On January 10, a Tweet came across my feed that saddened my heart:
Today is Left Field’s last day. Thank you for watching our videos over the past few years. It’s been a thrilling ride and we’ve loved every minute of it. Our stories will live on https://t.co/8rcAeTGDE2 ✌🏼
— NBC Left Field (@NBCLeftField) January 10, 2020
“Today is Left Field’s last day,” it said. “Thank you for watching our videos over the past few years. It’s been a thrilling ride and we’ve loved every minute of it. Our stories will live on.”
The Tweet came from NBC Left Field, a video storytelling unit launched in June 2017 with the self-described goal of “understanding human beings through film, technology and heaps of creativity.”
For 31 months, they delivered. I discovered Left Field when one of its early videos, a piece called “Hunting for Addicts” produced by Emily Kassie, won an NPPA Best of Photojournalism Award for solo in-depth storytelling. I clicked on Kassie’s clip, was enthralled by its craft and content, and immediately slid to YouTube to learn more about the unit that green-lit her story.
I was extremely impressed.
Every video brought immaculate photography, creative storytelling, and some innovative move that I’d inevitably file away with the intent of one day incorporating in my own work. In 2018 I received the chance to speak on a panel with Kassie and managing editor Bob Bikel, and my admiration grew greater.
I don’t know why Left Field shuttered, but I want to use this platform to briefly acknowledge the diverse, clever, passionate storytellers whose work brought such inspiration. I invite you to check out their YouTube page, where their stories remain.
In the meantime, here are a few pieces I’d recommend:
Hunting for Addicts: This is the aforementioned mini-doc from Emily Kassie about schemes that had emerged in Florida’s substance abuse industry. Powerful and poignant.
Pockets On Women’s Clothes Matter More Than You Think: I was always amazed by Left Field’s work with mixed media and VR. In this case, reporter Deborah Basckin used the technology as an eye-catching way to dive into a deeper-than-expected topic.
In Drag, Former Pastor Finds Peace: Sutton Raphael is the maestro here, again combining that blend of beautiful visuals with meaningful content to bring a powerful piece.
Why We Still Love Film: Left Field’s final piece was a delightful paean to the revitalized 35mm film industry, crafted by Carlos P. Beltran.
Thanks for the many journalists, editors, and documentarians who flew this flag for a few short years. It was a quick run, but it was rich with work that should produce great pride.
The Solo Video Journalist is available for purchase. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher’s web site.
Matt Pearl is the author of the Telling the Story blog and podcast. Feel free to comment below or e-mail Matt at matt@tellingthestoryblog.com. You can also follow Matt on Facebook and Twitter.