For our audio storytelling assignment, due in two weeks (on the 23rd), create an audio piece that’s about 2-3 minutes long. You can either:
Ask THREE people the SAME question. You can choose your own question, or pick ONE of these: Ask your interviewee to tell you about 1) a time when they were completely lost 2) the biggest fight they’ve ever been in 3) a time when they really wanted something, but didn’t get it.
OR
You can create a story of your own. Try to have a strong idea of what you want to explore before you start, and try to stay focused. Pick something you are passionate about.
Some tips for interviewing:
- Write up your questions (and follow up questions) before the interview begins
- Start recording before the interview begins, while you’re still setting up and getting settled, and keep recording a few minutes after the interview ends… Sometimes the best tape is what’s said outside the formal interview, especially right after.
- Check your levels– ask some dummy questions before you start to be sure you’re getting a good recording of your subject’s voice (some voices are quiet, some are louder).
- RECORD SOMEWHERE QUIET! A noisy space can ruin an interview… Be aware of traffic noise, other voices, silverware clinking, chairs scraping the floor, doors slamming. All of this will distract from your story and make your subject hard to hear! You can add ambient sounds but it’s best to record these separately and edit them in, so you can control them.
- LISTEN! Be sure to give your subject lots of time to answer, and be sure to pause between questions, giving them time to add thoughts that come later. Don’t rush on to the other questions.
- Ask open-ended questions, not yes or no questions. You should be having a conversation with your subject, not just running through your list of questions.
- At the beginning of the interview, prompt your subject to answer the questions with a restatement of the question (for example, if the question is “what is your favorite color” you’ll find it easier to work with the answer if they say “My favorite color has always been blue” rather than “Blue.”
- Encourage your subject to describe the scene or feeling or space or characters in the story … You’ll need this kind of description to draw your audience in to the story, to set a scene. But you need to ASK for this kind of language, since your subject might not automatically tell you.
- Look for tension and twists in the story. What makes the story surprising to you? Ask questions that get at those unexpected motivations, feelings, moments, responses, etc.
For more good audio storytelling, check out the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies podcast.
Also there’s lots more in the This American Life Archive.
Also check out Radiolab. They do amazing things with audio and experimental editing.