Or how about this. You get back to the office, write a kick-ass script, submit it to your editor, who then looks at you dumbfounded because your story isn't at all what she expected.
The problem is Story Visioning (or lack of it!). Stories don't just come together because you interview a bunch of people about an interesting topic. You have to have a plan. Luckily, we've got an app
My former training partner Melanie Peeples developed it and I revised it. It's meant to be filled out by a reporter, then shared with the editor BEFORE any reporting takes place so everyone's on the same page.
(note: this is for feature stories, not for spot news. And make sure you scroll down for notes on various elements of this worksheet.)
Story Visioning Worksheet
Story Length:
1. What is my Focus Statement?
2. Who stands to win/lose in this story? Who are the players?
3. Who do I need to interview?
Side 1 Side 2 Side 3 Expert/Perspective
4. What is this story REALLY about? Who stands the lose the most? How does it feel to be him/her? How can I open the story with this person?
5. Where should I interview him/her? (do this for every person in #4) How can I describe this place? What nearby sounds should be miked for prominence? What obstacles can I anticipate?
6. What questions should I ask? (remember the “20 minute rule”)
7. Go. Be ready to change course if you find new information.
NOTES:
Story Length -- It's crucial that you decide the length before you start reporting. Print reporters know they get a certain number of inches or words for their article. It's tempting in public radio to think it's an "organic process" and the length of your story should "depend on what you gather in the field". Do that and you'll end up with a 6.5 minute story that won't fit easily into Morning Edition or All Things Considered. You need to know if you're building a cathedral (8 minute doc) or pitching a pup tent (2 minute super spot). It determines how many interviews you have to do and how many "scenes" you need to gather.
Focus Statement -- Did your eye just start twitching? PTSD from high school english class? Yes. A focus statement is crucial. No. It's not difficult. Fill in these blanks: (Somebody) is doing (something) (because)...
Winners/Losers -- Who stands to win or lose the most in this story? These are the real people affected by an issue. You want to frame the story around them, not the talking head/politician/analyst-y types.
Where to Interview -- Don't interview someone in a coffee shop unless your story is about coffee shops!
20 Minute Rule -- Most interview should and can be conducted in 20 minutes or less. If it takes longer than that you haven't done your research, don't know this person's role in the story, and are wasting their time (and yours). There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. If your story is a profile of a person you'll need to spend more than 20 minutes with them. You may also need to spend more than 20 minutes with the "real person" around whom your story is framed, especially if they're not used to being interviewed. I spent more than an hour with Virginia Teat for this story because you clearly can't ask a 75 year old woman to talk about how her husband died of Mad Cow Disease, then start a stopwatch.
What advice to do you give reporters who are just starting out? Are there simple tips you've learned over the years that make the story visioning process easier?
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