Multimedia Journalism Narrative

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Multimedia Journalism Narrative

• Mindy McAdams / University of Florida

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Multimedia

• Experiences that are
• Interactive
• Personal
• Computer-based
• Those three factors (should) drive design
• Presentations that are rich in
• Images (photos, graphics, maps, video)
• Sound
• Text

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Designing media

• Linear media (text OR video) --
• Lead the user by the nose
• Grab them with the lede or the opening shot
• Build the narrative
• Maintain control at all times
• Multimedia --
• Provide real choices
• Let the users decide and explore
• Give up control

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Toxic Legacy (Bergen Record, 2005)
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Lots of data, but few graphics
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Nice map, but straight from print
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Photos could have driven this story
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Lots and lots of text
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Interactive engages the user

• Provide multiple hooks up front
• People (so many stories!)
• Places (maps, scenes)
• Problem (everyones water)
• Villain Ford Motor Co. and the Mob
• Use motion to propel the hooks
• Should NOT be a monolithic narrative
• Small pieces, loosely joined
• Little stories

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Immersion and experience

• Multimedia allows us to simulate an experience
• Less so than a video game, but
• More so than a printed story with photos
• The screen is intimate
• Very close, seemingly private
• Touching the mouse, moving the cursor
• (This is also true for online video)
• Detachment is NOT what user should feel

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Touching Hearts, Herald-Sun, 2001
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Animated explanatory graphics
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Animated maps
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Photo stories with audio
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Visual organization of info
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Choices and control

• Its NOT about giving the user random or
  meaningless choices
• Its about allowing the user to be in control of
  the experience
• The experience the story

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Experiencing the story

• Watching is passive
• Passive elements must be short
• Video is passive Make it short
• Text is passive Make it short
• What can the user do?
• Interactivity means having control
• If Im in control, I am not held captive by a big
  block of text, a 5-minute video, etc.
• I can choose, move on, go someplace else

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Examples linked at http//snipurl.com/opzr
Mindy McAdams / University of Florida

• http//mindymcadams.com/