I've seen the future of news gathering--and it's not pretty. Actually, it's pretty embarrassing. That's me festooned in probably $15,000 worth of technology. And not a cent spent on style. So help us caption this picture. Take your best shot in the comments.
First, some background: A small team (well, two) from Microsoft accompanied us to Bay St. Louis last week to capture 360-degree video of the devastation. They practically invented the technology. And to our knowledge, this will be the first time it's even been used in news. The resulting movie is something akin to the panoramic photo at the top of this page, only moving video in every direction. For the most part, they strapped the shiny red cylindrical camera to the roof of their rental car and roamed the neighborhoods. But cars can't venture inside obliterated buildings or drive down a beach littered with debris. That's were I, the human tripod (or is it bipod?), came in.
A screen capture of unwrapped 360-degree video shot along the beach in Bay St. Louis, Miss. The horizon bends when the camera person's head isn't level. (Image: Ashley Wells / MSNBC.com)
In case you're interested in this high-tech Halloween costume, here's what you need:
1 skydiving helmet with camera mount on top. Carbon fiber is the hot look this season. And don't forget the chin strap. That's key.
1 Ladybug 'spherical digital video camera' complete with six cameras. Only available in red, like a ladybug. Get it?
2 'storage units' for that camera, each packing four 40GB hard drives. Bonus feature: Their heat output can keep a RV warm all night.
1 backpack to hold said storage units.
2 optical link cables connecting the camera to the storage units. Sexier when taped down the back of the helmet.
1 separate camera to record audio, presumably of your tour guide. Even more fun when a 4-foot wire tethers you to that tour guide.
1 tricked out Acer Ferrari laptop, also in carbon fiber. Hey, it's an accessory. But unlike a purse, it can't be closed, at least not while recording. So sashay while holding it upright and open. Totally completes the look.
I suited up in cyborg gear to shoot a few guided tours in the area, one through the dilapidated, and allegedly haunted, county courthouse; another through the wreckage of the city attorney’s home; and one walking down a beach with the director of the local historical society. No one beat me up or even laughed. When there are boats in trees, this getup doesn't look so strange.
MSNBC.com's Ashley Wells takes a guided tour along the beach with Charles Gray, executive director of Bay St. Louis' historical society. (photo: Rick Welsh / Microsoft MapPoint)
But it was awkward. Clearly, I'm no bio-engineered camera stand. The trick is to walk with your subject while holding your head steady and level. You can't look down, even when you step in sewage runoff. You can't let your subject get more than three feet away, either, because of the microphone cord tether. Like Fletch, I was 6-foot; 6-8 with the helmet and camera. So you also have to duck very gradually under some doorways. Imagine walking like this through your living room after pushing everything you own onto the floor. That's what it's like inside these homes, if a living room exists at all.
If it seems I'm making light of all of this, I'm just trying to own the embarrassment from the goofy getup. The situation itself is very serious. This technology will help us show the unimaginable scope of destruction in ways that other images just can't communicate. That's key to truly understanding this story. With any luck, we'll have these 360-degree video tours up on this site in the next few weeks, so please check back often. Now, about that caption ...
My fashionable idea
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Captin Technology prepares for battle against the minions of Ignorance!
Jon Carignan, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Nov 10, 2005 7:53:51 PM)
"Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the Village People reunion?"
Stephanie (Sent Nov 10, 2005 8:46:29 PM)
"Keep staring. If you see the light flash, I will blow up, so run away... now!"
Maya, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Nov 11, 2005 12:43:45 AM)
"When danger arrives, push the red button", the chief told me. But do you see one?
Bart, Maastricht, The Netherlands (Sent Nov 11, 2005 8:13:11 AM)
Ashley Wells does an expose on Lazer Tag twenty years too late.
Jon (Sent Nov 11, 2005 2:13:40 PM)
"I won it on EBAY!!!"
karen barrilleaux (Sent Nov 11, 2005 2:20:48 PM)
Guess who's coming to dinner?
ann, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Nov 11, 2005 2:24:05 PM)
Because of gas prices, the new pimp mobile.
Judith Lyon, Yucaipa, CA (Sent Nov 11, 2005 2:58:49 PM)
The New and improved thinking cap 6000! I can access the internet with my brain. and if youre wondering about the light ... it lets you know when my brain is fried.
Wade Hicks Jr., Bay St. Louis, MS (Sent Nov 11, 2005 3:58:46 PM)
When's the next bus to Roswell???
Jim Blair, Houson, TX (Sent Nov 11, 2005 4:41:03 PM)
Creative thinking moves our world on to unsuspected progress. If this is not a hoax and after all corners have been smoothed (ex. mirrors on all sides, etc) and details polished it will be a great tool, specially for reporters -and police force too- which will have their hands free.
Luisa M. Fournier, Naples, FL. (Sent Nov 11, 2005 6:11:36 PM)
After the hurricane, FEMA was even more despised than Colonoscopy Guy.
Bill Erickson (Sent Nov 11, 2005 6:13:16 PM)
Journacop on the Job!
Forgot to send my caption.
Luisa M. Fournier, Naples, FL (Sent Nov 11, 2005 6:37:17 PM)
The new hybrid human powered police vehicle for the environmently conscientious budget challenged police department
Cami, White City, OR (Sent Nov 12, 2005 3:07:10 PM)
And if you take on this mission............This device will self destruct in 5 seconds (damn budget cuts}
Steve Melton (Sent Nov 15, 2005 1:54:14 PM)
Cyber Cop for the Information Super Highway! He`s just looking for digital donuts maam.
Jess Thompson (Sent Nov 15, 2005 4:41:05 PM)
I come from France
Jim LeValley, NewYork, New York (Sent Nov 15, 2005 5:16:50 PM)
"Low Flying Aircraft Beware! are you kidding me?"
Having lived in Biloxi for most of 1976, i can still remember seeing remenants of the 1968 hurricane. I can only imagine what we might still be seeing in 2012/13. But i learned, during the short time i was at Keesler, you cannot keep Mississippians down! They will be back stronger then ever.
Jeff Coon, Tularosa NM (via Holloman AFB) (Sent Nov 15, 2005 5:36:35 PM)
When the red light is on, thinking in progress
or
"When Red Light Flashes, Interstellar Communication in Progress"
Val, San Diego, California (Sent Nov 15, 2005 6:57:56 PM)
"Yeah, I lost the Bet"
Chris, Erie, PA (Sent Nov 15, 2005 9:26:00 PM)
...because of the gas price-hike, emergency vehicles were hit the hardest by downsizing...
Erik Dayton,Ohio (Sent Feb 4, 2006 3:47:02 PM)
Thank you for the effort you've made to show the world what remains of some of the best years of our lives.
It's most difficult to see the havoc wrought by Katrina -- again -- but we are grateful that the effort has been made to show how complete the destruction is. What is missing are pictures of the area before the storm showing the treeshded streets and carefully tended homes.
Our house was built in 1911 and we lived in it for almost 30 years. The house was completely destroyed and we only salvaged small items that didn't float. No furniture, clothing, artwork, family treasures of all sorts -- gone without a trace. We feel fortunate to be among the living survivors.
V N Tanner, Winter Park, Fl (Bay St Louis, North Beach) (Sent Sep 27, 2006 11:35:50 AM)
Nice shirt!?
Ginger, Tuscaloosa, AL formerly of North Beach Blvd. B.S.L. (Sent Nov 27, 2006 9:42:16 AM)
rto deto has return please come with me
tamika sterling, illinois (Sent Mar 20, 2007 9:52:48 AM)
You should see the guy wearing the siren.
pakocat (Sent Apr 2, 2007 4:41:27 PM)
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