Meeting the Demand for Multimedia Messaging
This past fall, mass communication professor Paul Wesman’s Multi-Platform Storytelling course attracted students interested in writing and creating visual content. “Employers are keen to hire individuals with many skills,” Professor Wesman says. “Our students have tremendous potential as writers, photographers and videographers, and this course brought these elements together.”
Students came to the course with a variety of strengths. “I've always loved making movies,” says sophomore Abbie Steckler, “but I never really considered how I could integrate videos with writing and still photography to create a more dynamic story. Since taking the class, I love going to major news sites, looking at their multimedia stories, and thinking, ‘I could make something like this now!’” By contrast, junior Aubrey McMullin’s interest in photojournalism led her to take the course. “I began the class with solid photography skills, but had never done much video,” she explains. “Learning this skill was a great opportunity.”
During the course, students collaborated to produce a five-minute promotional piece on the zip line in nearby Grafton. They interviewed the staff, took photos, and incorporated video images of the forests near the Mississippi River captured while zipping through the forest at speeds up to 50 mph! (You can see the students’ video here.)
“I’d say the most valuable skill I gained coming out of this class was the experience of working in collaboration with a group of creative professionals,” says sophomore Nathan Wright. “Working on the group project was a great opportunity to learn the dynamics of relying on teammates.”
Students also created individual projects using the range of skills emphasized in the course. Wright chose Lowrey House as his subject. “Using the interviewing, writing, and videography skills—and digging through a shoebox of pictures—I set out to get a clear picture of Lowrey’s history, spirit, and concept of brotherhood.” McMullin produced a video on random acts of kindness on the College campus. And senior Philip Riley highlighted music major Ashley Alarcon’s skills as a flutist in his video.
Wesman can’t emphasize strongly enough the importance of a varied skill set. “The public is more accustomed to visual content than ever before,” he explains. “They’ve actually come to expect it. We are preparing students for internships and employment in the media and communication field.”
As if to prove the truth of that statement, McMullin will travel to Nepal this summer to work as a photojournalism intern with the Institute for Field Research Expeditions (IFRE).