GET YOUR REPORTING OUT THERE.
I believe that being able to communicate your ideas and your process as a journalist in vertical video is now crucial to protecting journalism's role in our society. That’s why I offer one-on-one trainings at a modest rate for independent journalists.
My approach is the lightest possible lift. The goal is a way of making video you can repeat often, so you can focus on volume instead of sweating every post, and so the real you comes through. If you can't imagine lights and a studio look, no problem. Sometimes that's better.
Book a session: $200 for 60 minutes
If you're a full-time journalist with an institution behind you, please contact me instead.
What we work on
A setup you'll actually use. Often that's a phone, a window and a quiet corner. We find the simplest version that looks and sounds like you, and skip the gear unless it truly helps.
A routine that makes volume easy. How to get from idea to post without a production day, so the next video is a breeze.
Your hook. Your first sentence, reworked until the reason to keep watching arrives in the first breath, not after the throat-clearing.
Your niche. We define your lane clearly for the audience — and the algorithm.
Sounding like yourself. Eye line, pace and energy, so what comes through is you, not a performance of you.
Sessions
Single 60-minute session: $200
I watch a few of your recent videos before we meet, we work through your setup live on the call, and you get a vertical-video strategy in writing afterward.
You’ll emerge with the confidence to experiment.
The three-session arc: $540
Session one: a lightweight setup and routine.
Session two: hooks, using your real scripts or ideas.
Session three: delivery and analysis, reviewing what you've posted in between.
How it works
Book a time, and share links to a few videos you've posted, or tell me what you want to make if you haven't started yet.
We meet on video. Sit wherever you'd normally shoot, with the phone or gear you already have, and we make changes live.
Afterward, you get a short note with the three changes that will matter most.
About me
I've spent more than twenty years explaining technology to people, in print and on camera. I've reported for NBC News, Al Jazeera and PBS, where I co-wrote and hosted Hacking Your Mind, and I was editor-in-chief of Popular Science. Today I make video every day for The Rip Current, my independent newsroom on YouTube, TikTok and Substack, so I'm working through the same problems you are.
Questions
Do I need lights, a mic or a studio?
No. Come with whatever you shoot on now, even just a phone. A lot of the best vertical video looks unproduced, and that's often why it works. If one small upgrade would make a real difference, I'll tell you which one and why.
I've never been on camera. Is this too advanced?
No. Beginners often improve fastest, because they haven't built habits to unlearn yet.
How does the three-session arc work?
You pay once when you book session one. Afterward, I'll email you a private link to schedule sessions two and three.
What if I need to reschedule?
Reschedule or cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before your session, using the link in your confirmation email.