How I did it: I did it by getting a backbone. It really took a lot of guts to approach total strangers, especially those who've worked with experience members of the media dozens of times. To pull this off, my documentary partner and I really had to be professional, on task, and engaged.

Lessons & tips: -Get all sides of the story. Even if you're trying to work an angle, it's more convincing if you are able to refute the opposing side.
-Study up on your camera before you start shooting. Looking professional is key.
-Don't trust the camcorder's microphone to pick up the sound you need. It would really be a shame to have to interview someone twice.
-Follow up your interviews with a thank you email. This is one thing I wasn't very good at remembering to do, but it's absolutely important (especially if you want another interview).
-Do your research. Don't just learn about how to shoot a documentary, but study up on your topic and the interview subjects.
-Be a member of the press. We went to a press conference, and it was really cool to be in the center of the action.

Dec 24, 2008, 09:03PM PST | 0 comments | 5 cheers