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Open call to IMC videographers

INN | 26.05.2002 18:51

Open call to IMC videographers

Yo
IS AN OPEN CALL TO ALL IMC VIDEOGRAPHERS:

'INN Reports Worldview,' started by NYC IMC'er Lenny Charles with the
help of activist programmer Tom Kiely are looking for videographers &
stringers who are interested in having their international news
footage and stories included in our new show.

Free Speech TV transmitted on DBS Satellite and also rebroadcast to
public access channels, with live real broadcast available on the
Internet will broadcast the show domestically. We hope to be able to
set up an infrastructure in order for footage to be sourced out to
other progressive news networks. The show is scheduled to launch
early this summer.

We are producing this show from our studio in New York City near
Ground Zero in the same location that hosted the IMC's 'head
quarters' during the World Economic Forum last February. Our mission
is to bring attention to pressing daily and current international
news stories that are not being covered by US mainstream media in
order to create greater public awareness.

The aim is to broaden the perspective and discourse of the average
American citizen in a format that is relevant and accessible to
viewers regardless of their background or political
persuasion.

'INN Reports Worldview' is an alternative/activist news show with a
surprisingly 'straight' look to it! The show, produced five days a
week, features our newscaster reading news gathered from original
foreign sources via a non-US newswire that links many of the world's
best media outlets, as well as contributing activist reports.
Stepping outside the US media bias, it's encouraging and surprising
how many other voices there are around the world that echo our
concerns about runaway globalization and militarization.

The first half of our show has a traditional newsroom feeling, using
available video footage, stills, maps and graphics to support the
stories. The second half is presented in a roundtable format, with
international guests and activists discussing and debating current
events.

The most difficult part of this project is bringing credibility to
our stories, most of which are never told here in the US, or if they
are, are re-spun to support government objectives. This is where
those of you who are interested in participating come into the
picture, literally! In order to make this a successful outlet for
international news, capturing an audience that watches on a regular
basis, we believe the live, local, supporting video footage to be one
of the most important elements of the show.

Sixty percent of Americans still get most of their news from
mainstream sources even though an unlimited amount and variety is
available through alternative sources including the Internet and
don't we know it! INN's objective is to offer a different reality in
a familiar way, only a few clicks down from the big networks on your
TV.

We plan to post the stories we will be covering on a regular basis
throughout the week in a listserve fashion that will be easy for
everyone to check in on. Once we have established a relationship and
the terms we mutually agree to work with we can remain in touch by
email. You'll let us know if you have footage to support any stories
that week. Details on listserve come.

Following is our tried and true, proven to work, protocol for sending
footage and stills. Follow the steps and send us a test clip. All
necessary instructions are in the protocol, the only thing you will
need to contact us for is to get our FTP information. Include any
questions or concerns.



Please contact me
Dynamic Visual Coordinator/Stringers/Video/Stills
please contact ->PAZ
 innnews@freethemedia.org

We look forward to hearing from you!

_____________________________________________________________________________

PROTOCOL FOR SENDING VIDEO VIA INTERNET TO INN
_____________________________________________________________________________
Following are the instructions for videographers FTPing video footage
to INN's server.
This footage is being collected by 'International News Network' and
will be made available to
other progressive shows/collectives & all IMC's in accordance with a
prearranged agreement
with the videoraphers and INN. *This works best with a high speed
connection 56k or better.
_____________________________________________________________________________
There are basically three steps that are involved to send us footage,
its' as simple as A B C!
A -Capture
B -Compress
C -FTP to us

What is so special about this protocol is that once it's expanded
into Media 100, Avid or FCP
and played back it's close toTV broadcast quality.
_____________________________________________________________________________
PREPARATION -what you'll need to do first before you can send footage

1- Download your software ~ MAC &/or Windows
- Go to 'on2.com' get the free vp3 codec (not vp 4) for either
platform, MAC or Windows
and install it.
 http://www.vp3.com/getvp3/index.shtml
- If your Mac didn't come with iMovie, go to this link and download
version 2.0.3, tips and requirements listed
 http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120020
- If you don't have the latest version of QuickTime (5 is preferable)
on your PC, you will need
to download & install it
 http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
- For Windows go this link for Premiere. Check system requirements and
download
 http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/main.html
- For an FTP client application we recommend is Fetch, or use your
favorite
 http://fetchsoftworks.com
- FAQ for Fetch and FTPing, if you need it
 http://fetchsoftworks.com/Support/faq.html

2- Please contact us by email for FTP server, username and password.
at  innnews@freethemedia.org
Please include in your subject heading: FTP ADDRESS

3- Test: start by sending us a one-minute clip to make sure the
conversion is working for you
_____________________________________________________________________________
A- CAPTURE -For MAC capture in iMovie or Final Cut Pro (FCP)
preferably from a deck, or your camcorder. For WINDOWS - capture in
Premier or any editing program that lets you export in QuickTime (QT).

*For MAC users, exporting in iMovie is much faster (3 min to every 1
min of video) than FCP (about 14min to every 1 min), however any
editing program that you're using will work if compatible with QT

_____________________________________________________________________________
B- COMPRESS -Editing techniques vary depending on your software.
When you've captured your one-minute clip, to test, go to the export
feature andŠ.

-choose QuicktTIme
-choose expert (if you're using iMovie)
-choose on2 vp3 codec
-choose 29.97 fps (with no broadband connection select 15-20 fps)
-choose 320/240 size
-choose 44.100 audio, IMA 4-1 compression mono
-choose key frame every 18
-choose limit data rate, set to 100


Then export file and save to disk. A one minute long compressed file
should be anywhere from
3-12 megs. Play the clip back on your desktop in movie player.
_____________________________________________________________________________
C- FTP

FTP us a one minute test clip or any preview footage you would like
us to review and we will respond within 48 hours. Accompany this with
an email listing any pertinent information you would like to send
including: specs on the footage, the name of file, the size, your
name, present location, your contact info-phone, snail mail address
etc, whatever you deem important.

Subject: TEST CLIP
Email to:  innnews@freethemedia.org

Once the test has been reviewed we will contact you and send along
our contractual agreement, which will need to be signed and sent
back. Any adjustments made to suit your specific needs are fine as
long as we're in mutual agreement. From this point forward we will
put you on our current stories outreach list for your region and you
can then send us material at anytime which will be stored on our
server. You will be notified if and when the material is used with
all related specifics to that usage. You will be fully credited for
you're work and compensated in whatever fashion we have agreed upon,
outlined in the terms of the agreement.

Please contact us with any proposals you may have. We will be
interested in short completed segments to show on their own, should
time and space permit this on any show.
_____________________________________________________________________________
FEEDBACK

Please feel free to send comments, questions and point out any
improvements or errors related to the protocol. Our goal is to make
these instructions as clear, simple, transparent and universally
accessible as possible

Thanks-
PAZ

INN