“Why I’m glad I made the transition from ABC News off-air producer to New York Times videojournalist.”

That’s the introductory statement NYTimes VJ Erik Olsen made in an article posted on Digital Journalist – and one I feel speaks loudly above the cacophony of the detractors of self contained shooter/producers.

The changing landscape of creating video content is creating a wave of hostility around the massive paradigm shift that continues to take place – diverging away from multiperson news video production crews to self contained “Digital Journalists” or as I like to say – being a “One Man Army”.

As visual content creators, we need to reinvent what we do and how we do it.

Ive begun to edit another shooters work, who comes from the old style of shooting.  This has shown me just how threatening it can be to those who are use to shooting with several people while trying to manage all that is entailed when beginning to work in a self contained paradigm.

The quality of the work as I edit speaks for itself.  And I’ve begun to realize that for my professional colleagues, the ability to manage wearing several hats at the same time – and do it well, may end up pushing them over the edge.  Others – like myself, actually thrive on the challenge and I have found through trial and error that I actually become a better shooter/producer in the process.

Back to the article, Olsen goes on to say that:

Like any photographer, as a shooter/producer, you ultimately develop your own specific techniques, and you’re learning new ones all the time by watching others’ work…

Being a VJ means that you are totally responsible for what the viewer sees. These are your images, your words, your edits. You are usually alone in the field. And since you are working out in the real world (and not, say, a studio) where things don’t always go according to plan, you have to think on your feet.”

I have learned that this is very much the case – at least in my work.  The agility of being self contained has its rewards – but in many respects – can be more difficult and there are limitations to what you can produce.  I don’t see these as limitations as much as parameters in which I can operate effectively.

The ability to go out on my own, find a story, research it, shoot it – while not only having to maintain all that is entailed with the technical aspects of shooting a story, but shoot a COMPELLING story is the stuff that gets my juices flowing.  I know that what I shoot, how I shoot it and edit the piece, is my vision – no matter what tool I use to capture the content.

“I think we have one of the best jobs in journalism. Video is exploding online, and there is a great deal of experimentation going on with new tools and narrative forms.” says Olsen.

I think he’s absolutely correct in this statement.  The playing field has been leveled, the gatekeepers have been fired, and it is upon us to utilize this opportunity and make sure the high standard of quality is maintained, while competing in this field since many will make the assumption that they will automatically become pro’s just because of the tools they use – without the necessary skills needed to be considered a working professional solo vj.

Olsen concludes with this:  “Being a one-man band…  allows us remarkable editorial and creative control over our work. It is a real thrill to not only define and develop the narrative for a story, but also to choose the images that will go along with it, and then be able to come back and assemble them according to your own vision. Having come from network television news, where we had cameramen and soundmen and producers and editors and so on, I know that this is a rarity. But this is obviously the direction that much of the industry is going. That’s why being a digital journalist today, despite the troubles the industry as a whole is facing, is one of the most exciting and interesting occupations around.”

I couldn’t agree more

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