Over the weekend, I was honored to give a talk at DC Shootoff, a photography workshop for DOD, GOV, and federal photographers and mass communication specialists. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the other speakers, including Washington Post photographer Michael Williamson and multimedia producer Megan Rossman, freelance photographer Mary Calvert, and Apple spokesperson Martin Gisborne. My talk focused on how photographers can transition to multimedia production (and specifically video), and I have uploaded my slides here for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks to Johnny Bivera and Brien Aho for inviting me to come speak. Thanks also to numerous colleagues who provided their input for my advice sheet that I passed out during my talk. Lastly, a big thank you goes to Evan Vucci and Danfung Dennis, whose inspirational work was the focus of my talk.

• Tom Kennedy speaks about his evolution as a visual journalist

Ashley Wells

Ashley Wells, Executive Creative Director at msnbc.com, has spent the last ten years at msnbc thinking of new ways to digitally interact with users as they consume the daily news. Ashley said that his creative team works separate from the multimedia team.

“Our Creative Development department does not create traditional multimedia,” he said. “We are a collection of about 30 designers and developers—many with news backgrounds—responsible for the user-facing experience of our sites. So the overall designs and functionality of pages across devices, media players and interactive templates like timelines, charts, maps, etc. Increasingly, we invent storytelling formats for both content and advertisers.”

We are happy to recognize Ashley as this week’s “Innovative Individual” for his many years of experience in UI design and development.

Q) How do you drive innovation in your work?

A) Broadly. Our Creative Development department has people who create amazing data visualizations for special reports. Others design engaging pages to display that information. Some even invent new ad experiences for those pages. And then there are those who help architect the development platform behind it all. My job is to get them all working toward the same goal: building the ultimate multimedia site. I push them to challenge long-held assumptions and simplify the user experience, yet create unparalleled flexibility for those who create content. Then I recruit help from the Editorial, Sales, Marketing and Technology departments to contribute ideas while advocating for change.

Probably sounds cliché. But it works. Our new story pages launching in the next couple of months will be proof. They combine media around a headline like nothing you’ve seen, enabling next-gen storytelling supported by unique ad capabilities. The technology powering it is crazy. It’s kind of a big deal.

Q) What piece in your portfolio are you most proud of and why?

A) Ugh! Some of my favorite stuff has fallen victim to web rot. Otherwise, I’d provide links. When I produced content, technology was more my focus than stunning photography. Plug-ins, servers and web services change so fast that even work we did five years ago is deprecated beyond repair.

Starting in 2002, I lead a small team that created a series of video-driven interactive narratives we called The Big Picture. We covered the war in Iraq, two elections, the Oscars three times, Olympics and current civil rights issues. I produced the overall ‘shows,’ traveled for interviews, wrote narration, shot and edited video, designed the interface and did Flash development—all on the same projects. So did everyone on the team. We literally used every skill we had simultaneously. We did wildly creative stuff, like integrating games in the middle of video clips and allowing the aggregate audience to influence the outcome of these interactive TV-like reports. It was exhausting.

We ultimately realized the tools we really needed to make our work sustainable were never going to exist unless we created them. And even then, what about all the rest of the content on the site? Shouldn’t multimedia be seamlessly integrated into every story? It was a formative realization. From that point on, I’ve been focused on site structure and scaling up ways to integrate media. It’s been a long road, but we’re about to show the world what that looks like at scale.

Q) Please provide a brief educational and professional history.

A)

• Education: broadcast journalism degree from Pepperdine Univ.
• Career: Worked in local TV news during and after college at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. Started as an associate interactive TV producer for NBC Nightly News in 1999 and have worked at msnbc.com ever since.
• Recognition:
• 2002 – ONA, Creative Use of the Medium, Baggage screener game
• 2003 – Batten Award for Innovation in Journalism, The Big Picture series
• 2005 – SND medals and EPpy Best Special Feature In An Internet Service (over 1 million), The Big Picture series
• 2006 – ONA, Best Use of Multiple Media, Rising from Ruin

Q) Where do you believe multimedia fits into today’s society and how will that role change over time?

A) Media now implies ‘multi,’ so maybe it’s time to retire the term multimedia. Everything’s getting shorter these days, anyway. And while we’re at it, let’s ditch ‘interactive,’ too. What’s not interactive anymore? Seems everybody uses media today to express themselves. They tweet, text pics, post to YouTube, blog. Often they’re sharing personally relevant news. In that sense, there’s more news flying around now than ever. And with such an immense amount of information to discover and surface, it kinda makes you wonder how much longer the idea of mass media gate-keeping is even feasible. The most powerful new media companies are becoming those with technologies to help you manage media. Sure wish I fully understood how that’s going to affect media professionals, how they distribute their work and how they get paid.

Q) What is one thing on your “To-Do” list?

A) I joke with the staff that some day, for maybe five minutes, our design, technology and content will come together and everything will work just perfectly. Then that moment will pass and we’ll start over. Realistically, though, I’d settle for launching our new story pages. Always wanted to introduce something innovative that actually scaled.

Want to nominate a deserving colleague, friend or inspirational figure to be highlighted in this series? Confidential nominations can be emailed to innovativeinteractivity@gmail.com on an ongoing basis. Self nominations are also welcome. A person will be featured every Friday, so look for the next “innovative individual” Friday, March 19th!

Other posts that might interest you:

• Innovative Individuals: Meredith Birkett
• Innovative Individuals: Paige West
• Innovative Individuals: Jeff Achen

Three years ago I was on the cusp of graduating with nowhere to go. I had turned down the invaluable opportunity of documenting the Special Olympics in China with Professor Rich Beckman because my parents urged me to find a paying job. At the time, the only social network I used was Facebook and I never read blogs (nor did I know what a RSS reader was). Yes, I am totally calling myself out right now, but I am doing it to honor The Poynter Institute and to recognize them for their invaluable summer fellowship. I was a 2007 fellow, and despite the chance of sounding overly dramatic, it truly changed my life.

Obviously I am not the only one who thinks extremely highly of the fellowship, as three 2009 fellows – McKenna Ewen, Greg Linch and Nic Barajas – created the website “Voices from the future of journalism” in an attempt to raise funds for those who are accepted into this year’s program.

McKenna emailed me noting that the inspiration to build this site came from the need to provide this opportunity to all deserving applicants, regardless of their financial state. “It’s around $2,000 for the fellowship, plus transportation and housing, which makes it tough for students to afford,” he said. “Our group is trying to raise some money for this year’s fellows.”

Interested donors can contribute directly on the Poynter’s donation page, and others can help by spreading the word about this site and their fundraising efforts.

Unfortunately, the deadline has already passed for 2010 applicants, so I hope everyone who was interested in this exceptional program was on top of it and got their application submitted on time!

The music in their promo video (shown below) is a little over-the-top for my personal taste, but the main take-away is there: young graduates are passionate, energetic, and willing to battle through the print turmoil to do what they love, which is to tell stories.

Poynter’s Mission Statement

The Poynter Institute is a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders. It promotes excellence and integrity in the practice of craft and in the practical leadership of successful businesses. It stands for a journalism that informs citizens and enlightens public discourse. It carries forward Nelson Poynter’s belief in the value of independent journalism in the public interest.
Other posts that might interest you:

• The importance of knowing your fonts

Maine Media Workshops

Get ready because I am going to tell you about 40 multimedia workshops for professionals and 61 summer jobs for students. Now, just think about spending part (or all!) of your summer along the coast of sunny Maine to take advantage of these invaluable opportunities with II advertiser Maine Media Workshops. Not too shabby, right?

Let’s start with the 40 multimedia workshops that they are offering from May to October of this year. I have had the opportunity to work either directly or indirectly with a majority of the workshop instructors, and I can personally attest to their inspirational skill level. This line-up of instructors includes some of the best in the industry, and each workshop offers insights into a multimedia niche. Check out the list below to see if any workshop in particular interests you!

Maine Media Workshops Summer 2010 Multimedia Schedule

5/23 – 5/29: Introduction to Multimedia Workshop with Jonathan D. Woods

5/30 – 6/5: Introduction to Audio Storytelling Workshop with Brad Horn

5/30 – 6/5: Stills and Video for Multimedia Workshop with Jim Virga

6/6 – 6/12: Multimedia Production Workshop with Seth Gitner

6/6 – 6/12: One Man Band Workshop with Derek Poore

6/13 – 6/19: Introduction to Web Design Workshop with Vinny Ritoli

6/13 – 6/19: Distribution Strategies Workshop with Will Sullivan

6/13 – 6/19: Young Multimedia Journalists with David Flores

6/20 – 6/26: Intermediate Multimedia Workshop with Nacho Corbella

6/20 – 6/26: From Storytelling to Distribution Workshop with Tom Kennedy

6/27 – 7/3: Video for Photographers Workshop with Jenn Ackerman

6/27 – 7/3: Adobe After Effects Workshop with Matthew Morin

7/4 – 7/10: Audio Narrative Workshop with Rob Rosenthal

7/4 – 7/10: Market Your Passion: Developing a Blog that Reflects Your Interests Workshop with David Beard

7/11 – 7/17: Stills and Video for Multimedia Workshop with Tim Broekema

7/11 – 7/17: SEO Website Design Workshop with Vinny Ritoli

7/18 – 7/24: Multimedia Production Workshop with Tim Broekema

7/18 – 7/24: Storytelling with Canon HDSLRs Workshop with Brian Kaufman

7/25 – 7/31: Professional Presentations for Educators Workshop with Tim Broekema

7/25 – 7/31: Advanced Multimedia Techniques Workshop with Chad A. Stevens

8/1 – 8/7: Introduction to Multimedia Workshop with Will Yurman

8/1 – 8/7: The Documentary Blog Workshop with Laurence Gartel

8/8 – 8/14: One Man Band Workshop with Will Yurman

8/8 – 8/14: Introduction to Web Design Workshop with Melissa Warp

8/8 – 8/14: Digital Media Arts Workshop with Laurence Gartel

8/15 – 8/21: Introduction to Audio Storytelling Workshop with Bruce Strong

8/15 – 8/21: Intermediate Multimedia Workshop with Josh Meltzer

8/22 – 8/28: Multimedia Production Workshop with Pamela Chen

8/22 – 8/28: Multimedia Master Class with Bob Sacha

8/22 – 8/28: Multimedia with Olympus Ultra-Portable Cameras Workshop with Jay Kinghorn

8/29 – 9/4: Video for Photographers Workshop with Matt Ford

8/29 – 9/4: SEO Website Design Workshop with Vinny Ritoli

9/5 – 9/11: Distribution Strategies Workshop with Adam Stoltman

9/12 – 9/18: Audio Narrative Workshop with Peter Breslow

9/19 – 9/25: Introduction to Multimedia Workshop with Miki Meek

9/26 – 10/2: Introduction to Audio Storytelling Workshop with Suzi Piker

9/26 – 10/2: Adobe After Effects Workshop with Matthew Morin

10/10 – 10/16: Multimedia Production Workshop with Coburn Dukehart

10/17 – 10/23: Audio Narrative Workshop with Sarah Kramer

10/24 – 10/30: Adobe After Effects Workshop with Bruno Toré

Students, have I got the opportunity of a lifetime for you! Maine Media Workshops is hiring dozens of students to help them throughout the summer with their workshops. This means that 1) you get paid, 2) you get to work alongside the excellent faculty listed above, as well as meet all of the other workshop attendees and 3) you get to essentially take all of these workshops without paying!

In order to be considered, you will need to attend a job fair in Rockport, Maine, on March 26th and 27th. If you are unable to travel to Maine, you can electronically send in your application. It sounds like your chances are higher if you attend the job fair, though. For more information about the summer job openings and application process, check out their “Summer Job Fair” page.

Personally, if I didn’t have summer plans, I would sign up for the multimedia teaching assistant gig. Since I can’t take advantage of this opportunity, hopefully another II reader can!

Would you like to become a sponsor or advertise with II in order to help promote your multimedia-related products and/or services? Contact us for further information!
Other posts that might interest you:

• 2009 New media training opportunities
• Great multimedia training opportunities coming to UNC
• 15 multimedia training opportunities for 2010

Earthquake in Chile: Pacific countries escape tsunami by AP

I recently came across AP’s Chilean earthquake interactive via Interactive Narratives, and my immediate reaction was one of confusion with their navigation.

Five headings were presented, three of which were based upon the medium used (“Maps,” “Gallery,” and “Video”) while the other two were based upon the content (“Deadly Quakes” and “Aftermath”).

However, the “Deadly Quakes” section contains a map, so why isn’t it in the “Map” section? Furthermore, “Aftermath” contains maps and images, so why isn’t it within the corresponding “Map” and “Gallery” section?

I would argue that this inconsistency in labeling greatly hurts this interactive. I have said before that we should strive to organize multimedia navigations by story content rather than media type.

If space is limited (as is the case in AP’s graphic) then it is most important to describe what the content is, rather than the medium. If space is not an issue, perhaps it’s OK to add a media icon or other indicator. However, I’m starting to realize that the only people who care about what media is utilized within a section are those within the industry (i.e. us!). So, if we really are designing and developing interactives for our respective audiences, then media labels simply clutter the interface.

Now, you may think I am a hypocrite because I included both media type and content labels within my Honduras package. However, this was done due to grant restrictions that said I needed to have certain media types within my presentation, so the media indicator is for them. While the project was produced for the general public, it was also important for me to please the funder!

For the AP package, I would urge them to think about other designs that could have better utilized the navigation space. This would enable them to display a larger promo image, as well as provide more room for a descriptive title.

What would you do to improve this graphic’s navigation?
Other posts that might interest you:

• Organizing multimedia navigations by media type versus story type
• Two interactive energy maps, one main difference: usability
• USA Today tracks US federal taxes in customizable graphic

In 2006, 20 UNC and Chilean students spent 10 days in Robinson Crusoe Island, off the coast of Chile, to document its land, culture, and people for their award-winning multimedia project, Chasing Crusoe. Four years later, they learned that a recent tsunami caused by the Chilean earthquake devastated the small island and its people. By leveraging their multimedia storytelling skills, the former students quickly acted, in what has become a full-fledged grassroots humanitarian campaign.

What is probably most impressive about this feat is the fact that the UNC alumni collaborated from across the US to make this video campaign happen, with contributors in California, New York, North Carolina and Florida.

Personally, I think what they are doing is great. As journalists and storytellers, we become attached to our story subjects whether we would like to admit it or not. As former UNC master’s student Jay Heinz said, “The people on this island had a profound effect on me and many of my friends.”

By using their talents and connection to this island, they will help publicize a news-worthy story that may not get as widely covered by the mainstream media. I applaud them for their hard efforts and I hope you all will consider joining their campaign.

“Robinson Crusoe Island has temporary phone connections back up. Everyone on the island is still in a bit of shock. The death toll has risen to 20 people. You can view new photos of the destruction in La Tercera’s coverage of the aftermath.”

Below is their letter appealing for help:

“In the spring of 2006, as a combined group of American and Chilean journalism students, we traveled together to Robinson Crusoe Island, four hundred miles off the coast of Santiago, Chile, to document life on this small and isolated island.

In the ten days we spent recording and photographing the people of the island, each and every one of us was struck by their unique way of life and the resolve with which they carve out their existence in such a remote place, rich with history but severely lacking in resources that we often take for granted.

And so it was with great sorrow and shock – in the days following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that shook the Chilean mainland in February 2010 – that we began to hear news trickle in about Robinson Crusoe Island.

According to reports, the island’s emergency warning system failed, and a giant tsunami took the residents by surprise, covering nearly two miles of the island and reaching 300 meters up from the natural coastline. When the ocean retreated, it took with it nearly all of San Juan Bautista, the coastal settlement that the island’s 650 residents call home.

What few community resources that served the people of Robinson Crusoe Island before the tsunami hit are now completely wiped away: the school, community center, fishing boats, supply stores… and many, many homes.

As you can tell from the stories and lives highlighted on this site, the fragile yet resilient community of Robinson Crusoe Island is a special place in this world, and its people need our help in rebuilding their lives. Anything you can give to help these families would be a tremendous help. Oikonos, a 501 c 3 non-profit, has set up a donation fund to directly support the people of Robinson Crusoe Island. All of the money they receive will go specifically to the people of the island, to rebuild their homes, their school and their livelihoods.

Please take a moment to do what you can, and explore this site to learn about the unique and wonderful lives you are helping to rebuild.

We thank you for your open hearts”

Relief Efforts

1. Donate to the cause. Please give what you can. Go straight to oikonos.org/donate.htm and send some tax deductible dollars. 100% of your donation goes to the island.

2. Spread the word. Email your friends, colleagues and family members. Twitter and Facebook the story. Many of you work at major news organizations. Use your connections to get this written about, blogged about and talked about. A little effort goes a long way.

Disclaimer: I was not involved in this project, but I know many of the former students who were. II Spanish Editor Andrea Ballocchi was involved and is helping to lead the relief effort.
Other posts that might interest you:

• AP Chile earthquake interactive under utilizes navigation
• UNC launches MBA multimedia profile site
• Special Olympics uses twitter, multimedia to document Winter Games

Emily Sweeney

It is obvious that Emily Sweeney, staff reporter at The Boston Globe and president of the New England chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, has fully embraced the potential of multi-platform storytelling.

According to her portfolio website, Emily “write[s] for newspapers and magazines, produce[s] videos for the web, contribute[s] to blogs, and even appear[s] on TV occasionally.” For her ability to easily transition from a staff reporter to a multimedia producer, we are happy to recognize her as this week’s “Innovative Individual.”

Make sure to keep track of Emily via her blog, and vlog, on twitter, flickr, and many more!

Q) How do you drive innovation in your work?

A) I’m constantly thinking about different ways to do things, and trying to find new ways to tell stories and present information.

Q) What piece in your portfolio are you most proud of and why?

A) That’s tough. I’ve worked on many cool stories, so it’s hard to single one out. I guess one of my favorites would be this video, which examines the history of shoemaking in Massachusetts.

I shot most of the footage at the Alden Shoe Company – it’s one of the last shoe manufacturers left in New England. Hard to believe, but just forty years ago almost all American footwear companies produced their shoes right here in the United States. Today, hardly any do. Alden has (somehow) managed to buck that trend, and they still make all of their shoes here. I enjoyed working on this piece because it deals with so many interesting issues – globalization, trade, local history – and illustrates how a particular segment of the economy has changed so drastically.

Q) Please provide a brief educational and professional history.

A) I’m a proud alum of the oldest public school in the country: Boston Latin School. I was the first girl to join the boys’ varsity ice hockey team at Latin. I went on to play four years of Division I hockey at Northeastern University, and graduated with a degree in journalism. I worked for several small newspapers around the Greater Boston area, and got hired by the Boston Globe in 2001. I’ve always enjoyed working both behind and in front of the camera, and I’ve been lucky to have many opportunities to do that over the course of my journalism career. I’ve hosted a live TV show, been a guest on radio and TV programs, and shot and produced my own videos, and I even had a chance to work on films.

I started producing videos for the Globe in 2005. I’ve made quite a few videos since then, and it’s been interesting to see where they wind up.
Some have been used on TV. A few years ago, a professor from the University of Southern California contacted me because she wanted to screen of my videos at a film festival in Los Angeles. And just a few months ago, Howard Stern picked up one of my videos and used it on his show.

Q) Where do you believe multimedia fits into today’s society and how will that role change over time?

A) Multimedia will become more and more prevalent in our lives as time goes on. HD screens are popping up everywhere. You see them displaying ads in elevators, taxis, grocery checkout counters, gas stations, and other public spaces…. we’ll be seeing much more of that in the near future. I also think projectors will become more widespread, especially as technology improves.

Q) What is one thing on your “To-Do” list?

A) I have several folders full of project ideas. I’m interested in how things are made. I would love to trace the origins of clothes – go into a Wal-Mart, pick out an outfit, and find out the factory where it was sewn, and interview the people who work there. I’d like to do the same thing for electronics, too…it would be interesting to follow the life and death of a digital camera – starting from the very beginning, at the mines where minerals are dug up, then visit the plants where the minerals are processed into metals, and so forth….right up to the point where the camera ends up on a shelf at the store….and then follow the path of its disposal, to see how much of it actually gets recycled, and what happens to the rest of it.

Want to nominate a deserving colleague, friend or inspirational figure to be highlighted in this series? Confidential nominations can be emailed to innovativeinteractivity@gmail.com on an ongoing basis. Self nominations are also welcome. A person will be featured every Friday, so look for the next “innovative individual” Friday, March 12th!

Other posts that might interest you:

• Innovative Individuals: Chuck Fadely
• Innovative Individuals: Evelio Contreras
• Innovative Individuals: Matt Ford

National Geographic announces three (two for-credit, and one paid) internships within their Art Department for this summer. Information about each position is listed below. I encourage all graphics students to apply for these invaluable opportunities!

Graphic Artist (For Credit) Internship
National Geographic magazine is seeking a talented intern to assist with the production of art and information graphics in return for academic credit. The intern will work closely with graphics editors while gaining insight into the development and production of graphics for the magazine.

This position is ideal for rising college seniors or graduate students, as successful candidates must be able to receive academic credit. May
2010 graduates are ineligible.

To apply for the Graphic Artist (For Credit) Internship, please submit the following via e-mail to NGMArtIntern@ngs.org:

1. Completed PDF application (see last page of attachment)
2. Resume and cover letter detailing your background, and why you are interested in visual journalism
3. Portfolio of six samples (in PDF or Tif format) reflecting a variety of work in art and information graphics
4. Subject line must read: “ATTN: Mariel Furlong; Art/Graphics Internship.”

Graphic Artist (Paid) Internship
National Geographic magazine is seeking a talented intern to assist with the production of art and information graphics. The intern will work
closely with graphics editors while gaining insight into the development and production of graphics for the magazine. Both current students as well as graduates are welcomed to apply.

To apply for the Graphic Artist (Paid) Internship, please submit the following via e-mail to NGMArtIntern@ngs.org:

1. Completed PDF application (see last page of attachment)
2. Resume and cover letter detailing your background, and why you are
3. interested in visual journalism
4. Portfolio of six samples (in PDF or Tif format) reflecting a variety of work in art and information graphics
5. Subject line must read: “ATTN: Mariel Furlong; Art/Graphics Internship.”

Art Research & Reporting (For Credit) Internship
Working under the guidance of an experienced researcher, the intern will report and research concepts and content for artwork, information
graphics, and maps as needed for NGM and ensure the accuracy of the resulting graphics.

To apply for the Art Research & Reporting Internship, please submit the following via e-mail to NGMArtIntern@ngs.org:

1. Completed PDF application (see last page of attachment)
2. Resume and cover letter detailing your background, and why you are interested in visual journalism
3. Subject line must read: “ATTN: Amanda Hobbs; Art Research Internship.”

The deadline to apply for these positions is March 22nd, 2010. Selected applicants will be contacted in late March. Please note that these positions are separate from the Layout/Design and Photography internship programs, and applications for those programs submitted to the contact information above will not be forwarded.
Other posts that might interest you:

• January 2010 job opportunities
• March 2010 job and internship opportunities
• February 2010 job opportunities

II Spanish editor Andrea Ballocchi is Chilean, and she recently underwent the traumatic experience of frantically trying to contact her loved ones in the minutes and hours after the earthquake in Santiago. She wanted to provide her personal account here to detail the vital role that social media played in enabling her to quickly learn about the extent of the damage and connect with her family.

Her first-hand perspective proves the importance of not only social media, but also of citizen journalists in providing the breaking information that we’ve traditionally gotten from news websites. So what does this role reversal mean for news organizations and how can we embrace this change? I’ll leave that one for you to figure out!

Many of my friends had already started tweeting important news, such as the intensity of the quake, the current damage, and the electricity issues. Telephones lines were down and lights were out, but for some reason the 3G kept working so almost everybody with a smart phone in Chile was tweeting. Activity on Facebook came a little later.

I never realized before how helpful social media could be during natural disasters. During the Haiti earthquake, Twitter proved to be an incredible tool to create awareness about the disaster and to mobilize people to help. In Chile, the case was a little different because it actually helped families and friends communicate with each other minutes afterward.

Although I was able to call my mom because her land phone was still working, I could not reach the rest of my family. Thanks to a direct message my brother sent me on Twitter, I knew that he was OK. Without Twitter, I wouldn’t have had this reassurance.

Quickly, hash-tags were created like #quake and #terremotochile to compile news from users about the earthquake, and now tags such as #buscapersonas are being used to search for missing people.

In addition, people have been sharing emergency phone numbers, links with missing person lists, a recompilation of information sites, and many other news articles, photos and videos through the intuitive interfaces and real-time capabilities of Facebook and Twitter.

I know that a lot of false information was spread though Twitter, such as the rumor of nonexistent tsunami warnings or fabricated death tolls, but other twitter users quickly declared these rumors as false, proving that social media is self-moderated.

Furthermore, non-profit organizations and other official sources are doing a great job creating a timeline of the earthquake and sharing tips and advice to cope with the situation. I think that @CruzRojainforma (Chilean Red Cross), is one of the best examples (many of their tweets are in English too, if you want to check them out). Also, many help movements were created through social media. Numerous Facebook groups and other initiatives quickly emerged, such as CrisisCampChile and chileayuda.com, a collaborative effort via Twitter.

Social Media, especially Twitter, turned out to be a really helpful tool in this disaster to create a vital communication channel that not only spread facts but also helped people come together and learn about the situation of loved ones.

The extensive network that I have built on Twitter and Facebook over the years enabled me to garner invaluable knowledge regarding the earthquake that never could have been replicated in my most trusted, traditional news sources.
Other posts that might interest you:

• Why we, as institutions and companies, should friend and tweet
• Five self promotion tips to help land a job
• YouTube showcases Michael Wesch’s visual analysis on new media

We are happy to bring you 20 multimedia-related jobs and internships this month from employers such as DNAinfo, AARP, The New York Times, Second Story, and Oracle. We are continually looking to expand our job listing to include international opportunities, so please contact us if you are an employer and have opportunities abroad. Happy job hunting everyone!

Multimedia Storyteller at The International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) based in Washington D.C. is ramping-up its communication outreach in the area of multimedia, interactive and video technologies. Key to this outreach is the use of visual story telling to illuminate the work of the Fund and how it affects populations around the World.

Effective immediately, the IMF has an opening for a full-time contractual multimedia storyteller. The position requires an experienced individual capable of producing photographs, video and audio using Adobe and Final Cut Pro applications to tell compelling stories concerning the work of the Fund.

Specifically the position requires capturing and acquiring content and composing stories for distribution to the Internet and Worldwide news media outlets. Some international traveled required. Full benefits provided. All tools provided including a recently constructed HD broadcast capable Multimedia Center.

Send inquiries and include contact information to Phughes@imf.org.

Microsoft jobs, internships, software

Microsoft Students to Business (S2B) connects Microsoft-skilled students with partners and customers for entry-level and internship positions.

Read more about this opportunity.

Design and art director at AARP in Washington DC

AARP is seeking an experienced and savvy design art director to shape the visual identity of aarp.org and related digital properties. The successful candidate will be a top-notch design talent and editorial thinker, able to conceive and execute great content (practical, inspirational, and aspirational) for people striving to live their best lives after age 50.

Must have significant design and management experience in consumer-facing media, including several years in a web environment, with exceptional creative chops in the use of photography, illustrations, multimedia, and web tools; must play extremely well with others (up, down, and sideways) in a complex organization that is not a pure publishing/content play; and must be utterly unflappable in an occasionally chaotic environment. Specialized editorial design experience in of one or more of our prime content areas (health, food, personal finance, work, lifelong learning, entertainment, travel, social activism, state and national legislative developments, relationships, home and garden, volunteering, and technology), especially through a 50+ prism, is a huge plus.

Apply by going to aarpjobs.com

Multimedia Sales Consultant at Oracle (work from home!)

The graphics designer will be responsible for working with a team of pre-sales specialists to develop concepts for the communication of Oracle’s sales messages to customers and internal stakeholders. Will work independently and as part of a team to create, modify, refine, and integrate original artwork representing these concepts into a variety of presentation media, including print, video, computer-based presentations, written proposals and multimedia channels. Will work independently and as part of a team to develop, build out and deploy multimedia assets in a variety of pre-sales projects in support of sales objectives.

The Graphics Designer will have several years of experience in illustration, graphic design, and graphic production in a business environment. Skills and experience with design, development and production in video, animation, and storyboarding are highly desirable.

Strong candidates will have recent experience and strong hands on skills with industry standard tools for graphic illustration and editing. Recent experience and strong hands on skills with industry standard tools for video production and post-production and computer-based presentation and animation are highly desirable.

If interested in pursuing this opportunity, please send resume to julie.boyer@oracle.com.

Multimedia Intern at The New York Times in New York City, NY

The job requires good design skills and the ability to execute. The successful candidate must be fluent in a number of front-end technologies and must have a strong, demonstrable interest in journalism. We’re looking into three distinct areas for our upcoming internships. If you fall into one or more categories below, we encourage you to apply.

- Front-end Interactive Designer: full skill-set of client-side technologies including HTML, CSS and JavaScript/Prototype. Experience with Ruby on Rails is a plus.

- Motion Design Storyteller: working knowledge of AfterEffects and Photoshop in producing motiongraphics. Final Cut a plus. We are looking for someone to help grow the motion design side of storytelling. So applicant must have a strong sense of timing and narrative and have the ability to implement a variety of creative styles.

- Interactive Flash Journalist: Advanced programming knowledge and experience in Flash and ActionScript 3. Experience with Photoshop and Illustrator is a plus.

Read more about this opportunity.

Social Media Marketing Manager at The New York Times in New York City, NY

NYTimes.com is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative team-player with social media marketing expertise and a fanatical passion for The New York Times brand, blogging, micro-blogging, community and Web 2.0.

Read more about this opportunity.

Web Developer at The New York Times in New York City, NY

The Frontend Developer is responsible for implementing Web 2.0 functionality to enhance the dynamism and usability of Nytimes.com by utilizing JavaScript, CSS, and HTML in new and exciting ways. The successful candidate will be an expert in JavaScript and its prominent libraries such as Prototype and Scriptaculous, highly proficient in CSS and semantic HTML, and competent in PHP 5 or other modern object oriented programming language. Other responsibilities include ongoing site maintenance and technical documentation. Strong communication skills are a must as this position interacts heavily with many departments within Nytimes.com.

Read more about this opportunity.

Web Designer at The New York Times in New York City, NY

This person will design new editorial and application areas of New York Times digital products, including NYTimes.com, mobile properties and applications for alternative platforms. He or she will enhance existing features and functionality as well as develop new digital products from scratch. A strong competency in information architecture/interaction design and creating superior user interface designs are a must. Experience in high-volume Web-based publishing is a plus. The position will also include design documentation, producing isolated instances of code and general collaboration in the design process.

Read more about this opportunity.

Summer Interns at DNAinfo in New York City, NY

DNAinfo is a local news Web site that covers stories in Manhattan’s neighborhoods. We produce original stories about politics, education, courts, transportation, arts and entertainment, sports, crime, real estate, and all other subjects of interest to New Yorkers. We’re a fully multimedia site, where reporters are expected to report, write, take photographs, shoot and edit video, contribute to multimedia flash interactives, and do on-camera work.

Summer interns will be immersed in the day-to-day work of the newsroom, including reporting on breaking news stories around the borough, writing stories, shooting photographs, working on multimedia interactives and shooting and editing video. We are looking for self-starters, sharp writers and people who reflect the voice of the city on a street-by-street basis.

We are accepting summer Interns to work full time, for a minimum of 8 weeks. The internship will be paid. The schedule is flexible but within the window of Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. To 7 p.m. Our offices are located at 1414 6th Avenue, near 58th Street.

Interested applicants should email their resume, 3 – 5 clips and references to Nicole Bode at nbode@dnainfo.com. Include a link to your online portfolio or zipped files if applicable.

Web Designer at 1105 Media in San Francisco, CA

1105 Media is looking for an innovative Web Designer to join our Creative Services team. As a Web Designer you will be responsible for designing our conference and tradeshow websites and all forms of promotional collateral including banner and email creative.

Read more about this opportunity.

Web Project Manager at 1105 Media in Falls Church, VA

The product manager is a pivotal role in the digital media group of the Government Information Group business unit. Reporting to the director of digital media, this individual is responsible for managing ongoing product initiatives and facilitating the launch of new product initiatives for the digital media group with responsibility to manage schedule, scope, budget, quality, requirements, and rollout activities. Project management experience is required and the ability to manage multiple projects and clients simultaneously.

Read more about this opportunity.

Technology Reporter at 1105 Media in Falls Church, VA

1105 Government Information Group, a division of 1105 Media, Inc., is seeking a Technology Reporter/Journalist in our Falls Church, VA office. The ideal candidate will research and report on original technology news on a daily basis, and write feature stories for GCN’s audience of government agency information technology managers.

Read more about this opportunity.

Lead Interaction Designer at Second Story in Portland, OR

Second Story seeks an experienced interaction designer or design director to lead the creative execution of innovative interactive media projects. The lead designer is a visionary thinker, an innovator, and a natural leader with a proven understanding of interactive technologies and storytelling techniques. As a core part of a project team, the lead designer will define the projects’ creative trajectory, including early strategy and concept development, and will create documentation that defines and articulates the experience design through to execution of visual design and overseeing design production.

Read more about this opportunity.

Lead Interactive Media Designer at Second Story in Portland, OR

Second Story seeks a multi-talented individual that bridges interaction, motion, and environmental design to lead the creative execution of large-scale interactive media installations. This hybrid designer has a proven understanding of interaction beyond the Web where innovative technologies, non-traditional interfaces, and physical space converge to immerse visitors in memorable experiences. As a core part of a project team, the lead interactive media designer will define a project’s creative trajectory from early strategy to the development of visual, physical, motion, and interaction design to implementation.

Read more about this opportunity.

Interactive Developer at Second Story in Portland, OR

Second Story seeks an experienced interactive developer to inform and execute innovative interactive media projects. The interactive developer is a visionary thinker with an inquisitive mind to learn new technologies and is accomplished at expressing creativity through Actionscript and Flash to build informative, useable, and inspiring media installations, multi-touch surfaces, and immersive Web sites. As a core member of the project team the interactive developer collaborates with designers, producers, and production coordinators to inform the projects’ development trajectory, including prototyping, planning, architecting, and executing code.

Read more about this opportunity.

Front-end Web Developer at Second Story in Portland, OR

Second Story seeks a front-end Web developer to build innovative Web sites using HTML/CSS and JavaScript. The front-end Web developer is an accomplished developer who is passionate and knowledgeable about the opportunities modern Web UI frameworks provide to build informative, useable, and inspiring Web sites. As a core part of the project team the front-end Web developer informs the designer’s creative vision, builds prototypes to prove concepts, creates development plans, and implements the architecture and executes the code to ultimately translate designs into engaging interactive interfaces.

Read more about this opportunity.

Web Developer at Second Story in Portland, OR

Second Story seeks an experienced Web developer to build the databases, Web services, and content management systems that drive the studio’s various interactive projects. The Web developer is passionate and knowledgeable about building reusable server-side frameworks based on Open Source Web technologies and programming practices including PHP, MySQL, Python, and Agile development. As a core member of the project team the Web developer collaborates with designers, producers, and production coordinators to inform the projects’ content management and database trajectory, including documenting, architecting, importing, managing, and developing systems and solutions that manage, serve, and maintain the content through Web based technologies.

Read more about this opportunity.

Infographic Artist at The Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Tribune is looking for the right person to join our infographics team. It is a fast-paced group that does graphics on a range of platforms and on an even wider range of subjects. Our team is a mixture of data visualizers, flash programmers, classic artists and enterprise reporters. Everyone does a little of everything with room for specialization and great opportunities to team up with the Tribune’s watchdog and data teams. The ideal person has the ability to conceptualize, report and execute infographics. This person has to be fast, motivated and ready to contribute to a media company that is not afraid to confront today’s challenges head-on. Media experience is a plus, but not required. We’re looking for a versatile skill set and high energy level. We want someone who can start fast and make an instant impact. Send resumes and work samples to the address below.

Unless otherwise instructed in the job description above, resumes and work samples should be sent to the contact name and address below:

Jonathon Berlin
Graphics editor
Chicago Tribune
400 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
USA

Senior Designer at National Geographic Traveler in Washington D.C.

National Geographic Traveler has an immediate opening for a senior designer at its Washington, DC-based headquarters. Candidates must have 1-3 years design experience in magazine, newspaper and/or web design; possess excellent typographic skills, fluency in CS3/4 InDesign, Illustrator, and PhotoShop, and a solid knowledge of HTML/XML/CSS. Experience in interactive graphics (Flash/ActionScript), video, cartography, or photojournalism a plus. Must be detail-oriented with excellent communication skills. Please submit link to portfolio website or include an attachment with no more than 10 PDF samples of work. To learn more and to apply for the Sr. Designer position, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/jobs Job ID #4103 No telephone calls please.

Multimedia Producer at Newsday.com in Melville, New York

The Multimedia Producer will be responsible for visually covering spot news, general news, features, sports, business and web only assignments in a professional journalistic manner in whatever medium – video, photography, audio, etc. – is most appropriate for the assignment. Job requires proven visual story-telling ability, proficiency in video, audio, digital photography processes (including Photoshop, Photo Mechanic, Final Cut, Soundtrack Pro, Motion, and other video and audio editing software) as well as proficiency with studio lighting and techniques. General computing skills such as text editors, spreadsheets, FTP, HTML as well as the ability to write clean copy are essential.

If you are interested in applying for this position, email your resume and a link to your online reel to arnold.miller@newsday.com and include in the subject line: Multimedia Producer – Interactive.

Web Designer/Graphic Artist at Tulsa World in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Responsible for conceptualizing design and delivery of newsroom and advertising needs for tulsaworld.com. Will be responsible for internet animations, creation and deployment of multimedia projects for the company website. Will create maps, charts, diagrams and photo illustrations for the print product as well. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 1.Bachelor’s degree in Web Design or related area. 2.Minimum of two years experience in art and design for web preferred. 3.Able to create maps, charts, diagrams and photo illustrations within tight deadlines. 4.Must have solid working experience using InDesign, and Acrobat and be able to work in both PC and Mac platforms. 5.Previous experience in newspaper design outside of college preferred. 6.Working knowledge of the news cycle desired. 7.Knowledge of common web-related terms, practices and procedures. 8.Advanced experience in the following: a)HTML b)Dreamweaver c)Flash d)ImageReady e)Photoshop f)Illustrator g)CSS h)JavaScript 9.Audio and video editing experiences a plus. 10.Creative thinker 11.Must understand web concepts, practices and procedures. 12.Must have acceptable attendance and punctuality record. 13.Able to work required hours. The qualified candidate should send resume, cover letter, electronic portfolio and salary history to: hr@tulsaworld.com or fax to (918)584-8966.

We gather employment opportunities as we come across them on our Facebook’s discussion board. Are you an employer and want to feature a job opening? Post it there and we will automatically include it in next month’s round-up. Or, feel free to email us your listing at innovativeinteractivity@gmail.com.
Other posts that might interest you:

• January 2010 job opportunities
• February 2010 job opportunities
• December 2009 job opportunities