Here it is. The end result of that incredibly raw interview with Katniss Ever-Beans (Amanda Biggs.) I went into editing this audio without hesitation, because I have had quite a bit of experience when it comes to audio editing. I used to produce a podcast through the Branding Iron, the student newspaper, and I would write and edit it all by myself. So, I thought this would be no different. I neglected to realize that GarageBand is a completely different program than that of Audacity.
I had a good time editing the audio. I feel like I learned a lot and it will be very helpful when I seek employment after graduation. Speaking of which, if you know anyone looking for an OK audio editor, I’m your guy. My favorite part of the editing was figuring it out for myself because I didn’t really use the guide. I winged it for the most part and I think it turned out pretty great!
The thing that I didn’t enjoy about audio editing, was my lack of knowledge when it comes to the editing process. I had this idea that it would go pretty easy because I have used GarageBand before, but the two are nothing alike. I do like the fact that it has more options for editing, so I’ll give it credit for not being as easy to work as GarageBand.
I wasn’t surprised by a whole lot, other than how long it took to piece the audio together. I tried to write down which sections of the audio I wanted to use and piece together, but every time I would cut out some audio the times would change, so I would lose the clip I wanted to use. I guess if I would have used the cheat sheet more, it would have been a little bit easier.
If I could do anything differently, I think I would use the cheat sheet more. I think that the cheat sheet would have provided me with a lot more guidance and made it much easier to piece it together and, just in general, make it easier for me to edit the audio.
Overall, this was a great assignment and I enjoy when I get the opportunity to do something that could assist me in my future endeavors. I think that having this type of knowledge when it comes to audio editing will definitely help me in my future.
For this latest assignment, I had the pleasure of interviewing the person sitting next to me, Amanda Biggs. For the interview, I went to her house and we sat and talked for two or three hours, just chatting. I think we were both kind of searching for something to interview the other about, trying to dig up a great interview topic. Once I had found out that she was well involved with the improv troupe at the university, I knew that was it. Surprisingly, she has had quite a bit of time with them and spent quite a bit of time doing it.
The conversation we had leading up to the interview was great and natural, once I turned on the recorder, however, things got weird. Both of us got really awkward, because all of a sudden there is a lot of pressure to not misspeak or mispronounce a word. Also, you don’t want to have this embarrassing voice about you the whole time. So, we both kind of stiffened up and were forced out of are comfort zones. Following six attempts at recording the interview, we finally got it done. I find that by making jokes people become more comfortable because it makes the interviewer more relatable. It shows the subject of the interview that they aren’t the only one that is nervous.
Then the tables turned and Amanda interviewed me. As I state earlier, things were awkward at first. It’s hard to be natural in such an unnatural situation. But, I think having interviewed her first, helped me to stay calm and speak naturally and learn from her mistakes.
The thing I enjoyed the most about this assignment was getting to learn more about my tablemate. It was cool finding out more about her life and her passions. I also enjoyed putting someone in an awkward situation and making one of the more chill people in our class, become unchill.
If I could do anything different when it comes to the interview, I think I would change the way I talk. I’m just kidding. I would probably change the fluidity of my questions because I think I may have gotten choppy throughout the interview because I too was nervous to be conducting the interview as well as being interviewed.
Overall, this was a great experience. I have worked in audio before, having produced a podcast in the past, but I used GarageBand for editing. I am excited and anxious to figure out how to work Audacity.
For my Multimedia Production class, we were asked to take pictures that would tagalong well with stories, in an effort to better understand photojournalism. The photos I took, I believe, would pair nicely with a variety of stories, ranging from sports stories to news to features. Compiled below are all of the pictures that I took and believe fit the categories necessary to be considered photojournalism.
1. Sports Action
Going for Goal – Freshman Taylor Dodd kicks the ball for a successful point after touchdown, also known as a PAT. The Cowboys went on to defeat Texas State last Saturday, Sept. 30, with a final score of 45-10.
The title of this photo is “Going for Goal” because this picture shows a kicker going for the goal after a successful touchdown. I think this picture applies to the Sports Action story because it shows the moment the kicker kicks the ball and it is flying through the air. In this picture, we are able to see a lot of conflict between the players, including the opposing team’s efforts to stop the ball by throwing their hands up in the air. Luckily, Taylor Dodd was able to get the PAT and contribute to the victory over the Texas State Bobcats. I took a ton of pictures during this game and had my camera set to take multiple pictures when I held my finger down, and this just so happened to be one of those captured moments. It wasn’t very hard to get pretty good pictures because I was using my long lens and it was a relatively sunny day so I was able to have my shutter speed set very high, which helped stop the motion.
2. Sports Feature/Portrait
Watching the Battle – A referee stands and watches the play of the Cowboys and Bobcats. The referee was working during the most recent game in which the Cowboys won 45-10 over the Bobcats this last Saturday, Sept. 30.
I took this picture while I was at that football game earlier. This picture was kind of a happy accident because I was just snapping random pictures at the game and somehow captured this incredible moment. I took probably 100 pictures at the game and there were only four or five that I was really proud of, and this was definitely the one I was the proudest of. This picture, I think, would apply to the Sports Feature category. I think this because it isn’t the typical sports action photo. Rather than it focusing on the players of the game, it focuses on the person that most of the people think. It also creates a nice environmental portrait, showing this referee in his habitat, showing what he sees and what he does for a living.
3. Spot News
Braving the Elements – Tyler Wolfgang, a UW student, walks to class through the snow. Laramie experienced its first big snowfall of the season on Monday, Oct. 2.
I named this picture “Braving the Elements” because we had our first major snow here and it was hard to get out of bed, let alone go to class. I believe that this picture would fit into the Spot News category because it was taken on a whim out in Prexy’s Pasture Monday. I thought it was a unique shot because it shows the drive of some students to attend classes and brave the elements. It was a difficult picture to get because it was snowing and it was hard to get my camera to focus on the people and not the snow, and it was hard because I was afraid of getting my camera wet.
4. Feature
The Application – Rachel Laker, a graduate student in geology, sits in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts working on a resume for a Ph.D. program. Laker was working on the application this last Tuesday, Oct. 3.
I think this picture, and I call it “The Application” because the subject in the picture is applying for a Ph.D. program. I think it applies to the Feature category because this could easily be a story about Rachel Laker and her time here at UW. This picture was an interesting one because I walked into the Buchanan Center and was going to practice piano. However, I saw this girl sitting there, all alone and doing homework. It was a really neat moment, so I walked up to her and asked to take her picture, and here we are. It took me a little while to figure out how to take this picture because I really wanted to capture something unique. If it had been just a plain picture, I doubt anyone would read the story behind it. So it took me a few tries, but I was able to get this one, which I really like.
5. Spot News
Constructing a Legacy – A construction worker assists in the digging out of dirt in front of the Arena Auditorium on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The AA has been undergoing construction for the past several months in an effort to create a grand entry.
I call this photograph “Constructing a Legacy” because it was taken outside the Arena Auditorium where they are constructing all new entrances and restructuring the outside. I called it a legacy because the construction that is occurring now will more than likely be a part of the university for many, many years to come. This is the legacy of some construction workers who are on the job and building these things. This picture was pretty easy to get because I was using my long lens, so I didn’t have to get too close to the action. However, because I was using my long lens, I was unable to get the name of the worker in the picture. I chose this one because it shows a lot of balance between the worker and the bulldozer, which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
I enjoyed this assignment very much because I enjoy any excuse to use my camera and test my creativity. I was surprised at how hard it is to get a good picture, I feel like I had to take so many. If I could do anything differently, I think I would want to take more time taking the pictures and take more of them. I took a lot of these with fairly short notice and didn’t take a ton of pictures like I should have. Imagine the pictures I could get if I put in a little more time and wasted a little more memory!
Seth Sigward Haack 