Gold

Girls Engine Team

Glenbrook North

Feature Story

Entry Description

This is a news package on a very unlikely team at our school...a girls engine team. Yup, a team of girls who assemble a car engine for competition. We've had a boys team for years but now the girls team is getting their hands dirty too.

Judge 1

Positives: good story cool b-roll

Improvements: use tripod for b-roll interview audio a bit low some shots have soft focus

Judge 2

Positives: Excellent choice in story subject. It's important to challenge audiences and expose them to ideas they're not always going to see in their own backyard. Very good editing. The choice of the coach's opening countdown added energy to the piece, and you chose very dynamic bytes from your subjects.

Improvements: Angle of eye-line. Try to have the interviewer sit as close to the camera as possible. This will ensure the subject's eyes look as close to the lens as they can (without looking directly into it.) You may consider adding subtle music to this piece to make it seem fuller. You may consider getting more CU's in your b-roll. There was a missed opportunity with this piece, as much of the interesting work mechanics do is at the closeup level. There were a couple of sound bytes, particularly from the coach, that could've had a bit more b-roll over it. You don't necessarily need to include the audio from the b-roll you're using, particularly when it's distracting to the viewer (e.g.: during the reporter's sign-off.)

Judge 3

Positives: Good variety of interview subjects and locations. Great pace to story. Everything well explained and fleshed out in the given time restraint.

Improvements: Use of music/score could really help take this piece to the next level. Taking time to set up lighting for interviews could really help distinguish the footage as well as add some visual variety.