Matthias London

Video journalism
for Deutsche Welle

Rationale

ABout Deutsche Wellle

Deutsche Welle (DW) is Germany’s public international broadcaster committed to impartial journalism and fostering global dialogue, reaching millions worldwide. I worked as a video journalist within DW’s Culture and Lifestyle department for “Euromaxx,” which presents a vibrant portrayal of European culture, spanning art, design, fashion, cuisine, and travel, to promote global cross-cultural understanding

My Role as a Video journalist

In my role as a video journalist at Deutsche Welle, I engaged in diverse formats, spanning from traditional television reportage to web-editing for platforms like YouTube and social media journalism. For TV pieces, I undertook the creative conception of reportage ideas aligned with Euromaxx’s identity, led pre-production tasks such as research, location scouting, and script-writing, directed production activities including protagonist interactions and interview-taking, sometimes filming myself, and supervised post-production processes. My web-editing responsibilities involved adapting TV content for online formats using Premiere Pro or crafting original content from archival material. Additionally, I contributed to social media journalism, conceptualizing engaging topics tailored to younger audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, with a focus on Berlin nightlife, and producing content directly using smartphones.

Takeaways and Vision

Through my experience, I’ve honed diverse storytelling techniques, from emotive TV reportage to punchy TikTok content, enriching my approach to narrative video journalism. While I believe quantitative metrics are inadequate for assessing journalistic outcomes, it’s noteworthy that my social media productions have significantly exceeded broadcaster standards. Some videos have garnered over 5 million clicks, 200,000 likes, and thousands of comments, demonstrating a robust engagement far beyond conventional measures.

Observing the evolving landscape of journalism, particularly driven by social media and the Web 2.0 platform economy, I recognize a shift towards attention-grabbing, short-form content. I hate it. So, despite this trend, my vision remains rooted in producing thorough, long-format, durational, well-researched, and accountable documentary journalism.

Reflecting critically, I’ve found that working within ostensibly benevolent institutions doesn’t always align with impactful work. Euromaxx, in my humble (perhaps unpopular) opinion, perpetuates a form of European cultural hegemony that glosses over colonial legacies. By curating content based on a flashy appeal for audiences outside Europe, we risk presenting a skewed, aspirational view of European culture, reinforcing global cultural hierarchies. These conflicts have made me more aware of the complexities inherent in my work and the need for greater responsibility in (journalistic) storytelling.

TV Journalism

SWG3 Bodyheat: Raving to Save the Environment

  • Synopsis: Scotland’s SWG3 club installed a groundbreaking, sustainable heat-recycling system. Explore how the club harnesses its energy to rave sustainably, featuring expert interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.
  • Responsibilities: Matthias London creatively conceptualized the topic, secured interviews, scripted the narrative, directed production alongside a skilled camera team, and supervised post-production.
  • Credits: Written, produced, and directed by Matthias London, Camera by Steven Cassidy, Post-production by Antje Lass.

Brewing Sustainability: Beer from Old Bread

  • Synopsis: Explore the innovative collaboration between a German brewery and a local bakery as they team up to repurpose unsold bread into unique artisanal beer. Follow the journey from bread to brew in this captivating documentary.
  • Responsibilities: Matthias London spearheaded the creative conception, scripted the narrative, directed production, conducted interviews, filmed with Sony PXW-Z190 and Sennheiser MKE600, and oversaw post-production to deliver the final cut.
  • Credits: Written, produced, directed, and partially filmed by Matthias London. Assistance by Josephine GΓΌnther. Camera work by Florian Kroker.

SOCIAL MEDIA JOURNALISM​

@dw_berlinfresh

Replying to @thepinkstarfish Rejected from Berghain? Don’t worry, your night is just getting started. #berlin #techno #berghain #berlinclub #berlintechno

♬ original sound - SpreadTechnoMusic

@dw_berlinfresh

Replying to @melissapier1 Bonus points if you know which club this is. πŸ˜‰πŸ–€πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ #berlin #berlinclub #deutschlernen #germany #techno #berlintechno

♬ born slippy. - πŸ¦†

@dw_berlinfresh

Replying to @minasufi.x Do you know of any other β€œrules”? πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺπŸ–€ #berlin #germany #berlintechno #techno #berghain #clubrules

♬ original sound - cryem_