Last year, when we were creating our Feature for Change projects, we were told repeatedly how incredible our Major Multimedia Project will be and how much we'll enjoy making them. Travelling around the country, interviewing new and interesting people about a topic we're passionate about..but alas, the Covid-19 pandemic had other ideas..
At the beginning of October I began asking around for interviewees, and I knew at least a couple would be international if I wanted to pursue the FemFax angle. But, I also knew with certainty that I wanted most of them to be in-person interviews, the quality of the audio is incomparable and a wild track of background sounds is vital to set the scene of a radio piece.
The first interviews I have organised are relatively local, well they are in the UK at least: one in Bournemouth and two just outside of London. However, I quickly learned that even if I was able to travel to meet these interviewees in person, they don't want to due to safety concerns. Of course, I cannot argue with that - all the risk assessments and social distancing in the world cannot guarantee that the virus will not spread. This actually turns out to be the only option anyway due to various lockdowns and tier restrictions, both locally and nationally, in the coming weeks.
So, it looks as though I am stuck with phone calls and Zoom meetings to ask my questions. I would be lying if I said this isn't a concern, the quality of the audio is almost as important to me as the journalism itself.
I am resolved to make the best of a bad situation, if I have to do my interviews remotely I at least want them to be done via the radio studio at uni with proper recording equipment - so I booked the studio for early November. However, when it came to the day this week neither of the two interviewees answered the phone, one due to technical difficulties and the other forgot completely.
All of this has highlighted the problems with conducting journalism from home (or uni), not only could it jeopardise the overall audio quality of the piece, guarantee use of manufactured soundtracks but also with a simple press of a red button, it is far easier for the interviewees to 'flake' on you too. I also worry about being able to connect with people and make them feel comfortable through a computer screen.
I have managed to reschedule the interviews that were missed this week and will hopefully be able to get my project started next week! Despite the challenges of not interviewing in person, I am determined to make this documentary something to be proud of.
I, like the rest of the media world, will just have to adapt to this bizarre time.
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