For those aspiring journalists looking to break into multimedia journalism, Marc Kawanishi, an instructor at Media Mission International, offered some great tips at the Visual Storytelling III workshop.

For those who are just graduating from school, Kawanishi emphasized the importance of a strong GPA. He reminded us that this signifies potential to employers and the ability to problem solve. Even if you are green, you can demonstrate that you have the ability to work hard through your academic performance.

For those looking to transition into the field, Kawanishi noted that it was important to have a portfolio. You will need to show employers some work samples as you apply for jobs. If you don’t have any work samples, Kawanishi suggested looking at your hobbies or activities and writing a piece based on those interests. For example, if you’re an avid surfer, research a story related to surfing. The goal is to create a multimedia story based on your interests and then find a local news editor to edit the piece. This can be used for your portfolio.

Finally, Kawanishi stressed the importance of training. There are a variety of places where you can get multimedia training, including journalism schools such as UC Berkeley.

Good luck!

— Renee Eng, AAJA-LA Member

@Renee_Eng