Week 24

This week in the Independent Study and Mentorship, I continued to reflect on what I learned through my first interview. I also made more concrete plans with my mentor for the upcoming weeks.

Here were some of my thoughts reguarding my previous interviwe:

Interviewing this woman was also an awesome experience because it taught me the basics of how to conduct interviews as in investigative reporter. I was honestly quite nervous, but my mentor, Mr. Jason Trahan, kept the situation under control and showed me how to work the camera, mikes and the interview itself. One aspect of the interview that I found particularly interesting was the talking that took place ahead of time. We discussed the whole story with her before we taped her saying it, so that we could make sure she would emphasize the phrases that would be most important for the piece. I was also surprised by how relaxed the whole event felt.  I was expecting an awkward, intimidating, serious encounter, but we joked and laughed throughout our short time together, collecting shots from multiple angles and getting footage of the woman with her pet bunnies and puppy.

The interview itself was not at all what I had expected. I prepared questions ahead of time, but hardly used them at all because it was basically a two-way conversation that fed off of itself. It felt like a genuine conversation, which is important in the world of investigative reporting, because you want the information you are gathering to be authentic and heart-felt.

After we interviewed the woman, she gave us the contact information of a woman in her neighborhood that experienced a similar situation with a bobcat. She also talked with her daughter to ask if she would be willing to be interviewed as well. This was interesting because I was able to see how stories truly feed off of themselves. It is important to build a good relationship with your leads because they are your main source of gathering further interviews and information.

After the interview, Mr. Trahan and I went to a wooded area beside her neighborhood, and I did a “stand up,” which is when a reporter gives a small blurb of background information regarding the story at hand. I was especially nervous at this point because my mentor had me come up with what I was going to say on the spot, as reporters often do. This was an awesome experience, and although my “stand up” was far from perfect, it helped me feel like a real reporter and will be a great guide for the future.

We finished up the morning by taking a few panning shots of a playground that the woman said a bobcat had been spotted on. Visuals are a vital aspect of news stories, and learning how to utilize the camera and film effectively was incredible. 

I have much more to learn about investigative reporting, but this experience gave me my first taste of what it really feels like to be a reporter.