From Skype interviews to wire-service video: How NowThis has adapted to remote production



Video-first writer NowThis was constructed round {a partially} distant workforce and content curated from other sources rounding out unique reporting, so the transfer to distant operations was not the tip of the world.
Greatest change was not having producers within the subject,” stated Nico Pitney, political director of NowThis. Since social distancing mandates are preserving society at dwelling, nonetheless, he stated it’s been much less of a difficulty as a result of there are fewer tales that have to be captured out on the earth that may’t be recorded by way of Skype.
The 130-person NowThis workforce has been taking a much less buttoned-up method to filming.
Pitney stated that the standard of this content material entails decrease manufacturing than what the corporate usually produces, incorporating issues like filming a laptop computer display with a graphic or a video taking part in on it with a view to visualize a speaking level, versus enhancing within the graphic or video as b-roll throughout put up manufacturing.
NowThis has additionally begun to rely extra on interviews recorded utilizing Skype. For NowThis’s “Wrongful Conviction” sequence, which options jail inmates and their protection groups, government producer Matt McDonough stated the method of telling the story has shifted to incorporate extra Skype calls, quite than in-person interviews.
NowThis has additionally been relying extra on subscription companies just like the AP and Storyful, each to fill within the blanks when its personal manufacturing workforce can’t gather wanted content material and to distribute extra live-streamed content material.
In February, NowThis’s predominant Fb web page posted 133 dwell movies, however in March, that quantity elevated to 262, in line with CrowdTangle. Its Politics web page additionally elevated in dwell video output from 339 in February to 403 in March.
“We’ve dramatically elevated the quantity of dwell content material that we’re producing,” stated Pitney. Each press briefing finished by U.S. politicians, group leaders and public well being officers, for instance, has been live-streamed on NowThis’s Fb channel, typically which means {that a} couple dozen happen per day for 2 to 3 hours at a time.
One sequence that NowThis labored onerous to maintain the manufacturing values excessive was NowThis’s each day present for Fb, stated Nancy Han, svp of stories originals for NowThis. The originals workforce pre-recorded intros and outros within the workplace previous to shifting distant. In addition they went to the present host’s dwelling and decided which room in her condo had the perfect sound high quality that was most in line with earlier episodes.
Whereas decrease high quality video that's shot on a smartphone or has the backdrop of somebody’s messy front room can really feel extra relatable to audiences on this second, Paul Greenberg, CEO of digital video agency Butter Works, stated there may be nonetheless a stage of pre-production that may be finished to supply a superb stability of accessibility whereas additionally having skilled credibility.
Easy issues like telling the interviewee what angle to have the digital camera at or testing out various kinds of lighting can assist to enhance general high quality. That is particularly vital for evergreen content material, Greenberg stated, as a result of whereas information is extra disposable, audiences watching evergreen documentaries or sequence in a couple of months or years from now could also be postpone by the low high quality manufacturing.
Audiences didn’t appear to thoughts barely scruffier-looking movies: In March, NowThis, like most publishers, skilled a site visitors increase. Complete video views throughout all of NowThis’ YouTube, Fb, Twitter and Instagram channels elevated 49% month over month to a complete of slightly below 1.1 billion views, in line with Tubular Labs.
This put up has been up to date to incorporate video views from all of NowThis’ vertical YouTube, Fb, Twitter and Instagram channels, versus its predominant model channels.

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