Go Outside the Lines

I listened to a WGBH Morning Story recently.  I love these stories.  I like how each story is a feature and they focus on one person.  They people they find are so interesting and I always want to be able to talk to them more.  I hope that someday I can have sources like that, and leave the audience wanting more.  

This story started by talking about making an "Earth sandwich."  This is when you and someone on the complete opposite side of the planet put a piece of bread on the ground.  Corny--yes, but it's a nice idea.  The thought of getting in touch with someone and talking about putting bread on the ground is an interesting concept in itself. 

Tony Kahn called the woman in Xian, China and talked to her for the segment.  He asked her questions about western culture and words that she thought he should know.  Things along those lines.

While I know I wouldn't be able to use a source half way around the world, I just love the idea.  This story taught me that I need to step outside of my comfort zone and get the opinions of everyone.  A story I'm covering may effect people in different ways.  I need to look for those people who see things differently and get their opinions.  Just because a person may not be there with me in the moment doesn't mean i can't go looking for them to get their side of the story, or their opinion.  

I need to work on getting out there and talking to absolutely everyone in my power.  Because in reality, we're all a lot closer and have more things in common than people may think.

Dancing with the Stars

I was recently assigned a fun story.  I was worried about going to the station because I wasn't very happy with my story ideas.  They were fine ideas, but they weren't that interesting to me.  I know that I'm going to have to cover things that aren't the most exciting or interesting to me, but I always like being able to pitch a story that I know I'll enjoy doing.  

When I got to the station, I was told I'd be going "Dancing with the Stars of Mizzou."  It was an event that was raising money by getting Mizzou faculty members and some students to dance and put on a show.  

It was so much fun to be there!  I got great video of the couples dancing, and got to meet a lot of new people.  The money was going to a really good cause, which made it fun to cover.  Knowing that my story about the money going to a summer camp for children with cancer would be seen throughout Mid-Missouri was a good feeling.  

I got back to the station to edit and write.  I felt a little pressured because I stayed for the whole event to see who won.  I finished my story with plenty of time to spare, and was thrilled with the result.  

The Element of Surprise

When I listen to radio stories on the internet.  I try to only click on the link and not read the description.  I figure I should listen to the story the way I would if I were driving in the car listening and just be totally surprised.  So, I did the same thing when I listened to "Save The Day" on This American Life.  

I knew from the title that the story would be about someone doing something great or heroic.  I didn't know what they would do or who would be saving what, but something would be saved.

Listening to the beginning of the story, that's not exactly the feeling the listener gets though.  It started talking about a school age boy, Luke Davies, moving and not fitting in.  The class went on a field trip a tourist park where his dad worked.  Luke got to help with the snake show, able to show off to his classmates. The trainer he was helping in the show was bit by a tiger snake, which is very poisonous.  It was then up to Luke to save the man.

I really like this story for a couple reasons.  The first is because it has the element of surprise.  As your listening to Luke talk about his past, he sounds like any normal adolescent- someone who is having problems finding themselves and making friends.  As the story goes on, you learn that he is brave and saved a man's life.  It taught me how important it is not to give anything away at the beginning.  The anchor could have easily started the story with Luke talking about collecting the snakes and the trainer being bit.  But instead, he had Luke talk about his life before the field trip, and moving and how special he felt because his dad worked there.  I learned that saving things until the end makes the story more interesting.

I also really like the way the story was told.  The anchor let Luke tell the story.  Every once in a while the anchor would come in and tell part of the story, but it was very natural.  But, it was Luke who told the entire story.  This reinforced how important it is to have good sound bites and a good central character.  They are the ones who are the expert about something.  Not me.  I learned that I need to let the central character tell their story, and I need to be there to help out when necessary.  I don't need to be the one talking the entire time, I can let the character. 

Trusting Your Instincts

A few weeks ago I did a story about a store downtown Columbia called "The Butterfly Tattoo."  Around the time of the story, Columbia was preparing for the annual "True/False Film Festival."  I had heard through the grapevine that this gift shop was getting very involved in the film festival.  This year, the store was in charge of all of the merchandise and checking in volunteers.  

I got to the store and wanted to interview the owner, Amanda Vandertuig.  I began my interview and things were going well, and then people working for the film festival came in and she had to talk to them.  It was nice though, because it gave me time to prepare more questions.  

I finished my interview and started getting cutaways and shots of the new merchandise.  But that was all there was in the store.  There were no people.  I instantly freaked out because I wasn't going to have a story.  How can I talk about volunteers without showing them?

Amanda had to leave and her other employee came in.  Once the other girl, Erynn, started working, the store really picked up.  Volunteer after volunteer came in.  I couldn't have been more excited.  I talked to a couple of them and got shots of them signing in and looking at merchandise.  It was perfect.

This story taught me that if you have the time, use it.  I could have left when Amanda left and looked for a new story.  But, I stayed and crossed my fingers and ended up with something great.

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.