect of the assignment simple and actually fun to conduct, however, the making of the videos were not my favorite.
If I could go back in time and give advice to myself for this course, I would tell myself to give more time to come up with more indulging and entertaining ideas for some of these assignments such as the video and audio assignments. However, I would also go back in time simply to stop whatever individual who started the COVID-19 virus so I could still be on campus, but that would be a little more difficult I presume.
Media by Kathryn 