My name is Greg Magnus and I’ve been working online since 1996. I shoot video, write, take photos and try to make myself useful.
I’d like to consider myself a journalist, but with the state of the industry I almost feel like those American tourists in Europe who sew Canadian flags on their backpacks.
My background is print, but for the past 10 years I’ve been shooting video for TV stations, web magazines and two of the largest newspapers in southern California.
I’ve covered Super Bowls and Stanley Cups, wildfires and courtroom trials, produced award-winning multimedia projects, taken breaking news photos on my cell phone and — because someone has to do it — covered a few bikini fashion shows.
SKILLS
* HTML/CSS
* Audio/video podcasting and production
* Multiple NLE platforms, including Avid NewsCutter, Avid Xpress Pro and Final Cut Pro
* Audacity / Sound Forge
* Soundslides Plus
* DVD authoring and menus
* Photoshop
* Macromedia Flash
* InDesign / Quark XPress / Pages
* AP style
* iNews
EQUIPMENT
* Sony V1U HDV cameras
* GoPro Hero camera
* Manfrotto 510 fluid head tripods
* Sennheiser microphone and lavalier
* Bogen shotgun and boom mic
* 1950 watt light kit with soft boxes
* 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro with 4GB RAM
* Firestore FS-4 and CitiDISK HDV direct-capture drives
since you asked
At work with Greer Wylder and Warren G
Previously, as a web editor for the The Orange County Register, I helped train photographers and staff writers in basic videography, editing and uploading. As a videographer, I helped cover the 2007 Santiago Fire, two playoff runs by the Los Angeles Angels, the Rose Bowl and was witness to the Anaheim Duck’s Stanley Cup run.
As a staff writer for the The San Diego Union-Tribune’s web site and newspaper, I wrote breaking news articles for the web site that ended up in next day’s paper, took a photo on my cell phone that landed on A1 — below the fold — and produced and transmitted streaming video clips from the field. In 2004, the Union-Tribune honored me as an employee of the year for my work and maintenance on one of the most comprehensive Iraq war memorial pages on the Web.
As a principal content producer at SignOnSanDiego.com, I helped cover the largest wildfire in California history, the disappearance of 7-year-old Danielle van Dam from her bedroom and the subsequent trial of her killer, David Westerfield, and reported on the fatal shooting spree at Santana High School in Santee, Calif. I also headed SignOnSanDiego’s Super Bowl and Petco Park pages, produced award-winning border immigration and prison outreach multimedia projects.
Prior to that, I worked as a general assignment reporter for the Times-Standard in Eureka, Calif. My beats at the paper included police and public safety, courts, environment, city and county government, sports, education, arts and entertainment, features and seniors. I also assisted in page layout and photography.
My first job out of school was at the San Diego Daily Transcript. At the Daily Transcipt we prided ourselves in scooping everyone else, by printing the paper’s content online the day before it hit street. As a copy editor, my job was first to prepare stories for going online, and then help prepare them for the next day’s paper.
