I have written about a recent takeover of our old church. I have volunteered to document the churches congregations reaction to the recent events. To be honest, it is difficult to keep my emotions suppressed, but in order to help those displaced, I need to maintain neutrality. In order to tell the story, it has to unfold on it's own and not prompted or directed.
This I my own philosophy when interviewing people. Whether it is the Sansei Veterans or displaced church members, the neutrality and inquisitiveness seems to be my most valued trait. People must trust that they will not be manipulated.
But with that philosophy, comes an internal burden. It becomes emotionally draining. If I do two or three interviews a day, I come home exhausted, both physically and emotionally and requires at least a day of down time.
Neutrality also comes into play when editing the footage. Does it reflect their mood and did it alter their views, does it accurately reflect the context of the whole interview. That is the ultimate burden of trust. Lets hope that it is maintained. That is not to say the end product will be liked by all, but you let the chips fall where land without disturbing them.
Editors can be the God of filmaking. We can manipulate, create, to our pleasure. The goal for me is to minimize my editorial bias. Wish me luck.
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