duckrabbit Multimedia Journalism Training – Bristol, July 2009
“It was like being a proper journalist again …. turning up in a town you’ve never been to and not being allowed to leave until you’ve got a story.“
In July 2009 duckrabbit ran its first multimedia training course at the Trinity Arts Centre, in Bristol, England.
We threw our two students right in at the deep end, unleashing them on the British seaside town of Weston super Mare. We gave them one day to sniff out a story, collect the photographs and audio, and another day to rough edit the material.
“When we went to Weston super-Mare with duckrabbit we had no idea of what we’d come out with, but there’s little more satisfying in that situation than pulling something out of the bag.
After a wander around the town centre to weigh up subject potential, we agreed a plan of action and with the help of Benjamin and David each did our thing. After just a few hours we returned home with a huge sense of achievement and the raw material for this finished piece.” Ciara Leeming.
The finished result (below) is a powerful, evocative and warm meditation on loss. We also hope it shows what magic can happen through training, as well as the undoubted talents of our trainees.
Please be aware to fully appreciate this feature you need to watch through right to the end.
Zen and art of Sandcastles
What our students Ciara and Oliver have to say about the training:
‘Thanks again for a great weekend, I was thinking the other day that it is well worth the money as I learned so much more than I would have done on any other form of photographic/software/audio training. I have been having lots of ideas to use it commercially.
I will stay in contact and give you guys a ring from time to time if that OK, also if there is any work or help training, or recommendations, or photographs you want me to do, I will be happy to oblige if I can get the time off work as I really think duckrabbit and multimedia is going to take off and I would like to be one of the original photographers working on high quality multimedia in the UK.” Oliver Edwards, Photographer.
‘I’m really pleased to have been one of the first to learn from duckrabbit because I love what they’re about and would love to capture even a tiny bit of that spirit in my own work. Audio interviewing was probably the biggest challenge for me but I’m now actually looking forward to integrating this into my own storytelling and being able to make my subjects’ voices heard.‘ Ciara Leeming, Freelance Journalist
For more information about duckrabbit’s training just give us a shout.
The Trinity Sessions – audio and photography training
duckrabbit training presents The Trinity Sessions, a series of fun, hands on workshops for forward thinking photographers who want to get to grips with digital storytelling (multimedia, audio slideshows).
We’ll teach you how to use a digital recorder, record powerful interviews, then edit the audio and produce audio slideshows.
Taking place in one of the UK’s most iconic arts venues, a Seventeenth century church turned arts centre, The Trinity Sessions seek to baptise an exciting new generation of digital storytellers. The training is for photographers who understand the economic and creative importance of presenting their work in fresh ways.
‘LEARN FROM THE BEST’ ADAM WESTBROOK
Meet the Trainers
Benjamin is a former BBC Radio documentaries producer profiled by the Observer as ‘one of radio’s biggest turn ons’. David is an award winning editorial photographer represented by Horton-Stephens. Since forming duckrabbit last year they have picked up a POYI multimedia award and most recently have been nominated for an Amnesty International Media Award.
Benjamin and David have designed and run training courses internationally in Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan and in the UK.
The first Trinity Session will run over a long weekend from the 10-12th of July. There will only be six places on this course. We strongly recommend that you book your place early due to the small number of places.
Workshop Schedule
Friday Evening
Friday evening is a chance for us all to get to know each other and prepare for the following two days. We’ll share a meal together, have a drink and introduce our work to one another on the big screen (projector).
(Please note participants can take part in the workshop without being present on Friday night.)
Saturday
The morning will be spent learning the basics of recording audio in the field. We’ll then split you into groups, assign you your story, facilitate a brief discussion on ways of presenting it, and then go out to shoot and record.
David and Benjamin will work with the groups in the field, feeding back through observation.
At the end of the day we’ll discuss the material we’ve gathered, how we might edit it and what elements of our stories, if any, are missing.
Sunday
The morning will be spent exploring how the features can be edited, selecting the photographs and gathering any additional material that is needed. The rest of the day will be spent producing the features.
Everyone will spend time editing the audio and photographs, as well as pulling the two together.
The workshop will end with a showing of the work, followed by a debrief and a warm feeling of satisfaction.
This is a participatory workshop in which the focus is on learning through doing.
Costs
£300 – Individuals
£250 – Students
£350 – Individuals funded by their employees
Equipment
Laptop, digital camera, and an audio recorder (although exceptions may be made).
Accommodation is not included although there is plenty of choice to suit different wallet sizes in Bristol.
To reserve a place or for more information email training@duckrabbit.info or give David a call on 07866361695.
duckrabbit wins a POYI award
duckrabbit are very pleased to announce that our audio slideshow ‘Praying for the rain’ was placed third in the News Multimedia awards of the recent Pictures Of The Year International Awards.
We’re dead chuffed.
Congratulations to all the other winners.
