MediaStorm Welcomes Editor and Producer Ligaiya Romero

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MediaStorm is excited to announce that summer intern Ligaiya Romero will permanently join our staff as an editor and producer. G. Ligaiya Romero is a visual journalist and documentary storyteller. Originally from New York, she graduated from UCLA with dual degrees in Film Production and International Development. She studied documentary photography and multimedia production at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. Recently, she received her Master’s degree in Visual Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Roy H. Park fellow. Ligaiya’s work has been recognized by the SXSW Interactive Awards, College Photographer of the Year, Photo District News, the National Press Photographers Association and the New York Photo Awards among others. Her portfolio can be viewed at ligaiya.com.

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Inside Tracks Exhibit Opens at Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios

The Annenberg Space for Photography Skylight Studios presents Inside Tracks: Behind the Lens on the Assignment of a Lifetime, an immersive display of the story of Rick Smolan, a photographer assigned by National Geographic in 1977 to document Robyn Davidson, a 27-year-old Australian woman who undertook a 1700-mile journey across the Outback by camelback. The exhibit weaves together elements from Rick's work for National Geographic and his own groundbreaking book/CD-ROM From Alice to Ocean as well as Davidson's best-selling memoir Tracks and the recently released feature film based on the book. MediaStorm's documentary Inside Tracks will also be screened. Event Details When: October 3rd, 2014 - February 1st, 2015 Where: Skylight Studios in Los Angeles, California. Features a documentary film, a high-definition slideshow of photographs, an audio tour narrated by Smolan and an augmented reality presentation allowing visitors to experience the journey through Smolan's lens

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WE DID IT! Hungry Horse Kickstarter is Fully Funded

Thank you to everyone who pledged their support to Hungry Horse on Kickstarter. We made our $10,000 goal in just 10 days, further proof that the MediaStorm community's commitment to compassionate storytelling is unmatched. Pieter ten Hoopen’s Hungry Horse will launch on MediaStorm this fall. Subscribe to the MediaStorm newsletter to be the first to know when it goes live. There’s still time to take advantage of rewards offered exclusively to Kickstarter backers. Here are a few of our favorites: Pledge $25 to access all the films in MediaStorm's Publication, including Hungry Horse and any new films MediaStorm releases during that time Pledge $50 to receive a 16x20 poster inspired by the film (plus a one year Publication subscription) Pledge $100 to receive a signed copy of the book Hungry Horse, which includes a DVD of the film (plus a one year Publication subscription) Pledge $500 to receive a spot in MediaStorm’s One Day Workshop (plus a…

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Worth Clicking: “Inside Tracks” In the News

Last week we launched Inside Tracks with renowned photographer and friend to MediaStorm, Rick Smolan. This week, the story of Robyn Davidson’s 1,700 mile walk across the Australian outback and Rick’s photographs of her journey made waves around the web. Check out our favorite links and don’t forget to support Rick’s Kickstarter campaign to self-publish a stunning Smartphone enabled coffee table book based on Robyn’s legendary camel trek.


[TouchCast]

Rick Smolan’s daughter, Phoebe, interviews Robyn Davidson about her journey and the film: “Davidson told Phoebe she didn’t always get along with Phoebe’s dad. “It was essential that I do it on my own,” Davidson said. “So I gave your dad a very hard time the first few months. But then we became really good friends.” Watch more of the interview in the video above.” [TIME for Kids]

I suddenly realized that every time I left Robyn on the trip, I got the sense she was going to die. There were wild camels and snakes. She could have run out of water. Or if she ran into some nutcase out there, I mean this is the outback, there are no cops. And I was really smitten with her at the time. So while watching the movie that first time, all these emotions came flooding over me. I couldn’t enjoy the movie. Plus, I thought my character was awful. [Esquire]

“[The movie makes Robyn’s] coldness and nastiness, and my goofiness, very extreme, but I think they did a good job capturing the friendship. When you go through something like that with someone— something that is so emotionally intense—a friendship lasts a really long time,” Smolan says. “She asked me whether I wondered what would’ve happened if we’d stayed together—and I said we’d probably be divorced and hate each other now.” [National Geographic – PROOF blog]

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10 Thoughts on Filmmaking

IN PRACTICE 1. Think of music as a current. It should flow in the same emotional direction as the film itself. Imposing a mood leads to sentimentality. 2. It's natural to become enamored with specific scenes or edits. But sometimes things that work well on their own don't belong within the wider context of the film. Start with a scalpel, end with a hatchet. 3. Static, or lockoff shots, allow the viewer to observe. Shots that move allow the viewer to be part of the action. Consider the value of each. 4. Emotion is what movies do best. That’s why using text to fill story gaps always feel clunky. 5. Transcripts are vital. But they are the map, not the world. IN THEORY 6. The only way to achieve excellence is to care deeply about every part of production, including finishing. 7. Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to…

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