Yesterday hundreds of tractors and thousands of people from rural Mexico came to Mexico City to protest against the lifting of trade restrictions on agricultural commodities like corn, rice and oats. The farmers say lifting these restrictions will put them out of work, because they won't be able to compete with powerful U.S. agri-businesses, and they're pressuring Mexico's government to renegotiate portions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Canada.
We were there, catching it on film for the Los Angeles Times. Click here for the action.
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NAFTA Protestors Bring the Country to the City: Video
Yesterday hundreds of tractors and thousands of people from rural Mexico came to Mexico City to protest against the lifting of trade restrictions on agricultural commodities like corn, rice and oats. The farmers say lifting these restrictions will put them out of work, because they won't be able to compete with powerful U.S. agri-businesses, and they're pressuring Mexico's government to renegotiate portions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Canada.
We were there, catching it on film for the Los Angeles Times. Click here for the action.
Good stuff there Deborah. I'd like to know how long it took you to put together in total i.e. filming and editing combined.
The visuals are good, you get a good sense of being there. However, I was wondering whether or not the farmers were shouting any slogans on their tractors. I assume you dubbed the drums over of the whole package and ripped out the other audio. The voiceover gives us minimal background. I would like to hear from the protesters themselves about their grievances, about how this will really impact on their lives. The print article added more on that side, but I'm wondering whether a bit if the audio from thos einterviews wouldn't have worked, if dubbed over you piece. As a standalone vid it works for colour, but lacks the real depth that the inclusion of more words and opinion would bring. Having said that, 'colour' is probably what the LA Times wanted in this kinda blog post slot. Anything more and maybe you're entering in TVland. It's got me thinking about what is needed on a blog re: video and in online newspapers as a whole.
On a technical note, do you use one of those 'hold steady' camera thingamies that doesn't bump the horizon? I saw a woman with one of those on the streets of Toulouse today - they look a bit daft, but might help keep the image stable when you're not on a tripod.
You're doing well here Deborah especially when you consider you're kinda coming from a standing start as far as video is concerned (...aren't you?)