Help Coming From The Smallest Places

My last story was about the Audrain-Mexico County chapter of the Red Cross.  This chapter is the smallest one in Missouri.  I started the story by going to a rather different fundraiser they were having.  I then followed up with a couple interviews in the Mexico headquarters.  

The reason the fundraiser caught my attention was because it was all western themed.  The biggest prize of the night was a chuck wagon dinner for 25 people.  There were also "best dressed" awards.  I thought that seeing a bunch of people in one place dressed like they lived in the wild west would make for great video.  And it did.

The video I got was great.  There were so many people at this event and they were almost all dressed up.  My problem was that I had no way to make it a story.  Regardless of the video, you can't make a story out of something that isn't there.

I was going to give up and look for another idea, but I was running out of time and already had an interview set up.  I decided to just go with it and see what happened.  I interviewed Rhonda Lightfoot, the director of this chapter.  I found out the dinner and auction I went to raised about $9,000, which is amazing for the smallest chapter in Missouri.  I kept asking questions about Haiti and Chile, and their chapter specifically.

Lightfoot told me that in 1993, there were 101 chapters of the Red Cross in Missouri.  Today, there are only 11.  She said the only reason they are still open is because they have so much support from their community.  The Audrain-Mexico chapter only serves two counties.  Other chapters serve anywhere from seven to eleven.  

This statistic made me realize there was more of a story here.  I just asked the right questions to get more information on this chapter, and the downsizing of the Red Cross.  In the end it turned out to be a great story that I was really happy with!  Asking the right questions and looking deeper can make all of the difference in the world! 

Food for Thought

I recently listened to a story from "All Things Considered" called "Must Hear: Rules For Eating."  It caught my attention because it was under the food category, and I was curious to see what it said now that I'm trying to eat healthier.  

Food is something that everyone can relate to.  We all need it to survive.  And it seems like everyone is looking for a way to lose a few pounds or stop eating so much junk.  This story really made it obvious for me just how important a headline is, even though it's not a print story.  "Must Hear: Rules For Eating."  This headline makes it sound like you have to listen to it.  If it would've just said "Interview With Michael Pollan," I probably wouldn't have listened to it.

This story was obviously all about food.  They talked about some of the rules in Pollan's book, "Food Rules," and the things that are in it.  They also did something kind of fun, where Pollen was called the "high priest" and people came to him with their "food sins."

What was different about this part of the segment was that they didn't just find people off the street.  They turned to their newsroom.  I really like this idea.  I think that it was good of them to ask other anchors and reporters, because they are who the public know.  The listeners may not feel as self conscious about their bad eating habits if they know that the people they listen to everyday do the same things.

This story taught me to ask those around us.  Talk to people who the audience will feel comfortable listening to.  People who others trust.  

Ideas from Others

I listened to "Stories Pitched by Our Parents," on This American Life.  This is an established radio station who was broadcasting their 400th radio show.  They decided for this great accomplishment, they wanted their show to be like something they've ever done before.  The decision was to do stories that were pitched by their parents

I can kind of relate to this, because my parents always try to offer story ideas.  The ideas can be funny sometimes, because they obviously don't know everything that goes in to creating a broadcast story.  Regardless of how possible, or impossible a story may be, they are always willing to help.

This story taught me that there is nothing wrong with this.  I always felt guilty, and almost weak, when I struggle to find a story.  While this station was doing it for fun, they still had no problem doing it.  It showed me that parents, or family of any kind, are a viable source for story ideas.  

While the ideas may seem so radical and "out there" it will never happen, maybe they can.  Maybe, if you just dig down deep and put everything you have into this story, it will happen.  The idea is coming from your family, the people who love you the most and just want to see you succeed.

I learned that the next time my parents offer an idea, take it and run with it.  See how to look at it from a smaller scale, and make it about Mid-Missouri.  Don't be embarrassed about not being able to find a story.  Take their idea with pride and thanks, and see what comes of it.

Olympic Influence

I can't get over the story I just did.  It was so much fun to shoot!  First, let me start way back 16 years ago.  When I was five, I started ice skating.  I did solo competitions, and synchronized skating as well.  Figure skating is my passion, the one thing I feel like I can do when I need to get away from everything.  I don't really get to skate as much any more, because the closest ice arena is a half hour away.

The half hour drive didn't stop me from going back there three times to shoot my story this past week, though!  For my story, I looked at the influence the Olympics had, or is having, on skating of any kind.  Washington Park Ice Arena is the only one in Mid-Missouri, so I figured it would be the perfect candidate.  And it was!

I went to shoot the first time during a public skating session.  There were so many people there!  I was able to shoot some wide shots of everyone on the ice, as well as a couple tight shots of skates on the ice.  It was difficult to get people's faces, because they moved so much, and the glass and boards limited me as to how close I could get.  I was still really happy with it though.  My favorite shot came from when I took the camera off the tripod and placed it on the ground.  I just got people in their skates walking around at eye level.  I think it looks pretty good!

I also got some really good interviews.  There were about five coaches out on the ice teaching.  I happened to stop the perfect one when the practice was over.  She was so enthusiastic and said everything I could have hoped for.  She was a "sound bite machine!" I wish I could have used more of her quotes!  

The second time I went back, my goal was to talk to a skater.  I had older child in mind, like 10 years old.  I found a girl and her mother putting on skates so I asked the mom if I could talk to her daughter.  She said yes and I was so excited.  I started asking her questions though, and nothing.  Everything she said was one word.  I provoked her as much as I could to get more out of her, but she just wasn't having it!  So I moved on and interviewed a senior in high school who wasn't totally camera shy!

I was disappointed I couldn't go in and shoot hockey though.  The times never worked out because they don't practice until after nine at night.  I knew that I had to have something in there though, so I did what I could.  I called the rink 15 minutes before hockey practice started and talked to the coach via phone.  I asked him my questions and recorded his answers.  I then went back the next day, and re-shot my stand up using the information he gave me.  I know it would have been best to have video of hockey, but I had to do what I could!

I'm really happy with my story this week!  It's something that I'm very interested in, and I had such a good time shooting.  I really like the how it's  coming together!

Finding Inspiration in Different Places

I recently watched a documentary called “The Ninth Floor” on Mediastorm.org.  I really wasn’t sure what to expect when it started.  It almost seemed to resemble and episode of “Intervention,” which drew me to it.  I don’t know why, and I wish I knew why people have something inside them that draws them into to watching people who are misbehaving or doing bad things.

That is why I started to watch it, as bad as it may sound to say.  This story was beyond incredible though.  I wish there were words to describe its beauty.  Just a series of images placed together, you never see anyone on a video, that simple.  I say it’s simple, but I know it’s not.  You wouldn’t see me walking around with a still camera getting the images that Jessica Dimmock got. 

The story really got me thinking though.  I had to turn my head away at times because it was just so hard to watch.  What happens if I’m asked to do a story about something that is too difficult?  How will I handle it?  It also made me wonder about the people she found.  These three people opened themselves up like I’ve never seen in a story before.  How do you find those people who are just so willing to let loose in front of a camera and be themselves, whether it’s good or bad?  In every story I’ve done, I’ve been lucky enough to find sources who will help me and say the things I’m hoping they’ll say, but they would never be willing to let me follow them around and get as intimate into their lives as Dimmock. 

The story is a reminder of how much learning I still have to do.  Yes, I’m fairly far along in college, but learning never ends.  After I graduate and get my first job, I will still be learning so much.  It will never end.  All you can do is strive to be better, and have that story that people look at and think, “Wow, I could never do anything like that, I’m not talented enough.”  I think truthfully, we are all talented enough, we just have to find that right story or source to connect to in order to truly tell a good, deep story the way Dimmock did.  

Candy Shop Crunch Time

Valentine’s Day.  What is there to say about it?  Love, romance, flowers and chocolates.  This is the day where everything and everyone sweet and in love goes out to profess their love to the world.  But what about the gifts?  Does anyone even care where they come from, or what other people had to go through in order to provide for them?

Over the weekend, I did a story about a small candy store in Fulton, MO.  I wanted to go behind the scenes, so to speak, and see what goes in to making Valentine’s Day the confectionary holiday that it is. 

Diane Branch is the owner of Sweet Temptations candy store.  I asked plenty of questions about candy and the most popular during Valentine’s Day and during the year, and her story about opening the shop.  While all of the answers were very interesting, one really surprised me.

Branch has dipped more than 1,000 strawberries in chocolate.  1,000 strawberries.  I can’t even imagine what that looks like.  They are all hand dipped and then hand decorated.  Diane had been getting to her store around 5 in the morning all week in order to have all of the strawberries ready.

This story was kind of frustrating for me.  My whole idea going into the story was to focus on how busy candy stores are the day before Valentine’s Day.  When I called to set up my interview, Branch said that she was going to be very busy and wouldn’t be able to do an interview until after the store closed.  She decided to keep the store open until 5:30, so I said I would be there around 4:15, so I had 45 minutes to get video of all the people in the store, and then stay after to do an interview with the owner.  I thought it seemed pretty logical.

My timing would have worked out perfectly, except I didn’t realize that word never got around town that Branch was staying open later.  Everyone thought that the store was closing, so they came by 3:30.  So now, instead of having a candy shop full of customers, I have an empty one that has one customer at the end of the day.

Now I’ll have to focus my story on making chocolate covered strawberries and the owner herself, instead of the hustle and bustle of February 13.  It’s frustrating, but I think it will still turn out well.  Well, at least, I hope it does!

Finding a Common Bond

I listened to a WGBH Morning Story today.  It was called "A Million Dollar Cookie."  It started with Tony Kahn eating a cookie made from an original recipe.  He described everything about the cookie.  The taste, the smell, the texture.  Everything you recognize when eating a cookie yourself.  In all honesty, I really wanted to try this carmel chai cookie!  

The story went so much deeper than just the perfect brown color of a cookie though.  We met Kerstin Sinkevicius, who created the recipe.  We learned some background information about her life and her family.  She had entered over 30 recipes into the Pillsbury Bake-Off in an attempt to win a million dollars!  The money would secure a bright future for her future children.  All she wanted to do was be able to provide for her children what her parents could for her.

Then, the story took a surprising twist.  It didn't come until the middle of the story.  Here the audience is, thinking that they're listening to a happy story about cookies and winning millions, and then you're hit with a bomb.  Her mother has a brain tumor.  Ironically enough, Sinkevicius has dedicated her life to learning more about tumors and why they grow back after they've gone away.  There isn't much she can do though.

Kahn was able to become a part of this story because his mother in law recently passed away, and her and his wife shared a love of baking.  He talked about his wife having a cook book that used to be their favorite.  This got Sinkevicius talking about the passion her and her mother have for baking, and her favorite cook book that's pink with a cupcake on it.  Kahn bringing up his personal story made Sinkevicius feel more comfortable and able to open up about her story.

Finding a common ground with the central compelling character seems to be key.  You make the CCC more comfortable, and show them that you, as a journalist, are a human being, and not just someone asking question after question.