Getting the #MOJO on: Hacks/Hackers Casablanca tackles mobile reporting
Moroccan journalists and trainers share tips and tricks on mobile journalism at #HHCAS.
Smartphones are the most used tool for storytelling the world has ever seen. We all know the statistics: 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, Facebook generates eight billion video views per day, by next year, 80% of all internet traffic will be video.
All of that activity isn’t taking place with desktops and heavy cameras.
Fortunately, for those of us without a background in filming, editing and publishing video reports who want to engage their audiences in this way, creating good quality videos with a smartphone is getting easier all the time.
However, in Morocco, many journalists are shy about creating mobile videos. Partly this is because of the lack of specialised training available. Aside from quality issues, this also leads to concerns about what you can and can’t publish, especially when streaming video in realtime, and what the safety aspects of recording events are when working in potentially dangerous areas.
Some of these concerns came up at the end of the previous HHCAS meetup on interactive storytelling, during which participants were introduced to MOJO by EL Mostafa ISSAAD, a Moroccan journalist, blogger and researcher in new media.
We addressed the need for more information in the most recent Hacks/Hackers Casablanca meetup.
Introduction to MOJO tools
We started once more with a presentation on common MOJO apps and tools, and alternatives for different mobile operating system (Android or iOS).
Some of the functional topics addressed included:
- Photo shooting & Editing apps (Camera; Adobe Photoshop Express; Snapseed)
- Video recording apps (FiLMiC Pro; Cinema FV-5)
- Video editing apps (KineMaster; iMovie ; WeVideo ; Pinnacle Studio)
- Audio Recording and Editing apps ( PCM Recorder; Voice Recorder Pro)
- Live Streaming apps (Periscope ; Meerkat ; Ustream ; Bambuser).
The history of video making over time
Once the participants had a clear idea on MOJO and its importance, we took them to the next level (the practical part). We invited Youssef LAFRAINI a young director and video maker to share his MOJO starter guide via live practical demos.
But , before moving to the MOJO practical on equipment and apps, our young Director shared a small presentation on the history of video making and how smartphones created a revolution in the field of video storytelling overtime.
Making a MOJO video
Youssef LAFRAINI taught the HHCAS’s participants how to record audio and shoot video using their smartphone via a practical video reporting training. He showed the participants the live process of video reporting using a smartphone starting from filming , editing to its publication.
The following video was filmed and edited during the workshop using a smartphone:
MOJO essentials kit
We also shared a list of must-have MOJO essentials with the participants. It’s not prescriptive — when starting out a smartphone or HD camera and internet connection is all you really need (although a spare powerbank helps) but it is a good way to grow your kit as your confidence increases.
- Smartphone of your choice
- Beholder Handheld SP gimball
- Manfrotto Midi Plus Led Light
- Mophie Juicepack Powerstation
- iRig
- Sony wireless lavalier mic
- Shoulderpod S1 Smartphone Rig
- Giottos Carbon Fiber Tripod
Keen to find out more about Hacks/Hackers Casablanca’s work? Come along to our next meetup, which will cover data visualisation.
Are you Interested in joining us ?
Please follows us on Hacks Hacks Africa or contact us via email here to be informed about the our next meetup.
About the author
Fadwa KAMAL is the Hacks Hackers Casablanca chapter organizer & StoryLab Academy Lead in Morocco. You can connect with her via Facebook ,email and instagram.
The worlds of hackers and journalists are coming together, as reporting goes digital and Internet companies become media empires.
Journalists call themselves “hacks”, someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code.
Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds. Hacks/Hackers Africa aims to bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of our world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload and collapse of traditional business models for legacy media, their work has become even more crucial.
