Comments on: An Ambush and a Comrade Lost

By: Devon Cioffi

Devon Cioffi — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:56:03 +0000

This made this all very real for me. We are all very used to seeing war footage on our TV screens, but this war footage lacks the commentary and human connection that you find in a piece such as this, where the soldiers can be intimately heard. Having this paired with the images of the ambush made this a very compelling piece and it tells the story in a way that is impossible with raw footage. Although one is distanced here by the lack of “moving” pictures, one is brought closer to the actual soldiers and the ambush, itself through their voices. Well done.

By: Ashley Wambach

Ashley Wambach — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:55:52 +0000

This project is very compelling, especially for someone like myself who does not really have any ties to the war overseas. I thought this project did what an article couldn’t, and that was capturing the emotions of the soldiers who were part of the ambush. This was storytelling perfection.

By: Bryan Smith

Bryan Smith — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:44:21 +0000

Great work! I agree with the other comments this piece is very emotional. It also shows the discipline and attitude of the soldiers very well. He didn’t slow down or pause at any time while telling this story just like they couldn’t slow down or pause in real life. When we lose someone close to us sometimes it is hard to convince yourself to go on, I couldn’t imagine having to fight for my life under such circumstances.

By: Richie

Richie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:43:35 +0000

This is the best example of the first hand experience story telling. This project makes the story so much more real then if, say, a reporter would have did this, or a writer would have did a feature on this. We are currently learning about multimedia journalism in our Online Journalism class, and this is a great piece with pictures and a first hand account of what happened. It really gives the story legs. Good job with that, another step for online journalism and its another great thing that you can do online that you cant do on paper.

By: Hakeem

Hakeem — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:32:55 +0000

The audio captures the emotion of the soldier who is recounting this ambush, while the pictures help capture the moment and enhance the emotions of the piece as a whole, nicely done.

By: Jess Landolfi

Jess Landolfi — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:23:37 +0000

Emotion is seeping through every crack in this piece from the photos to match what the soldiers are talking about to the ambient sounds in the background. It is so moving, and more successful at telling the story than text alone could ever be.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:23:11 +0000

I think this is a really powerful peace, it cannot be easy for these soldiers to recount a situation where one of their friends was killed. This audio slide-show is an excellent example of an interactive narrative.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:22:56 +0000

It’s an interesting take on trying to give war a more human feel. The pictures give a good feel for what it was like to be in that situation. However, the lack of introduction to the story sort of takes away from the intimate feel that the presentation is trying to go for. It feels somewhat lacking in trying to connect the reader to the soldiers themselves.

By: Sarah Arot

Sarah Arot — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:22:25 +0000

The photos definitely bring this story to life. It’s always compelling to hear an individuals story rather than a mass story in a paper.

By: Stephanie Rockliss

Stephanie Rockliss — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:22:19 +0000

This was really crazy to see and hear. The audio and video together make a great story. It’s a different experience than just reading about the war. It makes it more real. There aren’t really any links on the site though, so add them if you an. It was great!