Frequently Asked Questions
March 14-19, 2010; Norman, OK
- My boss has promised to send me but the enrollment deadline is approaching and the company still hasn't cut a check. How can I get you to hold a slot for me?
- The only way to be considered for a Shoot & Edit slot is to make sure your online or mailed application arrives before the 60 slots are filled. Registrants after that point can be put on the waiting list in case there are cancellations, but they are not guaranteed a slot.
- Several friends have told me that I should attend NPPA's NewsVideo Workshop, but I'm a reporter and don't ever plan on picking up a camera. Is this workshop really for me?
- Over one-third of attendees are just like you - producers, editors and reporters. And with new, lighter shooting gear and integrated editing equipment everyone is being asked to do everything more and more. Learning video storytelling is an insurance policy for ANY journalist working in todays print and television newsrooms. While we pay plenty of attention to the technical aspects of videography, our curriculum revolves around storytelling. Also, don't forget to bring a couple of short stories on VHS; each non-shooting participant will be scheduled for a 30-minute private critique session with a faculty member.
- My station isn't very anxious to give me an entire week off to attend the Workshop. Can I come for just a few days?
- The Workshop curriculum is intensive and progressive. We believe it is really important for attendees to be with us for the entire week. Get a co-worker to cover for you. Give up a few holidays. Take some comp time. Take the entire week off and pay your own way if necessary. The NewsVideo Workshop is one of the best professional investments you can make.
- We don't shoot with Sony DVCams at my station. Can I bring a DVC-Pro camera?
- Yes, many of our machines will be compatible with DVCPro, but be prepared to firewire out how to dub into our non-linear systems. We will also have some Sony Beta-SP machines for playback, but there is no SX. While Workshop exercises are screened and critiqued on Sony DVCam machines, Shoot & Edit participants are welcome to use any professional format video camera they wish, as long as they can convert. The non-DV photojournalists shooting any format without firewire must bring the necessary hardware (dub cables or a player if your camera does not playback an NTSC signal) to dub field cassettes for review. Everyone must bring a couple blank DVCam tapes to critique both raw and edited assignments.
- What about those of us who shoot with a mini-DV camera like the Canon XL-1?
- High-end mini-DV is acceptable as long as the camera has the necessary professional features such as manual white balance and focus. The requirements for dubbing to DVCam prior to screening listed apply.
- What about security for my gear on site?
- Your gear is your responsibility. The NPPA and OCCE are not responsible for theft or damage at any time.
- I work in Europe and we shoot PAL. Do I have to rent an NTSC camera?
- You can bring your PAL camera and, for a nominal rental fee, use our standards converter to make an NTSC dub. You must also meet the requirements listed for all non-Beta shooters regarding playing your recordings. You may need to bring a PAL player; remember that older Betacams, such as the BVW 300/400 series, cannot play tapes without a special adapter.
- I'm still in high school but have studied media and television for three years. Can I attend?
- NPPA is always eager to encourage students of all ages, but the NewsVideo Workshop operates at a level that may be too challenging for the experience and maturity levels of most high-schoolers.
- When I go out on a shoot, I sometimes bring two or three cases of lighting equipment. Do I really need all of my lights for Workshop assignments?
- While good lighting is an important element of every story and there will be one or two sessions devoted to this topic, the focus of the student exercises is on storytelling. Two or three lights will be more than enough.
- I'm a student with limited resources and attending the Workshop will be a real budget-buster. Is it really worth it?
- If you're headed for a career in broadcast journalism, the $400 for tuition plus travel, meals & housing, while it adds up to a lot of money, could be the best investment you ever make. You will attend all of the lectures and critiques of exercises shot by Shoot & Edit participants. We also lay on some special "For Students Only" sessions and you will have a chance to have some of your work critiqued by pros.
- How will I know if I've been accepted as a Shoot & Edit participant?
- If you register online and your Shopping Cart says Shoot & Edit, you're in. Offline registrants (and those wanting reassurance) should check the attendees list.
- If there is a cancellation on the Shoot & Edit list, the people on the waiting list will be contacted to see if they want to upgrade.
- I'm an editor. What's in the NewsVideo Workshop for me?
- While there is no formal concentration on editing, the focus of the workshop is "StoryTelling with Pictures." Forty of the nation's best of the best visual storytellers are the class guides. Photojournalists, editors, producers, assignment editors and reporters all attend classes together. Through examples of excellence from the faculty and the self-actualization process of "reading & writing" visual language, each participant leaves with a new awareness of the creative process.
- I'm in the military. Can I pay with a government-issued credit card?
- If you are attending this year’s Workshop and have been authorized to pay on site for your registration with a government-issued credit card, please obtain an authorization code from the card issuer before arriving on site. The code can be obtained from Bank of America and authorizes the NPPA to run a charge on the card for your registration fee. The card cannot be charged without this prior authorization, so please make sure it is obtained in advance of your arrival.
