It's so hard to choose just one thing to blog about at the end of the day. Today was another one filled with so much great information and wonderful sessions/speakers. It was so helpful to learn more about AP style, absolutely fascinating to tour the Republic, and awesome to find out more of InDesign's capabilities.
But the moment that stuck out to me most today was the session with Jim Trotter. From the beginning, he emphasized the importance of the connection between good reporting and good storytelling from the old oral tradition. I'm not sure I understood the point he was trying to make until he began sharing some examples. I was captivated right from the start when Jim began sharing the story about the mountain climbers. I kept connecting it to a movie I saw recently, "127 Hours," about a similar situation. Jim's storytelling combined with the "127 Hours" visual made for an emotional experience. Jim continued to make his point through "Final Salute," and I think all of us in the room at that time were affected by that. Talk about amazing storytelling! That kind of storytelling combined with real-life events leads to an emotional impact that can't be ignored. And that's how we all want to reach our audiences, right? We want to draw them in to the story and help them to feel like they are part of it. Jim certainly did that today, and I'm grateful to have had such powerful examples of what makes good reporting. (Also reminded me of what Nick Oza had to say about compassion and sympathy while reporting.)
I also thought it was very interesting to note that one of the most powerful sessions used the least technology!
In the picture, Steve Elliott starts off his session on AP Style with a tweet-larious video!
Bridget Freiler
Pottsville Area High School
Pottsville, Pa.
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