52644 Visual Journalism
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 8 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ10046 Journalism Major OR 12 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09478 48cp Journalism Major OR 12 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09486 48cp Journalism Major
Description
In this subject, students gain essential skills in visual storytelling and explore the practical, critical and theoretical aspects of journalism through the context of broadcasting, photojournalism and documentary filmmaking. Students learn about historical developments, the technical landscape and the visual language of composition and cinematography in newsgathering, reporting, photography and video production. Students develop journalism skills in research, sourcing, interviewing and story development in conjunction with production skills such as producing, directing, scriptwriting, photography, film work, sound recording, lighting, editing and production workflows; learn about journalism's use of emergent technologies such as visualisation through AI and AR and apply advance techniques in narrative construct through correction and grading, AB cutting, sound, intent and production design. They learn how subtext and meaning are created through visualisation and editing and explore context and ethical responsibilities and implications.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Identify the newsworthiness, journalism and reporting available across the visual domain |
|---|---|
| b. | Demonstrate advance techniques in photojournalism and filmmaking including composition and design, production value and visual theory |
| c. | Research, analyse and understand the workflow required to produce broadcast standard newsgathering and documentaries |
| d. | Communicate clearly and accurately as a producer/director using a range of approaches, tools and techniques |
| e. | Apply principles of cinematography, camera-work, lighting, sound design and post-production to deliver a strong visual narrative |
| f. | Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct in the reporting, production, editing and delivery of visual journalism |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
- Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media (1.2)
- Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)
- Utilise digital literacy and production skills across a range of media (6.2)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops and online modules for pre-class preparation. Tutorials incorporate class-based discussion and a range of practical, hands-on activities that give students basic technical proficiency in visual technologies and an understanding of the required industry skills. Lectures and online modules are focused on grounding those practical activities in theoretical and critical discussion about visual storytelling in short and long form video, visual literacy, and the role of emergent technologies and diversity in digital journalism. Students apply the practical skills and theoretical understanding they develop to individual assessments and in-class group work activities and receive formative feedback before the submission of their assessments.
Content (topics)
This subject introduces students to visual journalism including emergent technologies such as augmented-reality journalism, drones and satellites, as well as the ethical practice of journalism in a contemporary context through the use of a multiplicity of sources. Students learn the origins of visual journalism, theories of narrative, journalistic ethics and diversity in reportage which will scaffold their assessments in the subject. Practice-based opportunities build students’ skills in video journalism in the context of the digital transformation of the industry. Students apply the principles of video storytelling including narrative, voice and composition to the production of both short and long form reporting in their assessments. Students are expected to conduct independent research, source and film interviews and edit footage to produce video content for social media and online documentary.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Portrait Feature
| Intent: | Students produce a portrait feature. They research, interview and identify an individual interest story and proceed to produce, manage, prep and photograph their subject. Students then produce a portfolio spread with their images including captions, layout and visual design for final presentation. They construct their visual narrative based on the theories and applications of environmental photojournalism and employ advance techniques in photography composition, mise en scene, production value and technical proficiency. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | a, b, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | Students must select the best 8 stills from their set and present them as a portfolio. The portfolio should be between between 5-8 pages where layout and design defines the final look and feel as well as the intent of the body of work. Students should discuss at length the story angle, journalism, creative direction and art direction of their final presentation during tutorial classes. The portfolio should be submitted/uploaded as a PDF document. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: News Package
| Intent: | Students produce a 60 sec contemporary broadcast/social news package including original research, sourcing, interviewing, scriptwriting and production. They identify the newsworthiness in their story and apply the appropiate visual design, theory and workflow as producer-journalists. They showcase technical profiency working with industry standard cameras, audio recorders (mics), lighting gear and NLE apps such as Adobe Premiere. They apply contemporary visual journalism theories and production techniques, concepts and ethics as outlined in lectures, tutorials and workshops and proceed to package a visually engaging news piece. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | a, d, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | Video Duration: 60sec | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Short-Form Doco
| Intent: | In groups of 3-4 and under the supervision of their tutor, students produce a 3-5min short-form documentary and accompanying treatment. They identify a newsworthy topic/angle, research, interview and propose their final idea though a pitch doc/treatment. The treatment should also outline the individual roles in the group such as director, producer, cinematographer, editor. The group then plans, schedules, films, edits and delivers their final major work to spec and broadcast industry standards. The final output should demontrate technical proficiency in camera work, application of film theory and visual storytelling principles, production know-how and a deep understanding of visual narrative construct. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | a, b, e and f | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 3-5min | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Attendance at classes is essential in this subject. Classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each class (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).
Required texts
Links to additional learning modules/readings (hybrid learning) will be available on Canvas week-to-week.
References
Arvanitakis J. et al. (2020). Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? Putting the spotlight on cultural and linguistic diversity in television, news and current affairs. Media Diversity Australia. August 17.
Bossio D. (2017). Journalism and social media: Practitioners, organisations and institutions. Switzerland: Springer.
Bradshaw P. (2017). The Online Journalism Handbook: Skills to survive and thrive in the digital age, 2nd Edtn, Oxon: Routledge.
Briggs, M. E. (2019). Journalism Next: A Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing. United States: SAGE Publications.
Cox, J. B. (2020). Feature Writing and Reporting: Journalism in the Digital Age. United States: SAGE Publications.
Dunham, R. S. (2019). Multimedia Reporting: How Digital Tools Can Improve Journalism Storytelling. Germany: Springer Singapore.
Hanitzsch T, Hanusch F, Ramaprasad J and de Beer AS (eds). (2019). Worlds of Journalism: Journalistic Cultures Around the Globe. New York: Columbia University Press.
Harcup T. (2020). What’s the Point of News? A Study in Ethical Journalism. Switzerland: Springer.
Hill S and Bradshaw P. (2018). Mobile-First Journalism: Producing News for Social and Interactive media. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Kovach B. and Rosenstiel T. (2014). The Elements of Journalism, 3rd edtn. Crown
Lind, RA. (2019). Race/Gender/Class/Media: Considering Diversity across Audiences, Content and Producers. New York: Routledge.
Metykova M. (2016). Diversity and the Media, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Newman N. (2021). Journalism, media and technology trends and predictions 2021. Available at: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-01/Newman_Predictions_2021_FINAL.pdf
Pearl, M. (2020). The Solo Video Journalist: Doing It All and Doing It Well in TV Multimedia Journalism. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Pearson M and Polden M. (2019). The journalist's guide to media law: a handbook for communicators in a digital world, 6th edtn. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Steensen S and Westlund O (2020). What is Digital Journalism Studies? London: Routledge.
Tilton, S. (2020). The Journalism Breakdown: Writing Multimedia Journalism Content in an Era of Changing Media Systems & Economic Models. (n.p.): Cfsc Publishing.
Zelizer B. (2017). What Journalism Could Be. Cambridge: Polity Press.