some good and some not so good
NPR is getting into the video business.
Like everyone else.
Above, one of their stories.
The shooting is excellent (with the possible exception of that rather weird top of the head shot at 1:40, but let’s allow for artistic license).
What is lacking in this piece is narration.
It is ostensibly about health insurance in America, and this guy doesn’t have any. You get that at the end, but it takes an awful long time to get to the point, and by the time you do get there, I am not sure anyone is still watching. You have to want to watch this to figure out what it is all about.
The viewer has to work to get the point, which does not work, at least not for me.
What this story craves is narration.
Who is this guy? Why do we care about him? What is the story here?
You would never hear this on NPR. A rambling report that was made of nothing but a bunch of soundbites strung together. You would never read this in The New York Times – a story that was absolutely nothing but quotes. They all have narrative.
They have to.
Tell me a story!
This guy is not a storyteller, he’s a locksmith.
I am sure he is great at fixing locks, but he is not great as a story teller.
It’s not his job.
It’s yours.
Don’t leave it to him.
As Don Hewitt used to say: Tell Me A Story.
Don Hewitt never said, “find me a locksmith to tell me a story”.
End of story.
And see how a clear narrative made it easy to follow?
Now, you do the same.
PS.
If you want a real shocker, take a look at the credits at the end of the piece.
It apparently took NPR 8 people to make this 3 minute piece.
All I can say is
Oy. NPR. Do you send 8 people to make a 3-minute radio report?
5 Comments
Ann Danylkiw April 25, 2010
I’m new at this, but I think they would have done a better job as an audio slideshow– it’s awkward, the video interspersed with not-quite-still shots.
TJ April 22, 2010
I’d hazard that many people attending your video classes could have put this piece together better and given it a raison d’être. I liked the subjects spirit, but wIthout narration, I’m wholly unclear about the message. I’m astounded it took eight people to put it together.
fosca April 22, 2010
maybe i am already numbed into oblivion but i do not think the piece is really awful. i can imagine it is only a short outtake of something longer, more defined, kind of a sneak preview. i do not get why the hairdo pic sneaked into the lot, not at all. i did get that he has no health insurance and how he copes with the fact. nevertheless, for a five minutes piece i´d like to have a go at this guy and his flat myself, that is for sure.
Avery April 21, 2010
Hmmm, Well, like Ralph said- it was well shot. 8 people huh? This piece leaves me wondering what was the motivation for producing this? What was I supposed to “get” from it?
Michael, you better send NPR a proposal for training, STAT!
Ralph April 21, 2010
This was shot beautifully but it is definitely missing the much needed narration. I don’t get the story. The point? We watch and we learn. It pushes me to think about my story more and more. Thanks for sharing.