Freelance Cafe East

call for entries SEJ Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment, deadline April 2

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Call for entries for the annual SEJ Awards for Environmental Reporting. Details HERE and below. Deadline April 2.

-mia


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Deadline to enter: April 2, 2012

Instructions for Entering:

 

NEWS!  SEJ has added a category for Photojournalism. See below for a full description.

Below you will find the definitions for  SEJ's 2012 categories.  When you have selected the appropriate category for your entry, prepare the materials you will need for entering. Once your materials are assembled, click the name of the category (below) to open the online form. Follow the instructions on the form.  Some fields have instructions written below them. Please take note of all instructions!

Materials needed:

• PDFs* or links to each story, commentary or photo

• Publication or air date for each story, commentary or photo
• Cover letter 

• Team contact sheet if you do a group entry
• Broadcast transcript if you enter radio or television stories, of if your online entry includes audio/video components

• Credit card for immediate online payment. (You can opt to send a check on the online payment site.)

* 15MB max file size. Multiple PDFs for one day must be combined. See Help with low-resolution or combined PDFs 

If you are unable to reduce your file to 15MB, email Awards Director Chris Rigel or call her at (502) 641-1844.

Each entry requires a cover letter in electronic format, either .doc, docx, PDF, .html, or .txt file to be uploaded into the online form.

Book entries: Enter the contest using the online entry form below. After submitting your form and payment, ship four copies of your book and a copy of the cover letter with the author's name and contact info to Chris Rigel, Director of Awards (address below). Note: even if you ship your entries, you must still complete an online form, including the uploaded cover letter.

Print entries: low-resolution PDF or html files of your entry stories. (Check your category for the allowable number of stories and other details.) (Help with low-resolution or combined PDFs) If you are unable to supply links or low-res PDFs, you may ship four copies of your entries to SEJ with a cover letter including the entrant's name and contact information. Be sure to follow the preparation rules. Note: even if you ship your entries, you must still complete an online form, including the uploaded cover letter.

Online and broadcast entries: web links to Internet pages where your television, radio or online news story can be viewed or listened to. (Check your category for the allowable number of stories and other details.) If you are unable to supply links, you may ship four copies of your entries to SEJ with a cover letter including the entrant's name and contact information. Be sure to follow the preparation rules. Note: even if you ship your entries, you must still complete an online form, including the uploaded cover letter.

Shipping address:

SEJ Awards
C/O Chris Rigel, Awards Director

186 North Bellaire Ave
Louisville, KY 40206

Follow the preparation rules for preparing your entries for shipping. Shipped entries that are incorrectly prepared will not be sent to judges. Please pay special attention to the instructions, since your payment is non-refundable.

 

ENTRY FEES

 After completing your entry form, the payment site will open. Please pay your fee immediately after submitting your entry form. For those needing to pay by check, the payment site includes a check option. Your entry will not be processed for judging until payment is received. 

$40 Member Rate

You must already be a member of SEJ to enter at the member rate. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact SEJ at sej@sej.org or (215) 884-8174.

$60 Prospective Member Rate

To enter SEJ's awards contest at this rate, you must complete a membership application. (After you click the link, scroll down until you see the maps: In North America and Outside North America. Click on the appropriate map to open the membership application. Please note on your application in the comments field at the end that you are applying for membership with your contest entry.) After completing the application, return to this page to complete your entry.

This special discounted $60 fee is only for non-members who are joining SEJ for the first time. It covers your first year of membership (discounted) as well as the contest fee. 

$100 Non-member Rate

CAUTION!

As you complete the awards entry form, be sure to fill in all required fields. If you miss one, the files you've uploaded will not "stick." Your other information will remain intact, but you'll have to upload your cover letter and other files again.

You can recognize required fields by the red asterisk for all fields except upload fields. Uploaded cover letters ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL ENTRIES.

AWARDS CATEGORIES

Deadline to enter: April 2

Read the descriptions carefully, then click on the name of the category you want to enter to open the corresponding entry form. Have your electronic files and web links ready.

CLICK TO ENTER: Kevin Carmody Award for Outstanding In-depth Reporting, Large Market: An investigative or explanatory feature or series on a single environmental topic, published between March 1, 2011, and Feb. 29, 2012. Related stories published on the same day count as one part. TV & Radio stories must not exceed 60 minutes; Print and Online series must not exceed five parts. Multimedia links may be included in the cover letter. Eligibility: Print media: circulation of 200,000 or more; TV & Radio: national networks in the U.S. and elsewhere and top 10 markets in the U.S. as determined by Nielsen; Online: sites with 1 million or more monthly unique visitors. Cover letters must include a description of the reporting's impact.

CLICK TO ENTER: Kevin Carmody Award for Outstanding In-depth Reporting, Small Market: An investigative or explanatory feature or series on a single environmental topic, published between March 1, 2011, and Feb. 29, 2012. Related stories published on the same day count as one part. TV & Radio stories must not exceed 60 minutes; Print and Online series must not exceed five parts. Multimedia links may be included in the cover letter. Eligibility: All outlets and publications falling outside the large-market definition. Cover letters must include a description of the reporting's impact.

CLICK TO ENTER: Outstanding Beat Reporting, Large Market: Up to five broadcast or published news reports and/or commentary on a broad range of environmental topics published between March 1, 2011, and Feb. 29, 2012. Entry must be the work of an individual, either alone or with a small supporting team. Related stories published or aired on the same day count as one story. Broadcast entries must have a combined total running time of no more than 60 minutes. Eligibility: Print media: circulation of 200,000 or more; TV & Radio: national networks in the U.S. and elsewhere and top 10 markets in the U.S. as determined by Nielsen; Online: sites with 1 million or more monthly unique visitors.

CLICK TO ENTER: Outstanding Beat Reporting, Small Market: Up to five broadcast or published news reports and/or commentary on a broad range of environmental topics published between March 1, 2011, and Feb. 29, 2012. Entry must be the work of an individual, either alone or with a small supporting team. Related stories published or aired on the same day count as one story. TV & Radio entries must have a combined total running time of no more than 60 minutes. Eligibility: All TV, Radio, Print and Online publications falling outside the large-market definition.

CLICK TO ENTER: Rachel Carson Environment Book Award: A nonfiction book, published between January 1 and December 31, 2011, covering an environmental topic. Memoirs and picture books are not eligible.

CLICK TO ENTER: Outstanding Feature Story: One environmental feature or commentary published between March 1, 2011,  and Feb. 29, 2012. Multi-part stories, sidebars and other supplemental material are prohibited.  Eligibility: All TV, Radio, Print and Online entities.

CLICK TO ENTER: Outstanding Photography: Up to five photographs on one or more environmental topics, published between March 1, 2011 and Feb. 29, 2012. Only photos published as photojournalism will be accepted. Entered photos must not be manipulated or digitally enhanced in a way that changes the content and/or context of the image. A caption that describes the event or situation captured in the photograph must be included for each photo entered. Photos must be submitted as jpeg files, maximum 2MB.

Back to the main Awards page.

Events, Freelance Cafe East

upcoming events at UnionDocs

2 Comments

A few announcements and events from UnionDocs in Brooklyn.

-mia

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Call for Entries: Gaze Looking for Works made by Women
by UnionDocs

Former UnionDocs Programmer Mallary Abel is working with GAZE on a film series dedicated to screening independent film and video made by women. GAZE promotes women’s artistic expression and… more»

Call for Video Fellow: Five Borough Farm

by UnionDocs

  The Design Trust seeks a Video Fellow to produce between three to six high-quality, web-based videos (each three minutes or less) that will serve as advocacy and education tools for… more»

Gardener on the Roof: Examining Urban Farming 

Saturday, March 24th at 7:30pm

Examined Waterways with J.P. Sniadecki and Sarah J. Christman

Sunday, March 25 at 7:30pm
Freelance Cafe East, Gigs

BackStory radio call for Pitches

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BackStory, a new show on American History, is seeking story ideas. Details below!

-mia

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Backstory

Each week, the show chooses a topic and tells stories, conducts interviews, and shares insight on how that topic has played out through American history. We’re looking for features that have a couple key components: First, a story. Your characters might be alive, or they might be long dead. Either way, you should still have some character(s) with something at stake. Second, when pitching your story, think about ways to bring these characters to life. We’re open to re-enactments, experts telling the story second hand, oral histories, all the typical stuff. But don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Questions we’re always going to ask are: Why did this happen when it happened? What does this reveal about America at the time? Why should we care about that now? Most of themes will have a news peg of some sort. You can see some of the themes we plan to produce at our independent producers page: http://backstoryradio.org/producers/
show: one hour/weekly
segments: 2-8 minutes

compensation: $200 – $500+ depending on difficulty and skill of the producer. All the rates below are flexible, but are meant to give you a sense of what we offer.
Level 1 Piece: $200-$350
– May include a snapshot essay of a particular moment in history, typically with simple production requirements.
– May be a shorter, 2-3 minute sound rich “audio postcard” style piece.

Level 2 Piece: $350 -$450
– Medium length story with at least one interview and some reporting.
– May include some field tape. Probably requires little travel
Level 3 Piece: $450 – Negotiable
– Longer feature with multiple interviews.

– Significant research and creative use of sound and/or content.
pitch: Email Associate Producer, Eric Mennel at EMennel@Virginia.edu, with the word “PITCH:” in your title. The more concise your pitch, the better. Include what, if any, sources you would use in your story and how you would produce them. Also include what you think this piece would sound like (field tape, scoring, effects, readings, those kinds of things). We understand we’re a new show, so we won’t be offended if you compare it to something you might hear on another radio show. We’re open to non-narrated features, written essays, and reported pieces. You don’t need to have worked in radio or history to pitch, but if you can give us a sense of your experience (radio or otherwise), please do, and include a couple of links to your best stuff.
contact: Eric Mennel, Associate Producer: EMennel@virginia.edu (email preferred)

phone: 434-924-4403
mailing address: 145 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22903
website: http://www.BackstoryRadio.org

Freelance Cafe East, Gigs

Call for pitches WBEZ’s Race – Out Loud Series, deadline April 2

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Very cool storytelling opportunity from the folks at WBEZ. Details and contact information below. Deadline April 2.
-mia

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WBEZ is looking for great material for a series we’re calling Race: Out Loud. Here’s the idea: What would it sound like if people said what they really think and feel about race, about ethnicity? What if they really talked about how it shapes them, their lives, and attitudes? What would we hear, if we listened?

This is a call for all manner of stories and ideas—in as creative an approach or production manner as you can imagine.  Think original. Think things we haven’t heard.  Things we don’t talk about.  And don’t limit yourselves to black and white—this is race, ethnicity in our time. Between races, ethnicities.   Within races.   We’re dealing here with Chicago and metro area.  But if you have some wild and wonderful idea beyond, try us.

A few examples of ideas already bubbling from reporters:  Nightlife: why don’t we play together?; Code words; What conversations do you have with your own race that you’d be squeamish having with people not of your race?

Multi-media. Video. Blog.  Music. Non-narrated stories. Investigative.  Stretch yourself and our listeners.

If you want to participate but don’t have an idea—let us know.

Otherwise, here’s the deal:  Deadline for written pitches [a brief description of the content and form of your idea] is Monday, April 2. 

 Send pitches and questions to: ccahan@wbez.org or nmoore@wbez.org 

 Thanks,

Cate and Natalie, WBEZ

Freelance Cafe East

2012 Dag Hammarskj

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Interesting fellowship opportunity for young journalists from developing countries. Spread the word. Details HERE and below.

-mia

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The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is now accepting applications from professional journalists from developing countries for its 2012 fellowship program. The application deadline is Friday, March 30, 2012.

The fellowships are available to radio, television, print and web journalists, age 25 to 35, from developing countries who are interested in coming to New York to report on international affairs during the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The fellowships will begin in early September and extend to late November and will include the cost of travel and accommodations in New York, as well as a per diem allowance.

The fellowship program is open to journalists who are native to one of the developing countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, and are currently working full-time for a bona fide media organization in a developing nation. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and commitment to international affairs and to conveying a better understanding of the United Nations to their readers and audiences. They must also have approval from their media organizations to spend up to two months in New York to report from the United Nations. Click here for full eligibility criteria and documentation requirements and the fellowship application form.

In an effort to rotate recipient countries, the Fund will not consider journalist applications for 2012 from nations selected in 2011: China, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria. Journalists from these countries may apply in 2013.

Four journalists are selected each year after a review of all applications. The journalists who are awarded fellowships are given the incomparable opportunity to observe international diplomatic deliberations at the United Nations, to make professional contacts that will serve them for years to come, to interact with seasoned journalists from around the world, and to gain a broader perspective and understanding of matters of global concern. Many past fellows have risen to prominence in their professional and countries. The program is not intended to provide basic skills training to journalists, as all participants are media professionals.

Questions about the program, eligibility and application process can be directed to fellowship@unjournalismfellowship.org.

Freelance Cafe East, Workshops

KDMC Multimedia Storytelling Institute – June 2012

2 Comments
KDMC – one of my favorite resources for multimedia – is expanding their offerings. Do one of their workshops if you can!
-Mia
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Journalism Today Requires That Reporters Have The Flexibility To Tell Stories Across Multiple Platforms

Getting stories to the world demands having the ability to use emerging digital media in an increasingly complex information ecosystem.

The KDMC Multimedia Storytelling Institute is a unique opportunity to learn critical digital skills from industry leaders at the world's premier center for applied digital communications.

Our two-week, June 18-29, 2012, intensive Multimedia Storytelling Institute will help you develop transformative skills to deliver rich multi-platform content for sustainable journalism.

What You Will Learn

  • Strategies for multimedia story planning, production and delivery using mobile, tablet, and desktop platforms,
  • Hands-on field reporting to learn professional video, photo and mobile techniques,
  • Photoshop and Final Cut Pro X for editing visual content,
  • Data storytelling with interactive databases, visualizations and maps,
  • Social Media for reporting, content distribution and community engagement,
  • Each participant takes home an iPad with the complete training curriculum.

    • What Journalists Are Saying About KDMC

    "It was that real-world component that really set it apart. I have many concepts I can bring directly back to the newsroom."- Marisa Kwiatkowski, Digital Storytelling 2012

    "This was an incredible experience. The stuff we learned is all very practical, and I know I can put it all into use immediately in my newsroom (and use it to train others)."-Jennifer Peebles, Multimedia Training 2011

    "I have used the audio editing, soundslides and video skills frequently over the past several months, especially during my time covering the Iran elections in June. I also use a lot of the overall 'big picture' multimedia skills nearly every second that I work. I really feel that the KDMC training gave me the edge needed to succeed in this job. Thank you!"- Anna Johnson, Multimedia Workshop 2009

    To Register or for More Information Contact

    Vicki Hammarstedt
    Knight Digital Media Center at UC Berkeley
    vhammarstedt@berkeley.edu
    +1.510.642.3892

    Freelance Cafe East, Workshops

    Sounds, Stories & Springtime – An Audio Retreat in the beautiful Hudson Valley

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    Hurray – an audio workshop/retreat in my neck of the woods! Come study the art of sound with two fine producers in their beautiful Hudson Valley home. I'll be on hand for the BBQ on Saturday night and would LOVE to meet some audio-loving FC members. Drop me a line if you have questions, or contact Eileen directly at emcadam@hvc.rr.com.
    -mia

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    Sounds, Stories & Springtime

    An Audio Retreat

    Spend a weekend in the Catskills honing your skills as a sound recordist and storyteller while reinvigorating your creative spirit. Veteran Producers Jim Metzner and Eileen McAdam lead this immersive experience in field recording, listening, and the art of bringing stories to life with sound.

    Limited to eight intermediate producers, the workshop offers personal attention and also leaves time for reflection, community, and learning from each other.

    Friday night includes a special appearance by musician Steve Gorn, and an evening listening excursion to explore the acoustics of a nearby cave. Saturday night is for storytelling and barbeque!

    • Learn to weave a narrative with natural sounds

    • Expand your audio palette

    • Experiment with binaural, stereo and parabolic microphones

    • Crafting a narrative that weaves and contextualizes your sounds.

    About your hosts:

    Jim Metzner has pioneered the use of sound in radio features and multi-media projects. Best known for his award-winning series Pulse of the Planet. His work has been featured in National Geographic Online, All Things Considered, Marketplace, Weekend Edition, the New York Times, and elsewhere.

    Eileen McAdam is the co-founder of the World Sound Foundation and the producer of The Hudson Valley Sound and Story Project, Tales of Two Cities Audio Tour and StoryScape Hudson Valley. She has been a recipient of five major grants

    Dates: May 18 – 20.

    Cost: $450/person. All meals and Saturday night Barbecue included.
    Accommodations: There are local B&B’s throughout the Hudson Valley area. Camping is available at our site.

    Eileen McAdam
    Director
    Sound and Story Project 

    Freelance Cafe West

    Journeys of Recovery” screens at Rough Cuts on March 20th, SF

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    Loving this regular event in SF – screenings of documentary rough cuts. Details below!
    -mia

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    Join us for the 2012 March evening of Rough Cuts

    Tuesday, March 20th, 2011 at
 7:30 p.m.

    $7 admission
    Complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres provided
    At Ninth Street Independent Film Center,
    145 Ninth Street, between Mission and Howard, San Francisco

    To attend, please RSVP by noon on Tuesday, March 20th to roughcutsrsvp@yahoo.com

    Going the Distance: Journeys of Recovery
    Directed by David L. Brown

    In “Going the Distance: Journeys of Recovery,” four survivors take us inside the experience of traumatic brain injury (TBI): a corporal in the U.S. Marines, African-American Jason Poole, who has suffered massive head injuries in a roadside bomb in Iraq; co-ed Kristen Collins, severely injured in a motorcycle accident while away at college; pre-med student Jay Waller, victim of a savage road-rage beating while on vacation; and six-year old Ian McFarland, survivor of a car crash that left him an orphan.

    Along their paths to recovery, the four protagonists relive the dramatic accidents that almost took their lives; learn how to walk, talk and live again; and face the most daunting challenge of all—reinventing themselves. In the process, they reveal stories of heroism and hope.

    For more information about the evening and Rough Cuts in general, visit http://sfroughcuts.com/nextevent.html

    Rough Cuts
    Rough Cuts is a series of work-in-progress documentary screenings that are produced every other month at various locations throughout San Francisco. For each evening, we screen one rough cut of a long-form documentary and then moderate a conversation about the film. These post-screening discussions are designed to give the filmmaker a better, more objective sense of what is working and not working with his/her film, with particular attention paid to improving the film’s structure and narrative clarity. We hope that the series also provides a welcome space for local filmmakers, film professionals, and fans of documentary film to meet and talk.

    Freelance Cafe East

    Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival accepting submissions until March 15

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    Deadline is TODAY so it's a little late for this year, but you filmmakers could put this on your list for next… the Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival. Details below.

    -mia

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    The Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival is still accepting submissions for the 2012 Festival, held this year on June 16 and 17 in Little Tokyo at the Japanese American National Museum. 

    Now in its fifth year, the Mixed Roots festival is seeking submissions of all genres and formats in film, literature and live performance that explore the mixed experience, including but not limited to interracial relationships, transracial and transcultural adoptions and more. Recently we've been highlighted in the New York Times and Ebony magazine. 

    And for those interested in teaching and helping artists grow and hone their skills, the festival is always interested in workshops that assist with the craft of story telling, working with actors, new media, directing, producing and writing for television, film and theatre. We're also interested in what other new ideas you can bring to the table!

    The deadline to apply and submit your work is March 15. You can apply through the website at www.mxroots.org. 

    Lemuel H. Thornton III
    Film Coordinator 
    Mixedrootsfilm@gmail.com

    @mxroots on twitter. 

    Freelance Cafe East, Gigs

    Call for pitches from Making Contact

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    Hello friends. Longtime FC member Andrew Stelzer sends the following call for pitches from Making Contact. And just a quick word about rates here. My policy is to pass along any and all opportunities I come across that are available to freelance media producers. The folks at Making Contact are really good people, and they are doing the best they can with limited funds. If you don't like the $, don't pitch! Or better yet, make a story you can sell to multiple outlets.
    My two cents,
    -mia
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    Hi there freelancers!

     

    We haven’t been too frequent on our calls for pitches—but hopefully that’s a trend we’re turning around…Below are a few topics for shows we’re working on.  Please send us any ideas you have for sound-rich reported pieces.  We pay $250-$300 for a piece ranging from 6-12 minutes—not standard pub radio rates we know, but you get to do a longer piece, which can bring its own satisfaction.  We also are open to altered reversions or previously aired material. 

     

    We are not really interested in interviews (unless they are amazing), or stories with more than minimal phone tape.  We also are not looking for super time sensitive stories because of our production schedule.  Think not ‘what’s happening this week’, but maybe ‘what’s happening this season,’ or ‘this year’—we step back, take a bigger look at issues and how the relate to larger trends.

     

    If you are not familiar with our program, please surf around our site a bit and check out the pitching guidelines:

    http://www.radioproject.org/production/submission-guidelines/

     

    In particular, note this:

    Does the story:

    -Link grassroots issues and human realities to national or international trends?

    -Give listeners a historical, political, or social context of major national and international events?

    -Shed light on social and economic inequities?

    -Explore any alternatives or solutions?

     

    Please submit story ideas to pitches@radioproject.org

     

    Let us know what the story is about, who the voices will be, and if there is a time/date peg.

     

    Thanks,

     

    Andrew Stelzer

    Producer

    Making Contact

    www.radioproject.org

     

    1. Prison Guard Unions

     

    At least one piece for this show will come from California, where the Prison Guards union has tremendous strength.  But we also want stories from other parts of the country.  How do these unions affect public policy around drug laws, sentencing laws, prison expansion and other spending priorities?  How about their campaign contributions?  Local stories that connect to the national picture are ideal.

     

     

    2. Coal:

    The U.S. is a world leader in both the production and consumption of coal. From mountaintop removal to clean coal technology, the increased demand for energy continues to drive new gimmicks to extract this fossil fuel, regardless of the impacts to our health and environment. We want segments that delve deeply in this industry, the ramifications on communities and how activists are responding.

     

    3. Population Justice:

    A new movement called “population justice” has emerged recently, which intersects the work of reproductive and environmental justice activists. We seek segments that show what activists are doing to combine these two historically independent movements to advance the needs of both women and the environment. One idea could be about local communities enacting family planning services and how that shapes a woman’s decision to have children, and the impacts on the environment.  

     

    4. Freshwater:

    We are especially looking for stories from the Eastern United States (this particular show must all be US stories, not international).

    We want to examine both problems and solutions.  Some angles we are particularly interested in are:

    –Hydrofracking (not the basics-we’ve covered that previously, but maybe zeroing in on a particular local struggle or evolving angle of the national situation)
    –    the intersection between fresh water and energy—consumption and pollution of water by both ‘dirty’ and ‘renewable’ energy sources  

     -the intersection between drinking water and food.

     -water infrastructure

    –Drinking water contaminants and citizen action to clean up our act:

     

    5.   We also are open to segment ideas related to the 2012 election—both the conventions and the election itself.  We haven’t determined any particular show topics yet, but think big picture, not horse-race or ‘news of the week’: Voting rights, militarization of the convention cities, redistricting, how Occupy interfaces with the election?

     

    Again, send your story ideas to pitches@radioproject.org

    Making Contact

    www.radioproject.org