Looking forward to the future of journalism

Review of the SteadyTracker UltraLite and tips from company owner Rene Kropf

The SteadyTracker UltraLite doesn't rely on a gimbal

I have kids. Which means I own a video camera. Which means I chase my kids around with my video camera, trying to catch them in action. And the footage always looks shaky and horrible. So I’ve read more than my fair share of reviews about stabilizers, Glidecams and Steadicams. They rely on gimbals and … Read more

How to do a confrontational interview: Bob Costas grills Jerry Sandusky

Bob Costas’ grilling of accused Penn State child molester Jerry Sandusky should be mandatory viewing for all journalism students who want to learn how to handle a confrontational interview. Costas wielded a strong command of the facts. Listened intently to each answer. Asked focused questions and follow-up questions. And he wasn’t satisfied with vague proclamations … Read more

Six useful tips for shooting better video of anything

Cow poo pens on Vimeo

Cow poo pens from Angela Grant on Vimeo. Angela Grant, the first full-time video guru at the San Antonio Express-News, gave me some fantastic tips for anyone who wants to improve their skills in shooting and editing video. If you’re tired of uploading shaky cell phone clips to YouTube, these pointers are for you. Angela … Read more

Stumpy’s story: How I learned to shoot news video and edit footage

Stumpy the Zombie near the Alamo in San Antonio

Meet Stumpy. This pale zombie was the subject of a video I shot during a daylong class at the San Antonio Express-News offered by Angela Grant, our online media producer. Angela gave us tips about how to shoot video. Then she sent us out to film whatever we wanted for a few hours. After that, … Read more