Follow Friday: Mobile-First Journalist Marcel Anderwert

A veteran reporter for the Swiss broadcasting company Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), his fascination with the simplicity and size of the iPhone compelled him to move away from larger cameras.   The phone offered him the convenience and ability to report almost unnoticed.

In this 2015 video, Anderwert made the most of working with his iPhone while covering the refugee crisis at the Hungarian border.  

https://vimeo.com/138396291

Inspired to focus on more personal stories, especially after changes at SRF, he pitched the idea of reporting for social media platforms exclusively. The success of Anderwert’s mojo reporting gave him the freedom to develop stories longer than the typical two minute television packages.

His mobile-first experimentation motivated him to begin shooting vertical video while continuing to edit on mobile, with an eye for optimizing his work for viewing on mobile screens.

His mojo interests and experiments also led him from traditional television reporting to TikTok, where he also distributes stories.

https://www.tiktok.com/@me_see/video/6788869779512954118?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v2&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6942241146332907013

Eventually, he adopted a workflow to accommodate producing and packaging stories for both television and social media. The flexibility of multiple media platforms require slightly different sets of expectations, but with over ten years of television experience he easily adapted. 

Anderwert’s reporting offers insight into the evolving field of video and mobile journalism, including its reach across multiple platforms. Yet, his focus remains securely on storytelling. For him, shooting a fascinating person in an interesting location is a key to success.

https://vimeo.com/380341495

While most of content he produces is in his native German, Anderwert shares a number of tips on shooting video that provide insight into producing stories with a mobile phone too. When it comes to visual storytelling the language difference is not a barrier. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@me_see/video/6934222010474106118?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v2&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6942241146332907013

To learn more, follow Marcel Anderwert on the following platforms.

Twitter – @marcelanderwert
Instagram – @marcelanderwert
Vimeo – marcelanderwert
TikTok – @me_see

MoJo, short for mobile journalism, is redefining the news industry across the globe as journalists increasingly leverage the power, creativity, and technology available with the smartphone to produce and publish media storytelling for distribution across a range of platforms.

This series will highlight reporters leading the field of mobile journalists.

Written By: Fred Haas