Deadline pressure will always be challenging, but that wasn’t the pressuring part. The pressuring part for me is to get the job done correctly the first time. However, I am learning that I am going to need guidance from those who are experts in the field of communications. For example, for the first major project which was due earlier this week, I decided to an article and video. Jeff helped with the writing portion and Jesús, helped me with video.
Writing is something I know I still need to work on but, I always thought I was pretty good with video editing. What I learned this week was that for some time now I have managed to “make it work.” By way of illustration, I edited videos for WM&G TV news on campus and for assignments in class. However, though the videos were good enough for a passing grade, I still did not understand the technical aspects of Adobe Premiere Pro. Of course, this reason is that I was self-taught for the longest up until recently.
Most times with video editing I look for shortcuts to complete a project on Premiere Pro. However, this week while receiving assistance from Jesús, he revealed several techniques I did not know. I struggled with my audio levels, they were too high. Jesús helped me to organize the audio with the video. For instance, the audio I used for B-roll should be at the same level as the B-roll.
This may sound confusing but it makes sense as a broadcast student. When he showed me that tool I was blown away and immediately humbled. I understood that I did not know as much as I thought I knew about Adobe Premiere Pro as I thought I did.
The writing was not as complex however, as aforementioned, it still has its challenges. The writing professor, Jeff, advised me to try writing shorter sentences. Additionally, he advised me to always tell a story with your writing. “Use your five senses,” he said countless times when editing my writing.
This week, I have begun working on my final project. The final project was supposed to be a group project however, I will be completing the project alone. The story I chose to report on is called, “Validating the Black Existence,” here in Valencia, Spain. Initially, I felt self-conscience about my decision to report on such a topic. Then, after considering other possible stories and doing some research, I became confident in my choice.
In my research I found that the black population is an extremely small minority here in Valencia. Interestingly enough though, it is growing and becoming more a part of the community here in Spain. There are many pro-black organizations in Spain pushing to make the African culture more prevalent. After interviewing some people already, I see their hope in a more diverse Valencia. Even I notice that black people in Valencia is beginning to be a social norm and not a cultural shock.
Deadline pressure can be demanding and sometimes overwhelming. However, this program is showing me that when you do what you love, the deadlines aren’t so bad.