reminders from the doc

in which i chastise myself:

- don’t assume because you heard it in your ears that it is on tape.

- don’t let people start speaking in interviews until your sound dials are up to speed. even if its hectic. ask them a question you dont as you fiddle them up quick. name, maybe. theyll print it on release anyway.

- even when you are excited, remember to stay calm in your speaking to subject of interview. less experienced interviewees will pick up on the pace and it may make them feel rushed or lead to them feeling anxious, even if you sound completely happy and positive.

- when at an event, get the voice recorder out and plant it. get the recorder out and PLANT IT. a shotgun mic will fade out the speaker as you get reaction shots and inserts, even if you keep tape running all the time, the sound will not be good. the recorder will allow you to grab any piece of the speech you want. i’m kicking myself on this one big time.

- next time, bring cards!!!

- don’t develop pimples on the top of your spine when you are lugging a heavy pack on your back across town. or maybe one leads to the other but MAN.

- even tho its not comfortable, let the frame rest on a subject’s face when they are done speaking in interview, or at end of question for a moment. don’t edit in camera by pulling away when you think you’ve had enough time, when it coems to timing shots length or length of pauses REMEMBER: time passes faster on tape than it does in life. you can always speak to them from behind camera (”well, i think that was a good take” or “that was a great answer,” anything at all really) and then cut your voice out…but if you whip away too quick, it will be very awkward in post.

in which i congratulate and encourage myself:

- people seemed to be responsive and open, and you even eventually eased that mother’s worries completely by responding to every instance of her concern (even unspoken facial instances) with a positive energy and open responses (offering to “give up” and retract her two sons’ footage if she wanted, showing her my ID, explaining what the purpose of all the signing is; not balking, defending, demanding in any way shape or form)

- remember that asking people to fill out a form and show ID can feel intrusive and as if you are assuming command (you are). remember that having a camera and the affiliation of big corporations is already a power. remember that bringing a power upon someone without staying aware of how the dynamics play out (light person/dark person, male/female, well-spoken/not well-spoken) can stack up on this power dynamic. you want your subjects feeling empowered, and not under the gun. good job on staying aware today.

- N. enlisted herself as an informal 1st AD/P.A. simply due to interest in the project and belief in an engaged citizenry and the event’s purpose. (only in herding people, finding food, so no Blanket Authorization of Ownership needed, MTV, chill!) remember to thank her. this is an in to a segment of the community, and you are now a node of news communication in this person’s mind. IF you follow up.

- Having all footage digitized by Monday night is not being ahead of the game. This is, in fact, the latest you want to push it. It leaves one full day (a max of about 30 hours if needed) for editing and getting release forms ready to fax. That’s not a lot. But it’s enough. Barely.

- Remain spontaneous. Just as in when interviewing you must be ready to follow the thread a subject wants to follow to find the hidden gold, also in doc filmmaking, you must be ready to hop out of the car at a moment’s notice and chase a march or rally or activity into unknown parts, to let yourself recede from center stage and be a particle on a wave, to be an open and uncharged conduit ready to channel the fate of the day. Good job on that ayer.