MediaStorm Methodology Master Class Testimonials
MediaStorm Methodology Master Class Testimonials
“Brian and his amazing team brought us through MediaStorm's production process from start to finish, highlighting numerous aspects of the craft and the business during the four-day workshop. I feel privileged to have had a chance to learn from the MediaStorm team. Brian is a talented instructor who is approachable and honest about the struggles and triumphs which led to the creation and continuation of MediaStorm, a documentary production company that maintains the ethics and pays tribute to the foundations of photojournalism which I hold dear. As a photojournalist and baby doc-producer, I found the training invaluable and inspiring. I was pleased to be in the company of a talented group of colleagues and peers, who themselves offered insight and experience to the training. I found the workshop personally motivating and inspiring and would like to return for more such trainings in the future.”
— Jodi Hilton / Photographer & Journalist
”I came to MediaStorm thinking that I needed to learn technical stuff - how to use microphones and DSLRs and software and whatever new gizmo just fell from the sky. I did learn a lot about those crucial tools, but the most important thing that happened during the week was that my love, and enthusiasm, for visual storytelling woke up and came out to play. I haven't been as excited about my work for years and years. It's hard to believe until you see it, but the MediaStorm team really does want us all to get better, to tell real stories, thrive, succeed, smile like we’re in love. I think our whole team did just that: fall in love with storytelling all over again. The MediaStorm folks expected and celebrated going into our complicated world to discover real people with meaningful stories, tenderly gathered and truthfully told. They also expected us to work really hard - and they matched our efforts by working every bit as hard. And that's the other thing about this workshop: you learn how important it is to be an effective, respectful member of a team. It was incredible to work not only with the big heads at MediaStorm, but also with talented storytellers from other parts of our world. It's simply fun to work alongside people whose work is so good it makes the hair on the back of your neck dance with joy. This workshop is the antidote to the dumb-it-down journalism taking over too much of our profession. MediaStorm convinced me that we have to master our new tools because doing so makes us better, more sophisticated, more robust conduits for stories that matter.” — Torsten Kjellstrand / Photojournalist and Educator“Over the course of an intensive week of instruction, screenings, and lively group discussion, Brian and his team dissected their business with extraordinary candor. The people at MediaStorm have built a reputation as world-class storytellers by embracing new methods and technologies while refusing to compromise on core values of ethics and narrative journalism. This in-depth look at the MediaStorm approach will inspire my own efforts to advance a training program in digital media that encompasses fundamental principles of visual storytelling as well as technical instruction.”
— Patrick Wellever / Developer
“MediaStorm's methodology workshop helped me understand the business of video storytelling as I left a media company to work for myself. I'd recommend it to anyone considering leaving a job to work independently in visual storytelling.”
— John Brecher / Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer
“Without hyperbole, the MediaStorm Methodology workshop was life changing. After nearly fifteen years of filmmaking, and having recently left my job at the Boston Globe, I started to feel my love of the craft waning. In four intensive days I was back in school, surrounded by talented storytellers having passionate, challenging discussions. The workshop gave me an open place to participate in spirited talks that lifted me, and empowered me to pursue my own ideas. Brian brought with him deeply personal stories of triumph and failure, of perseverance and reinvention. His openness is at the heart of the workshop and is the reason participants bonded with one another so quickly. I now have new friends, new sources of inspiration, and an energy I haven't felt in a long time."
— Taylor de Lench / Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer
“I like peeking in the kitchen of working production companies. Given how fast this field changes, refreshers on how to best produce media can be good correctives--and inspiring to boot. So that was one reason I wanted to take MediaStorm’s workshop. The other reason is that I’m developing a new master class that I’ll be teaching, so I’m looking for the latest and best practices from the field. I got that in MediaStorm’s workshop. Brian Storm (his real name) was honest about both the heights and valleys of producing, and the challenges facing independent media producers. He opened up about MediaStorm’s diverse lines of business, and pulled back the curtain on their methodology, from ideation to production to post. The other workshop participants were a diverse and hungry group of accomplished professionals in their media fields, each seeking to improve their game and/or master a new area of production. Since the group was small enough (ten participants) you could get to know each other within the week. Much of the time was spent on analyzing a number of MediaStorm’s short documentaries, i.e., an analysis of their production and post-production choices. Note: you don’t actually do any media production in this workshop; this methodology workshop is a fly-over of process and, well, methodology. I came away inspired and would recommend this to professionals and those who teach practical media production.”
— Geert Heetebrij / Educator and Screenwriter
“Coming out of the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop I felt inspired and ready to take on new projects with a new set of skills. Brian’s workshop involved a practical look into the production of some incredible documentaries, allowing us to focus conversations around actual case studies and not hypothetical projects. We covered documentary production from dozens of angles: pre-production meetings to interview structure to final deliverables. I really enjoyed the engagement that was fostered by the small group setting, which led to some great in-depth conversations. As a soon-to-be college graduate, hearing Brian’s knowledge about documentary production in the real world will help me turn the skills I’ve acquired in school into a career.”
— Nic Huey / Documentary Filmmaker and Photojournalism
“This workshop has really empowered me to navigate my recent career transition from news photographer to university instructor. Brian Storm offered both practical and philosophical advice and suggestions which exceeded my expectations. For example, I learned a lot from how Brian patiently walked us through film sequences, interviews, and the challenges of several MediaStorm projects. We all profited from spirited discussions – ranging from ethics to gear - whether inside the classroom or walking along the sidewalks of DUMBO. It’s great to have established new bonds and friendships with MediaStorm classmates who, at varying points in their own careers, all share a similar passion and sense of purpose. Brian’s openness, eloquence, and honesty coupled with his repeated clear examples and anecdotes took me to the heart of MediaStorm’s mission to give subjects a strong voice in their own story.”
— Patrick Raycraft / Educator and Photojournalist
Will Atwater / Digital StorytellerVideographer
Prior to attending the MediaStorm Methodology workshop, my partner and I had an idea for a documentary project that we felt was best suited to be produced in a multimedia format. However, the prospect of turning the idea into reality seemed daunting at best until we contacted Brian Storm and attended the workshop. During the workshop Brian deconstructs the MediaStorm production process, which includes sharing how the organization’s new media player takes multimedia storytelling to the next level. Through MediaStorm Methodology workshop, Brian shares with us the necessary tools to create compelling multimedia projects. I definitely recommend the MediaStorm Methodology workshop to anyone interested in taking their digital storytelling skills to the next level.
Torsten Kjellstrand /
I came to MediaStorm thinking that I needed to learn technical stuff - how to use microphones and DSLRs and software and whatever new gizmo just fell from the sky. I did learn a lot about those crucial tools, but the most important thing that happened during the week was that my love, and enthusiasm, for visual storytelling woke up and came out to play. I haven't been as excited about my work for years and years. It's hard to believe until you see it, but the MediaStorm team really does want us all to get better, to tell real stories, thrive, succeed, smile like we’re in love. I think our whole team did just that: fall in love with storytelling all over again.
The MediaStorm folks expected and celebrated going into our complicated world to discover real people with meaningful stories, tenderly gathered and truthfully told. They also expected us to work really hard - and they matched our efforts by working every bit as hard. And that's the other thing about this workshop: you learn how important it is to be an effective, respectful member of a team. It was incredible to work not only with the big heads at MediaStorm, but also with talented storytellers from other parts of our world. It's simply fun to work alongside people whose work is so good it makes the hair on the back of your neck dance with joy.
This workshop is the antidote to the dumb-it-down journalism taking over too much of our profession. MediaStorm convinced me that we have to master our new tools because doing so makes us better, more sophisticated, more robust conduits for stories that matter.
Laura Lawson / Educator
As an academic, I came to the methodology workshop to gain more understanding about how to integrate storytelling with data-based research. The multi-media platform, which developed in response to the changing media landscape, allows viewers to approach an issue through many simultaneous lenses: video, audio, maps, timelines, photography, and more. As I apply this approach to my own scholarship, I can immediately appreciate its value as an organizing tool and means to engage a broader public. The workshop also exposed me to the technical and professional concerns of journalists and media producers so that I can better frame my scholarly contributions to meet the needs of these sectors.
Lorraine Ustaris / EducatorJournalist
The Methodology Workshop was beneficial to me as an educator and storyteller.
As a producer and storyteller always yearning to learn how to improve my work, I valued Brian’s open discussion about MediaStorm philosophies and production methodologies. The workshop covered a wide range--including a review of shooting and editing fundamentals and a deconstruction of pre-production, production and post for several films in MediaStorm’s catalogue. I’m inspired by Brian’s commitment to compelling storytelling, elevating the exploration of themes in the human experience.
Throughout the workshop, Brian demonstrated teaching and presenting strategies helpful to anyone in media education creating lessons for students learning any stage of video storytelling. I’m looking forward to exploring the resources he’s made available to all workshop participants and utilizing in the youth media workshops I teach.
My reporting team hopes to partner with MediaStorm on our current documentary project. Brian’s workshop helped me understand the range of high quality films MediaStorm has produced throughout the years and learn more about the company’s vision for future projects that will benefit from the impressive new platform the team has developed. Samia’s presentation tied everything together, providing a thorough, step-by-step explanation of MediaStorm’s partnership plans and processes.
I hope for more opportunities to connect with the amazing teachers and creators I met at the workshop and the extensive network of professionals working with MediaStorm. There is an urgent need for the cultivation of a stronger, more inclusive and supportive community in this industry, and I’m so glad to see that is part of MediaStorm’s vision.
22: March 2019
Jodi Hilton /
Brian and his amazing team brought us through MediaStorm's production process from start to finish, highlighting numerous aspects of the craft and the business during the four-day workshop. I feel privileged to have had a chance to learn from the MediaStorm team. Brian is a talented instructor who is approachable and honest about the struggles and triumphs which led to the creation and continuation of MediaStorm, a documentary production company that maintains the ethics and pays tribute to the foundations of photojournalism which I hold dear.
As a photojournalist and baby doc-producer, I found the training invaluable and inspiring. I was pleased to be in the company of a talented group of colleagues and peers, who themselves offered insight and experience to the training. I found the workshop personally motivating and inspiring and would like to return for more such trainings in the future.
- Jodi Hilton / Photographer & Journalist
—Jodi Hilton
21: December 2018
Elliot Blumberg / Documentary Filmmaker and Brand Journalist
The MediaStorm Methodology Master Class is an awakening in how to approach documentary storytelling. The MediaStorm vision and team provide a renewed sense of why we choose to make documentaries. Brian has been ahead of his time for 20 years; with his team's help, the rest of us are catching up.
Robert Gourley / Documentary Filmmaker
This workshop offers a deep dive into all aspects of MediaStorm and the strategies they have used to become a successful, award-winning company. Each lesson offered inspiration. Each participant was involved in different aspects of the media industry, and the discussion was rich. The workshop gave me a roadmap to pursue compelling stories in a way that produces impact and is financially viable. I left feeling exited to implement what I had learned. As a cinematographer and editor, there were several specific lessons that have changed how I will film and edit moving forward.
Robert Gourley, Documentary filmmaker, photojournalist
—Robert Gourley
Laurie Rhodes /
This master class was extremely useful for me in my development as a multi media producer/artist. The scope of the class was very expansive, from start of project to finish, storytelling, editing, music, client relations, distribution, business practices, sales, website issues, collaboration and community. It was a tremendous amount of information. Having two people from your staff present was extremely helpful. Samia is brilliant. Tim is brilliant. They both showed so much and gave us so much of themselves. It is also unheard for someone to give so much of yourself, as you do. That is huge and it’s the comment that I heard most frequently during lunch.
The mix of backgrounds of attendees, was also very interesting, thought provoking and inspiring.
Lastly, I think of the Methodology master class and my learning activities and practice this year as a self-administered Masters program. It’s a struggle to prioritize learning when one has to also make a living but I have your quote that pops up on my computer every day, “You decide how you spend your time”.
- Laurie Rhodes / Photographer
—Laurie Rhodes
Darian Woehr / Documentary Filmmaker
I would recommend the MediaStorm Methodology workshop to anyone looking to improve their storytelling both technically and creatively. The workshop is relevant to anyone at any point in a variety of careers and allows endless opportunities for meeting other passionate creators, sharing new ideas, and opening ones mind to the endless possibilities our industry holds. I can confidently say that the 4 days spent with MediaStorm changed my life and showed me just how much of a positive impact storytelling can have on the world.
Darian Woehr, Documentary filmmaker, photojournalist
—Darian Woehr
20: December 2017
Francisco Alcala Torreslanda / Social Documentary Photographer
I envision creating a company in Mexico that will use multimedia to tell the stories of people or communities positively impacted by social enterprises. The week with Brian Storm and his team has clarified in my mind the capabilities required to make my dream not only real but a sustainable business. The MediaStorm Methodology workshop, through real examples and people doing the actual work, is a great approach to really understand the nuances of good versus great storytelling. It is also an in-depth walk through the process of creation, editing, publishing, and distribution. It has been an invaluable experience that will inform my future direction as a storyteller.
- Francisco Alcala Torreslanda / Social Documentary Photographer
—Francisco Alcala Torreslanda
Noah Duesterberg-Chavez / Filmmaker
MediaStorm’s methodology workshop was the shot in the arm that my career and creativity needed. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding milestones of my life in media. The tools, perspective, and insight offered are transformative for storytellers of all skill levels. With an emphasis on collaboration and finding purpose in your work, the experience grounded me in my own values and prepared me to take my career in storytelling to the next dimension.
Noah Duesterberg-Chavez, Filmmaker
—Noah Duesterberg-Chavez
Julie Makinen / Reporter and Editor
MediaStorm’s 5-day Methodology Workshop is a brilliant mix of thought-provoking lessons and tactics for storytelling AND creating the financial foundation to nourish and sustain that storytelling. I previously attended MediaStorm’s 1-day One Day Master Class and while there is a little overlap with the the week-long experience, the extended experience was definitely worth it. These days, anyone aspiring to create the kind of substantive, purpose-driven films that MediaStorm specializes in needs to have some grounding in the business of filmmaking and strategies for reaching audiences and finding financial support. This workshop offers a wealth of tips from marketing to distribution and encourages participants to think about different lines of business that could sustain their work. As someone who is working on launching my own company, I really appreciate how honest, generous and forthright Brian and the MediaStorm team are in sharing their “lessons learned” both creatively and business-wise. Highly recommend!!
-- Julie Makinen, founder, California 1
—Julie Makinen
Juan Paulhiac / Social Researcher and Documentary Photographer
MediaStorm's Methodology Workshop gave me a valuable set of tools and knowledge to approach social research and documentary photography from a storytelling and character-driven perspective. This 5 day experience was also a unique chance to connect with an international and multidisciplinary group of talented professionals.
Juan Paulhiac, Ph.D.
—Juan Paulhiac
Ray Whitehouse / Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer
The workshop provided a deep and instructive window into how and why MediaStorm works the way it does. I learned something from each presenter and really enjoyed connecting with my fellow workshop participants.
Ray Whitehouse
—Ray Whitehouse
19: December 2016
Mark Blaine / Senior InstructorUniversity of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
The MediaStorm methodology workshop was the best kind of disruptor. As someone who works from within an institution that’s slow to innovate (a university), the workshop gave me a perspective on creativity and entrepreneurship that helped break me out of my institutional bubble and see opportunity inside (and outside…) of the organization. I now have a framework to structure all of my future production efforts — whether they be internal or in partnership with other organizations. Brian assembled a great group with diverse challenges that all seemed to mesh into broader, deeper understanding of how to make more thoughtful, more valuable story projects. Thank you!
Mark Blaine
Senior Instructor, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
John Brecher / Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer
MediaStorm's methodology workshop helped me understand the business of video storytelling as I left a media company to work for myself. I'd recommend it to anyone considering leaving a job to work independently in visual storytelling.
John Brecher, Photojournalist
—John Brecher
Jeff Gasser / Producer and Editor
MediaStorm's Methodology Master Class is an in-depth and honest study of how to run a successful production company. It spends considerable time on all aspects of video production, from building a brand and business to producing and distributing high quality content. In this workshop you will have unlimited access to the award winning MediaStorm team's wealth of knowledge. Brian Storm's passion for the industry is contagious. I look forward to applying the lessons and principles learned in this workshop for years to come.
Jeff Gasser Producer, Becket Law
Mariana Keller / Documentary Filmmaker and Journalist
Attending the workshop was an incredibly catalytic experience. My biggest takeaway was demystifying MediaStorm's entire production and brand positioning process. These guys are not wizards. They are regular people with insane talent and an unspeakable drive. It was amazing to see the curtains come down and all the "secrets" and the hardships behind such a successful and inspiring production company revealed. Walking home with so much inspiration and insight was the highlight of my year. This workshop is a must for any video creative looking to break from the mold and have a shot at becoming a reference in this crowded space.
Mariana Keller
Documentary Filmmaker and Journalist
—Mariana Keller
Diana Neille / Documentary Filmmaker
I enrolled in the MediaStorm Methodology Master Class, facilitated by Brian Storm, as a journalist and a media entrepreneur looking to establish a similar business model in Cape Town, South Africa. I have looked to MediaStorm for inspiration for several years now and was excited to get to understand how the company operates a bit better. I found the 5-day seminar extremely useful, relevant and energising. Everything from distribution and business practice to production techniques and effective storytelling were discussed in a comprehensive, honest and accessible manner. Almost everything that was discussed was relevant to me and my business and I came away with many methods and tips to implement. I am grateful to have had access to the learnings and insight from Brian and his team, who I found to be, above all, genuinely good human beings creating amazing work.
- Diana Neille, Managing Director of Chronicle. Cape Town, South Africa
—Diana Neille
Ralph Watkins / Professor
This workshop changed my life.
It gave me the courage to start my own storytelling company. I was convinced that I can tell the stories I want to tell the way I want to tell them.
I saw story in a new way. Stories came to life as I understood the MediaStorm method.
The methodology behind the work at MediaStorm is detailed yet one can grasp it and make sense of it. I left the workshop having rethought my process and was able to redesign the way I do my work.
Brian and his team are down to earth, approachable, accessible, authentic and transparent. They withhold nothing. The question and answer sessions were enlightening and empowering.
MediaStorm is about much more than technique. MediaStorm is about an ethical way of storytelling that seeks to be truthful, honest and fair to the person’s story they are prevailed to tell. The person whose story we are telling is the focus of the MediaStorm method and that is why their brand of storytelling is so powerful.
Stories don’t have time limits or goals. The story is told as is should be told and it is the story that dictates the length of the piece. Give the person voice whose story you are telling. We don’t speak for them but rather we provide a space for them to speak and tell their story. It is in this telling of their story that the viewer connects and is touched by the work MediaStorm does.
MediaStorm taught me how to breathe life into my story telling.
MediaStorm taught me how to tell stories in such a way that the viewer will connect with the story and the person who the story is about.
MediaStorm taught me how bring my character’s life to the screen.
They taught me how to make sure those how view my work will feel what I felt as I interviewed the people whose story I am privileged to tell.
Ralph Basui Watkins, MFA, PhD “The scholar with a camera.”
18: August 2016
Annette Bonnier / Photographer
The MediaStorm Methodology Workshop teaches every aspect needed to assemble a high quality Media Presentation. They teach thought processes as well as the specific tools to create your passion.
I had no idea how open minded you and your staff were in sharing ideas and how to work in the field. You made me feel like I was apart of something special instead of a class with the basics of making films. I am impressed with how you and your staff work and you are all an inspiration.
As a photographer I always started a project through my photographs, yet now I realize the importance of giving the subject a voice to tell his own story.
Learning to collaborate with other professionals and not trying to do it all myself was an important lesson for me.
The workshop gave me the confidence through knowledge to complete my projects and pursue new ones in the future.
It’s wonderful to work with like-minded creative people interested in the same type of work that I enjoy.
Thank you Brian - you are an inspiration!
Melissa Chan / Broadcast Reporter
For anyone who’d like to see how the sausage gets made at MediaStorm — this is the workshop where everything from the company’s unique storytelling style to its marketing strategy is covered. In a time when media and journalism is changing so much, the week was a unique opportunity to think about the challenges and opportunities for journalists working in all formats. Discussions ranged from the philosophical to the technical, and included presentations from MediaStorm staffers working at different points in the production process.
16: June 2015
Kemal Akdogan / Photographer
MediaStorm is a company pushing the boundaries of storytelling and raising the bar higher with every project they produce. The Methodology Workshop is the ultimate gateway to the behind the scenes, providing an opportunity to understand how they accomplish such great work. Anyone whose job involves multimedia and storytelling should take this workshop. I am grateful for Brian and his team for sharing their knowledge and experience with such generosity.
Benj Binks / Filmmaker and Photographer
As a freelancer keen to work on larger projects and employ people, the Methodology Workshop gave me a great understanding of how to start a company. Brian and his team willingly opened the doors to MediaStorm and let us wander around, peering into all the corners of the business and asking endless questions. Brian and his staff were super helpful and generous with their knowledge, presenting five days of invaluable insights, processes and training that I can't wait to put into practice.
Matthew Corcoran / Writer and Video Producer
The Methodology Workshop is an intense, week-long tour of MediaStorm’s philosophy and methodology — and more broadly the world of journalistic storytelling. Brian and his team share sacred advice about production, interviews, syndication, distribution, and, of course, how to tell a killer story. If a topic isn’t discussed, ask about it. Brian and his team will tell you what they think. They are honest and candid about the work they do and how they do it. Sharing a room with smart and talented participants from all over the world is another huge benefit.
In five days, I learned a massive amount that I'm intent to apply to my work. I value my notes from that week the way some value precious stones.
Heather Eidson / Multimedia Producer, University Marketing and Communication Loyola University Chicago
MediaStorm's Methodology Workshop is a must for anyone hoping to grow as a storyteller and call others to action.
The MediaStorm team covers everything: deconstructing narrative structure, developing interview techniques, building a media team, managing workflow, archiving, developing motion graphics, building social media strategy, creating partnerships, syndication and distribution. It was wonderful to meet Brian’s team and other talented participants.
But what I found most validating? Realizing that bona-fide journalistic storytelling is alive and well. Journalistic storytelling is the backbone of the MediaStorm's strategy. And it takes time to produce stories that inspire change. I am now empowered to build on these guidelines with my student multimedia and staff photographer team my university.
Thank you Brian and team for your sharing your knowledge and dedication to producing stories that inspire change.
Wolfgang Hastert / Filmmaker, Adjunct Professor, Department of Communication, UC San Diego
The MediaStorm Methodology Workshop was very inspiring for me. Brian and his team of creators gave very professional presentations highlighting their respective areas of expertise. The work examples of current productions were strong evidence of well-shot and well-told stories. One can watch videos and dissect their elements at home, analyzing how they were made, but one cannot understand the story-telling-art and the magic of the making completely without experiencing Brian and his team in a real teaching session.
In this workshop we got a great demonstration of professionalism, authentic journalism, and chemistry of teamwork, all paired with specific knowledge about interactive storytelling on diverse media platforms. In addition, the online tutorials on the MediaStorm website for image and sound recording and editing are very helpful too. I had a great time learning, meeting a group of curious, world-traveled, and smart media makers. I will adapt many elements of the methodology instruction into future courses. Drinking cold beer in the cool Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn rounded up every day of methodology learning!
Joanna Hearne / Associate professor and Director of the Digital Storytelling Program, University of Missouri
This was a fascinating deep-dive into MediaStorm’s inner workings. I was impressed with the detailed presentations, and especially with the way that socially conscious storytelling remained at the center of the conversation, from aesthetic choices to distribution platforms to revenue models. I came away with a bigger toolbox for thinking through my own curriculum and a richer picture of the field my students will enter when they graduate.
Meg Kinney / Ethnographer, Partner at Bad Babysitter
In my career, I have invested way more in professional development and received way less. Brian and his team are incredibly generous with sharing what they've learned by doing. It's refreshing to see a company living their values so demonstrably and paying so much forward. This workshop fired on all the cylinders for me: it challenged me to do more/better, it inspired me, and the information is highly actionable. I left with tactics that I could deploy to improve my work immediately as well as concepts that will deeply inform my long-term business strategy. The pace is quick. The content well curated. The vibe of the room is focused and earnest. I wasn't quite sure what to expect and as it turns out, that is exactly what made this experience so rewarding.
Anita Martins / Journalist
MediaStorm team’s approach on this workshop is: ‘Here is what we have learnt and how we work. Feel free to take it and use it’. So the whole week was filled with transparency, generosity and tons of information -from understanding how Brian’s path led him to form MediaStorm’s concept to learning about the company workflow, with a lot in between.
Alexandra Marvar / Film Distribution & Marketing Strategist
I learned a tremendous amount about what happens on the production side of digital storytelling—essential information if I am going to engage with these professionals to tell sophisticated stories in my field: public health. I would encourage potential participants not to be intimidated by a lack of technical knowledge. If you have a good grounding in narrative storytelling and a focused sense of purpose, you will come away with a lot of useful information.
Roxana Moussavian / Photojournalist
If you are a photographer interested in having a bigger impact with your storytelling, you should definitely do the workshop. If you are a filmmaker interested in learning more about the art of documentary filmmaking, you should definitely do the workshop. If you are at all interested in how to tell effective stories through photos and film, you should definitely do the workshop. If you are at all interested in how the online journalism industry has evolved in the past two decades, and learning about what the future could hold from one of the industry's biggest mavericks, you should do the workshop. If you've ever watched any video that MediaStorm has ever put out and have been at all curious about how they did it, you should definitely do the workshop.
In this workshop, Brian Storm lets you in to his world 100%. Brian opens up about everything, from best practices he has picked up through his own successes and mistakes, to the secret sauce behind how he runs MediaStorm as a successful business. What feels pretty unique to Brian and this workshop in particular, is Brian's belief that all boats will rise if there's more people putting out high quality work in the documentary film / storytelling world. Through the workshop, he's trying to prepare folks with the tools needed to follow his example. You just have to decide for yourself if it is an example you want to follow.
Ellen Thommesen / Journalist
This workshop was a refresher course, a learning course and an inspirational week all in one. Highlighting best practices and methods for interviews, filming, workflow, post-production and more for multimedia storytelling were incredibly helpful for me. I took a lot of practical knowledge back to my position in Public Relations, as well as a huge dose of inspiration when it comes to marketing through storytelling. If you are looking to start your own multimedia company, this is a great week to get an in-depth look at a very successful organization. Brian Storm is generous in all senses of the word, and a great leader of a company that is paving the way in multimedia storytelling.
Kevin Udahl / Photojournalism Instructor, SAIT Polytechnic
The methodology workshop really painted a clearer picture of MediaStorm's process and philosophy of telling quality, character-driven stories that have impact. Brian Storm and his staff challenged my assumptions about what good multimedia storytelling could be. Brian brought up so many challenging and thoughtful ideas that our group discussed and debated at length. These sessions were extremely valuable. A focal point for me was the simple idea of collaboration. Brian really advocated this throughout the week - that when you bring a group of professionals together (as we did in this workshop), there is such a great opportunity to leverage that variety expertise to produce some great projects. The entire staff at MediaStorm has an obvious passion for in-depth reportage using a character-driven narrative. It’s no secret that this is what really sets MediaStorm apart. Their roots in the photojournalism tradition is apparent in their approach, and this is very encouraging to me as a photojournalism educator. As we continue to strive to help our students find their way in this digital media landscape, the workshop reaffirmed my own resolve to spread the ideas that are so central to MediaStorm's methodology - that quality storytelling will win the day.
Vern Williams / Assistant Professor, Southern Connecticut State University
Having looked at MediaStorm’s documentaries for many years and having used them for teaching in the classroom, I had high expectations of Methodology Workshop but the workshop exceeded even my expectations, it was truly inspirational. I would recommend it to any and all involved with visual journalism or documentary media. From its diverse participants to MediaStorm’s highly skilled staff the workshop was an immersive and involving experience from start to end. The participants not only hailed from around the world, it also brought its own vast experience the workshop – from professional documentary filmmakers to academics – that made for in-depth discussion on the points and topics introduced by the MediaStorm staff. While MediaStorm is producing documentaries at the highest end of the spectrum the exploration of their method of constructing video and disseminating it can be applied to any and all levels to improve visual journalism and documentary production. Having Brooklyn Roasters across the street was an added bonus.
15: Dec 2014
Chia-Yu Chang / Business Weekly MagazineSenior Photographer
The Methodology Workshop was really intense and helpful to me. It was inspiring to hear Brian Storm sharing his experiences on building the MediaStorm business model. He showed us every line of his business and taught us how he funds high quality films. Learning his insistence on the “patient model” and investing a great amount of time on each project has changed my mindset.
And to meet the talented MediaStorm team was another big PLUS for this workshop. I’ve not only learned different aspect of skills, but am affected by their energy and passion. I came home with much, much more than I thought.
Brian Dawson / Journalist
The MediaStorm Methodology Workshop is a week of wildly informative, encouraging, down-to-earth conversation with some of the best minds in documentary storytelling. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience as a production house, the company is bursting at the seams with stories about making stories. It's unbelievably rare to find a company that create characters of unforgettable presence on important social issues that's excited to share their business model. MediaStorm is that company, perhaps the only one.
Liv Evjan / Associate Professor at Westerdals Oslo School of ArtsCommunication and Technology
My workshop experience, besides meeting all the friendly and skilled people, are: telling stories more efficiently and keeping the heart in the story.
14: Oct 2014
Michael Bo Rasmussen / Baghuset PhotoPhotojournalist
It has been a fantastic week, thank you MediaStorm. For 8 hours each day, Brian and his team inspiringly told us about their ideas and methods. It has been really interesting and I have returned to my daily work life full of inspiration about other ways of working. I will humbly try to implement at least some of the ideas in my own work.
Rina de Place Bjørn / Video Journalist, IT University of Copenhagen
My experience with MediaStorm’s Methodology Workshop was very interesting, instructive but also confusing. It was great to listen to Brian Storm’s experience in producing short high quality videos for the Internet and the strategy behind the distribution of the videos on the web.
And I just loved his staff, they were so sweat and talented. I was very impressed of the film material Director of Photography Andrew Michael Ellis produced. It has so much potential to be big and international.
But it obliges editorial knowledge and storytelling in the documentary (serial) genre, which is far from producing short videos for the web. And that is where my confusing begins… I experienced at the workshop a prejudice and resistance towards using basic theoretical dramaturgical storytelling. Of course you can and should tell your story by the heart and what’s fells good, but you can also damage extremely good material if you don’t have the right editor - and save really bad material if you have the right editor, who knows his or hers dramaturgy in the specific TV-genre.
I cross my fingers that you (Brian) find a way. I’ll look forward to see your documentaries in the near future on a Danish broadcasterJ’
Lene Esthave / Photojournalist
It took MediaStorm one week to fill my toolbox and my mind with inspiration. It took me two weeks to work out what I actually learned. MediaStorm’s methods on structure within the company as well in the storytelling is inspiring. The mindset, dedication and passion I´ll try my best to implement in my own daily work. It has been a true eye opener.
Claus Jensen / Sports Editor
After a week at MediaStorm I came back to Denmark full of inspiration and new storytelling tools. Normally it would be difficult to keep your focus when you just have to sit, listen and watch for five days in a row, but Brian Storm and his team were so enthusiastic in their approach, that this wasn't the case. I will try and implement video portraits in my stories - and now I know, that you can still do great video-storytelling even if you "only" have stills. In fact - they will often do an even better job of telling your story.
Hans Ravn / Photojournalist
I was very excited and impressed to hear Brian Storm and his staff talk about all the processes in their work to make some of the world's best video documentary on the web. There was absolutely no secrets and it was especially interesting to see the many fantastic productions and get the stories behind them. Although I mostly make small TV news, I think there is much I can use after the course. In particular, I will fight for more time and concentration to create my own stories.
Mette Reinhardt Jakobsen / Editor & Freelance JournalistPeriskop Denmark
“How was your workshop?” everybody asked at the office when I got back from a full week at MediaStorm.
“Simply amazing,” I replied, followed by a silence.
As a writer and a words-person I rarely go speechless, but after meeting Brian Storm and his more than dedicated team of visual storytellers, words suddenly seemed such a limited way of expressing ideas and thoughts, if not accompanied by strong visual coverage.
What I did bring back, though, was the importance to always work with the heart. And to give stories - and the people telling them - the necessary time and space to evolve into full-scale, human portraits. Brian Storm and his team simply have established a new benchmark for producing quality journalism. With their aim for reflection and profundity, they go against the existing media market trends prescribing pace and haste and breaking news.
Therefore every journalist, whether working with writing, photo, audio or video, could – and should – learn from the MediaStorm approach, so completely taught at the methodology workshop.
Ole Rode Jensen / Danish School of Media and Journalism
The MediaStorm Methodology Workshop was an intense and challenging experience. In few words, four important ideas stand out. The very high storytelling standards both when it comes to quality and ethics. The importance of workflow and structure, which to a lot of creative people may seem disturbing but nevertheless extremely important. The role of social media in distribution. No matter how good you are at telling stories, no matter how high your standards are - it will never work without an understanding of an organized workflow and the importance of modern distribution. I mean, you can have the best story and it will slip through your fingers like wet spaghetti if you're not able to get it produced and distributed.
Bille Sterll / Journalist
MediaStorm tells beautiful and touching stories about human beings and their lives. It is storytelling at it’s finest, and I wanted to know about their work process, their development of stories and how to make money working on projects, that tend to swallow a lot of time. The methodology workshop gave me all of this. I also learned, that you can make fine stories in a week or two, which should be possible for anyone. Watching and analyzing the films was a great process, and Brian is a sharp and inspiring teacher. I found fine inspiration on how to keep track on a lot of recordings at the same time. Eric’s way is an eye opener. But most important I take back the passion of working on my own projects and the importance of spending my life on work that matters. I will begin to find out what not to do in order to find time to do stories like you guys.
Thomas Søgaard Rohde / BerlingskePolitical Journalist
I spent a week in the MediaStorm workshop in October 2014. I learned a great deal about storytelling through the dedicated stories from Brian Storm and his skilled team. MediaStorm has an unique approach to journalism, and I hope that I will be able to use all the skills and knowhow that I got during my stay in my future work.
Johnny Wichmann / Photojournalist
I went to this workshop because I saw some of my story ideas pass away because of lack of structure in my work. Normally I shoot 90% stills. And the “other elements” than the image - good sound, good interviews, planning, pitching etc. - were secondary. At MediaStorm I really got a push forward to get to know more about all the important parts of storytelling videos. The staff at MediaStorm is very inspiring and I did come back home with new views on how to innovate in my own little freelance office. After I left New York I really am ready to go in the field and make the stories that I before only dreamt about.
13: June 2014
Carla Adelmann / Freelance Documentary Photojournalist
My week at the Methodology Workshop with Brian Storm and his team has been life changing. All of my questions about MediaStorm’s quality documentary filmmaking were answered as we went deeper than I expected into the storytelling secrets that make them who they are. Now the blanks are filled in, and I’m looking forward to increasing the quality of my own multimedia projects with renewed passion. Clearly compassion rules the way MediaStorm tells people’s stories, but they also make sure to get the stories in front of people who can benefit from them the most. Brian’s work is pure journalism, and he preaches his convictions on this throughout the workshop, honoring the true principals of storytelling that his company was founded on. Some of my favorite quotes from Brian are:
“What serves the story?’’
“Everything on screen should have a purpose.”
“Everything and everyone is a story.”
“Don’t just take their picture, give them a voice.”
“Simple is the hardest thing.”
Thank you Brian and all the team at MediaStorm for your inspiring generosity. I will make it count.
Lisa Berglund / Videographer
I feel honored to have attended the Methodology Workshop. In just one week, Brian and his team lead us to the heart of MediaStorm. From analyzing a well told story, to creating a powerful business plan, to social networking, they shared business model secrets which took years for them to grow.
I've never witnessed such transparency in a setting like this. MediaStorm is truly committed to preparing the next generation of journalists, and they hold nothing back. The experience is made even richer by the diversity of participants; unique ideas and backgrounds create lively discussion and thought-sharing.
I left the workshop feeling inspired, and more importantly, focused. MediaStorm has pumped life back into these storytelling veins.
Meredith Birkett / NBCNews.comSenior Multimedia Editor
I’ve heard Brian Storm speak dozens of times over the last ten years. Despite this, hearing him talk about storytelling at the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop has the same effect -- it's a creativity adrenaline shot for doing it at the highest level and for the right reasons. The workshop reinforces another aspect of the MediaStorm process that isn't always obvious from the outside; every team member is at the top of their game, and their instruction is both practical and inspirational.
Bruni Burres / Independent Producer & Senior Consultant, Sundance Institute’s Documentary Program
MediaStorm’s Methodology Workshop is a wonderful, professional and creative storytelling workshop geared towards media producers, directors, educators and genuinely curious individuals. The Workshop tackles difficult and timely issues confronted by independent multimedia journalist and storytellers, offering thoughtful and real solutions that will allow the independent to remain creative and independent but financially stable. This workshop is an inspiring 5-day intensive perfect for 21st century story producers in various media fields.
Robin Ewing / Educator, Hong Kong Baptist University
Just how has Brian Storm created a successful business out of telling stories that matter without compromising his value system? He has formed a small team of some of the most talented, passionate and visionary people out there who get the job done and make it look easy. Then, with refreshing transparency and clarity, he and the rest of MediaStorm tell you exactly how they did it and where they are going next. It’s hands down the best workshop I’ve been to, and the diversity and contribution of the participants was as valuable, and fun, as the workshop content itself. I left the week more inspired then ever to contribute, create and build.
Regina Revazova / Intern Producer, NPR
To be at MediaStorm’s workshop was a very long lasting dream for me. I’d been watching and reading their online content long before I got a chance to participate in the Methodology Workshop.
It is a factory for powerful, contextual, human-oriented storytelling and I wanted to know how the magic happens. Or how can they stay sustainable and produce in-depth stories in the age of fragmentized journalism? Frankly, I wanted to know everything: who or what’s behind the interface, ideas, shots, cuts, graphics, text, design, animation, narratives…
I got my answers; I got much more than that. Brian Storm, Eric Maierson and other members of MediaStorm are open and willing to help, guide, teach, share and inspire.
12: Jan 2014
Caroline Bennett / Communications Director, Amazon Watch
The methodology workshop is an unparalleled, transparent look at the guts of MediaStorm and its own origin story masterfully debunked. You get to hang out with a tribe of folks who unapologetically believe in the power and value of a great story, and spend the week validating it—a sort of strange and empowering group therapy for visual journalists in some sense, greatly enriched by the diversity of cherry-picked participants. Brian manages to live somewhere in the crack between right and left brains, balancing creative drive and passion with a levelheadedness and business savvy that is rare in this industry. I came looking for new ways to empower organizations and influencers working for the common good by providing innovative strategies and a practical sphere for implementing authentic, high-impact storytelling that goes beyond raising awareness to spur action. I left with a mandate to collaborate with the best of the best (who wants to play?..!), clarity around my own mission and a keener eye for the tiny, simple essence of things that instantly connects us all.
Jack Murray / Owner, Mediahq.com
I highly recommend MediaStorm’s methodology course. I found it an enlightening and detailed week of study that revealed many new business and storytelling insights to me. The consistent focus on excellence from all of the presenters and staff at MediaStorm is infectious and inspiring. At the end of the week I had many new ideas about how to change and improve my business.
11: Dec 2013
Susan Fogg / Interactive Producer, International Mission Board
The workshop inspired me to want to create change in how we produce videos and slideshows. It also was a great audio refresher. Just spending time looking at various projects, dissecting them and talking through the creative decisions, was very thought-provoking. I was reminded of what makes a great story and learned new storytelling techniques. The presentation about the business and project model was also beneficial.
Brian Kaufman / Video Journalist, Detroit Free Press
The Methodology Workshop is a transparent look at the inner-workings of MediaStorm. The company’s openness is what makes this workshop special. Conversations range from specific issues on unreleased-films to broad concepts at the leading edge of our industry. Successful workshops are not just about information but also about inspiration. I left Methodology energized and excited about the future of visual storytelling.
Evan Papp / Program Manager, Outreach & Public Affairs, USAID
Brian Storm and his team are passionate about telling stories that give voice and meaning to the most important issues of our time. From the beginning of the training to the happy hour at the end, MediaStorm opened up its unique and successful business model that showcased the creative process of making evocative and compelling narratives. MediaStorm’s Methodology Workshop provides a blueprint to get the most out of technique, technology and your team in order to achieve your objectives. If your organization wants to strengthen its culture of storytelling while also further professionalizing your team of communicators, MediaStorm will move you closer to your goals.
10: Nov 2013
Kasper Bielefeldt / Photographer & Editor
After being ” brought up” in traditional television and never really feeling that working with short formats and deadlines was my calling, I’m just so much more determined to try something else with what I do, tell stories different and tell different stories, and hopefully make a greater impact with the people watching.
Usually I tend to have bit of a hard time staying awake during a ”sit down and listen” class, but I guess it all depends on who’s talking, because at no point was what was said uninteresting!! It’s been a long time since I’ve felt I got so much useful information in such a short period of time.
From hearing about Brian’s visions as a person and as head of the company, to complicated workflows, an innovative media player, your take on how to use social media, and listening to your wizard Joe telling about how he did his graphic magic was inspiring!!
I feel like you all helped steering me the right direction!
Thank all you guys, girls and dogs at MediaStorm.
Karen Løth Sass / Journalism Lecturer and Supervisor, University of Southern Denmark
I really enjoyed hearing about all the details of MediaStorm's method of production. I got a lot of useful tips that I plan to pass on to my students. I'm redesigning the semester, and really want it to be a mix of both radio and visual storytelling, and in that sense the workshop was very giving. Brian Storm is a very clear and structured teacher, and I think that we all needed to hear his optimism on the future for broadcasting these kind of stories.
Henriette Mørk / Owner, Henriette Mørk Design
The week in DUMBO connected the dots for me in my quest to get my stories out there. Brian and his crew have boiled years of research and experience down to a handy tool kit for us to take back home. Just add courage. I always wanted to turn my stories into film, it just seemed like too big a mouthful. But not anymore. For me, meeting the crew at MediaStorm was a kick in the butt to finally put storytelling and great images first in my work.
When Brian took us through MediaStorm's productions, explaining the work process and their choices, many things fell into place for me. In my own work, I try to balance gravity and humor, and I prefer letting whatever turns up in the process define the heartbeat of the story. When Brian took us through the stories Amazing Amy and Take Care: the choice of characters, the tightness in Amazing Amy, the colors in Take Care … and the dog! … Wow. That was when I thought, "This platform is what I am looking for, this is where my disciplines can come together. I can do it."
I left DUMBO feeling inspired and optimistic. I'm already having meetings with clients and people in my network on how to use storytelling for multimedia. But most importantly, I am taking out time to work on my own projects. The ones without deadlines.
I'm keeping a close eye on my new friends in MediaStorm, they know what they're talking about.
Anna Katrin Nørgaard / Founder, NosyKat
I first met Brian Storm in 2012 at a conference in Denmark for journalist and photographers. I had never heard about MediaStorm before. I was sold. And now exactly one year later I have joined the Methodology Workshop in Brooklyn. Lucky me!
When you start your own company you can easily end up finding yourself doing something that you really don’t want to do. For the money, for the prestige, for a lot of reasons that really have nothing to do with great storytelling. A week with Brian Storm and his very skilled staff got me back on my old track – only get involved with your heart – only get involved in stories that matter. That makes the best stories. And don’t think you can do everything yourself – hook up with the very skilled people you know. Share knowledge. Share tips and tricks and you will be a happier – and a better storyteller.
In my company NosyKat, I have already used MediaStorm as an inspirational platform for my newest client work. It helped me a lot. It got the contract. And in 2014 I will produce 20 films for the web using stills, sound, video and great motion graphics just like MediaStorm.
I highly recommend this workshop – one of the top 3 I have ever joined in my 20 years as a professional storyteller.
Martin Ramsgård / Journalist and Producer, Kragekær Film
When I was doing the Video Playground workshop this summer all the guest speakers were talking about MediaStorm as the rockstars of the media world. So when Søren Skarby and I shortly after saw there was a course at MediaStorm we had to go. I was not disappointed. Many of the technical and storytelling techniques are already part of my DNA since I have been working in broadcast news and television for many years. Always good to have a brush up though.
Where I really got a lot of eyeopeners was in the business field where I think there are a lot of Brian’s ideas I can take back to Denmark, though the media landscape is very different from the one in the US. In times where it´s almost impossible to get the media to pay for quality journalism it´s always good to see new ways to finance what we really want. Further it´s always a feast watching top class journalism in any field.
Morten Runge / Radio Journalist, Danish Broadcasting Corporation
When I sat down Monday morning at the methodology workshop at MediaStorm, I felt that Brian and his team were operating against all odds: We had just arrived in sunny New York. November had deprived the city of its regular hordes of tourists and the swift glimpses of the charming streets of Dumbo, Brooklyn begged us for further investigation. Besides, the room devoted to the seance had no windows, almost no air and way too many people. How could this become a successful week?
As I am writing this, I still don't know exactly when I lost track of time and place and just plunged into MediaStorm's well orchestrated week, but I reckon it must have been within the first few minutes.
Brian Storm, Eric Maierson, Tim McLaughlin and the rest of the astonishingly devoted team just never looked back and kept me focused for five straight days. I had heard some of the stories before, but that just made them even more enchanting. And when Brian's teaching came to an end, his staff took over, one more sophisticated and sympathetic than the other.
I learned a lot, most of it plug-and-play ready to take back and put into my own multimedia projects. That is, of course, after I have convinced my boss that it's worth the money. Or maybe I'll stick to Brian's advice in this regard - don't ask for time, just do it. Give them the first projects for free and they will come back for more.
Jon Rytter / Instructor and Journalist, Jon Rytter Film & TV
In a way, the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop, for me, was a fantastic three button CTRL-ALT-DELETE reboot. In all the noise and urge for speed and more output it’s easy to forget what it´s all about and why I worked all my life in audio and video storytelling. It’s all about concentrating on doing universal and durable stories and the MediaStorm workshop showed me that it’s important (again) to focus on the core storytelling. The enthusiastic and inspiring staff got me back on track. Back to my radio and TV roots. Thank you to all at MediaStorm and to Brian Storm in particular for a revitalizing kick in the butt.
Morten Stricker / Photographer
”The Methodology Workshop at MediaStorm was a eyeopener for me as a still photographer. I realized how important sound really is if you want to tell the stories that affect people. I came home with new important tips and tricks for my toolbox. It was helpful for me to find my roots of storytelling, and why I became a photographer in the first place. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who is in the media industry, if they want to survive in the media-war, where quality is significant.
Kristian Strøbech / Associate Professor of New Media Studies, Danish School of Media and Journalism
It is the rarest thing to meet someone who understands our industry and it's place in the digital age on such a deep level as Brian Storm does. Even rarer to meet someone at his level who is also unreservedly willing to share every bit of knowledge, tradecraft and experience carved out of a remarkable and still evolving career.
The workshop is packed with important knowledge of the kind that translates into action and collaboration, bringing us all forward.
Almost needless to say that Brian and his whole team apply the same uncompromising approach to teaching and workshopping as to master storytelling. If there was an Emmy or a Pulitzer in the teaching category, I would nominate them all without hesitation. If you get the opportunity, apply for this workshop.
09: Aug 2013
Ingvill Bryn Rambøl / Freelance Journalist
First and foremost, the Methodology Workshop has been an enormous inspiration for me. The way Brian Storm and his crew openly shared their experience, values, techniques and thoughts, left me with a lot of new knowledge and useful tools for my future work. Our group was small in size, but huge in experience and variety of background, and our discussions really opened up a lot of new perspectives and ideas. The week in DUMBO left me with a better understanding of the powerful impact of storytelling, new ideas about how to make my stories better and the inspiration and energy to carry it through. Thank you!
Andrew Currie / Founding Director, LoveAnimals.org
MediaStorm's workshop exceeded my every expectation. I learned everything I needed to know to take my storytelling in advocacy media to the next level. The team is stellar, their films incredibly moving and they opened the kimono and shared everything they do and how they do it. My cohort was an international set of peers doing important storytelling work in the business and NGO sectors. Sign up for this workshop now before Brian realizes he's giving away the secret sauce!
Dolphine Emali / Training Coordinator, Health Media Project, Internews, Kenya
I dreamt of sitting in that class for a long time and when the moment arrived it was better than I imagined it to be. A week at MediaStorm’s Methodology Workshop is like a pilgrimage to ‘great storytelling world’. You hang out with people who believe in the value of a great story. Also important is that Brian and his team share their hard earned skills. The team took us through their experiences with different issues, how and why they made decisions that they did. Decisions during pre-production, production and post production of stories. They held nothing back. The discussions around ethical issues that we all face when working on different stories were also very enlightening.
I learned that the secret to MediaStorm’s success isn’t only in telling gripping stories but also, stories that have impact. It’s their quest, it’s ours too and we spent the week analyzing this. They have a neat process that guarantees you a polished product. I left MediaStorm with many tools from the process to share with my trainees and my colleagues.
I am a strong believer of compelling storytelling but I left the workshop grounded in my belief. Thank you team MediaStorm, it was worth the while and miles.
Kenny Irby / Director of Community Relations & Diversity Programs, Poynter
My week in DUMBO, Brooklyn attending the MediaStorm methodology workshop was a refreshing exploration of authentic storytelling through a new lens. The course was greatly enriched by the diverse group of life-long-learners from six countries-- each adding as much to the workshop as they absorbed.
Not enough can be said about Brian and his colleagues for masterfully deconstructing their mission, vision and enterprise strategies with diligent simplicity, consistent passion and dedicated skill.
The teacher in me applauds MediaStorm’s commitment to documenting relevant untold stories that are wildly neglected by the mainstream. Giving voice to the voiceless and shining light in dark places continue to establish the time honored foundation of compelling storytelling.
And the visual journalist in me is all the more inspired after a week of witnessing such dedication to excellence, engagement and entrepreneurship. Thanks for allowing us to visualize some of the innovative possibilities present at the intersection of journalism and evolving technology.
Filip Lein / Managing Director, Edumundo 360
During an intense week, Brian and his team opened up their world for us, and it was a riveting experience. The balance between cutting-edge technical know-how, 'this is why we do what we do' and 'this is what we are still trying to figure out' was well thought out and highly instructive. I also tremendously enjoyed getting to know my impressive fellow participants. All of them brought their own unique perspective to the table, and our group discussions were lively and thought-provoking.
As visual journalists we are all grappling with the same issues, and I walked away from the workshop with a better understanding of what it will take for us to succeed.
Alison Morley / Chair, Documentary Photography & Photojournalism Program, ICP
With a background of wide ranging experience of participants, the room was filled with palpable enthusiasm. People came from all over the world to witness the exciting ideas about storytelling that MediaStorm so masterly presents. As an educator, I found the workshop particularly helpful in facilitating a better curriculum and a methodology of identifying the tools and resources inherent and sometimes hidden in the layers of a multi-media story, allowing one to experience the power of interpretation as an act of reporting.
Dana Schiopu / Senior Media Officer, International Monetary Fund
One week of pure storytelling, pure multimedia, pure passion. The MediaStorm methodology workshop is definitely a life changing experience for any media professional. Brian and his amazing team revealed all the secrets of some of the most compelling storytelling multimedia communication I have seen so far. Even on the driest of subjects, MediaStorm builds a unique character driven emotional story. This workshop will definitely have a strong impact on all my future work and approach to multimedia.
John Warkentin / Multimedia Storyteller & Educator
After spending 5 immersive days in digital storytelling with MediaStorm I have many takeaways that will impact my storytelling going forward. Brian and his staff opened up their box and showed us how they work, tell stories and use today's media. They left nothing unturned. We learned from them and from one another. It was a superb workshop and one that I hope to benefit from for years to come!
Thanks again Brian and team for bearing your souls for the sake of better storytelling around the globe!
Patrick Wellever / Developer
Over the course of an intensive week of instruction, screenings, and lively group discussion, Brian and his team dissected their business with extraordinary candor. The people at MediaStorm have built a reputation as world-class storytellers by embracing new methods and technologies while refusing to compromise on core values of ethics and narrative journalism.
This in-depth look at the MediaStorm approach will inspire my own efforts to advance a training program in digital media that encompasses fundamental principles of visual storytelling as well as technical instruction.
08: Jan 2013
Raffaela Lepanto / Photo Editor & Photo Consultant, The Photographers' Room
This workshop felt like an amazing gift, in every possible way much more than what I had hoped and expected.
It’s hard to tell in a few lines how energizing it is to have a first-hand experience of working with you guys, because the passion, the values, the enthusiasm that you convey in your “open lessons” are truly hard to find.
I loved the way the workshop has been specifically tailored to the needs of the participants, not just giving each of us the space and the time to ask in detail all our questions but also giving us practical suggestions and tips for our different roles and jobs.
Also, meeting all of you, each with a specific expertise and perspective, has been extremely precious; the amount of information, tools, and practical “hands on” expertise that this workshop offers is mindblowing, the equivalent of a University Master’s advanced learning with the extra bonus of a super relaxed, friendly and very familiar environment.
I had fun. I learned a lot. I felt moved, challenged, questioned, excited, overwhelmed by the amount of work I still have to do, hopeful, eager to learn more.
Most of all, I think I found what I was looking for; I looked back at the real meaning of my job, and found out that real quality, commitment and ethic are REALLY all we need to keep being inspired and to inspire others.
A warm and big thank you, with the hope to see you soon again.
Marnie Samuelson / Owner, Boston Picture Group
Methodology Workshop doesn’t seem like the right title for this workshop. Maybe something more like, MediaStorm – the Big View. Brian lays out the arc of MediaStorm: the start up, growth, and their considerably large ambitions. If you are thinking of starting a media company, there’s plenty to learn from MediaStorm’s trajectory.
The greatest part of this workshop is that there is no central project driving the week. That means there is time for everything else. That includes looking at MediaStorm stories, listening to Brian break them down, decision by decision. Seeing rough cuts of stories in progress and listening to the MediaStorm team critiquing themselves. Both were very useful.
Brian hammered home some of the basics of the MediaStorm experience. For example:1. It’s not enough to take a picture. You need to give your subjects a voice. 2. The only path is quality. 3. You can’t do this alone. Collaboration is the heart of the game. 4. Every shooting decision in the field is intentional. Every edit decision is intentional. The list goes on.
I am taking home other lessons, that perhaps were not so explicitly laid out, lessons which are extremely valuable. One example would be shooting in sequences. Not just shooting the conventional four cinematic shots (wide, medium, close up and extreme close up) from each camera position. But shooting for continuity, shooting to guide the viewer’s eye from shot to shot and through the scene.
I think there is still a lot of room for this workshop to grow and customize itself to the particular concerns of the group of participants. One version for people wanting to start a relatively large and sophisticated company, a different version for people who are shooters and want to get better at storytelling and see themselves working in a more modest framework, and so forth.
As a hands on shooter and producer, I would have liked more time talking with Rick Gershon about shooting, more time with Eric Maierson in the edit suite talking about story structure and workflow (both were terrific).
All in all, the week at MediaStorm offers more than enough to think about and learn from in the months ahead. I feel very fortunate for this experience.
Thanks Brian and MediaStorm.
Tetsuro Takehana / Photographer
I went to the the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop trying to learn from the best. After spending five days with Brian and his staff, I received great knowledge that supported them making inspirational stories. Thank you and your staff for a fabulous experience. I really enjoyed every bit of it.
07: Dec 2012
Andre Hermann / Educator & Visual Storyteller
How often do you hear a student say, “This class is amazing! I learned so much today, and there’s still X number of days left.” Yes, I was mumbling these words as I left the MediaStorm office after the first day of the Methodology Workshop. This 5-day class would cover a wealth of information that would supply me with an arsenal of new skills, ideas for new stories, and procedures to inspire my students while helping to grow strong, entrepreneurial-minded storytellers. Brian Storm’s plan was to dissect his business and explain all of the different moving parts, with surprising transparency that help make this one-of-a-kind production company work, and thrive. And he did. After the first day I was so inspired and charged my brain was spinning with new ideas and thoughts of how I would translate this new information to the AAU documentary photography track.
I originally attended this workshop with the goal of learning how to better organize and manage a multimedia storytelling program, and further develop AAU’s curriculum in the documentary track. I left with so much more:
1. A deeper knowledge of storytelling that would change the very fabric of how, and what I teach my students.
2. Understanding the value of building a strong team who share the same goals and passions as it relates to teaching and the visual storytelling ecosystem.
3. The importance of collaboration across multiple platforms and departments, and finally,
4. Reassurance knowing that a number of my current practices in the classroom are in-line with MediaStorm’s.
Across 5-days I was given a new view on building and optimizing a perfect work flow, the different skill sets involved in telling a strong, effective story. I was introduced to the world of interactive graphics, distribution models (how to get your work seen,) and how to utilize social media to tell stories. Finally, Brian broke down the MediaStorm business model. We discussed different funding methods, how much time and money is really involved in the production of a story, and finally the art of collaboration from bringing teams of people together to multiple departments to tell your subject’s story in a way that is effective on many levels.
Brian Storm exclusively taught the workshop. Each topic that was covered daily, Brian had a member from his team come in and lecture about what they do, and how they do it at MediaStorm, followed by Q&A sessions. We heard from the operations & social media manager, the programmer, developer, editors & producers, and business development. This was very refreshing and inspiring to hear from this tight knit group of people who feel so passionately about what they do each day to help produce amazing pieces of reportage covering such important topics.
Kari Kuukka / Owner & Executive Producer, DocImages
I was very pleased and fortunate to attend the December 2012 workshop with MediaStorm. It had been a dream for a long time - but unfortunately the dates (there’s only three of these workshops annually) had been inconvenient until now.
My daily work consists of photography, video, editing, multimedia, teaching and consulting... and I felt I needed somehow a broad overview of what is essential and what is not. Not to learn the verticals - but to focus on the bigger picture. And I think MediaStorm has made a right choice in NOT teaching multimedia 101 but focus on the higher end and on the methodology/production side of multimedia.
I had two things in my mind prior to coming to New York: First, I wanted to learn from the best of the best in multimedia business which are the core elements needed in multimedia, how to learn and teach them. How to apply that knowledge to curriculum design for a university (under- and post grad.)
Secondly, I wanted to learn as much as possible I could in this brief time to take back home to my own team - to take our competence and efforts to the next level. Especially how to create organizational structure which would be stimulating and focus on qualtity. Be financially viable. So that we could finally start talking about professional multimedia production also in Finland (or “North Pole”, as I usually refer to it).
And I got just that - and then some more. A lot more. For five days I don’t think there was a moment when I was not concentrating. Eight hours a day, brief breaks to eat and get a quick coffee in between. 100% focused all the time. Really, really intensive. Lectures, seeing/evaluating/breaking part multimedia pieces, talking with the team, etc.
What really impressed me was the ethos/dedication/commitment of the whole team to this high quality storytelling and the work MediaStorm does. Not one detail was too small that it would not be discussed at length if needed. I understand perfectly what Brian means when he says that the story should be made so good that you just cannot make it any better. The whole team seems to live by that principle. Which at least partly explains the outstanding quality coming out of MediaStorm.
Our group was small (four) and thus our conversations got really interesting and intense. I don’t think there has been period in my professional life I can say I have learned as much in such a short time as I did during our week together. My sincerest thanks to everybody for making it happen.
Neil Osborne / Conservation Photographer + Multimedia Storyteller + EVC Director
Brian Storm: “You’re either in the tribe, or not in the tribe.”
Neil Ever Osborne: “In just a week with Brian Storm and the creative talent surrounding him, you feel like you have become part of their team, and gained a decade’s worth of knowledge in doing so.”
Brian Storm: “Our mission is to share those relatable elements that bind us all together – the human condition.”
NEO: “I’ve always known about MediaStorm’s projects, now I know what makes them tick.”
From Danny Wilcox Frazier’s Driftless documentary work: “Starving to death on an empty stomach”
NEO: “You leave the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop knowing characters are part of every story, but you learn it is their voices that really matter.” – NEO
Brian Storm: “You don’t really understand something until you teach it.”
NEO: “I think this statement should replace the misconception that those that can’t do, teach. In sharing their wisdom, I think the MediaStorm crew really hone their craft.”
Eric Maierson: “Omission is the act of creation.”
NEO: “After this week, I will approach editing from a completely different perspective.”
Rick Gershon: “You switch into athlete mode, playing the game.”
NEO: “As a past athlete myself, I can relate to Rick’s professional approach. He’s so practiced with the gear, he can focus more on the moments in front of him, and you see evidence of this in his documentary filmmaking.”
Brian Storm: “Build the ecosystem and make non-perishable stories.”
NEO: “Every character, every storyline, every issue matters. As storytellers, it is our collective efforts that scale our impact over time.”
Eric Maierson: “Finding the good stuff, i.e. information curation.”
NEO: “Just when you think you have all the neat and snazzy applications on your desktop, you spend an hour with Eric Maierson and your virtual world explodes; e.g. Alfred.”
Joe Fuller describing one of his animation ideas: “Swoosh, bang, zip, squeal.....”
NEO: “Look up the word onomatopoeia and you’ll understand the amazing Joe Fuller even more. Only he can describe in words how his animations come to be”.
Rick Gershon: “Our greatest luxury is time”
NEO: “I learned I need to take more time with my stories.”
Kim Pittaway / Consulting Editor, Dalhousie University
It’s not news that journalism is at a crossroads. And if you’re a journalist, a manager of journalists or a teacher of aspiring journalists, odds are that you’re at a crossroads too, wondering what you need to do to equip yourself, your team or your students with the skills needed to travel the uncertain road ahead of us all. You may also be wondering how you can manage to take a week out of your packed schedule for a training program.
I asked myself the same questions. But after having spent a week with Brian Storm and the MediaStorm team, I have no doubt of the value of the five days I spent in Brooklyn.
• My passion for storytelling was renewed. Being immersed in MediaStorm’s work is inspiring—but deconstructing how they do what they do with Brian and his team reinforced what I do well in my own work, challenged me to improve in areas that aren’t my strengths, and gave me insights into a collaborative approach to storytelling that I am certain will transform my own work, as a journalist, an editor and a journalism professor.
• I came away with practical advice and plans, right down to workflow, step-by-step processes and practical strategies for creating stories efficiently and effectively. I’m a word person first—but understanding how the MediaStorm team works with multimedia elements is already changing the way I organize myself to tackle a print story, and will certainly make tackling multimedia projects more feasible.
• I got to sit in a room for a week with a whole bunch of incredibly smart and talented people. Never underestimate the value of letting your brain rub and spark against the grey matter of smart people. I’m pretty sure my IQ improved.
Like the other participants, I filled a notebook with quotes, insights and strategies. But most exciting of all were the plans those notes sparked. By Day 2, I was making margin notes on projects, changes to course plans, potential collaborators—and I know I will be mining those insights and developing those plans in the days and weeks ahead.
My week with Brian and the MediaStorm team didn’t give me a roadmap to the future of journalism. But it did recalibrate my compass, equip me with a backpack full of intellectual supplies, and introduce me to some incredible traveling companions—all of which makes this crossroads we’re facing seem exciting rather than daunting.
Yes, the Kool-Aid here is mighty refreshing. You should definitely enroll.
06: Aug 2012
Phyllis Jensen / Director of Photography and Video, Bates College Communications Office
A week with Brian Storm and his media priests transformed a mere fan into an acolyte. So here I am back at work, mere days out of the methodology experience, talking MediaStorm essentials to anyone who will listen. And I’m beginning to link five days of immersion to the coming year’s storytelling challenges. Brian’s personal vision, coupled with the diversity of his talented staff and focused workshop participants, yielded an unforgettable experience. Thank you for the tribal welcome.
Nico Lypitkas / Independent FilmmakerLecturer at Zurich University of the ArtsOnline Entrepreneur
I came to the the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop looking to refine my skills as a storyteller and as a lecturer. What I received from Brian and his staff was great inspiration and highly compressed knowledge in audiovisual storytelling - combined with a unique commitment to quality and entrepreneurship. Together with the extraordinary spirit of collaboration, this workshop remains an indispensably and precious experience for me.
Brandon Parigo / Documentary Filmmaker and Photographer
The knowledge I received when attending the MediaStorm Methodology workshop crept up on me. At first, it seemed simple. It stretched the range of ability from students who knew very little about multimedia to some with years of experience-- yet all were equally shook by the sheer mass of information given. I took it all in and when I got home, the knowledge slowly wrapped itself around the base of my workflow, and style, and squeezed it. From that point on, every time I go to make that shot, cut that footage, talk to that client, etc, there is a voice in the back of my head telling me how to do things better, more efficiently and with more meaning.
That is the best type of knowledge. Knowledge that sticks with you, grows with and becomes a part of how you do everything. It is larger and more encompassing than the sum of its parts and I am sure I will be hearing that voice for years to come.
Bruce Thorson / Instructor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The MediaStorm methodology workshop is all about high-quality storytelling. I already had a certain level of proficiency with audio, video, still images and putting it together into a multimedia story. This workshop showed me how to take those skills to a higher level. I teach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the students will benefit from what I have learned. It will help them produce multimedia stories that will get them jobs; it also will help them become entrepreneurial photojournalists, who will know how to self-publish.
Brian Storm is brilliant and so is his staff. Together, they provided all the workshop participants with terrific information from leading with sound to developing a character, from connecting with an audience to developing a company, from story project specifics to workshops and training, from post production to editing by subtraction to client models and much more. But most importantly, as Storm says, it’s ultimately about how to be great every day. Anyone wanting to take his or her multimedia storytelling production to a higher level needs to attend this workshop.
05: June 2012
Carol Barnwell / Editor and Communication Director, Episcopal Diocese of Texas
We are all a people of story. Effectively recognizing and telling stories is critical to any profession, communicating history, dreams for the future. A week of methodology with Brian and his remarkable team has given me additional focus and renewed energy to improve how we share story across all platforms. MediaStorm's comprehensive, week-long Methodology workshop generated new ideas for future work and has inspired me to go deeper with our work in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Thank you all so much!
Phil Borges / Founder, Bridges to Understanding
Again thanks so much for a wonderful workshop! I've been producing multimedia for NGOs for the past six years and your Methodology Workshop has given me fresh ideas that will certainly improve my storytelling and workflow. You and MediaStorm are truly an inspiration and gift for those of us involved in social documentary work. We are all watching with anticipation your pioneering move with pay-for-story and the ingenious Media Player.
04: Jan 2012
Gina Gayle / Professor of Practice, University of Southern Mississippi
Being back in the classroom a full week and having had time to go over my notes and my week at MediaStorm allowed me to fully digest what I actually experienced.
When I was preparing for the workshop I am not sure I knew exactly what it was going to be like. I felt we would learn valuable information and get a look into how MedaStorm does the work that you do. There was no way that I could have imagined that you would literally open up and give us everything you did, so freely and graciously. I literally wrote in my notes the second day, that "he is giving us the keys to the kingdom…….this is his way of saving journalism." I am going to take those keys and pass them along to anyone who will use them wisely.
When I started teaching multimedia storytelling, I told my students that this is their chance to change journalism, re-create and mold it because there is so much possibility out there and people in the industry need and want direction. I am still on my MediaStorm Methodology Workshop High and it showed as I returned to my classes this week. As I told you, we use the MediaStorm projects as our homework, research and tutorials in my classes so the students were excited to see what I had brought back. My getting to go to this workshop was similar to a star studded event for them as well as for me. I will tell you this, when I came back to the classes I felt and saw an immediate shift in how I teach. My students also noticed it and are ready for the new journey. I know you wanted a quote from me but here are a few things from them: "It's nice to have a professor who is re-energized." "Teach me everything they taught you." and "Do they have a workshop for students, I want to go." They understand the importance of great storytelling and I am hoping some of them will go on to be just that.
Understanding the Methodology of how you work helps me to understand why you choose the projects you do, which in turn is allowing me to think about using multimedia storytelling across a multitude of businesses. I also teach Digital Storytelling for graduate Intergrated Marketing Communication students, who have said that thinking creatively or in a storytelling manner, makes them better at their advertising and PR campaigns. I have shared the MediaStorm site with them for reference and now it gives them a foundation to see what a project can be used for.
Another marvelous attribute of this workshop was being able to work, talk and brainstorm with my classmates for the week. I think we had such a diverse group that added to the ability to see how storytelling works across so many businesses and genres. As we all could feel our own minds ticking away we also got to see everyone's else's ideas manifest right there in the room. Each person in the workshop seemed to have the same awakenings and was excited to talk about the possibilities in their own line of work or even in their own country! That was amazing in itself. I have been wanting to come to a MediaStorm workshop for years however I feel this was the exact one I was meant to be in with the people I met during the week.
I think the most powerful and personal thing I will take away is how to use it for my personal projects. We talk "multimedia" and we think about it but now I have a firmer grasp on how to use it for projects and the wide reach that a great multimedia story can have. As still photographers, we were always relegated to a few images at most and now we can use multimedia to get exposure on platforms, websites or through business ventures that we were not privy to before. When I wrote you were giving us the keys to the kingdom I really meant it.
Thank you for all you do and showing us the way to do it.
Gordon Jung / Project Manager, Gestionnaire de projets
What can I say about MediaStorm?
"Awesome" comes to mind.
I first became aware of this up-and-coming firm about 4 years ago, and was immediately impressed with the care and quality of their story telling and production values. Then I was able to finally attend a workshop this year...
The time spent at the Methodology Workshop introduced me to many interesting views, experiences, and practicalities of molding content into something not only fluid and fair, but emotiionally compelling.
Think beyond the normal A-Z steps of running a program, or company, or process - Add the firm conviction of sharing and collaborative work, and you get a more intimate and restrospective approach to any type of content you have the opportunity to work with.
After attending a variety of conferences and courses over the years... the buzz, or high wears off rather quickly. What's the difference here? It feels like a steady fire that is fueling my conviction to bring back a "voice" to the content that I am working with.
Thanks to everyone I met at the workshop, and thanks to everyone at MediaStorm - I enjoyed my time with you. You've got freaky mad skills and talent.
Joshua Smith / Vice President, International Guild of Visual Peacemakers
The Methodology Workshop will give you an intimate look into how Brian and his team have run this successful multimedia production company. They will walk you through every aspect of their business from pre-production, field reporting, licensing, through interactive application creation and multi-platform distribution. Brian discusses what it means to be a purpose-driven company rather than profit-driven, along with the challenge of striking a balance between feeding the soul and the pocketbook. The value of this workshop is not just in the information presented, but also in the relationships formed with the other amazing participants and staff. If you want to learn how to run a financially viable business, tell stories you feel need to be told, and connect with others that are passionate about storytelling, then you should attend this workshop.
Scott Toncray / Public Relations Specialist
Brian and his team took the needed time and had patience with a variety of backgrounds, expertise and personalities and yet we were able to feel as one connected class participating in an intensive learning workshop on his methodology for running MediaStorm. I can say that we were all stretched in the way we think about topics such as advocacy journalism and how multimedia can use the medium to promote change - global change - change that this world needs. And MediaStorm is cranking this change out - one story at a time.
Martin Zimper / Head of Cast/Audiovisual Media, Zurich University of the Arts
The Methodology Workshop shows all secrets behind MediaStorm's amazing multimedia projects. The whole team shares their experience and talks openly about right and wrong decisions they made. When I came back to my Zurich office I changed some steps in our multimedia training curriculum with a new emphasis on photojournalism. And I sent a member of my staff to the next MediaStorm Methodology Workshop - the money is a good investment. The most interesting part was to see the passion of the MediaStorm team and to become acquainted to Brian Storm—a sensitive American boy practicing humanity with multimedia tools and a master storyteller. He handles Aristotles story rules ("Poetics") perfectly in a multimedia world—even if he told me he should have listened to it better in school.
03: Aug 2011
Martin Herrera / Executive Director, Dokumental
The Methodology workshop is a unique and rare opportunity to deep dive into the inner workings of a successful multimedia production company. In a simple and extremely generous way, Brian shares the most intimate details of how to run the business. To add even more value to this mix, a significant amount of time is dedicated to reviewing and dissecting the most powerful stories created by Brian and his team, from pre-production preparation, to in the field production practices, to the post-production learnings that make their pieces some of the best out there. I was blown away by the sophistication and excellence MediaStorm puts in their products and into the workshop. Worth every minute and every dollar invested!
Ronald Hole / Visual journalist, storytell.in
This was a really inspiring meeting with skilled storytellers at the MediaStorm Methodology. As a long time television storyteller, this was frefreshing, and inspired me to challenge my own skills and goals I have for storytelling. MediaStorm makes high end multimedia productions with strong and engaging stories. I am very glad I had this opertunity. You meet and have a personal chat with the staff, and get to pick some of the best brains in the business. Thank you.
02: Jan 2011
Patty Caya / Digital Media Producer
I applied to the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop because I had attended a one day workshop with Brian Storm where I was so riveted by the content I didn’t want to leave my seat: not for lunch, not for the end of the day, not for a single minute as long as he was willing to keep teaching.
The Methodology Workshop is a chance to learn what goes into the secret sauce that makes a MediaStorm multimedia project taste so damn good.
This workshop is a chance to not just peek behind the curtain and catch a glimpse at what makes the organization tick, but a chance to have the curtain torn down and observe the work under a microscope. You will learn both the operational and creative processes that support the creation of some of the best cinematic narrative projects produced today. And the material will be presented with warmth, humor and a genuine interest in turning the tables to learn what you think about how they do what they do.
Brian and his team don’t hold anything back. They teach. They share. They listen. And they invite, or rather they insist that you take their process, apply it in your own business or educational environment and improve upon it. They want you to succeed because they believe by doing so, it will make them better as an organization and it will improve the industry overall.
MediaStorm is not just a company at the forefront of multimedia production; they are a company that is investing in the future of an industry through their own work and through workshops such as this.
If my experience is any indication, you will learn more than you expect. Your opinions and perspectives will be valued at every stage of the workshop. And you will end the week wishing you could stay a lot longer.
K. Matthew Dames / Executive Editor, Copycense
It is difficult to emphasize how important the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop (MMW) in January 2011 has been to my development as a creator, scholar, educator who is interested in using narrative to teach and inform others about the importance of copyright and other legal topics.
MMW is at once exhausting and invigorating: for five consecutive days, all the participants shared, thought, and deliberated extensively about how best to sustainably produce and distribute important, compelling, and timeless multimedia packages. We did this eight hours each day, and often for another hour or two after each session. We critiqued video; we considered business models; we shared insights on techniques; we reviewed technology and gear.
If it seems like there are few public specifics about what a typical MMW will be like, you're probably correct. I don't think there can be a "typical" MMW, for two basic reasons. First, participants' experiences, goals, and talents will vary in each iteration. My session's participant group included mostly visual professional (i.e. photographers, videographers); in contrast, I deal mostly with audio. Yet, I never felt out of place or diminished. In fact, we spent a lot of the Workshop talking the importance of great sound and how to get it. Different Workshops may have a different vibe.
Second, almost all the participants and staff members talked about a variety of projects or business initiatives that were in development, and therefore not publicly available. Confidential and controversial issues were discussed. As a result, there is a sort of "What happens at MMW stays at MMW" aspect to these sessions. Still, I sensed an incredible amount of trust between MediaStorm personnel and my fellow participants; this trust allowed everyone to benefit.
MMW demands a lot of time and energy, both from participants and MediaStorm personnel. You must commit to being invested. But I believe these investments were well worth it. At the end, I thought everyone suspected this session could be one of the most important sessions of our respective careers.
If you have any interest in producing and distributing timeless multimedia works that will impact others, you owe it to yourself to attend MMW. I give the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop my strongest unqualified recommendation. The entire MediaStorm family and all my fellow participants were overwhelmingly candid, giving, genuine, talented and professional. For that, I thank them again and express my deepest gratitude.
Gavin Frankel / Freelance Photographer
I learned so much during the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop, January 2011, that it has taken me a good week to digest it all. Well worth the tuition fees and traveling over from Paris. Everything said was so relevant to my work as a freelance photographer. My only wish was that I knew it all earlier! Not only was it an excellent overview of the development of multimedia storytelling, past, present, and future, but also an inside view to how a top end multimedia company works. I enjoyed the break down of their stories, listening to the group's questions and answers, hearing from all the staff one by one as they explained their craft. Everybody had something to offer and it was offered freely. Clear thinking, clear presentation. A very personal atmosphere where creativity and exchange were encouraged...and obviously flourished. It's sure that I will stay in contact with MediaStorm and the seven other participants of the workshop. I feel lucky to have had this experience, to have met everybody that I did, simple as that.
Alan Hill / Associate Lecturer/Queensland College of Art
That MediaStorm offer a methodology workshop speaks volumes about their thoughtful, intelligent approach to storytelling, and having completed it, it's now easy to see why they are the undisputed leaders in this field. Their passion for the stories they tell comes from the heart, but their relentless pursuit of the best way to bring each story to life is driven by an intellectual process of reflection and refinement that is all to rare in the media today.
To know and understand your methodology so well that you are able to successfully teach it to others means you have broken down every aspect of the process you are engaged with and have interrogated it to the fullest extent. Nothing is left to chance and it's got nothing to do with cameras, equipment or software packages. Which is not to say the workshop is not practical, it is. Precisely because MediaStorm are themselves so methodical (and incredibly generous) the workshop is full of practical advice, distilled down from their years of experience, that allows you to quickly and easily understand and see ways you can apply and/or modify it to your own context.
That is why I will be able to directly apply so much of what I learned at the Methodology Workshop in my own work, but also in my university teaching. Brian and the whole MediaStorm team are passionate, methodical and generous, so the opportunity to spend a week learning from them was a unique and inspiring experience I would highly recommend.
Elaine Hill / Online Art Director, Greenpeace International
I came away from the MediaStorm methodology workshop totally inspired and excited about the future of multimedia storytelling. The opportunity to spend a week with this team of extraordinary individuals at the top of their game and to see the nuts and bolts of production was beyond priceless. The effort that went into preparing the workshop - down to the group dynamics - was greatly appreciated.
It's so rare and special to walk into a work space where you could tell everyone loved being there, the enthusiasm person brought to us when talking about their work was totally infectious. Brian's own story and personal commitment to spreading the potential of multimedia is in itself is a testament to pushing boundaries, embracing innovation and proves that quality is still worth pursuing. I only hope I can take what I learned and use it in a way that brings value to the effort you put into the individuals in this workshop.
Gary Matoso / Gary Matoso Photography
The MediaStorm Methodology Workshop proved to be an invaluable source of information and inspiration. It was a nicely balanced mix of creative and technical skills and business strategy and was the perfect primer to help get my new media production venture off the ground.
I really loved the open agenda. Our workshop was comprised of a diverse group of attendees from business, journalism, photography, academic, and non-profit worlds. Each of us came in with a different set of expectations for what we hoped to achieve. From the start Brian took care to listen to our stories and tailored the sessions to cover everyone’s needs. I believe we all walked away with what we needed to move forward with our professional goals. I know I did.
The most valuable aspect of the workshop for me was learning how the MediaStorm team works. Getting an inside look at their approach to project organization and workflow was hugely helpful. We were able to integrate much of what I learned immediately into our own productions, which really helped us tighten up and standardize our process and workflow. As an added benefit, it was great to be around the MediaStorm team for a week. It was insightful just to watch how they worked and interacted on projects.
The other aspect of the Methodology Workshop that I appreciated was the exchange of ideas and expertise between the MediaStorm team and my fellow attendees. At times it felt more like a roundtable discussion than a classic teacher/student workshop. It was great to be around these smart people with various perspectives discussing strategies for the changing media landscape we’re all facing today. We had many enlightening conversations about the challenges we face but also the great opportunities that lie ahead.
And it was just plain fun. Good people, innovative thinking, and very practical advise. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Rebecca McInroy / Multimedia Manager KUT Radio Austin, Texas
It's hard to overstate the value of my experience learning from the talented, skilled and thoughtful team at MediaStorm. Over the course of five days, along with seven dynamic professionals from all walks of life, I was immersed in the method behind MediaStorm's seemingly magic madness.
They covered multimedia production and editing techniques; shared recommendations for the best tools and technology to use when producing multimedia; and mapped out their business model and social media strategy. The most incredible part of the workshop was hearing their personal stories drawn from years of field experience and advice applied to our own endeavors.
I found being part of this workshop not only instructive, but also empowering. If you're a creative, thoughtful person and are considering whether to sign up - DO IT! It's five days that will change your perspective on what's possible.
Scott Willson / Manager Photo/Video/New Media, The North Face
Usually when asked to develop a creative department from the ground up, you'd start with the basics...strategy, process and workflow, etc. You'd then layer on all of the "cool" components...creative concepting and development, shooting, editing, production.
At least this is how it would work 'in theory'.
Those of us tasked with incorporating video and multimedia elements into an existing department are quickly learning that we're working with an inverted model: the great stories, ideas, assets and distribution channels may already be there...now, we need to build that foundation so we can effectively build and manage great multimedia content.
In 5 intensive days, Brian and his team at MediaStorm provide invaluable insight into the business of producing stellar multimedia stories. From the initial project request, through the development and production phase and ultimately distribution, you're immersed in their thought process. You gain a better understanding of the overall creative development process, as well as the nuts and bolts of production, workflow and distribution.
The close interaction with other participants enhances the learning. You walk away from the workshop with a lot of great ideas that can be implemented to build or strengthen a multimedia department. Equally important, you'll get validation on what you're already doing right.
01: July 2009
David Carlson / Executive Director, Center for Media Innovation
You can't put a price on something like the MediaStorm Methodology Workshop. Brian Storm and his team are open, insightful and provocative. They have been there and done what most of the rest of us have only thought about, and they are willing, even anxious, to share the knowledge they've gained.
Tavia Gilbert / Audio producer, director, narrator, writer
The methodology workshop has already proven to be a very wise investment of my time and resources. After 5 intensive days in a room with 5 leading figures in methodology and curriculum development, I could see clearly the tremendous potential that exists in this disruptive moment of communication. Less than two weeks since the conclusion of the workshop, I have already implemented effective changes in the way I approach my work as a creative artist and the leader of a small company.
I was inspired by the MediaStorm team's ability to harness rapidly changing technology and concepts, which has enabled them to narrow the gap between impulse and execution and focus their energies on producing extraordinary stories. MediaStorm's work is a testament to what happens when one combines craft and technology to remove obstacles between audience and exceptional experiences of the body, mind, and heart. MediaStorm's commitment to quality and purpose-driven work is powerful and inspirational.
Kim Komenich / Assistant Professor, San Jose State
The Mediastorm Methodology Workshop exposed me to the inner workings of one of the most celebrated multimedia houses in the history of the medium. I watched as MediaStorm multimedia producers and interactive designers created cutting-edge multi-platform multimedia in real-world environment where creativity, technology and economic survival meet.
My hypothesis about teaching all the skills necessary to do original, compelling multimedia were validated--the student needs to found their career on a core competency. There are processes that students need to understand and there are prosesses that students need to know, to know as well as a jazz musician knows their instrument.
The temptation is to try make multimedia students "jacks of all trades", but the MediaStorm experience shows that graduates who are "masters of one" seem to be getting the good jobs. Students with a rich portfolio and an original point of view will have an advantage over those who have "shown competency" in all of the multimedia disciplines.
In short, there are things to know and there are things to truly understand. The multimedia project should be thought of as a production, so we should be educating "producers" who are proficient to the point of originality and insight about their multimedia core storytelling competency (video, audio, stills, etc.), and knowledgeable enough about the other skills needed to be able to assemble the best team of interactive designers, video editors and coders, to get the job done.
For the multimedia teacher, the first day of class might best be compared to the first day of football camp or the first day of band camp. Who is a natural-born quarterback? Who aspires to play the trumpet? Once this is decided, the process of teaching music and football can begin.
As much as multimedia teachers don't want to believe it, there are natural-born coders and back-end people in other departments who need story content for their projects.
And that's what it's all about, really-- telling a story. The only people calling this "new media" are the teachers. Most of our students have grown up with digital photography. Some might have already shot and edited a short video. To add too much weight to the teaching of the technical aspects of multimedia, to the detriment of the fieldwork and storytelling, is the equivalent of spending a semester teaching a group of aspiring writers to be better typists.
The Mediastorm Methodology Workshop gave me the confidence to set these priorities:
--Find a student's core competency and light a fire.
--Encourage collaboration.
--If you are practicing true multimedia storytelling, the story will tell you, as producer, how it should be told and what the proportions of video, audio, stills, and interactive design will be.
--Encourage entrepreneurship. There will never be a time in your students' lives when it will be easier to crash on a friend's couch and eat Taco Bell while inventing the next breakthrough in multimedia storytelling.
What a week! Do it!
John Temple / Managing Editor, The Washington Post
The methodology workshop gave me time to stop and step into a different way of seeing journalism. I came away at the end of the five days with one clear feeling - this is the greatest period for creative people ever.