Interactive Find

Really cool multimedia project for a documentary being made about Main streets in the U.S.  Just type in your city & state in the Search box, and it’ll show either photos or video of that city’s Main St. (if it still exists). The filmmakers are encouraging visitors to submit materials representing their respective Main streets for inclusion in the film and/or site.

Speaking of Things Worth Watching

Thanks to my friend Grant, I bought this whistle (in silver) after coming back from New York in January and having met the roommate of one of the guys who started this. Not only are their videos compelling and beautifully edited, the emails I receive from being on their mailing list demand to be archived – they are that graphically appealing and well-written.

The Cultivated Word also produces some amazing stuff worthy of a look. Here are a few samples of their work:

Let’s Start a Learning Revolution from Skillshare on Vimeo.

Get Smart On Your Next Jog

Every Tuesday night, I hand over to my Media Writing instructor two typed pages summarizing what I’ve listened to and watched since the last class. While I can’t say that I’ve enjoyed these exercises (stemmed from the fact that I force myself to listen to these podcasts, stories, and accounts twice – first to process the information or message and second to jot down notes), it’s admittedly good practice in terms of analyzing what makes an interview effective and entertaining and what doesn’t work. Of course, I normally wait until the day before class to complete these media diaries.

This morning over a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal – you’d be eating this too if you realized you’re going to be bikini-bound for three days next month as part of a bachelorette extravaganza in Mexico – I came upon a tweet that mentioned The Perils of Procrastination. More than ever before, I’ve been feeling sharp pangs of guilt for succumbing to the evil that is the art of procrastination. Actually, I’ve mastered it this semester (maybe because it’s spring?) and feel that I deserve a secondary degree in this field. So, of course, instead of poking around the web for stories worth listening to and watching, I clicked the link that took me to the podcast list for Dan Ariely’s Arming the Donkey. <insert choir music and ray of light through stained glass>

I’ve struck Podcast GOLD. Ariely is a James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University and offers his podcasts for free on iTunes. These podcasts are casual conversations (usually over a lunch of sushi or happy hour drink) with researchers on studies that range from procrastination to overconfidence to HIV to dating and beyond. The beauty of these conversations lies in the fact that the findings are expressed in plain language, as opposed to scientific mumbo jumbo that can be dry and leave you quite bored. Ariely also has a knack for playing dumb and asking the right questions, along with possessing an interesting accent (which I find always helps to keep someone amused when listening to podcasts, voice overs, or audio clips). There are a total of 79 that you can download, again, for FREE. This guy basically has one of my dream jobs. Now go, spice up your playlist.

Because It’s Monday

Art in Revolution

The San Francisco International Film Festival (hosted by SF Film Society) is back for its 54th year. The festival will run from April 21st through May 5th and hold screenings throughout the city, with many of them happening in Japantown’s Kabuki Theater and New People.

This afternoon, I met up with a friend to catch Microphone, an Egyptian film about social messages communicated through street culture in present-day Alexandria – namely graffiti art, underground music, skateboarding, and documentary filmmaking. The title reflects a parallel between the plot and partial objective of the film, which is to promote street culture and its charismatic players in the urban and liberal  city of Alexandria (a city caught under the constraints of a conservative government and past). The non-linear storytelling technique used by director Ahmed Abdallah might be lost on audiences earlier on in the narrative, but if you stick it out and watch the entire film, there is a very cohesive and rewarding message, regardless of the outcome for all characters introduced.

It also didn’t hurt that the lead male character, Khaled Abou El Naga, so closely resembled McNulty from HBO’s The Wire. Here’s the teaser for the film. (I highly recommend ordering and watching the film if just for music that will give you goosebumps.)

The director was not able to attend the screening, though El Naga (who also produced the film) represented him, gave context surrounding the fruition of making this film, and answered questions from members of the audience. El Naga also addressed the serendipitous timing with the uprising in Egypt earlier this year. The film opened in Egypt on January 25th, which is now globally recognized as the official start of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. (While the video is not great, the audio is worth listening to if you’re making dinner, coffee, or just getting ready in the morning.)

A Happy Friday Indeed

I was just saying goodbye to my friend Nate who crashed on my couch after the event last night, when I got a message from a guy who graduated from UCSB the same year I did (and whom I’ve met and talked to maybe a few handful of times) offering to give me one of the Treasure Island Music Festival tickets he won last night at Japan Aid. He said he wouldn’t have known about the event if I hadn’t posted it on Facebook a while back. Are you kidding me? Who does that? What a generous guy. I am floored, thankful, and so excited!

Partying for a Cause

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 Photo credit: Benjamin Narcisco Galvez
Photography

Last night was incredibly humbling. A good number of former co-workers, fellow Gaucho alumni, and Bay area friends came out to support Japan Aid SF, and we made almost $6K in ticket and raffle sales.  Not bad for a small Thursday event, especially when you consider the little time we had to plan. Mieko and JT really pulled it off and had generous volunteers bake and cook delicious food for the guests, convinced local businesses to donate awesome raffle prizes, and asked three talented philathropy-friendly bands (Sentinel, Poeticali Distherbd, Sambaxe) to play in front of a very pumped up crowd. It was a healthy turnout, along with a really fun vibe, and we couldn’t have asked more from the people who came to show their support, as well as those who weren’t able to make it, but donated anyway. A massive thank you is in order.

For those of you who missed the benefit and still want to contribute, you may donate directly to JCCCNC’s Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, and it will be tax-deductible.

Roundup

When you live in a city like San Francisco, the amount of activities – that involve all the senses – available to you throughout any one week is overwhelming. Here’s what I’m excited about this week:

Thursday – JapanAidSF is a Noise Pop sponsored music extravaganza & benefit my friends JT and Mieko Yeh (brother-sister team) are throwing at the Make Out Room from 7-10pm. Online ticketing is available for $15 (covers entrance) and comes with one raffle ticket. Online Raffle tickets are also being sold until Wednesday night, so get them while you can – if not, you can also buy them at the event. In fact, I’ll be selling them at the table by the stage from 7:45-8:45 that night, so come drop a line or two and keep me company. So many incredibly generous donors and worthy prizes – *some of them not even listed.*

Friday – Muni Diaries, also at the Make Out Room from 7:30 – 9:30pm. Ok – so I probably won’t go to this since I refuse to pay to hear stories about smelling stale urine in the mornings on the way to work, turning away from the unsightly genitals of a wandering derelict on the 38 Geary, and watching two elderly Chinese women duke it out for a seat on the crowded 1 going up Sacramento any time between 4 and 7pm on a weekday. I can get that talking to my friends and former co-workers. Since you really can get a feel for a city once you use it’s public transportation, I’d recommend this to someone who’s new to SF or simply just visiting.

Saturday – And what would we do without our farmers markets? Not only can we get the most savory, satiating porchetta sandwich from the Roli Roti truck on Thursdays at the Ferry building, inexpensive, fresh, and organic produce at the Civic Center on Wednesdays, and tasty Mexican street fare at Alemany, we now have the SF Underground Market, hosted by ForageSF.  It’s something I’ve wanted to try for myself since its inception, and finally plan on doing so, along with my friend Liz, this weekend. Here’s a recent NYT article about the monthly event. Try and tell me those pork belly banh mi(s) do not make your mouth water. Unless you’re vegetarian, or vegan, or on a strict microbiotic Gwyneth Paltrow pre-Mario Batali co-hosting days diet. Then, I’d just feel sympathy for you.

She says it better than I ever could

Forbes’ Leading Lady

 A reporter from Forbes Video Network,  Kym McNicholas, came to speak in my  Writing for Media class this past  Tuesday. She’s a former student and  mentee of my instructor, Peter Shaplen,  and reports mainly on the convergence  of extreme lifestyles and business  personalities, having produced a  particular online series called Personal  Best. In this series, McNicholas profiles  up-and-coming, as well as established  entrepreneurs and executives whom are  not only acclimated to living extremely  rewarding, adventurous lives, but also  apply those lessons they learn on the  track, in mid-air, and under deep waters into their board room meetings. In short, she has a dream job – traveling to exotic islands and treacherous mountains, meeting successful and inspiring leaders, participating in extreme sports alongside these dare devils…

While I have always been attracted to the underdog story, there is something very tempting about having the opportunity to shadow these luminaries, even if just for a day’s assignment. Hell, if I was being paid to race a car, kite board on snow-capped mountains, or spend a week on an island getting to know a bunch of high-profile strangers and then report on it – sign me up.

Besides sharing her many adventures, McNicholas spoke of –

• changes in the media landscape – something many of us hear, read, and talk about.
• the importance of maintaining a current blog – how you must find your niche and personal passions and integrate them into your posts – so that you are facilitating valuable conversation, eliciting constructive feedback, and building community.
• engaging your audience. Not just attracting followers, but sustaining their attention and providing them with information they are not finding elsewhere.
• knowing which medium to use in terms of distributing a story. Something could be effective and persuading in writing, but even better as a graphic. Or it could be the decision to publish a video interview versus a transcribed Q & A. Know how your story can be best told and where it will reach the most audiences.

If you held an interview, and the visual was just not at the level of quality you are proud of, convert it into an mp3 file and allow your audience to just listen to the audio. Not all is lost.

As a journalist, there is a fine line between telling a story and telling a story with an opinion or bias. You are discouraged from taking sides. Kym addressed this by asking us to consider writing “back stories.”  These are the mental (and written notes) you compile about an encounter, conversation, visit, or any content that was not included in the main story, but gems people might find interesting or relevant. It’s sort of a behind-the-scenes perspective or a director’s cut. Most of all – if you’re going to make an argument, make sure that you support your stance with facts and strong evidence. People can be so critical and will analyze every word, incorrect statement, even grammar and spelling mistakes.

Another point that resonated with me was – select your mentors carefully. These are people whose advice and feedback you will internalize and affect the way you work, think, and behave. Just because someone has served as your mentor for a considerable amount of time doesn’t mean they will always belong on that list. Make it an exclusive list, and make them earn their spot.

It’s obvious that I really enjoyed Kym’s visit on Tuesday and look forward to applying these tips to my work in the future, whether it be academically or out in the field. Hope you got something out of it too.