To be honest, covering news story with mobile equipment is way more convenient than I thought. The quality of the finished videos is high; the editing process especially by using iMovie is intuitive and smooth. However, covering news with smart phones still has some drawback. For instance, without a tripod, it is difficult to remain steady while filming. Also, smart phones are not capable of dealing with complex editing. Last, covering news with a smart phone would weaken the authority of a journalist. When carrying a professional video camera, people instinctively assume and authorize the legitimacy of shooting on the spot. However, now everyone owns a smart phone.
Before elaborating on how to improve those drawbacks, there is one thing worth addressing first: mobile devices cannot replace traditional reporting tools, but under specific circumstances, mobile devices are extremely useful.
When I was doing my second mobile assignment, I leaned my phone against something firm and steady so that I won’t shake the camera under moving. This really helps a lot. The next improvement is that once I realize the capacity my smart phone has, I choose not to edit too complicated videos, which means that I need to keep my storyline simple and direct. This in turn elevates the clarity and succinctness of the story.
These two improvements are the most useful I found after finishing mobile assignments.
shih-wei chou 