Nearly 10 years ago, when I was considering transitioning from a career in print journalism to videography, I stumbled across the Platypus courses started by photojournalist-turned-multimedia-man Dirck Halstead. The three-day-long courses are designed to teach still photographers and journalists working in other media how to incorporate digital video into their storytelling. It's a hands-on workshop teaches shooting, editing and other video techniques participants need to become effective video storytellers.
Instead of signing up for Platypus, I opted to go for a more intensive, year-long master's program in video production. I question my decision every month when I pay my student loan bill, and every time I see the impressive videos that come out of the Platypus program. Most of what I learned in school I learned outside the classroom, so I suspect I'd have developed the same skills if I had spent three days in the classroom instead of nine months!
But all regrets aside, I recommend that anyone interested in working as a video journalist check out the Platypus Theater, which features work from previous graduates. Even if they don't inspire you to sign up for the course, they'll inspire you to more ambitious video storytelling.
Courses will be run this year in Las Vegas, Maine and Prague.