Creative Brief: Citizen Journalism

Keyword Code: CITIZENP5BRIEF

The age of mobile devices with high-quality cameras has made it easier than ever for anyone to capture footage of events as they unfold. In addition to the immediacy of citizens capturing content, data shows that viewers trust and like eyewitness accounts of newsworthy events more than footage produced by standard news crews. Pond5 has seen the demand for this kind of Citizen Journalist footage with its recently launched Editorial collection, and is actively seeking to add to it.

Types of Content to Capture:

  • Rallies, demonstrations, protests, riots
  • Political speeches open to the public
  • Extreme weather & natural disasters
  • Man-made disasters (explosions, fires, etc)
  • Newsworthy sporting events open to the public (marathons, adventure races, etc)
  • Parades & festivals (gay pride, Halloween, Carnival, etc)

Pro-Tips:
Safety is extremely important when capturing footage in circumstances that may be crowded, chaotic, and sometimes violent. Make sure to assess every situation and ensure that you can safely film as events unfold.

If you use your mobile phone, position it horizontally so that customers have maximum flexibility when using the footage.

Detailed and accurate metadata is crucial to include with Editorial content. Make sure to mention the date, location, and event information in your title and description. Relevant keywords are extremely important to include as well.

Womens March On Washington Protesters On January 21, 2017 In Washington, Dc by amgarwoo

Suggested Conceptual Keywords: rally, demonstration, protest, riot, chaos, parade, event, news, newsworthy, editorial, journalism, weather, disaster, politics, political, social issue, activism, eyewitness

Customers/Sectors: TV Programming, Documentary Films, Political Campaigns, News Outlets

Submission Checklist:

  • Please remember to tag your clips with the keyword code: CITIZENP5BRIEF
  • Don’t forget to add detailed and accurate metadata capturing the date, location, and description of the event
  • Follow the steps to submit listed above to ensure that your content is included in our News & Archival editorial collection

Top image: ‘march For Our Lives’ Anti-Gun Violence Rally by Gerry_Justice