"How to" successfully report an event

A starter guide of do's and don'ts to follow when covering a story.

Being a muckraker comes with its ups and downs. You can learn some amazing things chasing a story and capturing it for the world to see, but sometimes it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There is a variable amount of behind the scenes action that goes unseen. Backstage factors that can make or break a good story.

Speaking from my own experience, I grew spoiled as a student on expensive equipment on loan. I forgot one of the most fundamental rules as a professional: a reliable journalist always takes the initiative, even when things go wrong. In my case, I had to sacrifice the quality of my footage. My camera had no memory card, so I had to make do with my cell phone camera. I didn’t plan ahead so there was no tripod to steady my shots, I didn’t prepare a guest to interview, and I didn’t do enough research on my event. I let a minor setback wreck my chance at success.

Journalism aside, as a person in the working world things won’t always go the way we plan. This is where the term “making the best of a miserable situation” becomes one of those unwanted “adulting” situations we often find ourselves in. You could mope about it or you could collect your courage, do your best and be more flexible. With that said, this is how you can turn my rainy day into your rainbow. 1. Always make a plan!

If you shirk this rule right off the bat, you can expect your results to be less that favorable from the start. Poor planning can be detrimental to your success, like watering a garden with a leaky bucket—scattered and messy. When you’re covering a story, you can’t just research thoughtlessly. I usually let the inverted pyramid guide my research. I figure out the when, where, what, why and how. In journalism I find this method especially helpful, because time is never on your side. You have to utilize what you have when you have it most of the time and a thoughtful approach will make it so that your plans—even if they don’t go as you like—are more adjustable in a crisis. Having a good plan is like having that second parachute, while you hope nothing goes awry, you won’t regret the foresight. Know where you’re going, who is going to be there, why you’re going and how you’re getting there, and have a back up plan incase one of those things falls through. Assuming you employ and devote yourself to a great plan that looks like it’ll go off without a hitch; there is only so much control anyone can have. This brings us to my next tip.

2. Make the most of what you can control.

Somethings are set in stone and can’t be changed, but I’ve learned that punctuality can make all the difference. Make sure to arrive early and don’t be afraid to stay late. Think of it like a trip to the movies. We’re always on the move and time is an economic resource, nowadays it’s quite common to study up on a movie before buying a ticket. Preparing your research, a week in advance will serve you a lot better than waiting until after the event and grasping at straws. It’s much easier to set up an interview if you know more about the subject. Getting back to the movie analogy, before assigned seating was a thing, it was better to arrive before the film started to secure a good seat. Attending an event for a story is no different in this regard, the early bird gets the worm. If you don’t snatch that perfect seat for yourself, then someone else will. In the field you’ll be competing for space with other media professionals so learn from my mistake, take the initiative and keep your target in your sights.

3. Eyes ahead-- never stop shooting!

If you’re taking shots, don’t stop until the event is done. If you’re filming the event, keep your eye on the prize. Winning shots come and go in the blink of an eye and once they’ve happened there is no turning back the clock. It’s better to have more footage than you planned than to have less, ALWAYS. Having a wealth of footage is always more beneficial as it gives you more material in which to craft your story. This is one mistake I made covering my first story for a convergence journalism class, which I made up for when I covered the career fair prep workshop. I had an abundance of footage, which is always good to have, but I lacked some of the most crucial footage: the interview. 4. Get out there and talk to people.

This tip writes itself. Talk to people. Ask questions. Carefully. Thought-out questions. Be prepared to listen. An interview isn’t the time to entertain yourself with idle lip flapping. In my opinion, interviews serve two purposes: gathering credible information from a source, and forming a human connections between the journalist and the audience. I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m more effected by a story that has a real person detailing their involvement in whatever is happening. Remember your interviewee has valuable information to share that’s only available to someone who is listening. Only interrupt if there’s something that needs elaboration. Otherwise, Insist. Insist. Insist. Insist on providing basic information (name, age, relations), a call back number, and more information if necessary. Be ethical, but take the initiative. A journalist’s whole job is to communicate information to an audience of people. In most cases this means getting up in people’s business (ethically) it means asking question after question and gathering as much credible information as you can. It means talking to as many as 20 or more sources to learn and gain perspective.

While I always mean well, mistakes are bound to happen. More importantly, they’re meant to teach. I’ve gained much more from just picking myself up after tumbling over and over than getting an A+ right off the bat. It is my humble hope that the burning embers of my failure can light the path to your success.