A Judge's Thoughts From The BOP Television Contest
By Brad Ingram
HIGH POINT, NC (March 3, 2009) – I was a last minute addition to this year's judging roster for the National Press Photographers Association's 2009 Best Of Photojournalism television contest. In mid-January, Ram Guzman called asking if I could step in after a judge had to pull out at the last minute. Reflecting back on the past six days in Tampa, I'm glad I returned his call. Not only for the new relationships that were built with my fellow judges, but this was also an opportunity to see some good work and learn something new along the way.
These are my insights for those who en ter the television categories of the contest, whether you’re on the photography side or the editing side, and you wondered to yourself why your entry didn't win. For five days along with fellow judge from North Carolina Terry Lowell we watched hours upon hours of your entries. We saw some good ones and a fair share of bad during that length of time. Some entries were over-edited and some that were under-edited. Overall, in a lot of the stories that we awarded the editor let the story tell itself without over use of flash in the edit.
Let's begin with the one thing I took away the most from the contest: A straight cut is the best cut 90 percent of the time. I can't count the number of stories that the craft of editing overpowered the story, leaving me and Terry wondering about all the smoke and mirrors when it wasn't required. A lot of those entries died a quick death during the judging.
Two great examples are "Defining Dillinger" and "Bonny the Bugler" that I’ll talk about briefly. "Defining Dillinger" is a excellent example when editing style and story come together as one. Not only did Steve Rhodes shoot the hell out of this story, he followed up his effort out in the field in the edit bay as well. Between the photography and use of effects made this story a shining example of what use of effects is all about within an edit.
"Bonny the Bugler" on the other hand is an fine example of what a straight cuts can do for a piece.
Greg Johnson did a wonderful job working the sound and keeping the cuts simple and to the point. He let the story unfold within the story and not though the edit. He could have easily gotten flashy with it in some spots but he chose story over the flash. It is an example of what a photo essay and a straight cut package should look like both in the storytelling and in the edit bay.
Use of effects: After judging this year's contest, we saw that simple was better. I've been guilty in the past of going over the top when it's not warranted. We all have done it at some point in our career. I'll only use effects in the future when the story requires it instead using them just because effects are available. That means photographers should shoot stronger out in the field and editors should have less dependence on effects as a crutch to get around shooting mistakes.
Use of Music: After seeing happy to sappy this past week, another theme that rang clear was when to use music. Here is a rule of thumb to think about next time you have an edit: If the story you're editing is music-related like "Bonny the Bugler," or a piece that has a place where you only have pictures and no natural sound, music use is acceptable. Even then it should be used sparing unless that's what the story is about.
I can't count the number of stories where the music overpowered me as a viewer. If you're cutting a "dying kid story," music should be used sparely. I swear the same melancholy piano tune rang true in everyone's story. Not only did it get cliché by the end of the week but it also took away from a the story. If you're shooting this type of story, don't use music as a crutch to grab at a viewer's emotion. If this is the case maybe a rewrite is in order to better tell the story.
Photography: Shoot more steady and well-composed shots (even if your shoulder is the tripod). There was one entry in particular that stood out where it would had placed if the photography was better composed and steady. As a photographer you should be shooting your stories as a straight forward cut. Edit your story within the camera while shooting. Not only will it make it easier for you or an editor to edit, it will save you time if you're under deadline. One Tip: If the video is shaky and you have to use it, either up cut it or down cut it to make it less jarring to the viewer.
The Rules: It became clear how everyone interprets what the guidelines and rules mean to them instead of to the contest. If the rules state that you have a certain time limit as a maximum for a particular category, then it's just that five minutes. Anything over the time limit in most cases were disqualified. One Tip: If you have a question about anything, ask the contest chair. Not only will it save them a headache during judging week but may save your entry from getting disqualified before it’s even played.
Mix The Audio: I can't count the number of entries that didn't mix the audio on their entry. Do yourself a favor for next year, mix your entries! It takes two more seconds to do. It helps us judge by not distracting our ears from going to the right and left side of the room on every cut.
DVD's: Check them in two or three different DVD players to make sure they play and play all the way though. A couple of stories did just that: they started to play, only to stop right in the middle due to a burning error. And if you're wondering, yes, they were disqualified. Also, with more and more contests going with the DVD format, follow the guidelines on how to label the entry. Go ahead and mark them with a Sharpie with the title names. So just in case your label is separated from your DVD, the contest chair knows what it is and can find your info if needed.
A Tip: When compiling your EOY or POY entry, edit your entry on one time line so it's on one chapter on the DVD. Fifteen or twenty frames of black in between to separate stories does wonders for us as judges. This gives us a chance to catch our breath and note that we are moving on to the next story.
Last but not least, you can't win if you don't enter! I harped on this fact during the judging and in my comments all week. This is a free contest by design. Member or non-member, there is no excuse not to enter – even if you only had three or four good stories from the year. There were a few entries that only entered in the EOY portion of the contest. Without a doubt, had they entered elsewhere in the competition they would have placed.
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The contest's winning videos by category are online here.
Best Of Photojournalism judges for the Television categories this year included returning BOP TV contest chair Merry Murray, a photojournalist for KSNW-TV in Wichita, KS; Ram Guzman of KTVT-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, the BOP contest chair for the TV Editing categories; Terry Bulger of WSMV-TV in Nashville, TN; Brad Ingram of WGHP-TV in High Point, NC; Scott Jensen of KTUU-TV in Anchorage, AK; Jon Knorr of KOMO-TV in Seattle, WA; Terry Lovell, a freelance television editor in Raleigh, NC; Shane McEachern, of WTXF-TV in Philadelphia, PA; and Tom Sharkey, of WWSB-TV in Sarasota, FL.
The Best Of Photojournalism is sponsored by Canon, The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, and the National Press Photographers Association.
The judges live daily Blog, including updated winners, is online here.
The winning videos are online here.
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