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Video Editing: Categories and Descriptions

NPPA 2022 Best of Photojournalism

 

The Best of Photojournalism – Video Editing division recognizes visual journalists who, working through the medium of video, tell stories relevant to their communities, helping them understand trends and issues to make informed decisions. Judges will look at the unique role of the editing process in the production of visual stories. Judges will look at the technical excellence of the final product. Still, the critical factor will be the journalism demonstrated and the audience’s ability to understand the story and how it relates to them. 

 

The Video Editing division is open to anyone in a storytelling environment (Broadcast, Newspaper, Digital Newsroom, etc.). Please read the descriptions carefully. This contest focuses on the craft of video editing. 

Entries in this category are primarily made by individual journalists, except for the team category. Entries in this division are segmented into two categories, editor and solo journalist.

 

  • A solo Journalist is someone that primarily works alone and produces nearly all their stories as a one-person-journalist. All entrants must have shot 90% of the video and be the sole editor.

  • An editor is someone who crafts the story in the edit and is solely responsible for every action in the edit. For this categories is does not matter who shot the video; we only judge the craft of editing.

See the Guidelines section of the competition website for more detailed information.

There is a limit of four (4) entries per category in each individual story category in the Video Editing division per individual contestant. Compilation categories count as a single entry.

Any individual can submit an entry to The NPPA Video Editor of the Year Award.

One significant change you should note: If the entrant’s name is mentioned in the story entry, you can leave it in. For example, if the reporter’s outcome says, “With photographer John Doe…,” the photographer’s name DOES NOT have to be edited out of the entry. 

You are also highly encouraged to write up a summary of your entries and, in some categories, this is mandatory. 

 

Contact Shawn Montano at boptvedit@nppa.org for more information or questions about the contest.

Team Edit: The category is for a team of editors producing an entry. This would be ideal for a team shoot or a documentary in which multiple editors contributed significantly to the entry. Stories may be hard or soft for this category. Mandatory writeup for this category: Explain how you worked as a team on the edit.

  • No Time Limit

 

Social Edit: A story specially edited and formatted for viewing on social media and not meant for broadcast. Mandatory writeup for this category – Explain why this edit is primarily for social channels

  • 90 second time limit.

Bumps/Teases/Pre-Show Edit: This category should demonstrate your ability to tease a story or a show. You can enter one element or a combination of tease elements; however, they must all tease the same story or show. This category is for teases and not stories. 

  • 3 Minute Time Limit.

 

Under Deadline Edit: A deadline story is a news story (feature, hard news, investigative) edited in less than 1 hour.  The clock begins for this category when you place your first edit on the timeline (not when you first ingest media). Judges will look for creativity implemented in your edits. Judging emphasis will be on storytelling elements (sequencing, natural sound, etc.). 

  • 3 Minute Time Limit

  • Enter this category either as a Solo Journalist or an Editor

 

General Hard News Edit: A timely news story, serious (not soft or humorous) that covers a planned or unplanned news event, an issue, or person or topic of general interest and importance. It can be a follow-up or sidebar to spot news. General news stories should contain no music, except where it’s part of the story’s natural sound. Stories must have been shot, edited, and broadcast within 24 consecutive hours.

  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

  • Enter this category either as a Solo Journalist or an Editor

 

General Soft News Edit: A timely news story, soft or humorous, covering a planned or unplanned news event, an issue, or person, or topic of general interest and importance. It can be a follow-up or sidebar to spot news. General news stories should contain no music, except where it’s part of the story.

  • 5 Minute Time Limit.

  • Enter this category either as a Solo Journalist or an Editor

 

Hard Feature Edit: Hard Features are stories that are serious (not soft or humorous). The photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into the production of the story. Features that score highly show imagination and creativity.

  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

  • Enter this category either as a Solo Journalist or an Editor

 

Soft Feature Edit: A news story, sensitive or humorous, appeals to the viewer’s emotional side, and the photojournalist puts considerable time and effort into producing the story. Features that score highly show imagination and creativity.

  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

  • Enter this category either as a Solo Journalist or an Editor

 

Hard Photo Essay Edit: A news story demonstrating exceptional use of natural sound, sound bites, sound effects, and/or music. Stories in this category are serious (not soft or humorous). Stories with any narrative are not allowed in this category.

  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

 

Soft Photo Essay Edit: A new story demonstrating exceptional use of natural sound, sound bites, sound effects, and/or music. Stories in this category should be light-hearted, upbeat with a general overall happiness feel. Stories with any narration are not allowed in this category. 

  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

 

Sports Edit: Any feature story about participants/athletes or those involved or interested in a sport or sporting event. Does not need to focus on the outcome of the game. The spirit of this category is to encourage stories about the emotional side of sports, not focused on the competition itself, highlights, or postgame soundbites. Entrants should make an effort to avoid stories that aren’t really about the sporting event itself.

  • 10 Minute Time Limit.

 

Investigative Edit: An Investigative story covers a single news story that demonstrates how an editor enhances journalistic enterprise on an important issue. It may be divided into a series or successive days. If so, edit the individual parts together, leaving a second of black between each piece.

  • 30 Minute Time Limit.

 

Effects Edit: A Story entered into this category must show how an editor uses effects to enhance a story.  This could be as simple as using wipes or as complicated as creating animations with another program (After Effects, Motion, etc.). This is an editing contest, so you are still judged on editing or incorporating these elements into a story. Just adding graphics to a story is not enough for this category.  Mandatory writeup for this category: You must notify judges of all elements you did not produce, especially if you’re using templates (like graphics). 

  • 10 Minute Time Limit

 

Editor of the Year: This award recognizes an individual’s ability to edit across multiple categories with a high level of skill and professionalism.

Anyone who enters at least 6 of the individual categories is eligible for the EOY. Entrants must submit those stories in a compilation reel. Judges reserve the right not to watch your composite in its entirety because they have already seen the stories in the individual categories. 

 

Since there is a limit of 4 entries in the individual categories, for the EOY reel, a maximum of  two may be used, in the following order: 

  1. Social Edit

  2. Bumps/Teases/Pre-Show Edit

  3. Under Deadline Edit

  4. General Hard News Edit

  5. General Soft News Edit

  6. Hard Feature Edit

  7. Soft Feature Edit

  8. Hard Photo Essay Edit 

  9. Soft Photo Essay Edit

  10. Sports Edit

  11. Investigative Edit

  12. Effects Edit

The composite reel must include 2 of these 4 categories: 

  • Bumps/Teases/Pre-Show Edit

  • Under Deadline Edit

  • General Hard News Edit

  • General Soft News Edit

Stories entered in the individual categories must be entered under the same categories. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.