1st Place
Paul Giorgio WKMG, Orlando "Don't Let it Be"
Judges Comments
MB - 9 9 9 9 - Great job! Perfect characters. Outstanding framing. You either got really lucky on that lady's friend in the begining showing up or you have amazing patience and anticipation. I actually felt chills during the "lost 10 people" bite. Loved that you let that breathe. Not much to knit pick here. I think heard the track distort once. Maybe a stronger closing shot. I'm with you on closing with emotion but because she was wearing sunglasses there was just a smidge of emotional disconnect. Really great piece. |
HD WFAA - 9 9 9 9 - YES. YES. YES. Tell me a national story through the eyes and experience of a single person who can speak to our collective grief. You stepped back and gave her room to think and express her grief. It's rare, but stories can make the viewer have revelations or realize feelings they've had they didn't conciously know. This was that kind of piece. Watching this causes reflection. Good work. And bravo for making that woman comfortable enough to share her truth. One last thing - the audio of her breathing was powerful. Thank you for keeping it. She was strugging to keep her breath. Overwhelmed. It spoke volumes. |
PT WFAA - 8 7 7 8 - You grabbed an amazing character here, and you moved around to capture her from different angles and perspectives. Very nice. We did need to see her eyes, however. If you didn't want to break the moment I completely understand, though. Just something to think about. Overall, this is very good stuff. |
2nd Place
Jesse Burkett-Hall WTIC, Hartford "Why My Son Went to War"
Judges Comments
HD WFAA - 8 9 8 9 - GREAT WORK. Good framing on interviews. Good nats. good variety. Good tracking and weaving of nats, sound and track. Really enjoyed it. Quality shooting, quality writing, quality editting. Final soundbite was a great way to end. |
MB WFAA - 8 8 9 9 - I freaking loved this story! Nice opening shot and closing moment. Great action. Would have liked a little more use of the tripod because your subjexts aren't exactly moving fast but overall good job!!!! |
PT WFAA - 7 8 7 7 - Very nice job here. Lots of good NATS and the shot variance was nice. I will nitpick and say the NATS were a little too loud there in the middle. They were overpowering the reporter track. Great effort overall.
3rd Place
Ken Deyoe TWC News, Albany "Field Renovations"
Judges Comments
MB - 6 9 8 8 - This was great. Awesome nats. Nice editing. Loved the gopro on the rake. Hard to believe you got this done in 4 hours. You must be one really fast editor. I could hear all the little nats woven under even sots. Only thing I didn't like was the stand up. I could tell the reporter just had to have himself in there but with awesome the rest of the piece was I know you could have been more creative than that. |
HD - 7 9 8 8 - GREAT FRAMING. Interesting and visually entertaining to watch. Bravo on your amount of tight shots and nats. You worked your ass off and it showed. I almost never say this... but give me a few more medium or wide wide shots to give context of the work. Great editing. Great shooting. A few more wides put it al into perspective. |
PT WFAA - 7 8 8 8 - Very nice. Pacing was great, lots of different interview angles, and nats throughout. Your medium and tight shots were great, but don't forget your wide shots! Remember, the field is technically a character in this story. When the sound bite refers to the field sitting dormant, we need to see that field. Believe me, I get it...wide shots can come across a little flat, but they're important here. Overall, great work. Really enjoyed this one.
Honorable Mention
Jeff Hogan WGME, Portland, ME "Father's Day Golf"
Judges Comments
MB - 9 6 6 9 - I really loved the subject and characters. Great use of gopro. That closing shot was so good! Nat packs can be a challenge to make sense but you nailed it. A couple things we're a little off. Your first sot, should've covered it. It was hot and backlit. Some of the audio was low. Must have been a work out hauling the camera up and down the golf course. |
HD WFAA - 7 7 7 9 - Loved this slice of life peace. It was subtle - nothing flashy - as it should be! It simple piece about a simple afternoon together, one of the greatest pleasures in life. You caught real candid moments and let them breathe! Bravo. Audio was low in some area - boost that up so i can hear. loved the closing shot. Bet the family loved it too. what a great fathers day present. |
PT WFAA - 5 6 6 8 - You definitely captured a happy father with his sons. At the end of the day, that's really what your goal was here, so nice job. Considering you're on a golf course moving around from hole to hole, I'm assuming you weren't able to lug around your tripod. But there are other ways to get clean interview shots. Maybe prop the camera up on something. The medium shots were just a little too shaky at times.
Judges: WFAA, Dallas