JO 550, Advanced Online Journalism, Boston University

1. Today‟s Topic: Project Planning
Rule No. 1: Start early!
Rule No. 2: Start early!
Rule No. 3: Start early!

2. Fact:
 Projects involving multimedia take
longer to produce than you‟d think.
 Even elements that look simple…

3. Working as a Team
Rule No. 1: Working in a team does not have to
be contentious.
“Disagreement is different from disrespect.”
(Credit: Jennifer George-Palilonis, The Mulimedia Journalist)

4. Working as a Team
 Make sure everyone has a chance to
express opinions.
 Choose your battles wisely.
 Compromise.
 Keep an eye out for info that might help
your other teammates.

5. Where to Start: Organize
 Configure collaboration tools to make your
lives easier.
 Share deadlines, documents, schedules.
 Examples
Google Drive offers: Calendar,
documents, spreadsheets,
forms & more.
 Virtual Meetings:
Skype, Google Hangouts

6. Where to Start
 Pick a great story. (Easy, right?)
 Pick something that lends itself
to multimedia treatment: text, video,
photo, audio, interactive.

7. Where to Start
Decide on Your Focus (This may change!)
 What‟s your story?
 Why would your audience care?
 What‟s the goal?: Inform, enlighten,
educate, “edutainment,”
or just tell a powerful/interesting story.

8. Good Multimedia Stories:
 Usually include strong visuals, action.
 Have something that can be illustrated with
an interactive graphic or animation
 Have compelling character(s):
People who can tell their story.
 Have an emotional component (great for
photos, audio, video.)

9. Good MM: Not Redundant
 No: Text version of a
story accompanied
by a video clip that
essentially tells the
same story.
 Yes!: Elements
should complement
and support the
story.
Don‟t do multimedia for multimedia‟s sake. Make it count!

10. Best MM Packages: Non-linear
 User choose how to navigate the story.

11. Where to Start: Next…
Identify what you need to produce
to tell the story.
 Text, Video, Photos, Map, Data Viz
Reality Check
This will help you:
1. Set deadlines, identify holes, be realistic.
2. Identify equipment, software, etc. required.

12. Next…
 Decide who will produce all of this stuff!
Divvy up Jobs. Examples:
 Project manager
 Writer
 Photographer
 Interactive producer
 Web producer

13. Then: Research, Research
Here‟s where your focus may change.
 Not enough resources/interviews.
 Too many resources/interviews.
 No data? Too much data?
Compile content. Create lists, contact info.
Look for other ideas/angles in this phase.

14. Create a Plan
Yes, write it down. 
Create spreadsheets, checklists
Set deadlines, goals and try to stick to „em.

15. Example: Project Planning
Rochester, NY Democrat & Chronicle
Project: Day in the Life of a HS

16. Key Points: HS Project
Team created plans for 6, 4, 2 weeks out.
6 Weeks: Decided to present story as a series,
began working on summaries for each.
4 Weeks: Started storyboarding
2 Weeks: Started building “dummy” web pages
with placeholder content.

17. Match Stories to Media
Project Planning. Example Grid

18. Create a Content Budget
List every story, element.

19. Next: Gather Content
Schedule, schedule, schedule:
 Interviews
 Equipment reservations
 Anything that requires advance
permission – start early!
 Select templates, graphics, etc., to give
the project the right look and feel.

20. Time Management Tips
Give yourselves enough time to recover from:
 Disasters (shooting, editing blowups)
 Schedule changes (yours, sources)
 Things You Can‟t Control:
Weather, earthquakes, etc.

21. Next: Storyboard, Sketch
 Create site maps, storyboards
Home
More
Video Resources

22. Next: Production
Write, edit, configure
 Don‟t get too hung up on the technology.
Keep the focus on the story.
 Identify elements that can be completed
early, others later.
 Try not to pull all-nighters at the end.
Think Phased Deadlines.

23. Time Management Tip
 Do not try to learn complicated stuff
on deadline: software, shooting, editing.
 It will lead to shortcuts…

24. Don‟t Skip: Testing &
Revision
 Create it.
 Test it.
 Revise, fix problems.
 Then….Launch!