November 08, 2005
Speed-Writing
I never realized before, but our "Crime Reporting" lab exercise provided me with a breakthrough in crime writing. Prior to "speed-reporting-writing," structuring crime stories were perplexing. Should I write chronologically? What are the most important details- the crime or describing the perpetrator? Which quotes matter and does the emotional content outweigh the event's within story?
Limited writing time forced me to made immediate decisions. Time wasn't granted therefore I couldn't over-analyze the evidence. Instead, I choose an angle and went with it. Whatever pieces connected to that idea, I used.
Because these time restraints constricted my writing process (which surprisingly helped me more), I wrote a better story. Likewise, when I had the time to work on another assignment, I had the tools to locate the necessary facts needed to produce a balanced crime story.
Posted by BethanyHutira at 04:17 PM | Comments (3)
Fairy-Tale Crime
I really enjoyed researching, selecting, analyzing, and writing this fable crime report. It just proves that fairy tales are made for everyone, despite how you react to the story and its characters.
I must admit though, I had difficulties selecting amongst numerous tales. Peter Pan and the Lost Boy could clearly represent gang violence, since they constantly battle with Captain Hook and his pirates. And, those spindles in Sleeping Beauty obviously weren't recalled despite their dangerous nature.
Eventually, I settled upon this...
After searching through several Hans Christian Anderson and Grimm’s Brothers websites, I decided to stick with Disney version of Cinderella. The particular segment I wished to focus on actually occurs when Cinderella escapes from the ball in her pumpkin carriage. During the scene, the King’s officials and guards chase the “mysterious princess” in attempts to capture her. The Fairy Godmother’s magic however ends and Cinderella, her horseman, attendant, and horses return to their normal state; the king’s men run-over the remains.
This scene suggests reckless endangerment caused by the Fairy Godmother, Cinderella, and magically transformed creatures. Based on previous scenes, the audience knows that while providing Cinderella with the material the Fairy Godmother failed to attire her godchild with proof of insurance and the dog with an authorized license to lead the pumpkin. Likewise, Cinderella’s inability to understand her midnight contract instigated a high speed chase through the kingdom into the countryside—a hunt which could have resulted in a tragic accident.
Cinderella could have be trapped inside the pumpkin as it returned to its normal size and killed when the King’s horsemen trampled over it. Yet, by jumping from the moving vehicle, Cinderella and her company could have sustained serious injuries. Without proper insurance, the responsibility rests upon those individual’s rather than the King’s horsemen who are able to pay the damages.
Posted by BethanyHutira at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2005
Criminal Jargon and Reporting Purpose
Since beginning our unit on crime reporting, I've had several complications deciphering between the various criminal terminologies. In particular the legalities, those wonderful words we use to define whether a suspect "allegedly" committed a crime or police arrested "so-and-so" for committing "Crime A."
I suppose I've been leery about the entire process because, although we mean to carefully cover the crime beat, it's often seen as a narrative. As the Dave Krajicek stated in "Covering Crime and Justice: The Crime Beat"...
The dramatis personae for even routine crime tales likely will include a protagonist and antagonist, if not outright heroes and scoundrels.
Granted, I understand that (for the use of a looser term) "bad guys" and "good guys" exist; yet, I question if this notion contradicts coverage of a particular crime. If journalists are held under such scrutiny for news events, wouldn't writing in narrative style put them under further scrutiny?
Although Edna Buchanan, a Miami Herald crime reporter, noted that...
the crime beat "has it all: greed, sex, violence, comedy and tragedy."Isn't it placing a biases against the victims and (potential)criminals within the story? I feel that in a way it does. If we're going to focus primarily on the sensationalism of the story, or the dirt, it only unjustifies the people in the story.
Then again, I suppose that's way editors use crime reporting as a "sink or swim" test. It immediately clues them in on the ethics and standards of future employees.
Posted by BethanyHutira at 10:37 PM | Comments (0)