Week 33

The Independent Study and Mentoship Program is amazing and has been rolling right along. This week we began preparation from writing the story. Byron Harris showed me some scripts from previous stories he has written and explained the basics of the writing process.

When writing a story, it is important to define the point you are trying to make. It is easy to get lost because numerous interview can sometimes cloud and change your idea of what you are trying to write about. Bryon Harris explained the process of creating a "three-word slug" which will define everything you are trying to encompass in the story. This is the incredibly important first step because it helps you decide what direction the story is going to take, what quotes are most important, and how you will begin writing.

Another important step is to look at all the interview footage you have gained, finding the quotes and sound bites that will be most influential to the story.

Once you have a basic idea of the story's flow and direction, it is vital to create the most attention-grabbing and riveting first seven seconds you possibly can. In order for the audience to be hooked, you have to reach out of the television and grab their absolute attention in the first seven seconds. Otherwise, they will continue flipping through the channels without a second thought.

Creating a strong metaphor that can be utilized throughout a story is also an important tool. Metaphors can bring ideas to life and help the viewer truly understand the topic. They are a good way to give a story continuity by relating to the metaphor again and again.

The brainstorming has begun, and I can't wait to see where this story goes.

Week 32

It was another exciting week in the Independent Study and Mentorship Program. 

This week I visited the WFAA-TV (Channel 8) headquarters in downtown Dallas. Jason Trahan, one of my mentors, was not there because he had a project to work on. My other mentor, investigative reporter Byron Harris, looked over my portfolio while I was logging video footage. The video footage I was logging was from my interview with Janet Evans Webb last week. 

Logging the video was very exciting because I realized that my mentor had taken several incredible panning shots of nature in Frisco. He also took shots of a construction site nearby, which will be very helpful in describing the urbanization of Frisco. 

While Byron Harris looked over my portfolio, we also discussed the fact that he went to George Washington University for grad school. We talked about what it is like to like in Washington D.C. and if the benefits of going to George Washington outweigh those of going to The University of Texas at Austin. Byron also explained that being in DC is an incredible opportunity because of everything you will be able to see. He was there during the Watergate Scandal and was able to see the importance of investigative journalism first hand. 

This was an awesome visit because it has helped me continue to define my journey for the future.

Week 31

It was another great week in the Independent Study and Mentorship Program. One of the major highlights was the fantastic interview we had on Thursday. Jason and I interviewed Ms. Janet Evans Webb, a Frisco resident running for the Frisco City Council, about her position on the wildlife issue. 

It was great to hear the perspective of a woman who believes that the city has not done enough to protect the wildlife in the area. Ms. Evans Webb is a prime example of someone who recognizes a problem and is doing everything she can to make a difference. During our discussion, we talked about the new Walmart that is being build on beautiful land in the area, the exciting side of seeing wildlife in the area, and the damage that has been done to their habitats. 

Ms. Evans Webb's main point throughout our discussion was that the wildlife was here first. We have invaded their land so it is only natural that they should still be around. She adamantly desires that Frisco take more tangible steps to protect the nature and wildlife in the Frisco area.

At this point, we have had interviews with a resident who is frustrated with the lack of government regulation on wildlife, an expert urban wildlife biologist who knows the facts behind why wildlife is highly present in Frisco, a neighborhood director who deals with the wildlife issues when they arise in her neighborhoods, and a woman who adamantly believes that the city should take better care of the wildlife in the area. We have the foundation for our story and now we just need to fill in the gaps and piece it all together.

Week 30

It was another exciting week in the Independent Study and Mentorship Program. I feel like my final product is finally coming together.

Over the course of the week, I worked on updating my portfolio, got caught up on assignments, planned ahead, and visited WFAA-TV headquarters.

During our mentor visit, Mr. Trahan and I discussed future plans for the Final Product. Everything is coming along nicely and we should be able to produce a great story.

Unfortunately the video logs I took during several of my mentor visits have disappeared. So I will have to complete those again, but this will give me more practice. We are looking to conduct at least one more interview, and up to three more. This will allow our story to cover an issue from all angles. I can not wait to see how everything turns out.

One thing I will need to figure out very soon is how to get footage of wildlife for the story. I have a goPro that would be absolutely perfect, but I will need to find a way to spy on wildlife or bring it to me. One of my dad's suggestions was using one of his hunting calls to call in bobcats and coyotes and gather footage that way. I am excited to see how this will unfold.

I am very excited to start writing the story once we have obtained our last crucial interview next week.

Week 29

This week I began catching up my portfolio, interviewed another individual for my final product, and completed some assessments.

Some of the successes we are having have been with the interviews. I have grown more comfortable conducting the interview without help from Mr. Trahan, and the opinions and ideas we have received will create a great story. We have also had success with logging the video because it has taught me how to work quickly and efficiently, while drawing out the quotes and ideas that are most prevalent to the story. 

A difficulty for me has been the “stand ups” Mr. Trahan has had me do. This is when you report into the camera in an introductory blurb. I have found it difficult because Mr. Trahan has me improvise the whole thing. I tend to use flowery language and long-winded sentences, especially when thinking on my feet. Mr. Trahan has been teaching me, however, that short, concise sentences are better because it makes them easier to work with in a story. We have also had difficulty obtaining wildlife footage. Our story will be fine without it, but it would create a nice touch if we could include this footage. 

I am highly pleased with the way the product is progressing. My only regret is that there is not enough time for our story to go as in depth as we would like. But for the amount of time we have been given, we are making the best story possible.

Week 28

It was another fantastic week in the Independent Study and Mentorship Program. My mentor visit was a greatly important experience as I learned a new and valuable lesson. I've been learning about the process of creating a story is making sure that you cover the topic from all sides. It is incredibly easy for a reporter, and in turn the viewers, to only see a story from one perspective. This is dangerous as it can shift the feelings on a subject and completely change a person’s mind. News is supposed to be an outlet to gain accurate, unbiased information. This, unfortunately, has not proven to be the case. Many corporations narrow-cast, or reach out to specific audiences by sharing news in a way that people of a certain belief will agree with. On top of this, media groups are capable of agenda setting, or deciding what shall be reported on and how much attention the issue gets. Therefore, the overall population can sometimes come away with a very different idea of the problems the country faces than are actually true.

           

This is depressing! I want to enter into this career field in order to alert people to the problems at hand, not hide or shape the truth to make it something it is not. Moving forward, I will have to keep this in mind with everything I do. I should never get to a place where I utilize clips of interviews to make them sounds like they are saying something that they actually aren't. I should never seek information from only one side of a situation. I should never sink to the level of reporting in a way that is beneficial to me but not the general public.

Weeks 26-27

This week I conducted an exciting interview with an urban biologist. His name is Brett Johnson and he works at the Cedar Hill National Park near Granbury, Texas. My mentor and I made the long drive to the park in order to obtain the extremely important interview.

Mr. Johnson's job as an urban biologist means that he has extensive knowledge in the area I am researching regarding bobcats and coyotes. We explained how we are investigating the strange overpopulation of bobcats, coyotes and other forms of wildlife in the Frisco area, and he gave us his professional opinion on why the animals are there and what people should do in response to the phenomenon. Mr. Johnson explained that although Frisco is highly developed, it is filled with wildlife corridors, which are areas of refuge for wild animals. This could include creeks, wooded land, and undeveloped property. Due to these corridors, wildlife have no reason to leave the area. As of now, Frisco plans to keep many of the corridors in tact, so the wildlife will continue to live in the area. Due to the fact that these corridors are also small, the wildlife often have to venture out into neighborhoods in order to find food sources.

Meeting with Mr. Johnson was an incredible experience and incredibly beneficial to the story.