The Power of the Time-Lapse

Photos from LA Times gallery

The cross-country journey of the space shuttle Endeavor was one of the hottest news items this week. News outlets from all around the country reported on the shuttle, its whereabouts and details regarding the public exhibit that is set to open at the California Science Center on October 30, 2012.

The L.A. times provided some of the most in-depth and exciting coverage about this event. In an online post: "Space shuttle Endeavor: The Final Mission," journalist Marc Martin created a video that documented the shuttle's landing in LAX while piggy-backing atop a modified Boeing 747. This video fleshes out the story with engaging video and audio footage that reflects the the excitement that surrounded the event. The footage shows proud, curious and nostalgic onlookers waving flags and provides a more in-depth look into the plans for the shuttle. The video also includes an interview with Kenneth Phillips, the Curator for Aerospace Programs at the California Science Center. I think this is the perfect example of how additional videography can really enhance a story and provide more information then might be available in typical print publications.

In addition to covering the Endeavor's landing, L.A. Times Framework blog created an awesome time-lapse video that showed workers detaching the shuttle from the 747 it arrived on. As a reader, I thought this video was beautifully shot and compelling. The different angles of the camera, the music and the speed of the time-lapse was the perfect medium for capturing the excitement of the gathering of the crowds and the process of removing the shuttle. The sunrise and the lowering of the empty crane was an effective and subtle way to convey the amount of time the job took to complete.

In general, the time-lapse is a nice option for recording an entire event and presenting it in a concise and interesting form. The video also gave readers the feeling of being "behind the scenes" of an event they wouldn't normally have access to.

What do you think of time-lapse videos?

What type of events will or won't work with this powerful storytelling tool?

LA Times Kindle Fire HD Review

Publishing an article that reviews a recently launched or upcoming product is a delicate balance of demonstrating a certain level of expertise while also speaking in terms that are accessible for less-savvy readers to understand. This is particularly true when writing about technology or other products that involve specific jargon. Los Angeles Times writer, Salvador Rodriguez, published an in-depth review of the latest Amazon tablet titled "7-inch Kindle Fire HD good but not the best."

Although this wasn't the most complex or exciting review, Rodriguez nicely incorporated convergence into his coverage about the new Kindle. The article covered several bases such as explaining the product's capabilities and placing it in context with the market. In his lead, Rodriguez clearly explained what Amazon was hoping to achieve with its newly-launced device by stating that several of the improvements were a step in the right direction of their plan to dominate the lower-end tablet market.

The content of the article continues to relay details and the author's personal opinion about the changes Amazon has implemented in their device.

In addition to Rodriguez's colloquial, written review, the online publication also includes a video portion of the review. Although the video steers more closely to parallel reporting, some of the author's spoken content was not repeated in the text of the article and provided the audience with more insight and knowledge. While many of his sentiments were expressed almost verbatim in the text and video, it was very helpful and enjoyable to witness him explore the Kindle Fire HD and navigate its functions. 

Overall, I believe this review was a nice example of how reporters can incorporate multimedia techniques such as videos as a tool for providing more engaging and helpful content. Readers planning to purchase a tablet device can benefit this article not only because of its detailed description, but also because of the author's ability to compare its functions to other devices available in similar markets without giving an excess amount of unnecessary information. The video really reinforces his opinions and sheds light on what the user-experience will be for potential consumers.