Bill Gentile - Backpack Journalist and Instructor

Those that know, really know often share what they have worked so hard to learn. I learned about Bill Gentile via researching another story and discovered that this person has a talent not only for news gathering but teaching other people how to do it.



Bill Gentile defines Backpack Journalism in one of his post as:

Backpack journalism is the craft of one properly trained professional using a hand-held digital video camera to tell stories in a more immediate, more intimate fashion than is achievable using a team that includes camera person, sound person, correspondent and producer. Backpack journalists do it all and, most importantly, we make the pictures, which are the driving force of visual communication.

On his blog there is information on his approach to video documentation, his workshops in the Washington, DC area and tips on how to do it better.

Things to check out:

• Essential Quick Tips
• What It Takes
• A leap over to the American University School of Communication page I found a video by Maria R.M. Howell that explains the process and philosophy about the merger of traditional documentary photojournalism with video storytelling.
• Bill Gentile's Backpack Journalist videos on Vimeo