Saturday, November 19, 2016
Vimeo and Youtube
Check out these links to my other work on Youtube and Vimeo:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLksPI1MSUtwBLNttnH_ZTnhFEu1t06jFP
https://vimeo.com/user6409617
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Final Project
Self-Critique
5/4/11
I've never made a documentary before, and it proved even more challenging than I thought. I definitely want to make this into a longer piece eventually once I get all of the pieces I need. I regret that I couldn't get all of the footage that I wanted due to health-related circumstances, but I did the best with what I had. I think the most difficult part was getting people to say what I needed them to say, and in a way where I didn't have to cut it up so much! Also, because he's in a wheelchair and it gives him cold-sweats to sit up straight, he had to tilt his chair back a few times which looks kind of awkward. I had major difficulties with the sound because apparently there was some type of interference in the room and I couldn't figure out for the life of me where it was coming from. I really was hoping to film him outside but the weather had to ruin that. I'm really anxious to hear how I can improve this piece, especially since I"m not too familiar on how to edit a documentary-type film, but I definitely want to fix it up and turn it into something I'll be really proud of!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Re-revised questions
Questions for Mr. Walker:
1. Tell us your name. Do you find it a little ironic? What's your favorite alcoholic beverage? What's your favorite thing to eat? What's your favorite drink? Do you have a favorite movie? Book?
2. When you were a kid, what was your favorite thing to do? What was your favorite sport that you liked to play? Do you think you were good at it? What did you think about reading when you were younger? Did you ever think you would become a writer?
3. Did you enjoy swimming when you were a kid? Who went swimming with you? Where did you guys go normally? Can you tell me what it felt like being in the water?
4. I'm really interested to know what exactly happened that day when you had your diving accident. Describe what the day was like, what time of year was it? What was the weather like? Tell me what happened that day, what did you have for breakfast? I know your accident was at a lake. How did you get to the lake that day? Did you normally go there? Who was with you? Did they say anything to you that you can remember? Did you ever dive before or was it your first time? What did it feel like, did you get knocked out or do you remember the pain? Who rescued you? Can you remember what happened after? Can you describe what it was like being in the hospital after the accident? When did you realize that you were paralyzed? How did you feel? What were your first thoughts?
5. Right after the accident, what helped you recover emotionally? Did you have to take medication, if you did what kind did you have to take? Do you think that helped you or did something else help you recover? How did it change your mentality on life? Do you feel like it gave you a different perspective? If you could go back, would you not have jumped, or do you think that it was worth it because you were able to find something you're passionate about that you never would have expected?
6. What's the biggest thing that helped motivate you after your accident? Were you a Christian then?How do you think your beliefs helped you? What do you think about the human will? Do you believe your will helped you to recover? Did it give you a purpose in life?
7. How did you physically recover? Did you ever think you'd be able to write again? When did you learn how to write? How long did it take you? Were you able to go back to school? How long did it take till you could go back? Were you embarrassed to go back to school? What did your friends think? What did your family think? Did people treat you differently? Did you have a girlfriend at the time? Did she act differently after the accident? How do you think your life was different from an average kid at that time? What was the same about it?
8. I'd love to know exactly what got you into literature. Tell me about how this happened, was it simply because you weren't able to play sports anymore? How long after the accident did you become interested in literature? Was there a specific instance? What happened, can you describe it for me?
9. When did you decide you wanted to become a teacher? What made you decide that? What gave you the desire to teach? What was it like on your very first day of teaching? What class was it? How did you feel? Since I teach myself, I'd say my goal in teaching is to show the children that they are capable of a lot more than they thought. Do you have a goal in teaching? What is it? How would you describe your teaching style? How long does it normally take you to plan a lecture?
10. What do you love most in your students? Do you play favorites ever? What's your "ideal" student? What makes them ideal? Are you nervous on the first day of a new class? How do you think your students see you? Do they act differently around you in class than when you see them in the halls? How do they act? Who's the most interesting student you've had? Tell me about some memorable times you've had in class. Can you tell me any funny stories that have happened in class?
11. There are some days when I just don't feel like teaching, on days when you aren't feeling so hot, what motivates you to teach? What gets you through it? Is it only because you have to or do you have some kind of motivation?
12. One thing I find most interesting about you is that you're a writer. When did you decide to become a writer? Did your interest in literature spark this, or was it the other way around? Was their a specific moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer? Did you ever think you couldn't do it? What made you keep writing, especially during the discouraging times? When did you feel like giving up writing? What kept you from giving up?
13. Your books are very descriptive. Do you write the character's sense of touch by what you've seen or by what you remember? What have you published? What do you consider your favorite work, published or not? Do you have a favorite quote from one of your stories?
14. What's your goal in writing, do you have a specific purpose or do you just write what you feel you have to write about? What impact would you like to have on your readers? What do you want them to understand most?
15. You've done a lot of things in your life. What do you think has been your greatest accomplishment? Why?
16. I've noticed that you can be very social at times, which is probably difficult for you now, but would you consider yourself a social person? How often did you used to go out, either to eat or just to hang out somewhere, even by yourself? Where were your "usual" places? Besides cashiers and workers, how often did you end up talking to people that maybe you didn't know? How do you feel people generally reacted to you? Do people ignore you sometimes when you're out in public, or do people mostly try and help you out? I know you're capable of more than people think. Do you feel like sometimes people help you too much? How do you feel about this, is it frustrating, do you enjoy it, or have you just gotten used to it?What's it like when you have to go up to the counter and pay? Do the cashiers usually not understand that you aren't able to do certain things? How do you work around this? I know it's not obvious to some people that you aren't really able to use your hands. Is it frustrating having to try and explain that you can't really use your hands?I don't know if this ever happens, but out of curiosity, are people ever mean to you because you're in a wheelchair? I'm sure drivers can be pretty unforgiving, have you had bad experiences with driving? Can you tell me about it?
17. I've had times when I've trusted people too much and they used it against me. You seem like a pretty trusting person too, have you ever been taken advantage of for this? What happened? How did you feel, did it make you less trusting?
18. I've noticed that your money system isn't really the safest, I'm always paranoid about where my purse is and about not letting people see my money. Are you ever worried that maybe someone might try and steal from you? Have you ever had any problems with this? How would you deal with it if someone tried to steal from you?
19. People struggle in different ways. Do you see yourself as a good example for people who are struggling, maybe not physically, but with something that seems equally hard for them? What advice could you give them? What's helped you out the most? Do you feel there's worse struggles than being paralyzed? What's something that you would consider worse?
20. I know you've had much more than physical problems. Would you like to share some other struggles you've had that other people could relate to? How have you dealt with these problems? Do you feel they're harder than your paralysis?
21. I know this is a sore subject, but could you tell me about your wife? How did you guys meet? What did you think of her then? How do you think of her now? What happened the day you had to move out? Was it your choice or did you have to? How long has it been? How would you compare this to what you're going through now physically? What do you think's harder, going through the physical pain, or the emotional pain? What do you feel is getting you through this the best?
22. I know you've gone through a lot lately, do you think you could describe what happened with your health last year? How long were you in the hospital? How did it make you feel emotionally? How were you able to get through it? Did you ever think you'd get better? Do you think you'll recover completely, or will there always be something you'll have to deal with?
23. Is there any quote you'd like to leave?
Questions for other Interviewees:
1. How do you know Mr. Walker? Tell me about the first time you met him. How long ago was that? What'd you think about him when you first met him? How did it make you feel when you first saw him?
2. What do you think of him now that you've known him a while? Over the years, what have you learned from him? What kind of effect did he have on you? What impact do you think you've had on him?
3. What do you find most interesting about him? Why is this interesting to you?
4. Tell me an interesting story or experience you've had with Mr. Walker. What's something interesting about him that maybe most people don't know? How did you figure this out, did he tell you or you just found out? Why do you think this is interesting?
5. I really admire his writing style. What do you admire about him the most? Why do you find this admirable?
6. I've always loved reading, but he's given me a new appreciate and love for it that I've never had before. Tell me about how he might've changed your ideas or understanding about something, even if it's something you've been familiar with before you met him. How has it changed the way you thought about it before?
7. I'm very interested to know what keeps him going in spite of constant hardships. What do you think motivates him, gives him purpose, or keeps him from losing his will to keep writing?
8. If you could ask him any question, what would it be?
For Bob Webb:
1. So you put his van together, correct? How do these types of vans operate? Have you ever driven it before? What was it like? What's the hardest thing to fix on them? How long have you been helping John? How would you describe your relationship to him, do you feel like a father to him or more like a friend?
2. What do you think has been the hardest thing he's had to deal with emotionally? How do you think you've helped him with this? Does he come to you for advice often? What kind of advice does he ask for?
3. I know you've helped him in finding places to stay, what other things have you helped him with? I know he's pretty self-sufficient and mostly willing for people to help him. Does he generally accept your help, or has he ever asked to do something himself? He usually isn't afraid to ask me for help if he needs me to do something like say change the channel on TV or something like that, but can you think of a time when he didn't want you to help him? How did you feel, did it bother you?
4. Tell me about a time when he really needed your help. How did you help him? Sometimes I feel like he's helped me in many ways, more than I've been able to help him. Do you feel like he's helped you in any way? How do you think he's helped you?
5. I know you've had some health problems yourself, do you think Mr. Walker's similar issue has helped you deal with it at all?
For colleagues:
9. Tell me about what it was like working with him. How long have you worked together?
10. Have you ever sat in on one of his classes? Have you taught any classes with him? Which classes? What was it like?
11. What do you think of his teaching style? Is it different from yours? He admitted to me that sometimes he isn't as prepared as he should be, and even had to wing it during class. What do you think about this? Did he ever do this when you were in class with him?
12.What would you say is the hardest part about teaching? How do you think Mr. Walker handled this? If you don't know, just tell me how you think he might've handled it.
13. Tell me about a time when you've helped him with something, whether in teaching, writing, or daily life. How do think he took it?
14. Before you met Mr. Walker, what did you think of quadriplegics? What did you know about them? Did you ever think someone in his condition could teach?
15. Let's say that you had an accident leaving you paralyzed like Mr. Walker. What do you think it would take to motivate you to teach again? What kind of person do you think it takes to be able to teach while having a physical disability like his?
16. How has he changed your view on quadriplegics? Do you feel like you've changed at all from knowing him? How have you changed?
17. In my life, I've had some hard times that made me feel unmotivated. What experiences have you had with this? I see Mr. Walker as a great motivator, tell me about how you think Mr. Walker might be a good example for people dealing with hard times.
18. On a lighter note, I'm not sure if you've read anything that Mr. Walker has written, but if you have, what do you think of his writing? His work seems very personal, did it change the way you thought about him? In what way? How did it change the way you thought about writing?
19. He's very passionate about teaching and writing. Being a teacher yourself, what do you think motivates this passion?
20. I've asked quite a few questions about him, but is there anything else you'd like to add that I missed?
For students:
9. Tell me about what it was like the first day of class with him. Had you seen him before? When, and what happened? What was it like having him as a teacher?
10. What class did you have him for? Did you enjoy it? What was the most enjoyable part? If you didn't enjoy the subject before, did you enjoy it more after taking his class? What made you enjoy it?
11. Describe how he might have helped you either to love the subject more or helped motivate you in some way.
12. How would you compare him with your other teachers? Since I was his student before, I know he can be quite long-winded at times, but he always has something interesting to say. What did you think about his teaching style? Is there any lecture in particular that you can remember? Any quotes from him that you'd like to share? I know there were plenty of times when something funny happened in class. Can you remember any experiences like this? What were they? Tell me about what happened.
13. I never thought he had such a sense of humor, what do you think about his personality? Were you surprised by it?
14. What did you learn from the class? His way with words really helped me want to write. What's something that really influenced or motivated you from his class?
1. Tell us your name. Do you find it a little ironic? What's your favorite alcoholic beverage? What's your favorite thing to eat? What's your favorite drink? Do you have a favorite movie? Book?
2. When you were a kid, what was your favorite thing to do? What was your favorite sport that you liked to play? Do you think you were good at it? What did you think about reading when you were younger? Did you ever think you would become a writer?
3. Did you enjoy swimming when you were a kid? Who went swimming with you? Where did you guys go normally? Can you tell me what it felt like being in the water?
4. I'm really interested to know what exactly happened that day when you had your diving accident. Describe what the day was like, what time of year was it? What was the weather like? Tell me what happened that day, what did you have for breakfast? I know your accident was at a lake. How did you get to the lake that day? Did you normally go there? Who was with you? Did they say anything to you that you can remember? Did you ever dive before or was it your first time? What did it feel like, did you get knocked out or do you remember the pain? Who rescued you? Can you remember what happened after? Can you describe what it was like being in the hospital after the accident? When did you realize that you were paralyzed? How did you feel? What were your first thoughts?
5. Right after the accident, what helped you recover emotionally? Did you have to take medication, if you did what kind did you have to take? Do you think that helped you or did something else help you recover? How did it change your mentality on life? Do you feel like it gave you a different perspective? If you could go back, would you not have jumped, or do you think that it was worth it because you were able to find something you're passionate about that you never would have expected?
6. What's the biggest thing that helped motivate you after your accident? Were you a Christian then?How do you think your beliefs helped you? What do you think about the human will? Do you believe your will helped you to recover? Did it give you a purpose in life?
7. How did you physically recover? Did you ever think you'd be able to write again? When did you learn how to write? How long did it take you? Were you able to go back to school? How long did it take till you could go back? Were you embarrassed to go back to school? What did your friends think? What did your family think? Did people treat you differently? Did you have a girlfriend at the time? Did she act differently after the accident? How do you think your life was different from an average kid at that time? What was the same about it?
8. I'd love to know exactly what got you into literature. Tell me about how this happened, was it simply because you weren't able to play sports anymore? How long after the accident did you become interested in literature? Was there a specific instance? What happened, can you describe it for me?
9. When did you decide you wanted to become a teacher? What made you decide that? What gave you the desire to teach? What was it like on your very first day of teaching? What class was it? How did you feel? Since I teach myself, I'd say my goal in teaching is to show the children that they are capable of a lot more than they thought. Do you have a goal in teaching? What is it? How would you describe your teaching style? How long does it normally take you to plan a lecture?
10. What do you love most in your students? Do you play favorites ever? What's your "ideal" student? What makes them ideal? Are you nervous on the first day of a new class? How do you think your students see you? Do they act differently around you in class than when you see them in the halls? How do they act? Who's the most interesting student you've had? Tell me about some memorable times you've had in class. Can you tell me any funny stories that have happened in class?
11. There are some days when I just don't feel like teaching, on days when you aren't feeling so hot, what motivates you to teach? What gets you through it? Is it only because you have to or do you have some kind of motivation?
12. One thing I find most interesting about you is that you're a writer. When did you decide to become a writer? Did your interest in literature spark this, or was it the other way around? Was their a specific moment when you realized you wanted to be a writer? Did you ever think you couldn't do it? What made you keep writing, especially during the discouraging times? When did you feel like giving up writing? What kept you from giving up?
13. Your books are very descriptive. Do you write the character's sense of touch by what you've seen or by what you remember? What have you published? What do you consider your favorite work, published or not? Do you have a favorite quote from one of your stories?
14. What's your goal in writing, do you have a specific purpose or do you just write what you feel you have to write about? What impact would you like to have on your readers? What do you want them to understand most?
15. You've done a lot of things in your life. What do you think has been your greatest accomplishment? Why?
16. I've noticed that you can be very social at times, which is probably difficult for you now, but would you consider yourself a social person? How often did you used to go out, either to eat or just to hang out somewhere, even by yourself? Where were your "usual" places? Besides cashiers and workers, how often did you end up talking to people that maybe you didn't know? How do you feel people generally reacted to you? Do people ignore you sometimes when you're out in public, or do people mostly try and help you out? I know you're capable of more than people think. Do you feel like sometimes people help you too much? How do you feel about this, is it frustrating, do you enjoy it, or have you just gotten used to it?What's it like when you have to go up to the counter and pay? Do the cashiers usually not understand that you aren't able to do certain things? How do you work around this? I know it's not obvious to some people that you aren't really able to use your hands. Is it frustrating having to try and explain that you can't really use your hands?I don't know if this ever happens, but out of curiosity, are people ever mean to you because you're in a wheelchair? I'm sure drivers can be pretty unforgiving, have you had bad experiences with driving? Can you tell me about it?
17. I've had times when I've trusted people too much and they used it against me. You seem like a pretty trusting person too, have you ever been taken advantage of for this? What happened? How did you feel, did it make you less trusting?
18. I've noticed that your money system isn't really the safest, I'm always paranoid about where my purse is and about not letting people see my money. Are you ever worried that maybe someone might try and steal from you? Have you ever had any problems with this? How would you deal with it if someone tried to steal from you?
19. People struggle in different ways. Do you see yourself as a good example for people who are struggling, maybe not physically, but with something that seems equally hard for them? What advice could you give them? What's helped you out the most? Do you feel there's worse struggles than being paralyzed? What's something that you would consider worse?
20. I know you've had much more than physical problems. Would you like to share some other struggles you've had that other people could relate to? How have you dealt with these problems? Do you feel they're harder than your paralysis?
21. I know this is a sore subject, but could you tell me about your wife? How did you guys meet? What did you think of her then? How do you think of her now? What happened the day you had to move out? Was it your choice or did you have to? How long has it been? How would you compare this to what you're going through now physically? What do you think's harder, going through the physical pain, or the emotional pain? What do you feel is getting you through this the best?
22. I know you've gone through a lot lately, do you think you could describe what happened with your health last year? How long were you in the hospital? How did it make you feel emotionally? How were you able to get through it? Did you ever think you'd get better? Do you think you'll recover completely, or will there always be something you'll have to deal with?
23. Is there any quote you'd like to leave?
Questions for other Interviewees:
1. How do you know Mr. Walker? Tell me about the first time you met him. How long ago was that? What'd you think about him when you first met him? How did it make you feel when you first saw him?
2. What do you think of him now that you've known him a while? Over the years, what have you learned from him? What kind of effect did he have on you? What impact do you think you've had on him?
3. What do you find most interesting about him? Why is this interesting to you?
4. Tell me an interesting story or experience you've had with Mr. Walker. What's something interesting about him that maybe most people don't know? How did you figure this out, did he tell you or you just found out? Why do you think this is interesting?
5. I really admire his writing style. What do you admire about him the most? Why do you find this admirable?
6. I've always loved reading, but he's given me a new appreciate and love for it that I've never had before. Tell me about how he might've changed your ideas or understanding about something, even if it's something you've been familiar with before you met him. How has it changed the way you thought about it before?
7. I'm very interested to know what keeps him going in spite of constant hardships. What do you think motivates him, gives him purpose, or keeps him from losing his will to keep writing?
8. If you could ask him any question, what would it be?
For Bob Webb:
1. So you put his van together, correct? How do these types of vans operate? Have you ever driven it before? What was it like? What's the hardest thing to fix on them? How long have you been helping John? How would you describe your relationship to him, do you feel like a father to him or more like a friend?
2. What do you think has been the hardest thing he's had to deal with emotionally? How do you think you've helped him with this? Does he come to you for advice often? What kind of advice does he ask for?
3. I know you've helped him in finding places to stay, what other things have you helped him with? I know he's pretty self-sufficient and mostly willing for people to help him. Does he generally accept your help, or has he ever asked to do something himself? He usually isn't afraid to ask me for help if he needs me to do something like say change the channel on TV or something like that, but can you think of a time when he didn't want you to help him? How did you feel, did it bother you?
4. Tell me about a time when he really needed your help. How did you help him? Sometimes I feel like he's helped me in many ways, more than I've been able to help him. Do you feel like he's helped you in any way? How do you think he's helped you?
5. I know you've had some health problems yourself, do you think Mr. Walker's similar issue has helped you deal with it at all?
For colleagues:
9. Tell me about what it was like working with him. How long have you worked together?
10. Have you ever sat in on one of his classes? Have you taught any classes with him? Which classes? What was it like?
11. What do you think of his teaching style? Is it different from yours? He admitted to me that sometimes he isn't as prepared as he should be, and even had to wing it during class. What do you think about this? Did he ever do this when you were in class with him?
12.What would you say is the hardest part about teaching? How do you think Mr. Walker handled this? If you don't know, just tell me how you think he might've handled it.
13. Tell me about a time when you've helped him with something, whether in teaching, writing, or daily life. How do think he took it?
14. Before you met Mr. Walker, what did you think of quadriplegics? What did you know about them? Did you ever think someone in his condition could teach?
15. Let's say that you had an accident leaving you paralyzed like Mr. Walker. What do you think it would take to motivate you to teach again? What kind of person do you think it takes to be able to teach while having a physical disability like his?
16. How has he changed your view on quadriplegics? Do you feel like you've changed at all from knowing him? How have you changed?
17. In my life, I've had some hard times that made me feel unmotivated. What experiences have you had with this? I see Mr. Walker as a great motivator, tell me about how you think Mr. Walker might be a good example for people dealing with hard times.
18. On a lighter note, I'm not sure if you've read anything that Mr. Walker has written, but if you have, what do you think of his writing? His work seems very personal, did it change the way you thought about him? In what way? How did it change the way you thought about writing?
19. He's very passionate about teaching and writing. Being a teacher yourself, what do you think motivates this passion?
20. I've asked quite a few questions about him, but is there anything else you'd like to add that I missed?
For students:
9. Tell me about what it was like the first day of class with him. Had you seen him before? When, and what happened? What was it like having him as a teacher?
10. What class did you have him for? Did you enjoy it? What was the most enjoyable part? If you didn't enjoy the subject before, did you enjoy it more after taking his class? What made you enjoy it?
11. Describe how he might have helped you either to love the subject more or helped motivate you in some way.
12. How would you compare him with your other teachers? Since I was his student before, I know he can be quite long-winded at times, but he always has something interesting to say. What did you think about his teaching style? Is there any lecture in particular that you can remember? Any quotes from him that you'd like to share? I know there were plenty of times when something funny happened in class. Can you remember any experiences like this? What were they? Tell me about what happened.
13. I never thought he had such a sense of humor, what do you think about his personality? Were you surprised by it?
14. What did you learn from the class? His way with words really helped me want to write. What's something that really influenced or motivated you from his class?
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Final Pitch
Description: A man struggling with quadriplegia and facing the difficulties daily find ways to overcome his struggles and to become a success.
My theme is the human ability to overcome obstacles and to fulfill one's dreams in spite of extreme difficulty.
My intent is to show a specific instance of when a human is able to overcome an obstacle which is a constant life struggle. I would like to discover what it takes to make such a strong person, and to reveal how much people are able to do if they just have the will and desire to do it.
Structure breakdown of plot:
We will see Mr. Walker talking about his past, then his accident. I will show B-roll of childhood pictures. There will be a shot of a lake and water while he describes his accident.
We will see an interview with Mr. Walker's brother who will tell us about his childhood, and maybe what it was like after Mr. Walker's accident.
We will see Mr. Walker doing some daily things such as eating while he talks about his daily struggles and what it was like after the accident.
We will see an interview with Mr. Walker's caretaker, Bob Webb, who will describe his struggles.
We will see Mr. Walker describing some of his accomplishments, first with teaching. I hope to interview him outside for this.
We will see interviews with others who were students, peers, and hopefully even teachers of Mr. Walker. They will describe how he has changed them.
We will then see Mr. Walker talking about his accomplishments with writing. I will first show him typing or writing if I can get some B-roll of him doing this. His strength is low right now, but I'm hoping he'll be able to build it up enough before my project is over. I will then show him talking, still outside. I will have him read a passage from one of his books. I have one planned out, but if he has another in mind, I will let him read that as well. But here is the passage I would like for him to read:
There were as many stories as there were hills out there and people in them, and some of them were true as the very trees growing on the hills, but others tended to grow and spread beyond themselves like roots. . . . Every man had one, some more so than others. And some harder than others that were never told, because it wouldn't be right to tell them, even if they were true as the sky above. Those were maybe the stories that mattered most, but they were the hardest ones to tell, because they were the hardest to live. And only the man knowing them had to live them, and no one else could live the story for him. That kind of story lives in the man, and he lives in it and it's what he is, and it grows in him like the veins of his heart. It'd been given to him as if a gift from God, for better or for the worst, and only God sometimes knew the real truth of them, all the way to the root of it.
Production Design Statement: My aesthetic choices will compliment the main idea in that I would like to have Mr. Walker speaking inside at first where the lighting is a little darker, then when he describes his accomplishments, I would like him to be outside when it is bright. He is staying the country right now so I think it could be particularly striking, especially if he describes his writing and the natural feel he puts into his work. I also will have others interviewed outside as they talk about how he has influenced them. I will have some interviews in offices, which will help create a professional feel and to show that he has influenced different types of people, not only students or those who are searching for what they want to do in life, but also those who already have jobs set and still need some encouragement or the motivation to do something else that they have always wanted to do. I'm very excited and interested to hear what they have to say. I will also show Mr. Walker doing some daily things like eating, typing, and hopefully writing. I'm not sure where his strength is at right now, but I'm sure in a couple of weeks I will be able to get some footage of him doing some daily activities. I intend for the interviews to be directed to the camera, and I hope to get medium-close up shots to make the interviews more personal, and to hopefully show the emotions on the interviewees' faces. For Mr. Walker, I intend to start the piece as he talks about his childhood with a close up of him to where the audience will not be able to see his chair. When he talks about his accident, I would like to reveal that he is in his chair. I will do a 2-shot of a student with her father who was a fellow colleague of Mr. Walker, so I am excited to see their interaction with one another about how he influenced both of them. I am hoping to film this one outdoors as well.
The sound in Galloway seemed good when I went, I will make sure the TV is off in his room, and that hopefully no nurses will disturb us. It is a rehabilitation center, so the nurses do come in periodically. If so, I will have to have him repeat a lot of things which could be difficult. I will figure out a time when they are the least intrusive, though. They also are pretty friendly, so I think that if I tell them I'm conducting an interview, they wouldn't disturb us. Outside, it is very natural and quiet because Galloway is in the middle of nowhere! There is only a tiny road so cars won't make too much noise at all. For the other interviews, I was hoping to meet some people at Overton Park on a more quiet day, or in their offices. I haven't been able to check the sound in the offices, but if it is too noisy there, I will try and interview them outside unless that is noisy as well! At Crichton (now Victory), I would like to do an interview in the library office. I've been in there before and it is very quiet and has good sound.
My image locations are below, and above I have noted the sound for each. The lighting is good in most locations except Galloway was a little dark but that was because I went at night. I am going in the morning next time to interview him. The outside light won't be easily controlled, but I might bring a white bounce board in case I need to control the lighting. I"ll consult Jill about what's best for this.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Revised Questions for Mr. Walker
I tried to interview him yesterday, but he was really in bad shape and actually I ended up having to follow him to the hospital where I believe he still is now . . . that definitely was not a fun night.
But, when he gets better, here are the questions I would like to ask him:
1. Describe your childhood and memories before the accident.
2. What is your best memory growing up?
3. Who would you say has influenced you the most?
4. For people who aren't aware of what quadriplegia is, could you describe your condition and what it is like?
5. How did your accident occur? How old were you?
6. After the accident, how did you recover (physically/ mentally)?
7. What got you through it? Medication? Willpower? Religion?
8. How has it changed you? If you could go back, would you not have jumped? Why or why not?
9. What has been your greatest difficulty since the accident?
10. What do you struggle with daily because of it?
11. What inspired you to write?
12. What do you believe is the purpose of your writing? What message are you trying to send?
13. Your books are very descriptive. Do you write the sense of touch from memory or observation?
14. What made you decide to become a teacher?
15. Was there a specific instance that got you into literature? Can you describe it?
16. What is your goal in teaching? On days when you aren't feeling your best, what motivates you to teach?
17. What was it like on your first day o teaching?
18. Do you believe people treat you differently because of your condition? If so, how and can you give an example?
19. What bad public experiences have you had that you would like to share? Has anyone ever been condescending to you or rude in any way? If so, how?
20. Do you think people treat you fairly, ignore you, or try to help you too much? Or are people generally considerate and understanding?
21. How has your condition affected your independence? How often do you rely on strangers for help?
22. Have you ever been taken advantage of by strangers, or have they always been helpful?
23. Have you ever had someone try to help you with something that you could do yourself? Could you give me an example? How does it make you feel, is it frustrating or have you gotten used to it?
24. How do you feel when faced with a task that you aren't capable of doing? How do you resolve it?
25. Do you feel people are impatient with you because you must do some things slower? If so, describe an instance when this has happened and how it made you feel.
26. What is your biggest fear that you are willing to share?
27. At what moments did you feel like giving up? What were the circumstances?
28. What is your source of motivation? What keeps you from giving up?
29. What things did you think were too hard for you to do, but you did them anyway? How did you do them? What motivated you?
30. What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?
31. What is your main goal in life? What drives that goal?
32. What impact would you like to have on others?
33. What do you feel is the most important thing for people to know?
34. From your life experiences, what advice would you give to those who are unmotivated or have gone through difficulties and feel they are unable to do what they really want in life?
These are the questions I've come up with so far. Any additions or suggestions are certainly welcome!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
New Pitch
There are many details about my pitch below, including possible questions, photos, and a few other things.
Here are some revisions that I've come up with this week:
As for structure, I would like to start out with Mr. Walker talking about his past in close-up, then gradually move out till we see he is in a wheelchair once he describes his situation. I hope to have him briefly describe his past, how the accident happened, and how he was able to move on. I will show B-roll footage periodically while he talks with him when he was younger, the location where he grew up, and some water footage for when he talks about his accident. I'm hoping to interview his older brother who comes to visit him periodically, but if I can't then I'll have Mr. Walker describe how he got into teaching, then show interviews of his colleagues and students and their first impressions of him as a teacher. I'll cut back to him talking about his writing, how he got into it, and where his stories come from. I would like to show him doing daily activities since it is fascinating to see how he is able to eat, type, and do other things like even lift a cup! While he is talking about writing, I would like to get a shot of him typing. As of now, he doesn't have the strength for it, but I'm hoping that in a week or so he'll be able to do it. This part is optional, but he recently received his MFA and I was hoping to interview his teacher/ mentor/ advisor who helped him with this process. He is also a well-known short story writer in some circles, and is very personable so I think he might add a different perspective to this documentary, especially since he was the main person critiquing Mr. Walker's stories before they were published. After this, I would like to end the piece by asking Mr. Walker why he went into teaching and what kind of affect he was hoping to have on both students and his readers. Then, I would like to show the interviews of how he's affected those around him both through his teaching and writing, as well as just in daily life (friends, nurses, etc.)
I would like to know if I should include his recent struggle with cancer and pneumonia which has left him in the hospital for over a year. He contracted both due to his condition, but I'm not sure if this would distract from the overall message. It would definitely be another big accomplishment because he has just been emitted from the hospital when most of us didn't think he would make it. I'm not sure if it would be necessary, but I'm hoping to get some good feedback on this, as well as my overall structure and other suggestions!
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