For the past three years, we’ve been tasked with telling the impact stories of the annual recipients of Georgetown University’s Vicennial Award, which honors 20 years of service to the University. There are many award winners every year and we open up the opportunity for each one of them to share their story if they choose. About 18 to 20 step forward every year and while each have amazing contributions to the University and the world, it’s a real challenge to include all these stories into one 10 minute entertaining and moving video. Below is what we came up with this year and the steps for how we went about it:
1. Interview & edit content thematically:
There were a handful of themes we wanted to touch on in this film. First, we wanted to highlight the scope of their dedication — 20 years. We did so by having each subject reflect on their memories from 20 years ago, both at the University and beyond. Some talked about the Redskins winning the Superbowl while others talked about teaching a law class during OJ’s trial. Other themes we focused included innovative teaching, their work outside of the classroom, and finally, their ongoing dedication to the University. We interviewed each subject in a way that would elicit content to fill out these themes and in the edit room, grouped the content accordingly. Not every subject appeared in every thematic section, only in those areas in which their comments were strongest.
2. Utilize each person’s storytelling strengths:
There are some people that are great generalists. They can speak really clearly and broadly about their connections to a place and people. Others are stronger at sharing single detailed stories. And then there are the comedic storytellers who can lighten the mood with the delivery of one short line. When interviewing a large group of people, you’re bound to find a mix of storytellers. So utilize each of their strengths and cut them together in a way that as a team, they make up the “perfect” storyteller: someone who can speak in compelling detail, someone who can frame things in terms of the greater meaning, and someone who keeps it all light and fun. Notice in the introduction, the male philosophy teacher tells a story about arguing publicly with an anti-gay speaker his first day. Next we cut to a female teacher who says, “In twenty years, I don’t think I’ve changed that much.” While she’s referring to her own life, her comments expand on his. In fact, in 20 years, the philosophy teacher continues to challenge ideas and advocate for those who have the least.
3. Think in narratives:
Even in short videos with multiple characters, try to think in two to three-act narrative structures so that there is some continuity and connection with the subjects. We may see them in the beginning of the video and when they appear again later on, their story is resumed. For example, in one section, the biologist talks about her ground-breaking work studying bottle-nosed dolphins. Then later, when she talks about the future, she says that dolphins live until they are 40 so she’ll be studying geriatric dolphins as she becomes geriatric. And the doctor who is working to fight GI cancers says at the end Georgetown has clearly allowed him to live his dream.
4. Accept that some people will receive more air-time than others:
Even in non-fiction there’s an element of casting. Some people are simply naturally better than others on camera. And so you’ll find, as we have, that some people just receive more air time than others. It’s an important thing to accept early on in the process, and your product will be of better quality because of it.
