2015 has shaped up to be another productive year for International Media Solutions.  We have been able to reach new countries while the MoJo Kit reaches new schools. We have also been able to expand our staff this year, allowing the IMS family to grow.  As we draw closer to 2016, our horizons seem only to be expanding. So what has IMS exactly been up to in the last couple of months?

This Fall, IMS had the amazing opportunity to work with the Seed Alliance. The Seed Alliance is a collaboration between different grants and awards programs, who together support Internet development across the global south.  To date, the Seed Alliance has supported 116 projects from 57 economies. It has allocated around $2.2 million of funding in Grants and Awards throughout Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, helping to strengthen and promote the Information Society within these regions. IMS was contracted by ISIF Asia and APNIC, members of the Seed Alliance, to produce five on-demand webinars (see below) that covered the topics of: grant writing, communication and networking, fundraising, project monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Each webinar was scripted, storyboarded and produced up to 30 minutes long and distributed on 300 USB flash drives at their annual conference in Brazil . IMS could not have been more excited to work with such an amazing group that helps fund innovation around the world. Due to the success of the project, IMS was asked to produce a Spanish version for LACNIC, who are also a member of the Seed Alliance that actively work on promoting and defending the regional community's interests and helping create conditions that will allow the Internet to become an effective instrument for social inclusion and economic development in benefit of all Latin American and Caribbean countries and citizens.

​IMS continues to progress in the world of academia. The MoJo Kit reached more and more classrooms nationwide this year including Flagler Schools, Buck Lodge Middle School and Charles Carroll Middle School. Additionally, El Camino College and South Orange County Community College  introduced the Mojo Kit as part of their dynamic journalism programs where students learn the principles and techniques of multimedia reporting, including preparing news for the World Wide Web using text, audio, video and photographs. With the Mojo Kit, students will be able to create elaborate multimedia projects and will also be using the kits as part of El Camino College newspaper, The Union.  IMS could not be more proud to see the next generation of storytellers develop their journalism skills with the Mojo Kit. 

This year the IMS family grew with the help of two award-winning digital media producers and media consultants Lily Ciric Hoffmann and Rosario Carmona.  Lily produced and directed the five webinars mentioned above for the Seed Alliance as well as oversaw the production of the Spanish versions for LACNIC which Rosario translated, edited, and directed. IMS is proud to be working with such talented women and looks forward to collaborating with them again in 2016. 

Lily also conducted a half-day training for Tajik journalists on the latest trends and tools in digital media for the International Visitor Leadership Program being implemented by FHI 360. The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), launched in 1940, promotes mutual understanding between the United States and other nations through carefully designed professional visits to the United States for current and emerging foreign leaders. The participants, selected by U.S. Embassies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, represent government, politics, the media, education, nongovernmental organizations, the arts, public health, international security, business and trade, and other fields. More than 5,000 professionals from all over the world participate in the IVLP each year, with FHI 360 designing and implementing programs for 500 of these visitors. During their two- to three-week stays in the United States, participants meet with their American counterparts to share experiences and best practices, while also learning about the rich diversity of U.S. culture and society. 

We were able to reach new schools, new countries, and new storytellers in 2015. As the new year begins, IMS is looking towards the future. Thank you for your continued support. Together we are hopeful that 2016 will take us to new heights! 

International Media Solutions continues to expand and grow in its fourth year. The Mojo Academic is finding its way into schools, media professionals are being trained throughout the globe in harnessing this amazing tool, while the other Mojo Kits continue to be used on the field, helping spur the next generation of storytellers. 

We have always been committed to helping today’s youth and that’s why we’re proud to announce this year that IMS is a core partner of the YouthPower: Implementation Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract (IDIQ) that FHI 360 was awarded. IMS's role as a consortium partner will be to focus on youth engagement and training utilizing video and other IT solutions. 

What are FHI 360 and YouthPower?

FHI 360 is a human development organization committed to helping deprived communities and have a long-lasting impact on today’s youth through innovative solutions. They help people in more than 70 countries and all US states and territories.  YouthPower is a USAID project to implement USAID’s Youth in Development Policy that engages youth in development efforts, builds the capacity of youth-serving and youth-led organizations and builds cross-sectoral approaches to create positive youth outcomes.

“YouthPower provides a unique opportunity to build the capacity of local organizations and create systemic and comprehensive youth programming,” said Nadra Franklin, Director for Social and Economic Development at FHI 360. “We are committed to engaging youth in all aspects of our work. With tremendous energy, creativity and innovation, youth can be at the forefront of positive change in their communities.”

We couldn’t be more proud to be part of this amazing consortium that includes leading organizations from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. IMS will post updates on specific projects related to YouthPower as they are awarded. 

What can we say, 2014 has proven to be another remarkable year for International Media Solutions. We were once again visiting new regions while deploying our latest products to enhance the digital story telling process. It truly has been a year of growth and we were glad we got to meet so many of you along the way, thank you! 

2014 witnessed the unveiling of two new Mojo products: the Mojo Kit Micro and the Mojo Kit Academic. The Micro Mojo Kit is literally your mini studio on the go. Designed for people reporting in conflict areas with heavy restrictions on shooting, the kit can literally fit in your pocket. When disassembled, to the naked eye the authorities wouldn't think you are out in the field filming.

The Mojo Kit Academic is a college and career-readiness tool for teachers and students that creates powerful digital storytelling through high-definition multimedia content.  The Academic is armed with Padcaster®  for the iPad,  a 72MM 0.40x Wide Angle Lens, a Macro Lens, a 2.2x Telephoto High Definition Lenses plus a ultraviolet UV protection filter, a high-sensitivity condenser directional microphone, a 160 LED ultra high power panel light including rechargeable battery and travel charger, a Mini Tabletop Monopod, a 8hr backup smart-battery pack/charger, professional photo/video all-weather backpack, Blu-Ray® quality 50mbit/sec video, and all the latest apps photo and video apps for the iPad. With this kit in hand, students are on their way to becoming the next generation of storytellers.

Along with the Mojo Academic comes a three-day hands on training course entitled “Teaching the Teachers” with the aim of bridging the curriculum gap by training educators in basic journalism skills including ethics, conducting interviews, multimedia editing, basic photo and video composition, and the opportunity to create their own photo and video package so the teachers learn by doing. It also gives a chance for educators to introduce new and exciting techniques into their classrooms.

International Media Solutions’ continues to establish new relationships with schools, media centers, and NGOs around the world. We’re now working with Kent State University, Youngstown University, South Orange Community College, Sunburst Middle School, Bucklodge Middle School, and Carol Middle School. All are now in the midst of being equipped with the Mojo Academic.

IMS also teamed up with World Learning, FHI 360, and Chemonics on some new business proposals we hope to announce here shortly.

We are ecstatic about the establishment of the Media Innovation Incubator within the Information Warfare Center (IWC) based in Vilnius, which aims to combat propaganda during wartime and create honest real-time reporting during periods of conflict.

Definitely one of our favorite trips this year was being part of the 7th Annual Media Bar Camp in beautiful Nida, Lithuania.

The first day began with people immediately focusing in on the events in Ukraine and the difficulties that journalists have been facing there.  Day 2 kicked off with more presentations by different groups and activists, with people wearing blue and yellow shirts in solidarity with Ukraine. Day 3 commemorated 20 years of the creation of the Belarusian domain name, while Day 4 wrapped up the conference.

International Media Solutions CEO Michael Clarke gave a presentation on how to turn a tablet or smartphone into a HD mobile studio as part of a Master Class on mobile journalism on Day 3.

Michael was also on the panel to judge the best presentations. Each winner won an Olloclip as a prize and we would like to extend a large thank you to Olloclip for donating the prizes to Media BarCamp.  It was an amazing four days and as you can see by all the different visuals participants took here.

Starting since 2012 International Media Solutions has been involved in the Voices4Change program which aims to create the next generation of storytellers in the Middle East in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia.  You can see one of their amazing videos below:

We also continued our work with ACDI/VOCA’s Women’s Leadership in Small and Medium Enterprises (WLSME) in Kyrgyzstan. Since June 2013 we have worked with WLSME for its staff and members to learn the latest in media training. 

We would like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for continuing to be with us throughout 2014.  Get ready as we continue to visit new countries and deliver new and exciting products in 2015!

The Mojo Academic is our premier Mojo Kit for the classroom. Its aim is to help students gain a practical understanding of how to develop and produce a story. But what about the educators who have to teach this material?

International Media Solutions has created a MoJo Professional Development course for teachers, professors, and mentors. Through the MoJo Professional Development course educators are exposed to everything one would need to teach a multimedia course including: journalism ethics, basics of light and sound, interviewing techniques, photo and video editing, principles of composition, and the chance to produce their own video package and ask critical questions of the peers and community throughout the process.

The blended online course, hosted on iTunes U, begins with a goal setting exercise and moves on to an overview technology components and safety and culture sensitivities. Then the curriculum moves to how media plays a role in civic engagement and social activism. Next participants learn video story essentials like storyboarding and shooting in the field, helping to unbolt the classroom. Afterwards teachers learn how to operate the Mojo Kit, understand the best practices for shooting, and practice shooting.  Finally teachers go through the post-production process ending with a final short video product to demonstrate what they learned. 

Our unique approach allow for collaborative learning and team building in the classroom, as well as engage tech savvy students to explore the world outside of the classroom. As part of this new initiative we created a Mojo Advisory Board composed of Max V. Grubb Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Youngstown State University; Karl Idsvoog, Professor at Kent State University and trainer for journalists, business executives and information specialists; and Samuel Compton, a specialist in advocacy, accountability, with a long history of international work including the Institute of War & Peace Reporting. 

Upon completion of the course you'll be able to lead your students through the multimedia creation process while gaining real life experience in producing a news story. 

There is no way around it, tablets are now an increasingly common household item. From businessmen to small kids, nearly everyone is using a tablet. They have now even made their way into schools, evolving into innovative learning tools.  As such IMS would like to introduce our latest product, the Mojo Kit Academic  , which is a college and career-readiness tool for teachers and students that creates powerful digital storytelling through high-definition multimedia content. 

The Mojo Kit Academic is armed with the Padcaster®   for the iPad,  a 72MM 0.40x Wide Angle Lens, a Macro Lens, a 2.2x Telephoto High Definition Lenses plus a ultraviolet UV protection filter, a high-sensitivity condenser directional microphone, a 160 LED ultra high power panel light including rechargeable battery and travel charger, a Mini Tabletop Monopod, a 8hr backup smart-battery pack/charger, professional photo/video all-weather backpack, Blu-Ray® quality 50mbit/sec video, and all the latest apps photo and video apps for the iPad.  

REPOSTED FROM PBS MEDIASHIFT
JournoSec is a column aimed at helping journalists better under the security, privacy and anonymity challenges they currently face, and steps they can take to protect themselves. Managed by OpenITP Outreach Manager Sandra Ordonez, it brings together leading voices from the community behind open-source technologies that circumvent censorship and surveillance. For more information, follow @OpenITP. To become more involved, contact sandraordonez AT OpenITP DOT org.

On my first trip to Iraq in 2005, I remember being very aware of my security situation. At the time, I had not been to hostile environment training, and when I arrived, the hulking South African ex-special forces Personal Protection Officer who was lucky enough to have been assigned to babysitting me for the next week, turned around to me in our B6 armored suburban and asked me, “Do you know the number one thing you can do today to get home safely?”

Looking awkwardly at the weapon sitting next to me while fiddling with the Velcro on my body armor I responded timidly, “No. What?”

“Fasten your seatbelt,” he said with a laugh.

The lesson is: Often when we get out of our comfort zone we forget to do the most basic safety customs like fastening your seatbelt or looking both ways to cross the street.

Below are some tips and tricks I learned while living and working abroad over the past 15 years. My mantra is not to forget the small stuff; more than likely you are going to be injured in a vehicle accident, a natural event such as an earthquake, or a random act like a hotel fire rather than the spectacular events we see every day on TV.

On May 7, the 110th anniversary of the Press Restoration, Language and Book Day in Lithuania, International Media Solutions LLC (IMS) congratulated the Lithuanian people, specifically their journalists, on the resumption of a free press.  Quoting the Austrian-born journalist and diplomat Henry Anatole Grunwald, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” Given the events in Ukraine today, this quote should resonate with all those who stand up for our undeniable right to a free and fair press. 

International Media Solutions is pleased to announce on such a historic day, the formation of an international strategic partnership between our firm (www.international-media.net), a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) certified Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) based in Washington, DC and the Patriot Programmer Movement led by Olek Suchodolski based in Vilnius. Together we will be establishing an open Media Innovation Incubator within the Information Warfare Center (IWC) based in Vilnius, Lithuania to combat propaganda and informational warfare with real-time content creation that results in honest and fact-based reporting. At the center of the incubator is the revolutionary MoJo Kit® (www.mojokit.info); a high-definition, broadcast quality, multimedia mobile reporting tool for non-journalists and journalists. MoJo Kits® are currently deployed in Egypt, Guatemala, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, and the United States. The latest version would be an information warfare device produced in Lithuania based entirely off of open-source technology and software. The device will allow the user to compose, produce, edit, and distribute HD multimedia content (print, audio, photo, and video), securely, in real-time without ever having to transfer sensitive data between devices.  No other public device in the world currently has this capability. 

Earlier this year we were proud to announce the Mojo Kit Micro. Along with the Micro came a long list of accessories, including the Olloclip 4-in-1 iPhone lens. International Media Solutions is proud to announce that it is now an official reseller of the olloclip meaning you can come to us directly for this great piece of technology!

So what’s all the hype behind the olloclip?  The olloclip is an amazing 4-in-1 lens system that includes a fisheye lens, a wide-angle lens, and two macro lens. The wide-angle lens doubles the iPhone’s normal field of view, while the macro lenses magnify 10x or 15x. Olloclip claims "The wide-angle and fisheye lenses have been improved to deliver sharper images, edge to edge, with less lens distortion and enhanced clarity overall.”

After a year of trainings in Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and Lebanon, International Media Solutions’ owner, Mike Clarke, is back in the US. This past month Mike provided trainings to the students of the U.S. Department of State funded Global UGRAD for Serbia and Montenegro and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at the University of Maryland.

The Global UGRAD for Serbia and Montenegro which is implemented by World Learning, provides scholarships for students to attend universities in the United States for one year of undergraduate, non-degree study. Along with their studies, students engage in community service projects and internships, form lasting connections with Americans, and serve as cultural ambassadors of their home countries. For those of you that may not remember, Serbia and Montenegro were once part of Yugoslavia and were the scenes of heavy fighting in the early 1990’s as the Balkans fell into a state of civil war.