Reels
Reels are an interesting medium, somewhere between posts and full broadcast videos. Personally, I see them as a way to break molds, defy norms, or convey action/excitement. We know based on reporting and our own analytics that reels are seen by more people, especially when posted with music, but at the same time, they can be less professional than static posts. As such, when I choose to post a reel, it’s usually for one of two reasons: first, that there’s an event people need to see to understand, or second, that we want a broader audience to engage with our work.
The Class of 2024 Graduates
Caption: The Clarke Central High School Class of 2024 has graduated in Billy Henderson Stadium on May 24. Video by Wyatt Meyer #graduation #classof2024
This reel was all about opportunism. I wasn’t even on ODYSSEY business; I was a graduation marshal escorting seniors to the stage as they graduated. However, literally at the moment the countdown from 10 began, I realized what a great opportunity to publish a video this would be. As such, I bolted from my chair, stood in the middle of the aisle, and began recording, even though it was shoddy quality on Instagram. As soon as the caps were tossed high into the air, I knew I had a winner. I posted the clip shortly after, with only a brief caption, and instantly it blew up with likes and comments from those at the event and those tuning in from afar. Capitalizing on the emotion of graduation made this post: it’s our most liked piece of content ever.
Team Trump dances to Y.M.C.A
Caption: The Team Trump Bus Tour celebrated its arrival in at the University of Georgia’s Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity on Friday afternoon with a rendition of what Sen. Joni Ernst called “Donald Trump’s signature dance” to the tune of Village People’s 1978 hit “Y.M.C.A.” The tour stopped at multiple locations on Milledge Avenue, with speakers including Ernst imploring Athenians to vote for former President Donald Trump. “I saw (the event) on social media and thought it was a good reason to come out and support Donald Trump, trying to hear what people had to say and just give my support when I can,” University of Georgia student Cayla Campbell said. Video and story by Wyatt Meyer
Few reels on the ODYSSEY Instagram have been so controversial as this one. I filmed the Team Trump Bus Tour doing the “Y.M.C.A” dance with the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity at UGA, something the tour had done twice already. However, moments after posting, the comments blew up flaming us for posting the event, while some comments later clapped back at the commenters, igniting a firestorm of emotions in the comments. Putting aside the controversy, however, my thought process for posting was simple – I knew people wouldn’t engage with a simple video of people speaking, so I wanted to capture action, some movement, something exciting and eye-catching. Though the reactions weren’t constructive, they did at least demonstrate some engagement with the post, which was the goal.
Athenians give voice to Kamala Harris
Caption: U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff made a campaign appearance at event space 1055 Barber in Athens this evening, championing U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential run. The event featured speakers from the University of Georgia, Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz and Emhoff himself, followed by a musical performance from former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe. “I really wanted to be able to come to a rally because I’m from a rural town, so I haven’t been able to do any Democratic (events),” University of Georgia freshman Ella Blake Borough, an attendee, said. “The energy was really good.” Video and story by Wyatt Meyer
Stay tuned for more coverage of the 2024 elections.
The comparative lack of engagement on the reel I posted at the Kamala Harris rally – attendees dancing to a different song – spoke volumes about the ODYSSEY’s audience: skewed, wildly liberal. However, I was proud of myself for not changing tack. To be fair and equitable, I posted the equivalent video of the one I recorded at the Team Trump event, not giving anyone the excuse to say we’d been biased, as we’d posted near identical videos for each.
Promoting the 2024 Election Package
Caption: The ODYSSEY Media Group 2024 Election Package is out now on the ODYSSEY website. See the full collection of stories on the ODYSSEY website or at the link in bio. Video by Wyatt Meyer
This was the main promo for our 2024 election package on our website, an in-depth multimedia package we wanted people to view. Again, knowing that reels and music get a broader audience than posts, I chose to make the main promo a reel, which I edited together. The different chunks of the video – the action, the viewpoints, and the local – each aimed to emphasize a different aspect of our reporting, with photos justifying the headings afterward. The music in the background was fast-paced, engaging viewers further. I was surprised the post didn’t get more engagement – upon reflection, it’s possible students needed to see a face to get them engaged from the jump, though I don’t know if that was feasible here.
Dancing on Oconee's Grave
Caption: Clarke Central High School varsity quarterback Hezekiah Millender, a senior, dances after kneeling out the Gladiators’ 37-36 win against Oconee County High School in Billy Henderson Stadium on Aug. 23. Millender found tight end Xayvian Berry, a senior, in the end zone to put the Gladiators up for good in the fourth quarter. “I think the first half was like how we practiced this week, we didn’t practice very well,” Berry said. “The coaches gave us a speech (at halftime) and we came out and executed in the second half.” Photos and story by Wyatt Meyer
I posted this at a time where I was becoming aware that reels reached a broader audience than posts, especially when posting with music. As such, to communicate the jubilant feeling in the aftermath of the CCHS’ football team’s dramatic comeback victory over a crosstown rival, I posted an edited selection of photos of our star quarterback dancing to the song “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing.” Ideally, I would’ve liked a video clip to post, but since I’d been shooting the game, there was no time to change tack. I was hoping the post might go viral or at least appeal enough to the team so they reposted it, and to some degree it did: several people reposted it, bringing more engagement to our page.
Speed... I am Speed
Caption: A video satirizes the University of Georgia football team’s recent driving scandal. Editor-in-Chief Wyatt Meyer sympathized with the team’s rocky record on the roads in the past several years. “After all, haven’t all Athenians been tempted to escape the Eastside by whatever means necessary at one point or another?” Meyer wrote. Video by Wyatt Meyer, photos and graphics used under fair use guidelines
I’d just published a satire, one about the University of Georgia football team’s driving scandal. I wanted to promote the story on social media, yet didn’t know how – we’d only ever posted standup promos, which tended not to do well. However, in this reel, I wanted to have the same tongue and cheek tone I used in the article. To do so, I spoofed the iconic intro to the Pixar film “Cars,” recording a voiceover with images across the screen. The video was intentionally low quality, meant to tease lightly rather than make a broader point. I hoped the tone might bring people in to the larger story.