My fourth package tells a story about a TreeKeepers class, which is a part of TreeKeepers volunteer program and held on last Saturday. When I showed up in the class, I found that the class itself does not have too much information in it, in order to increase the news value of this TreeKeeper class and the interest of this story, I definitely have to find a central compelling character to focus on.
During this semester’s intense lab works, I have already been quite accustomed to talking to people and leading questions, which was a difficult thing for me to do several months ago. But donot get me wrong, I donot mean I am not good at communicating with or donot like talking to people, it is just because as a foreigner in both language and the major (my previous major and long years’ training is physics, and journalism is totally new for me), it takes time for me to communicate with people as freely as native journalists. And this time’s interview teaches me something more than just talking to people–I have learnt how to dig the stories behind people.
I still remember Greeley’s words when last time I talked to him about my package three and how far I could be cleared. Greeley said my package three has done pretty well, as for the news itself (about public forum), I have already done pretty good, but… the key is the “but”, he said but it is boring. Boring? If it is just a public forum, then how do I make it interesting? When Greeley said I could redo my package three to make it interesting, I feel confused and have no idea about how to make it interesting. So I finally choose to do a brand new story about TreeKeepers. But I didnot stop considering the “interesting” question along the way I am doing my package four.
Like I mentioned before, the TreeKeepers classes itself contain no much information, then after I took videos of the classes, I was looking for my interviewees. At this time, I met Ms. Deed, an elegant old lady who attracts me by her attentive attitude of listening to the classes and taking notes. Then, I talked to her. This time, I dont let myself talk to her as a journalist who talks to her as a job and keeps deadline in mind all the time. instead, I talked to her as a friend or a person who wish to know her, because I am curious what makes her so attentive to the classes. Then, I got my answer, knowing it is one of her maples’s death making her come to this class and becoming tree volunteers, knowing that she owns a large farm and backyard and buid tens of trees, and knowing her passion for trees and nature. Then, I went to her home and saw her beautiful backyard, her beloved trees and various kinds of small birds on the trees. It is definitely not my first time to visit a private farm and see such a large backyard, but it is really one of a few moment I met before that makes me feel a kind of peace and being close to pure nature. My curiosity and frank feelings make Ms. Deed tell me more about herself, and I know she is a skin cancer patient, but she is brave and optimistic, and she is also very kind, kind to trees, kind to small animals and kind to people.
On the spot of the TreeKeepers classes, there is one MU student telling me that the lady always provides free ride for her during weekend to somewhere she needs to go. After knowing these stories, I feel moved by Ms. Deed, and understand her passion for life and nature from a deeper level. At this time, I suddenly understand the “interesting”questions–that is, telling stories from human angle, or humanizing stories, recording the moving moment relating to the story. That is also why everytime, we are required to do CCC. Because story close to people will make audiences feel more familiar with and easier to pay attention to. And another thing I have learnt is that interviewing is not just “interviewing,” if you do interview just for a routine job, then you get boring answers. But if you talk to people like friends, and pay your sincere interest on people, then you could dig the stories behind people, and really could catch the moving moments. I think this might also be one of the meanings behind news stories–informing people about life.
Zhengzheng Zhang 