I learned a lot over the course of the class. I worked with video for the first time, data analysis to a significant degree for the first time, and tried my had with photography in tandem with writing for the first time.
Previously, I tried to communicate whatever message I was trying to pass on via the written word only. I had very little access to technology, and absolutely no skill base to use it in any respect. Eventually, I moved from written word to spoken word, and tried to ride off of just those two skills. I realize now how unrealistic of an expectation that is as someone who is starting out in any of the industries that I'm involved with.
Data analysis was something that I wasn't very estranged from, considering how similar the necessary skill set is to a literary or rhetorical analysis. When you break the different disciplines down to their most base components. Put simply, all three are about taking a unified piece of work, deciding what kind of narrative the work is trying to communicate, and creating an argument or opinion based on that. Data analysis does fit these categories, but it also requires the writer to insert more of their creativity by extrapolating the data, and creating avenues to expand on it. That in particular is something I find extremely difficult. However, practicing that skill in the last ten weeks has made it much easier.
Photography is a topic that I have always thoroughly enjoyed, but I never understood any of the method that acted as the building blocks to the art form. The rule of thirds, different shot angles, and categories have pulled the veil away from a skill that while I enjoyed it, I was horrible at it. A basic understanding of shot composition is as much of a necessity for a photographer as color theory is for a painter.
Audio engineering and editing was the only skill that I had any understanding of coming into JRN 4100. That said, my understanding was of sonic principles, performance halls, microphone configurations, mic designations, and of very specific musical editing. I had very little to no experience working with voice overs. This semester has drastically increased my understanding of both, and this class allowed me to hone in on what I really needed to fix in order to create a smooth listening experience in a podcast format. Smoothing out issues, correct implementation of fades, EQing the spoken voice, and very light use of compression.
Video editing was a skill that I was blatantly afraid to get into, I have no access to the technology necessary to accomplish it at any level, or at least I didn't up until this semester. The requirement of this course forced me out into a skill that I ended up enjoying a great deal, and I purchased Adobe Premier which made my life immensely easier. All of the shot composition elements from photography can be applied here, as well as a much deeper understanding of shot composition. I love learning how much I have left to learn, and the info that we went over in this course only served to whet my palette on this topic.
Overall, as a freelance music reviewer, audio editor, and gigging musician this course taught me how wide of a world it is out there, and how many different ways that I can apply my skills to better my craft across multiple avenues. I can't think of any elements of this course that I won't be leaning on in the future when I'm applying for jobs, or in positions where I'm doing multimedia direction like I was hired for earlier this year.