Shortform Video: Raspberry Drops

This is my most successful piece of content - as well as ABC Ballarat’s most successful - with more than 44 million views. It also continues to receive millions of views more than a year after publication.

Its evergreen nature, visual appeal and Sovereign Hill’s nostalgia factor is the driver of all this success. And yet, it was a production failure.

I had intended to produce a video combining interviews and overlay, but felt the interviews weren’t strong enough and only used them for an audio package played on Ballarat Breakfast.

To avoid wasting all this great vision, I spent an hour on the weekend cutting together the sequence and putting it out as some throwaway weekend content. Total time spent on this story was about 3-4 hours.

Local for Local articles

Throughout my career at the ABC I have produced a range of articles from the Ballarat region, and regularly contribute elements of stories to the bureau’s Local for Local Digital Strategy.

This audio segment reached the top 10 performing regional segments in July. A combination of compelling story, attention grabbing headline and engagement with community groups led to this segment punching above its weight.

I have only had a brief opportunity in Features, yet my output demonstrates my incredible capabilities.

This backfill started with two days’ notice and I had no Core Media training, no live TV experience and no leads. I tried a scattergun approach, applying my previous media experience to create as much high quality content as possible.

This approach involved collecting all raw material in the production phase - vision, interviews, photos, audio and more - which ensures the story can go anywhere.

Online? Easy.

Programs wants me to present a segment? Sure thing.

Behind the News wants a package? No problem, I’ve got enough overlay.

My content is making the rounds in stakeholder groups, driving massive engagement? Brilliant!

I would love to get back into this role someday, even for a short stint.

Sew What Maryborough

Travelling to Maryborough, filming, editing and submitting the video for subbing was all done in a single day.

Sew What Maryborough was the highest viewed ABC Ballarat Facebook video, with close to 300,000 views.

Alongside presenting a local radio segment, this story was picked up by Radio National’s A Country Breakfast and turned into an audio package.

AC News Ararat

This video led to Jack Ward becoming a regular guest on the Breakfast program as ABC Ballarat’s unofficial ‘Ararat Correspondent’

Alongside presenting a local radio segment, this story was picked up by Behind the News and my raw footage was repackaged to suit their program.

Sovereign Hill Lost Trades

Ballarat National Theatre - Act Like a Girl

Ballarat National Theatre put on a show with female actors performing monologues traditionally filled by men. After filming a rehearsal session, this story was picked up by the breakfast radio team and one of the actors participated in a live segment.

Boating in a Wheelchair around Corio Bay

Where do Ballarat’s autumn leaves go?

Gordon’s Classic Hat Shop

Napoleons Bookbinder and Restorer

John Mildren Pays Tribute to Bob Hawke

After Bob Hawke’s death, ABC Ballarat asked former Member for Ballarat John Mildren to share his memories of the former Prime Minister. Filming the interview enabled it to be shared across Facebook, added to the wealth of TV vision, as well as cut for Local Radio the next morning.

Digital Article - Ballarat’s Homeless

I began this features backfill with two days notice and no Core Media training or access. This was a significant limitation to publishing articles, and I was only able to write a single story during this time.

This article was one of the highest performing R&L stories on the day it was published, with the Regional Production Desk saying “The case study in this story provided a strong hook: that people would prefer jail to sleeping rough. Ran wide on the Vic page, thanks to a good thumbnail.”

Supporting news reporters by handling LiveU and camera operation for live crosses and filming/filing from the field for TV news packages.

An extra pair of hands during live crosses enables more dynamic interview framing.

Supporting Interns

Supporting interns with photography and support while newsgathering