LIST OF COURSES OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT

General Courses:

• Data Journalism
• You CAN Write Better English
• Investigative Journalism
• Book Proposals that Work

Technical Courses:

• The Craft and Art of Documentary Filmmaking
• Basic Video Shooting and Editing
• Advanced Video Shooting and Editing
• Web building with WordPress for beginners
• Web management for self-hosted WordPress site (intermediate)
• Photo slideshow with audio for beginners
• Basic News Photography
• Documentary Video Production
• Information Architecture for Effective Outreach and Communications

For enquiries, please contact Matthew Leung at jmsccos@hku.hk / phone 3917 1155

Notes:

1. The JMSC reserves the right to cancel or amend course details.
2. Enrolment will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Enrolment will be confirmed upon full payment of fees.
3. Course fee will be refunded only if the JMSC cancels a course.
4. All courses will be held at HKU, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
5. A certificate will be issued upon satisfactory completion of a course
6. Applicants for JMSC public courses should be 18 years old or above.
7. Members of AAJA, SOPA and FCC, as well as HKU and JMSC staffs, students and alumni, are entitled to 10% discount on all courses. Please register for courses through “Registration with concession” and provide your membership name and number for verification. The JMSC reserves the right to cancel a registration if the membership details are invalid at the time of registration and no refund will be made.
8. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they have satisfied any pre-requisite requirements. In the interest of other participants, instructors will not take extra time to coach participants on what they should already know.

COURSES DETAIL

General Courses:

Data Journalism – Instructor: Irene Jay Liu

In this increasingly data-driven, electronic world, good reporting isn’t just about going to press conferences and developing sources. We no longer have to take the word of “experts” to crunch numbers or solely rely on their analysis/ spin – we can, and must, do it for ourselves.

Stories are buried in public data all over the world – from government records to census data to private company disclosures. Whether it is providing a few numbers for a breaking news story or making sense of a large government data dump for the huge exclusive, mastering basic computer-assisted reporting tools will give you the edge to unlock these stories ahead of the competition.

This course will teach you how to:

1. Find and ask for information.

2. Give you the basic computer-assisted reporting skills to make sense of the data.

3. Identify, report and write the stories for a general audience.

Class Size: 30 max | Hours: 36 | Time: Weekdays 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm; Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Date: May 7,9,11,14,16,18,21,23,24,28,29,30 | Fee: HK$6,500 | Register here | Course Details

You CAN Write Better English – Instructor: Barry Kalb

Barry Kalb, lecturer in journalism at the University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, and author of the highly regarded handbook You Can Write Better English, will discuss the errors that native Chinese speakers routinely make when writing English, how these errors should be corrected, and why good written English is essential in today’s globalized world.

Class Size: 25 max | Hours: 6 | Time: 10am -1pm | Date: June 3,5 | Fee: HK$1,500 | Register here.

Investigative Journalism – Instructor: Chan Pui-king

Crime, corruption, environmental destruction, the flow of money, goods and people are now all cross-border issues. This course is designed to equip students with the skills to find and research original, ground-breaking stories. It will cover digital research, using public records and databases to find stories, computer-assisted reporting, in-depth interviewing, beating the competition, and writing stories that make an impact. It will feature guest lecturers and students will report on live, cross-border stories.

Pre-requisites:

Basic understanding of journalism; experience in dealing with the press, like answering press enquiries or preparing press releases or statements; knowledge on writing a news reports (basic concepts like inverted pyramid and lead must be familiar).

(This course will be conducted in Chinese)

Class Size: 20 max | Hours: 35 | Time: 9:30am – 1:00pm | Date: June 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,13,14 | Fee: HK$6,500 | Register here | Course Details

Book Proposals that Work – Instructor: Lauren Dockett

Publishers are inundated each day with proposals from agents and experienced writers, not to mention first-time authors. This workshop identifies those components of a nonfiction proposal that inspire editors and agents to respond. This is a hands-on proposal workshop that covers all the elements of a good nonfiction proposal, teaches the language and needs of publishers in today’s media climate, and helps participants identify and market their strengths as authors and promoters. Participants can work from a finished nonfiction project or an early idea and by the end of the class will have a working draft of a proposal for a marketable book.

Class Size: N/A | Hours: 6 | Time: 10am – 1pm | Date: June 17,18 | Fee: HK$3,000 | Register here.

Technical Courses:

The Craft and Art of Documentary Filmmaking – Instructor: Ruby Yang

This course will guide you through the various stages of digital editing and post-production phase of documentary production. You will actively participate in the editing of your own material.

Course Synopsis/Description:

Editing, the final stage of documentary filmmaking, is probably the most creative and yet the most challenging phase of production. This is the phase where one breaks or makes a masterpiece. This course aims to fully immerse participants into the world of creating documented reality with raw materials – photographs, video and audio clips. Learning the editing software is elementary. Building on the basic principles of digital editing – organization of material and assembling a timeline, participants will experiment advance techniques of building rhythm, creating montage sequence, and various ways of working with images and sound. Screening of award-winning documentary films explores the art of documentary films through analyzing the use of music, sound effects, and various editing style and technique used by editors to create mood, tension, conflict and resolution.

Lecture Topics:

Various styles of documentary films

Working with directors and the role of editors

Introduction to several professional editing softwares: Final Cut, AVID, Premiere

Basic principles of digital editing – organization and structure, time lines, basic trim procedures, picture and audio effects

Working with archival material

Working with music: original composition and published music

Introduction to Pro-tools for sound edit and sound mix

Designing titles, inter-titles, subtitles, fonts and graphics

Class Size: 30 | Hours: 36 | Time: 10am – 1pm | Date: May 6,8,10,13,15,16,20,22,24,27,29,31 | Fee: HK$6,500 | Register here | Course Details

Basic Video Shooting and Editing – Instructor: Rob McBride

This course in digital video shooting and editing will enable students to enter the digital age of storytelling. It consists of on-location lessons in shooting, including shot composition, sequencing and continuity, as well as effective audio management. Participants will learn how to use Final Cut Pro digital editing on MacBook laptops, with an introduction to different types of storytelling formats, from breaking news to features. By the end of the course, participants will have created a short story.

Class Size: 20 | Hours: 9 | Date & Time: To be confirmed | Fee: HK$3,700 | Register here.

Advanced Video Shooting and Editing – Instructor: Rob McBride

This course is designed specifically for working journalists and aspiring story-tellers who already have a working knowledge of video news shooting and editing on Final Cut Pro. Participants will be expected to research, shoot and edit their own stories under the guidance of JMSC instructors. Participants will practice and develop working knowledge of the news-gathering workflow, through practical application of their skills in making a real news feature. They should come away from the course with a piece of television appropriate for a Hong Kong news channel.

Class Size: 15 | Hours: 35 | Date & Time: To be confirmed | Fee: HK$6,500 | Register here.

Web building with WordPress for beginners – Instructor: Masato Kajimoto

This hands-on workshop walks you through the process of setting up your own website with multimedia content on WordPress.com. You will learn how to

1) configure WordPress content management system,

2) take advantage of various widgets and plug-ins,

3) embed your audio visual content and

4) integrate your social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Please note that this workshop is for absolute beginners and we do not discuss self-hosted website.

Pre-requisites:

A working knowledge of web-based e-mailing services such as Gmail and Yahoo! Mail. Basic understanding of how popular web-based services such as YouTube and SoundCloud work.

Class Size: 15 | Hours: 6 | Time: 10am -1pm | Date: June 6,7 | Fee: HK$3,000 | Register here.

Web management for self-hosted WordPress site (intermediate) – Instructor: Masato Kajimoto

This workshop discusses various plug-ins, tools and strategies that would enhance your self-hosted, WordPress-based website. Topics range from social media integration to search engine optimization. Please note that this workshop is for those who already own their WordPress-based websites but have not gone beyond the basics.

Pre-requisites:

Administrators’ rights to an existing self-hosted website run by WordPress content management system.

Class Size: N/A | Hours: 6 | Time: 10am -1pm | Date: June 10,11 | Fee: HK$3,000 | Register here.

Photo slideshow with audio for beginners – Instructor: Masato Kajimoto

This hands-on workshop walks you through the process of producing a photo slideshow with sound for your website. You will learn the basics of photo shooting and editing (PhotoShop and Lightroom), audio recording and editing (Audition), and slideshow creation and presentation (SoundSlides). Please note that this workshop is for absolute beginners who know very little about photography, audio recording/editing and multimedia storytelling.

Pre-requisites:

Participants need to bring their own digital cameras and audio recording devices (smart phones are acceptable).

Class Size: N/A | Hours: 9 | Time: 2pm -5pm | Date: June 11,13,14 | Fee: HK$3,700 | Register here.

Basic News Photography – Instructor: Kees Metselaar

This course teaches participants basics skills of photography and how to make better news pictures with their camera. They will learn about focusing, exposure and composing, and how to improve their pictures. The participants will receive tips and advice on how to make better pictures of people, especially in the street, during interviews and other newsworthy situations. At the conclusion of the course, students will feel more confident about using their cameras in those situations and will see better photographic results.

Class Size: 20 | Hours: 9 | Time: 10am -1pm | Date: May 31, June 1,2 | Fee: HK$3,700 | Register here.

Documentary Video Production – Instructor: Nancy Tong

This is a hands-on practical course on the techniques of documentary video production. Students will be primed on the various styles of documentary videos. They will learn and practice all the necessary steps to produce a short documentary video.

At the end of the course participants should know how to:

• Develop and conceptualize a short documentary video
• Conduct research and identify themes for the video
• Perform on location interviews, video camera work and sound recording
• Execute video picture and sound edit
• Write proposal to seek funding for documentary video

Pre-requisites:

Not suitable for people with fulltime employment unless they can commit to completing the out-of-class assignments. Applicants for this course must submit videos they were involved in producing as part of the application process. Send portfolios to jmsccos@hku.hk for assessment of suitability for this course before enrolling online.

Class Size: 15 | Hours: 36 | Time: 1pm – 5pm | Date: May 6,9,13,16,20,23, 27,30, screening session (to be confirmed) | Fee: HK$6,500 | Register here | Course Details

Information Architecture for Effective Outreach and Communications – Instructor: Darcy Christ

In the digital age, organizations face the challenge of managing the ever-growing volume of information under their charge. They also need to find ways to share the information internally and publicly for the advancement of organizational goals. Websites are widely used for outreach and information dissemination, but they are just one piece of the puzzle in effective information delivery.

Information Architecture (IA) is the art and science of organizing information to make it both findable and usable by stakeholders. It is also the art of creating websites in ways that would maximize the potential of digital content delivery and outreach.

This course will introduce the main concepts behind IA, its history and role in web development. But it will also explore how the related fields of content strategy, usability design and social media strategy have enhanced the approach but not altered the principles of IA.

Class Size: N/A | Hours: 12 | Date and Time: 4, 11, and 18 June (6.30pm – 9.30pm), 22 June (10am – 1pm) | Fee: HK$5,000 |Register here | Course Details

He will host a talk at the New Book Release Presentation of the fair 2011 to discuss the poor grasp of English by many in Hong Kong and what is needed to rectify it.

Kalb is the author of the recently published You Can Write Better English.

“It‘s a no-nonsense, practical, direct guide to writing good English that’s full of good examples,” said Professor Ying Chan, Director of Journalism and Media Studies Centre of Kalb’s book.

“It’s a book that you can keep on your desk and revisit again and again.”

Speaker: Barry Kalb, Honorary Lecturer, JMSC, HKU

Date: Monday, July 25, 2011

Time: 11 am – 11.45 am

Venue: Hall 3E, HK Book Fair, HK Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai

Language: English

About the book : http://www.hkupress.org/book/9789881946010.htm

All are welcome.

The course is open to anyone who has reporting experience but is a beginner in video reporting.

In the digital age, reporters are increasingly asked to construct video and multimedia stories on top of their print work. How can one become an effective visual journalist while navigating this new workload?

Learn how to manage reporting in the field with this quick introduction to visual storytelling using simple and professional equipment.

Instructors Andrew Lih and Lam Vo, have worked with reporters and students in the US and Asia on quick, effective strategies for visual storytelling.

Overview:
1. Overview of visual storytelling
2. Why video: examples and case studies
3. Live demo: shooting a video story in five steps
4. Transfer and management of media
5. Strategies and checklists for the field
6. Practical tips on gear and kit

Who Should Attend:
Experienced reporters, but beginners in video. Even those with some video experience but looking for streamlining and becoming more efficient will find the session useful.

Outcomes:
Attendees will understand the basics of visual literacy and be able to effectively shoot, report and script short videos stories using the BBC Five Shot method. Takeaways include a field checklist of how to produce these stories in the field.

What to Bring:
Attendees are encouraged to bring any existing audio-visual equipment and kit (amateur or professional) for advice and hints on how to use it.

Date: Saturday, July 16, 2011
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Venue: Global Lounge, G/F Swire Building, The University of Hong Kong
Fee: $200 (or $100 for AAJA members, FCC members and JMSC alums)
Instructors: Andrew Lih, University of Southern California and Lam Vo, The Wall Street Journal

Registration and payment can be made online, click here.

Enquiries and discount registration contact, Kylie Chan at 2219-4416 or kyliec@hku.hk

Date: July 11 – 22 (Monday-Friday)
Time: 9.30 am – 1 pm
Course fee: $6,200
Download the syllabus here

Registration:
Register is FULL

Instructor:
Chan Pui-king, former editor-in-chief of Next Magazine who has lead teams on investigative projects involving political, corporate and business issues. She has nearly two decades of experience in media management and has written a guide on access to public information in Hong Kong that has become an authoritative reference for journalists.

Pre-requisites:
A basic understanding of journalism, acquired from school or work.

• Working professionals (other than working journalists) should have experience in dealing with the press such as answering press enquiries or preparing press releases or statements

• Students should have an understanding of the basic principles of journalism including the importance of accurate, fair and balanced reporting and  have a knowledge of writing a news report (including basic concepts such as the inverted pyramid and crafting a lead)

Recommended for students; from pre-college to university level.  A new session may be offered for working journalists; for enquiries please contact Kylie Chan at kyliec@hku.hk or 2219-4416.

Basic Online Media Skills by Masato Kajimoto (a repeat session due to popular demand)

Course Description:
This hands-on workshop walks you through the process of setting up your own website with multimedia content. You will learn how to 1) install and configure content management systems such as WordPress, 2) hand code basic XHTML, 3) take advantage of various plug-in options, 4) optimize, transfer and embed your multimedia contents by using applications such as PhotoShop and 5) integrate your social networks such as Twitter and Facebook into your website.

Date: July 4 – 6 (Monday-Wednesday)
Time: 10 am – 1 pm (3 mornings)
Course fee: $2,500 / $1,500 for HKU staff, students and alums
Download the syllabus here
The course website:
http://hk101.org/hku/workshop/map/basic

Registration:
Register here
Register with HKU staff and student rate, please contact Kylie Chan at kyliec@hku.hk / tel: 2219-4416

Prerequisites:
A working knowledge of web-based e-mailing services such as gmail and Yahoo! Mail and basic understanding of how popular web-based services such as YouTube and Facebook work

Course description: If you already have a basic knowledge of online media skills, beef it up with this hands-on guide to setting up and using interactive (or web2.0) tools and techniques, these include visualisation, live and micro-blogging, live streaming, mapping, crowdsourcing and audio-visual displays. Diane Stormont, senior teaching consultant at the JMSC, veteran journalist and an internet consultant and entrepreneur, will lead the course.

Course Prerequisites: A working knowledge of 1. WordPress / other blogging platforms 2. Basic HTML/CSS/FTP 3. Basic image/photo‐editing software (eg Photoshop) techniques 4. Basic recording and editing audio skills

Date: June 27 – 29 (Mon – Wed)
Time: 10am – 1pm, 3 mornings
Course fee: $3,500 / $2,000 for HKU staff, students and alums
Download syllabus here
Course blog: http://jmsc.hku.hk/blogs/mapadvancedonlineskills/
Registration: Register here
To register for the HKU staff and student rate, please contact Kylie Chan at kyliec@hku.hk / tel: 2219-4416

Schedule: June 15‐17, 2011 — 10 am‐1 pm
Venue: DM Lab, Eliot Hall
Course fee: $3,500 / $2,000 for HKU staff and students
Download Syllabus here

Registration:
Register here.
Register with HKU staff and student rate here. (for enquiries or internal transfer, please contact Kylie Chan at kyliec@hku.hk / tel: 2219-4416)

Course Goal:

This course is intended to give you a broad‐based introduction to social media tools and concepts for engaging audiences in the current web environment.

Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Understand and prepare for the changes in the Social Web. Deconstruct the software mechanics of Facebook, Twitter, Digg and Foursquare.
2. Identify specific technologies for engaging in media creation or campaigns. Explore how one kid beat TVB in their online petition campaign.
3. Explain how companies are utilizing new technologies. See how companies are using tools like Digg to create engaging online programs.
4. Explore concepts in creating brands and franchises through audience engagement tools. Learn how companies maximizing their Facebook page and other social media channels.

Instructor: Kevin Lau Kai Wing / Diane Stormont
E‐mail: kevinlkw@hku.hk /diane@stormont.net
Phone: 2219‐4435

When: Jun 7-10 (Tues-Fri), 2011 / Four mornings – 10am – 1pm
Tuition fee: HK$4,200 (10% discount for all FCC members)

Registration & details: http://jmsc.hku.hk/mapcourses
Enquiries: Kylie Chan at 2219-4416 or kyliec@hku.hk

Other public courses offered:
Photography
Online Media
English Writing
Video Shooting & Editing
Investigative Journalism
Business Journalism
Documentary Production
Audio Recording & Editing

Learn more about the Journalism and Media Studies Centre http://jmsc.hku.hk

The course aims to enhance the creative power and communication ability of young people by exposing them to the fast changing world of information technology. Through hands-on exercises and classroom instruction in the use of audio and video media tools, the course will help prepare students for their college application and future careers.

The course will be taught by professors from Hong Kong University and media professionals who have worked for leading international media organisations. All teachers have extensive experience of working with young people at both university and high school level.

‘Career Discovery’ has three major components
• Lectures on creativity, media technology and communications
• Workshops and lab work in English writing, photo story-telling, video production and multimedia design and publishing
• Field trips to explore the rich history and cultural environment of Shanghai

Course Outcomes
Participants who successfully complete the programme will:
• Produce an individual portfolio of multimedia work created under the supervision of our teaching staff;
• Acquire multimedia skills that will be useful for course and project work in any disciplinary area of study at university level;
• Enhance their understanding of communication processes and skills for social and career development;
• Receive a certificate of attendance issued by the JMSC, The University of Hong Kong.

Who Should Enroll
Senior high school students on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and abroad. College students who may want to have a rich and challenging experience in communications are welcome.

Participants who successfully complete the programme will be able to produce an individual portfolio of multimedia work created under the supervision of JMSC teaching staff; acquire multimedia skills that will be useful for course and project work in any disciplinary area of study at university level; enhance their understanding of communication processes and skills for social and career development; and receive a certificate of attendance issued by the JMSC, The University of Hong Kong.

For more information visit http://jmsc.hku.hk/shanghai-centre

• Basic Photography / May 6 – 8
• Beyond Basic Photography / May 27 – 29

About the Instructor:

Dr. Michael Coyne’s photographs have appeared in prominent publications around the world including National Geographic, German Geo, Time, Life and Newsweek. He has had a number of successful books published of his work and won awards from groups such as the American National Press Photographers Association, Overseas Press Club of America and the FCC Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Griffith University in October 2008.

Dr Coyne is under contract to the New York photo agency, Black Star.  For the last 30 years he has covered international events such as the Iran Iraq war, Palestinian Israeli conflict, East Timor independence, the Tiananmen Square uprising, the Rwandan massacre and the recent protests in Bangkok.

He is currently working on a book about villages around the world documenting phenomena such as globalisation, dispossession of land, loss of culture and mass migration.

Michael Coyne on location in Pakistan.

Basic Photography (May 6-8) - Instructor: Michael Coyne

This course teaches students the basics skills of photography. They will learn focusing, exposure, composing and framing. Participants will also be given useful tips about photographing people and landscapes. At the conclusion of the course, students will feel more confident about using their cameras and will see better photographic results.

Class Size: 15 | Hours: 9 | Format: 3 mornings 10am – 1pm | Date: Fri May 6- Sunday, May 8) | Fee: HK$2,500 | Download course syllabus

Register for Basic Photography (May 6-8)

Beyond Basic Photography (May 27-29)- Instructor: Michael Coyne

This course explores different photographic techniques and purposes/outcomes. It will enable you to be able to identify good practices and minimise poor photographic outcomes. Students will learn how to produce effective portraits, which illuminate the subject in terms of personality as well as appearance. By the end of the course you will be able to effectively tell a story or illustrate an issue through photography.

Class Size: 15 | Hours: 9 | Format: 3 mornings 10am – 1pm | Date: Friday, May 27- Sunday,  May 29 | Fee: HK$3,500 | Download course syllabus

Register for Beyond Basic Photography (May 27-29)