http://videojournalismworkshops.com, WASHINGTON, DC, 12 November 2013 — I encourage students to conduct informal, on-the-run interviews with their characters as a means to connect those characters with their audience. The intent of these informal interviews is distinct from the formal, sit-down affairs that provide a character’s narration that we often slip under the character’s image while he/she is doing something on screen.
Informal interviews connect a character to an audience. Take a look at this piece, “Nurses Needed,” that I did for NOW on PBS. And see one of the nurses we featured (pictured above) tell the audience about her nursing career.
The key to the informal interview is what I call the “Three Magic Questions.” They are:
– “What did you just do?”
– “What are you doing now?”
– “What are you going to do?”
If you ask those three questions — at strategic moments — your characters will narrate their own story and engage your audience. For more on informal interviews, check out my blog post at my ONLINEVideoJournalismWorkshops.com.
Bill Gentile
http://videojournalismworkshops.com