A New Year is a coming :-)

Believe it or not, the New Year is right around the corner. As for my resolution--honestly I am unsure at this time. What's the point of making the commitment to save the world, become taller, or even the fastest person in the world when if just may happen anyway. If you ask me, resolutions should not only take place on the first of every year, but all the time. Myself being a competitor with myself, I am constantly trying to be the best for me. So if you want to consider that a resolution... sounds great :-) HAPPY NEW YEAR!~

Everything somehow falls into place

Now, although as a New Media Journalist, I have the urge to become fully enthralled into multimedia, there comes a time where you just need to go AHHHHHH!!! After thats all done, you realize things are working out just according to plan. In my case, just today, as I was working on my flash (as I am everyday), I was given another great opportunity. I will now be working with NCR as a corespondent intern covering the Philadelphia area. In the quest for thinking multimedia, sometimes it just gets to the point where everything somehow, crazy enough, falls into place! Thanks NCR

Nice Simple Multimedia

As I was searching to find out more about the financial crisis and where it stands after seeing the special report on the television as I woke up this morning. This afternoon, I was searching through washingtonpost.com and stepped across this video. Chris Cillizza gives his weekly update rendition on a topic of choice in under two minutes. He is very down to earth and has personality and spunk. I really feel he is the essence of multimedia and I would like to strive and have a multimedia production like his in the near future.

Flash is the word

First off I apologize for the unresponsiveness to blogging in these past few days. I have become attacked by a single word... "flash." Not like a photograph, no the new media web craze and building website. As an aspiring multimedia expert, I advise all to learn or at learn become familiarized with flash. To know web design will make a profound difference. So get out there and get your feet wet. I will be working on my second web site, my person profile for the next few weeks, once when both are posted live to web, I will be sure to apply the link to my blog. This may take a while, so please bear with me during my flash creation times and understand, I may not be blogging as much, but I will be sure to share my accomplishments and thousands of struggles along the way. Until then keep on interview and building up those amazing skills :-)

post election depression

Now that we have a new president, like many journalists we have gone into post election depression. What in the world does a journalist discuss now that this two year mania of electing the 2008 presidential election has come to a close knowing Obama is the winner. I personally have created many sorts of podcasts on the electoral winning, but what now. How does one who is multimedia follow through the media change of who is running for president to who is the winner. Earlier this week I stumbled across one of the best multimedia examples of being into the news of our new elected president while keeping the audience entertained and aware. Please visit http://snipurl.com/59o09 [www_npr_org] to learn more and let me know what you think. Personally I feel it's a great concept and found great interest in this NPR podcast.

Tension is build as we wait.

Tension is building and the will to know is growing stronger and strong. Choosing a new president to represent the United States is huge. All I hope is that the right candidate was chosen and that everyone who wished went out and voted. From what I heard lines were long and strenuous and I am satisfied to hear many still waited no matter how long the line. http://snipurl.com/549bo [www_campusphilly_com] Cannot wait to articles and pieces on our new president

Voting is almost here :-)

So, tomorrow is election day. In my eyes, it does not matter who you vote for as long as you vote. Now this does not mean just go in and flick a name just to see what its like to go into a polling machine. No do some research and pick a candidate who means something to you. You have one day, so look around and see what each candidate is about. As for me, being the newsy journalist that I am, I can almost be certain that I will be glued to following up more and more and more about each and where they stand and how the numbers burn out. For me, voting day is one of my favorite days ever! Especially this years, its for certain it will be close. So do yourself a favor and vote!

Phillies

Dear Philadelphia Phillies, You are doing an amazing job :-) Keep up the good work and beat the Rays tonight. Thank you, your multimedia "expert" well almost Megan PS: WYBF spooky scavenger hunt tomorrow! I will be there whos coming?

Amazing Changes in Voice

Now, I have been dedicating much of my time to HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the year and truly found this to be inspiring. It shows that something good can be done. Also, the video quality is great.

CONGRATS PHILS :-)

THE PHILLIES CLENCH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT AND ARE MOVING ON TO THE WORLD SERIES! AMAZING! WAY TO GO PHILLIES. THOSE ARE MY BOYS :-)

Pretty Cool Video Concept

While I was working on an article on the Terror Film Festival in Philadelphia for work, I came across this video and I was impressed. Although it was only a bit over 4mins long, it kept my interest all along. With the change in scenes and a small plot it made me really want to get out and check out this festival. The Producer of this video did a great job in taking a concept and putting a multimedia twist on it while getting the message across. Finally being that Halloween is only about two weeks away and it is my favorite season, why not check it out?

Ohhh Work!

Did you ever have that time in your life where you could only wish that you have just graduated already! Not to say I am sick of learning, but just to be done with all these classes that are not related to multimedia would be great. During this past week I could not even blog because I was swampt that much in work! How terrible I know. Although this blog's purpose is to find the quest for being multimedia, quite frankly I have to get the plea out there to get these boring blah classes out of the way and make room for multimedia! YAY! On another note, went to Eastern State Penitentary this Past Sat. Not bad not bad. You should def check it out. Actors were good, not over the top, and oddly enough... pretty friendly?!?

CW Philly

Ok, so for those of you unaware of my internship/side job... I am Editor-in-Chief of Campus Philly, and this Saturday is College Day at the Parkway. So first and foremost come out! It's definitely going to be a good time. A free concert with Armor for Sleep and The Cool Kids, Local Stages, and free admission to 11 museums with college ID! On a second note, this one day may make me go ahhhh, but also it's fun. Just yesterday I went to CW to film and Philly Matters to Me spot that premiered today. Yes my 60sec of fame. What do people remember, my cheesy see you on the parkway line. Finally, I want to give kudos to CW Philly. They were awesome and treat the Philly Matters to Me segments great. They make one feel very comfortable and open. So I would like to thank them for that great opportunity. See you on the Parkway!

News news news...

In order to think multimedia, you must be willing to drown yourself in news... and quite frankly I am drowning! All over the place is news. These days, I now receive emails about news from my friends who are not even comm or journalism related majors. I am not sure if its funny or great that news has encompassed my life. But the truth is new is starting to take over, hopefully this is just another seed in the quest of thinking multimedia.

Do yourself a favor, get a twitter

One quick essential piece of advice. Get a twitter. In the professional world, just about every journalist has a twitter. Not only do you need a twitter, but do yourself a favor and update it. In order to think multimedia, you must do multimedia. Right after you click away from this wonderful blog, please visit www.twitter.com and start twittering. Thanks.

Stocks are all over!

I am back from the ONA Conference and am back in business as a college student. Throughout today I was working on Flash (hoping one day it will pay off). Now although I am just a college student, I am positive the stocks today are going to effect us dramatically. Its shocking and amazing how many can ignore a little thing, but at the same time its everywhere. My lesson for the day, when something is plastered on every website, take note of it and realize it is a serious issue. (For more information on this issue visit my twitter @ www.twitter.com/meganpellegrino

Be yourself and succeed

Sometimes the greatest things in life are just simply around the corner. During the course of this weekend, I have truly learned something amazing. This is that anything is possible if you set your mind to it and are yourself. Never be fake and be sure to not try to make yourself stant out. In the end, if you are good enough you will simply stand out without trying and it will show. The ONA conference gave me the initiative to continue striving for success without giving up or being fake trying to look the best. It showed me anything is possible, just be yourself and have fun reaching for the stars. Everyone involved in planning the ONA Student Newsroom, I thank you. It was an amazing, unforgetable experence!

Some things I have learned.

It's clear to see the web is demanding and incoming into the future of journalism. It seems the new key is how to go about that successfully without harming your income and advertising. Although many see newspapers as dying, I was told yesterday that newspapers will not die. Print editions will live through. Web may be rising, but that does not harm the newspaper. Its a matter of classification, buying, selling and ecomony. To my surprise, the newspaper industry is very complex and holds a great deal of economic backgroung and statistics. The best advice thus far: As a journalist always post the question "who are you going to trust" and make sure you are a trustworthy reporter. My second piece of advice learned: Never view video as being something that is video or audio as audio... think of it as being videojournalism or audiojournalism... although it is on the web and not print you are still conveying journalism.

ONA Con'd

The ONA experience has created thought and difference in my approach to journalism. Before today, deadlines were a thing that came by in days. Today, its minutes to and hour. To my surprise... I am a great deadline meeter. In fact it took me less than an hour to finish my full text audio podcast and photo upload. So scary, I impressed myself! ONA Newsroom is truly setting my ways and proving to me I love this fast paced newsroom life!

ONA Conference

I'm here at the ONA conference truly exploring what it means to become multimedia. Everthing is truly starting to come together. Yesterday I had the experience to visit and explore the Washington Post and visit and network at the Newseum (Disney for the Journalist--and I'm not joking). As for today. Lets explore the case of the generational gap in the newsroom as well as a keynote speaker. This opportunity leads and succeeds and I am truly so excited over this whole experience and feel like one of the luckiest people on earth. With graduation just months away, this opportunity is well worth it. Anyone here in DC, please feel free to find and contact myself.

Opportunity Arrise

What they say is when opportunity arise, you must jump and go for it... this is exactly what I am doing. This week I am lucky enough to be granted with an opportunity of a lifetime. I will accepted to be a part of the student newsroom at the ONA Conference in D.C. Yes, I realize I am lucky and am ready to step up and do my best! It is imperative to show everyone your best and be the best you can be. I will keep all posted on what this multimedia experience is all about!

Never Panic

Two weeks ago, I started the internship of a lifetime and honestly was extremely nervous. As editor in chief of a large organization I felt the pressure. Going in the first day, the work quickly piled sky high and quite frankly, I was overwhelmed and nervous that although I was hired and expected to do an amazing job, I felt I was not qualified for the position. That night, I went home and evaluated my scheduling and my reasoning for panicking. I thought about if for a long time... where is panicking going to get me? Nowhere! So for the next week I walked into the office calmly and took each task one step at a time. Two weeks later I think back on the experience and leave with this advice. When thinking multimedia, it is key to keep your cool. No one will respect a leader who has no idea what is going on or is unsure about a task themselves. I leave you with this, never ever ever panic, somehow things work out for the best and you were hired for an employment opportunity for a reason so do not doubt yourself. In fact if you keep your cool, people seem to respect you more! So do not do what I did my first day at a great internship and PANIC!!!

Don't Stop

This past week, the unimaginable happened. All of the hard work and time taken to become multimedia is finally paying off. In order to become a highly converged communication major, it is vital to make contacts and get your name out there. As for myself, I hold a great passion making sure the name Megan Pellegrino not only a recognizable name, but has respect, dignity, and power. When it comes to being involved it is no longer only important to become skilled and recognized in the school aspect What about the real world? No one will hire a person without great experience. Lucky for me, I received an internship as editor-in-chief of a online newspaper. Now for many, they take this as being the final straw and that I have made it. I have the skills, I am now ready for the real work. Believe it or not, this is amazing, but I am not finished. In my book it is not about holding a title it is about experience and learning. I take this opportunity as a great experience and feel my quest continues to become the best multimedia converged worker across America. My advice for those who are on the quest to think multimedia... DON'T STOP the journey never comes to a hault and there is no such thing as a peak in life, you can always reach higher!

Involvment and Confidence

Currently, I am at the point where in my major, I am invovled in a great number of events and projects. Yet the realization of what I am doing is not there. This past week, I have learned that it is great to do extraordinary things, but one must realize what exactly it is being done. For example, this past week, I went Lobbying to my Senator about food aid and supporting PEPFAR and did not realize the greatness behind Lobbying. Typically, I look at a situation, and assume that there are another thousand college students across the nation competing for the same job as myself who are more passionate about topics like HIV/AIDS and global solidarity. In fact, in my head, that thousand are ten times better. The truth of the matter, maybe there are thousands of competators in across the nation who are more passionate about a topic than myself, but maybe there are millions who are not. The fact, in order to think multimedia, one must have the cofidence in thinking what they are doing is amazing and one-of-a-kind. How else would someone figure out that the message was great unless it was publicised in confidence. To become multimedia it is important to have confidence, determination, but at the same time continue to be humble. Thinking multimedia is about realizing what is being done and being the best you can while remaining true to yourself.

Knowing Graphics is Key

When most think of communication, the usual thoughts go to the skills of audio, video, and writing, never graphic design. This past week I learned that knowing graphics are a prime key to being a multimedia journalist. This indication became clearer than ever this week when I was given the opportunity to visit a professional production house in Baltimore, MD. I personally talked to each individual in every different production room asking the question what they thought the biggest change is in video production. The answer... it has become extremely based on knowing computer skills, graphics, and creating a 3D reality. My follow up question was having a graphic design background important. Surprisingly, the answer was in today's industry, knowing graphic design actually gives you a heads up in the industry. It is felt that if you are familiar with graphic design programs you have a good eye. The experts say that it is easier to teach video equipment and harder to implement how to do graphics. I for one learned from this experience to take advantage of all of the opportunities while still at college. Do not shelter the mind thinking communication is simply in one field. In order to become multimedia, one must be willing to learn and become an expert in anything that comes their way.

The Realization of Multimedia

Over this weekend, I was given the opportunity to travel down to Wilson, North Carolina for the Biannual Society of Collegiate Journalists Convention. During the trip I was lucky enough to be able to meet the multimedia and new media director of The Wilson Daily Times. In meeting him, I realized this is the exact career path I would like to travel, new media journalism. Today, new media journalism is just starting to get off the grounds. It is becoming more vital than ever to become a triple threat in journalism. Having the background and skills not only in writing, but also in video and audio has become more important than ever. I being the over-achiever that I am, am willing to do whatever it takes to become the best new media journalist already holding the skills in video, audio, and writing. My visit to the Wilson Daily Times made me realize just how bad I want it. The realization of multimedia is all around. It has become strong and I am now on the search to land the perfect multimedia internship throughout this upcoming year.