Weekend Update: Breakthroughs And Tribulations

Telling True Stories: Thoughts (pages19-59)

The first section of reading from Telling True Stories came as a good introduction to what is needed for good non-fiction writing in general and essentially good reporting. What I particularly felt pulled by was the section on finding topics to write about. This has always been a bit of a thorn in my side when it comes to my writing process. The idea of sitting before a blank screen became more frightening to me than being at the muzzle end of a firing squad (at least with that, I knew where the story would be going).

From reading this section, it all really comes down to the people. The topic you choose could be the most dynamic, electrifying, epic topic to burst onto the scene in a long while, but without a good subject -- without that spark of humanity, the story will always fall flat. So the key to any good topic for a story has got to start with the people and the subject working as one unit. When a face is put with the news, it makes the story all the more lively and worth paying attention to. 

Going with the theme of topic, it's best to choose something that can resonate with the reader. Sometimes, this can be found rather easily like if the topic is about jobs or the economy. But other times, and this I believe is the true test of a good writer and reporter, is when you can find the commonality between people of various walks of life and circumstance. If you can make a connection between the reader and a globe-trotting playboy, you know you have something great.

And that connection can only be found through the next point made: details and observation. When interviewing, whether you do so with pen and paper, recorder, by sheer force of memory, or some mixture of the three, you must always be aware of the little details that reveal nuances of the subject. Look about their room what do you see? Pictures of the family? No pictures of the family? Artworks? Little Precious Moments Doll collections? And what about some memories of their own? What did they do as a child? Was their father around? What about siblings? Romances? Or lack thereof? All these things factor into what makes this person, your subject, tick. It's all right there, bubbling under the surface like a river under a thick sheet of ice: sometimes the ice is thin and easily broken, other times you have to work at it a bit before you can break through. 

What I particularly liked was theme of establishing intimacy with the subject. Before they open up, they have to trust and be comfortable around you. If their guard is up, nothing will come to pass and you'll be at a stalemate with deadline approaching. Being able to establish rapport is a key skill to develop as a reporter. 

"I am a writer because writing is the thing I do best." -Flannery O'Connor

Nothing says high-fashion like a T-Rex in a top hat. Nothing.

Elegance (by mathiole)

Thoughts and Observations: Kramer vs. Tompkins (vs. Kramer)

The readings from the last few sessions of Tompkins and Kramer really worked well together for me. 

Essentially in chapters 9-12 of Aim for the Heart the importance of B roll and variety of shots became the tantamount elements for video journalism and when doing interviews. Images can add so much more to a news report or feature piece than words alone. Plus, having different shots and angles gives the viewer a greater sense of the world you are introducing them to.

When doing the interview, try to display the items and activities that help describe who the subject is. This can also be provided in the B roll. The support video showing action and movement to liven up the piece. This B roll can be hobbies or activities, sights and sounds, or even just some busy work. Over all the sense of the person must be best portrayed throughout. 

This all segways rather handily into Kramer's section. The focus was primarily on how to set up the frame work for a story. Organization is key for any writing job - be it a hard news lede or grand magazine article. Setting up that rough skeleton is key to a good body of work. Secondly, don't think that your first draft is going to be gold from the start. There is always going to be something to tweak, something to tighten, something to add or take away.

The central thing to bear in mind so you don't become obsessive over it is that you're out there to make the best thing you can in the time you have. If you can honestly say that, then you've done a damned good job. 

(Belated) Weekend Update: Beginning of the End

Everything is coming together for us this coming week. But also everything is drawing to a huge close. It's sort of like the ships in Star Trek being pulled into the black hole and there's nothing that can be done to escape its pull. 

That's what the end of the semester feels like. 

The video piece is well on its way and should be wrapped up in the next day or two. In addition, the article is also coming along. In time, it should all come together. 

I think the key is to make sure you manage the time you have. Putting things off will not solve anything. Because no matter what you may think or want, those deadlines will still be on their way. So just do yourself a favor and get your stuff done!

Weekend Update

Well, after a bit of a rough start of lacking interview subjects, my partner and I finally nailed our first (of now many) interviews! Our first subject was Domenick Cimino, an Afghanistan war vet who did two tours. He was pretty open and candid about his time there and especially about how it felt like to be back home after being gone for so long.

Overall, with this being our first time working on a video, I was pretty satisfied with it. My only gripes are the jump cut in the middle and possibly could put up more of a dynamic background next time. But as far as first forays into video recording and video editing go, not too shabby.

We got another set of interviews slated for this week and we just wrapped up the rough footage of our second subject Jonathon Shay, a leading researcher in the field of Post Traumatic Stress in soldiers and its effects. He was a definite font of information and the whole interview took two battery packs and two memory cards to complete. All in all, we got a lot to work with. 

AI disturbance overlays for those who don't have Ibis paint premium. found them on tiktok

Coming Events: Otaku/Geek Extravaganza!

Next week is going to be a busy day for geeky, anime, and gaming enthusiast. In what can only be explained as proper alignment of the planets, both Pax East and Anime Boston --the biggest expos for gaming and anime on the east coast respectively. 

And yours truly will be attending them both. Expect Twitter commentary on the sights and sounds of both events as they unfold next weekend from April 6 to 8. 

(my resulting collapse from exhaustion may or not be documented).

follow me on twitter at @dimanched1

Developing Ideas: Notes & Observations

To be honest, I was never one for public affairs or even public speaking. The very thought of it filled me with such dread. That is why I liked writing so much, the words on the page would speak for me, and I was safe to sit aside far and away from the crowd. And now, oddly enough, I'm working to be a journalist. A job where one of its primary tenants is talking to strangers. But here I am, and here we are. 

I took to print over broadcast because for much of the same reasons. The words would speak for me and I was protected from the eyes of the camera and the viewers. However, using video and images also afford certain strengths that words cannot express. A poignant interview or video package can form a development far more striking than lone words can convey at times. So using them together can create very powerful journalism.

In the reading Developing Ideas, the focus was on forming a focus for documentary film making. However, the core ideals can still resonate with developing a video piece. Aside from the technical things like "B roll" (footage to keep the scene rolling along), it also gave some nuggets of advice that really stuck with me. 

The Idea is only the Catalyst

You must keep a curious mind, a sharp eye, and a listening ear to the world around you. The thing that may trigger within you a thought or idea may come from the most infinitesimal thing. Many times "[the] inspiration...can come from anywhere" (pg. 7). 

Taking it Beyond Curiosity

Be prepared to watch your initial idea change and shift right before your eyes as you develop it. Sometimes it's because of what a subject said or did, a certain fact you discovered, or your present idea just isn't working out as you wanted it to. There is a chance that your focus can morph into something utterly unrecognizable. The key is to be adaptive to any change. Stubbornness is the killer.

Do you have a Passion for the Topic?

A professor of mine once said in order to grasp something you're working on you have to "go to school on it." In order to better understand the subject you're working, you must be willing to do the research, the homework, the interviews to really get it down. But in order to do that with any quantum of effectiveness you have the desire to dive right into it and dig deep into the foundations of your topic. You must "...assess how deeply this topic touches you" (pg. 7).

Be a dear and check me and many other fine writers out at Game Podunk!