MediaStorm Multimedia: India's Undesired Women

MediaStorm's latest multimedia project focuses on India, where the preferential treatment of men results in "a near constant disregard for the lives of women and girls."

From birth until old age, women face a constant threat of violence and too frequently, death. The numbers are staggering. Since 1980, an estimated 40 million women are 'missing,' by way of abortion, neglect or murder. 7,000 female fetuses are aborted every day according to the U.N., aborted solely because they are girls. One dowry death is reported every 77 minutes....

Today, eighty percent of Indian states are now facing a shortage of women. To compensate for this differential, young, unknowing women are bought from surrounding countries like Bangladesh and sold to young bachelors. Not knowing a word of the language, these trafficked women now face the same kinds of violence as other Indian women.

Walter Astrada's video is titled "Undesired."

Want to learn how to create MediaStorm-quality videojournalism? Consider enrolling in one of the Brooklyn-based production company's workshops. There's one on Multimedia Methodology coming up January 10-15, 2011 (apply by November 1, 2010). Info here.

10 Tips for Adding Music to Video

Courtesy of MediaStorm's Eric Maierson, here are ten techniques that their team uses when adding music to their multimedia productions. We'll give you the essence, and then point you to their excellent blog for the details (and examples).

First and foremost, decide if you even want or need music -- and that's a completely subjective consideration. Many purists believe that, unless you're using music that was actually heard at the scene (i.e. natural sound), it's a violation of journalistic ethics to add it to your video, since your choice of music (and its tempo and mood) demonstrably affects how viewers process and interpret what they're seeing.

If a soundtrack is indeed desired, here are some "notes" to consider:

1. If the music you’ve chosen is not exceptional, don’t use it. ... If you do use music, don’t steal it. ...

2. Don’t needle-drop [i.e. play a song from beginning to end]. You’re going to need to cut up your music... Try to avoid using music for the full duration of your work. ...

3. Use music with a strong rhythm...

4. Use music with strong stings [i.e. final notes] to provide a definitive conclusion to a section of your production...

5. Turn off other audio tracks when editing music. ...

6. Keep levels consistent. ...

7. Strategically place imperfect music edits. For example, hide an imperfect edit by lowering its volume and placing a voice track over it. ...

8. Create an interplay between your narrative and music. ...

9. Fade music levels as interview bites begin. ...The fade between music and interview should be smooth enough to not draw attention to itself. ...

10. Learn an instrument. The more you understand music, the more skilled you will become at editing music...

For details and examples, read the article here.

MediaStorm: '10 Ways to Improve Your Multimedia Production'

When it comes time to put together your audio and video assets, for better or worse you're stuck working with whatever you've got -- some of which you may not have even shot or recorded yourself. MediaStorm producer Eric Maierson offers "Ten Ways To Improve Your Multimedia Production Right Now" in the edit bay.

He notes that these are not meant to be dogmatic rules but rather helpful aesthetic and technical tips.

When you're finished assembling your story, he advises, "Watch your production on speakers with someone who has not yet seen the piece. There’s something about reviewing your work with an audience that makes one more self-conscious and thus open to seeing new things."

Read the full to-do list, with examples, here. And be sure the explore the MediaStorm channel on KobreGuide.com.