Al Jazeera Contrast: New Stories, New Voices
Launched in 2017, Contrast is a bold experiment in storytelling that brings Al Jazeera’s signature focus on the lives of those in underreported global locales to the burgeoning world of immersive media. Not content to just tell unheard stories with compelling tools, Editorial Lead, Zahra Rasool set about assembling an entirely women-led team of journalists and producers from around the world to help her build Contrast.
“Far too often, 360 and [Virtual Reality] (VR) are considered to be a medium only consumed and produced by Western countries. That’s why we want to make sure that people in other parts of the world are also involved. While the industry is so new and we are still shaping it, we should try to make sure it doesn’t become elitist.”
– Contrast producer, Viktorija Mickute in conversation with Immersive Shooter
Within its first year and a half, the studio had released a curated VR app, published over 50 short-form documentaries and 4 medium-length films in 360º video and received an Emmy nomination for its piece “Yemen’s Skies of Terror“. More importantly, through equipment sharing and expert training, Contrast has spread its ethos to hundreds of local storytellers the world over.
Want to watch this content?
IMEX Lab has posted not only the Contrast VR app but also several individual 360º stories to the Experience Catalogue – and will certainly continue to grow the collection with more great material from the studio as its published.
Assignment Idea: Putting the Focus on the Underrepresented
Description
The impact that 360º video can have on those who experience it includes increased retention of information and a lasting impact / perspective on the content. Underrepresented news stories in this medium combines the power of 360º video with content not in the mainstream. Review 3 to 4 examples in the Contrast VR App or on the Contrast YouTube Channel.
Questions for reflection:
- What emotional response was triggered for you?
- How did the experiences change your view of the lack of news coverage in eastern countries?
- Did the experiences being in 360º grab your attention more
- How did it help deliver the message and enhance your engagement?
Subject Areas
Communications, History (Middle Eastern), Women’s Studies
Deliverables
- a blog post on your experience of Contrast and your impressions of the experience
- an essay explanation of an article you selected about an underrepresented new topic that covers why you chose it and how you would create a 360º video treatment around it
- storyboard of this treatment as a visual interpretation (optional)