Admission requirements
Required course(s)
None
Description
This is an introductory course in video journalism, during which students will learn about the basics of producing, filming and editing TV news reports as well as online videos. It familiarises students with different ways of visual storytelling in the digital age. We deal with questions such as “How is a TV news report different from a documentary style web video?” and “How can video be combined with other ways of storytelling in an online context?”
Both lectures and seminars will focus on the various skills needed for video reporting, including how to shoot and edit video, script design, interview techniques, how to deal with sound and how to voice your own reports for TV and web. The main emphasis of this course will be on students doing it themselves. Student-produced videos will be shown and discussed in class.
Aside from the skills learned, students will also explore and discuss (question) various theories concerning the added value of audio-visual journalism is, its strengths and limitations and the ethical dilemmas reporters face. Moreover, we will reflect on changes in the media landscape brought about by transitions from the age of print to the age of television followed by the uniquity of online news reporting.
Course Objectives
After successful completion of this course, students are able to:
produce TV news reports and web videos, i.e., master the skills of filming, getting natural sound, interviewing, editing, writing and voicing video reports;
explain how and why decisions are made in television news, including the ethical dilemmas faced by executives, reporters and editors;
understand the strengths, and the weaknesses, of visual communication through television reports and web videos.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2020-2021 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
Lectures are combined with seminars dealing with the various skills needed to produce video reports. Student-produced videos will be shown and critically discussed in class.
Assessment Method
In class participation: 10%
Presentation + Discussion ‘News values and Ethics’: 15%
Visual storytelling assignment: 15%
TV News Report: 20%
Web video: 20%
Essay on Neil Postman’s book (1500 words): 20%
Reading list
- Amusing Ourselves to Death – Neil Postman
Other (reading) materials will be made available through Brightspace.
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
W.L. van Rooijen, w.van.rooijen@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Dr. A. Vandendaele, a.vandendaele@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
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