UPI – Taking the Pulse of Health Care Trailer from Mind & Media, Inc. on Vimeo.

On March 22^nd, United Press International will be launching a video journalism series produced by Mind & Media called “Taking the Pulse of Health Care.”  These documentary style interviews will focus on individuals affected by the shortcomings of America’s health care system.

This isn’t a standard news editorial piece, but rather, it is an interactive news feature.  Viewers will be able to post video feedback on the piece using a standard computer webcam and microphone using an interface that is as simple as clicking one button!  Countless news sites allow text responses following articles, so we’re taking that idea one step further.

Health care reform is an emotional topic for many. We’re aiming to let participants in the discussion communicate their emotion by sharing their voice, body language, and eye contact with the audience, instead of just posting text.

At Mind & Media, we’re always looking for new and creative ways to inspire action in our audience.

See the trailer here: http://www.vimeo.com/9507346 and check out the series on www.UPI.com on March 22

When USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) came to Mind & Media looking for a clean, easy-to-use recruiting tool to attract top-level talent, we knew that we’d need to hook the audience in that critical first 30 seconds. So we developed the ERS recruiting tool with a brief introductory “teaser” video followed by three short video segments hitting the Who, What, Where, When, and Why elements that every job seeker needs to know before pursuing an opportunity.

The teaser video includes powerful snippets from the main feature videos. These brief vignettes of our interviews with ERS employees illustrate to our audience that ERS employees love where they live, that they enjoy their work, and that they are empowered to continue their personal research in order to make a global difference. By giving our audience a taste of the main messages in an appetizing way, we are encouraging them to watch the short video features that present the content in an easy-to-digest manner.

This concise and personal look at ERS is inviting, the content is simple to navigate, and it is as elementary to use as putting the CD into any personal computer. Take a look and see for yourself!

What do good photography and storytelling have in common?  When I was a photography intern at the Virginian-Pilot, my editor once told me, “Eye candy sells papers, but good photography tells a story.”  Visual imagery is pervasive in our society today, but lately I’ve been asking myself where the message is.  Photographers seem to have forgotten that a picture used to be worth a thousand words.

As a photographer and videographer, one critical skill that I base my style upon is that for an image to be effective, it has to tell a clear story and it has to put the subject in context.  I teach photography courses on the weekends, and one question I always present to my students is “What are you trying to tell me with this picture?”  With my first-time pupils, I am almost always met with a confused response, because most people initially assume that a picture is just a picture. My philosophy is that a picture is worth at least a thousand words, and if you can’t fill a page with the message that your shot conveys, then you aren’t sending a strong enough message.

Every communication tool should send a well-defined message, always. If it can do so artfully, then your audience is more likely to listen to what you have to say. In today’s visually immersive world, the best way to make your product stand out is with imagery that helps tell your story!

Image courtesy: www.JasonAllenPhotography.com