Workshop: ‘Documenting Our Lives With Video’

Denison University’s Center for Narrative Journalism presents a series of “Tell Better Stories” workshops led by locals supported by the Mellon grant in downtown Newark.

Doug Swift will lead the February workshop: “Documenting Our Lives With Video.”

Most of us carry movie cameras in our pockets. With a little training, we can put these smart phone cameras to work, not only recording important parts of our lives, but using this intention to feel more connected to the things that matter to us. We can all become storytellers. For many folks, this means learning to take good home movies. For other folks, it means documenting the things in our communities that are unfair or unjust, becoming citizen journalists. Sometimes the family stories and public engagement are entwined.  Together we’ll learn some basic principles of storytelling with our phone-video cameras including composition, understanding light, putting our subject at ease, and use of interviews. When you leave, you’ll be ready to start capturing important and life-changing video.  

Swift is a documentary filmmaker and creative director of Wild Iris Video. He’s placed short documentary films at CET TV and 100 Days in Appalachia and teaches English classes at Denison University.

Workshop is free and open to the public.
Registration is required.
To register, email Beth Lossing at lossingb@denison.edu.

Event funded in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and a gift by alumna Sue O’Donnell.