Student Multimedia

In recent years, student’s final projects have used a range of formats and platforms to tell their stories, including websites, interactive e-books, photography and video. Here is a selection of their work:

Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou class 2010–11 produced Stars Made in China, a short web documentary following the lives of three foreigners living in China. Liam, Martin and Viktoria are not known in their home countries, but after learning fluent Chinese they get the chance to perform on Chinese TV. In their struggle to become famous artists, they learn that the world of fame is not quite the same in China as it is back home.

Zhang Xinwen and Kong Yiqiao, both current 2015–16 students produced and published a multimedia story for CCTV’s StartUp series. The work was broadcast and published online on multiple platforms. Each year IMMJ students team up with working professionals for a short practical field workshop. See the bottom of page for more group projects.

Sun Peng class 2010-11 produced and published a powerful multimedia feature for China Daily – Life After Loss – about Parents who have lost their only child — known in China as “shidu” families. This disadvantaged and marginalized group numbers about a million. Peng’s multimedia project presents the challenges they face, such as problems with finances, physical and mental health care, as well as struggles with government policies. These parents talk candidly about their stories and the efforts they’ve made to improve their lives.

Alice Carfrae class 2013–14 produced a ten part multimedia feature for China Daily called ‘Wild Beijing’. The last thing you would expect to find in a heavily polluted ever expanding city like Beijing is wildlife. But there is plenty, and Alice explores Beijing’s wildlife and some of those of the front lines protecting it in ten episodes.

Berta Tilmantaite of 2010–11 class made an award-winning video “The River Runs Back” it’s now playing on the Asia Society’s web site, as part of their China Green initiative.

Mark Esplin of class 2011–12 made an interactive iBook about the environmental degradation of the Coral Triangle. Please do download and take a look.

Books were popular that year, and Biel Calderon, also from Class 2011–12 made an iBook for his final project too. Photo, video and text were presented together in the iBook format, and Biel’s individual components were published widely in different formats, stand alone video online and images and text in print publications.

Ellen Xu and Craig Kirk of 2012–13 class made an animated journalism game. Click to play this game about shadow banking in China. Shadow banking has grown rapidly in China over recent years and is now estimated to be worth as much as $3.4 trillion, equivalent to 45% of China’s gross domestic product. Not yet regulated by the government it has become a huge financial sector and will have serious effects on the future of China’s economy.

Vera Peneda from class 2012–13 focused on feminism in China. The video component she made for her final project was screened on CCTV’s Assignment Asia met three women from one family, each with a story that represents the changes in China, from one generation to the next.

Sabrina Merolla class 2013–14 is one of IMMJ’s most prolific #instagrammers, her work on ‘Fast food sleepers’, a common presence in every fast food chain in China, all shot with a mobile phone was published in lensculture.