Writing For a Visual Medium

Writing for a visual medium can be extremely challenging. I think the only way to successfully create a piece that is visually compelling is practice. Many times, we have ideas in our heads about how things are going to turn out or what angle the story will take. It is much easier to envision something in our minds than it is to actually produce the piece in that exact way. A lot of trial and error will hopefully lead the journalist to a final product that he/she is happy with and proud of. If this is not the case, then sometimes I think it's necessary to start from scratch. If time permits, gather more information and video and start fresh. If a deadline is nearing, it is still possible to wipe what was originally created and try a new view. 

I found the TV package relatively challenging. The two minutes can length requirement can either be a help or a hurt. For me, I had a lot of great video and information that I wanted to share, but having to keep it under two minutes forced me to choose the best pieces. I really enjoyed the subjects I interviewed and the visual parts that I captured. It make the story so much more interesting to me and the rest of the viewers. Visual news is quite possibly the best news.