I often find myself with an interview subject who is uncomfortable about going in front of the camera for an interview. They are nervous and think they are going to make themselves look bad. My strategy is to be gently stern. You have to insist that you will go on with the interview while making the case that they are truly qualified to deliver the story on camera. Often times, you have to roll significant amount of tape for the subject to settle down and deliver. It’s a patience game.
Below is a video about Harrison teacher Stacia Barnard who survived Hurricane Katrina in Gulfport, Mississippi as well as the June floods here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She initially was nervous about the interview and did not want to proceed. I insisted we go forward and kept rolling until she relaxed. In this case, the subject was self-conscience but appeared incredibly articulate on camera.
I thought I was immune. Earlier this past summer, a severe tornado hit Parkersburg, IA and devastated the area. I reported on the crisis and remember listening to tragic stories of the tornado victims. Maybe it was a coping strategy, but I rememember hearing incredible tales of hardship and thinking that this kind of loss would never happen to me.
It did. As many know, in mid-June, Cedar Rapids and great portions of Eastern Iowa were flooded. Water almost reached the second floor of our rented home near downtown Cedar Rapids. After surviving this tragedy, I have a new sense of empathy and understanding, especially with victims of disaster whom I interview.
Below is a video of a neighbor of mine. She endured deep tragedy and my heart goes out to her and all the other flood victims.
No matter how many videos you shoot (and I haven’t shot that many), there are a few that’ll remain in your mind’s eye forevermore.
The flood videos I’ve done so far, unquestionably, will fall into this “indelible” category.
On June 14, I boated past many of the same places that I’ve driven past before, and since. Cooper’s Mill. The central fire station. Kieck’s Career Apparel. Clark’s convenience store on E Avenue NW, which used to be a Sinclair station. Hacienda Las Glorias.
There are so, so many more. But you get the drift:
And then in late July, I got to tour the flood-ravaged (sounds like a cliche’, but it applies here) City Hall/Veterans Memorial Building downtown. Wrapped up in a white Tyvek suit, rubber gloves and boots, and an N95 respirator, strolling through a building with no air conditioning and little light. I worked up a sweat. A major sweat, in fact.
But you know, the workers I saw in that building were wearing exactly what I was, and they were working in those conditions for 10-12 hours a day. Now, THAT’S work. Check it out:
