Nez,

Just wanted to send a note saying your work as an MTV citizen journalist is looking really good. You've inspired me to try to embrace this technology, rather than shy from it -- more on that some other day.

What I mean to say is oustanding stuff. I like the signature style you bring to each clip, and the film shots and editing show your wealth of experience. I also appreciate the statistics and details you throw in to each vlog, even though you have little time to do so.

I did want to throw in my two cents on one bit, though: I know these clips are meant to be short. But I left the taser one wondering something. What do the Eugene cops say? I'm not a big fan of tasers myself. But it seems the police should get a chance to give their side, for why they chose to incorporate them.
I had a similar question at the end of the school consolidation video. Why does the school district say they're wanting to give up the 25 percent Latino building? And what would happen to those kids, where would they go?

Just food for thought.

Take care and take it easy.
M.

hey mimi, thanks!

you are right about the length....the problem with doing a video a week that can't be over five minutes and is very strongly encouraged to be under three is that you can't really do a 15 minute dateline type of investigation. not to say i dont stand behind the pieces as-is, i do. but they sort of have to be teasers in a way. i'm sorry they frustrate you a little...(if anyone else is left wondering why the police chose to incorporate tasers (its happening all over the nation), the Eugene Police number is: NON-EMERGENCIES: 541.682.5111 phone / 541.682.6804 fax.) the limits on my time and my ability to go places and interview people sometimes frustrate me, too.

ultimately, i guess i figure the police get their say in the mainstream media, as always. when i said "the Reg Guard frames the encounter as..." that means that the Police are getting their say. that's how the paper gets their story, unless you see witnesses quoted. directly from the police and the police blotter. i'd like to say "why doesnt the regular newspaper seek out people who spend time in the 'hood, and who aren't normally repped in the paper?"

the Iraq vet (Ahmed) who talked at length about seeing even pre-teens tasered gave stories that to him were everyday occurrences (you can see his being utterly shocked by my asking outright "do you see abuses by police"? but i had to ask it for the video/interview) but what would the police say if i asked them "do you ever abuse the taser"? i think we know! honestly, rather than use up my few minutes with police PR boilerplate, i am much more interested in finding marginalized voices and giving them the front and center, be it homeless kids, youth, people of color, or those not generally validated by the Press.

not to say if i had had more time i wouldnt have asked the police to talk, it could have proven interesting. but it was not a first priority. getting the kids on the street's views were.

sorry i was unclear in the school vid. the children who go to the school that is closing will have little choice but to go to the other schools, the "whiter and wealthier" schools. some won't be able to. great stuff to follow up on in almost every story. but not enough time or resources to make it a full time job. you are right that there is much more to the stories...i ALWAYS end up trimming myself. three or four minutes adds up very fast. too fast.

your thoughts are always welcome! thanks for the words.

a note about the eugene schools: the schools that are pegged for closure would have their students consolidated into other schools in the district. i believe there are two schools designated to take on students from the schools nez profiled.

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I hope on the scale of the big picture you realize my criticism is minimal -- I'm a fan of your work. Hell, I'm practically a groupie. And really, honestly, I'd be proud if one day I could put together a vlog (what a weird word)with just a fraction of the talent you produce there. They are definitely, by all means, worthy of standing by.

I can very much empathize with the trimming dilemma -- but I only know it from the writing side, so far. I've also been frustrated when the end-product is far from the story I've got in my head, the one a reader coulda/shoulda/woulda read if I had more liberty (instead of what I managed to fit in the alloted space, in the quick turnaround time). But, what can ya do? Just like you are doing I guess -- put together the best you can for time/space available.

As for the giving the youth a voice, I agree that's important -- it's key, especially because that is your audience. And talking to THAT audience should be your first responsibility. But, let's not figure that audience can't tell the difference between a legitimate differing point of view (say from the PD), or one that is just a canned PR response.

I'm just saying, as you move along in this endeavor, consider giving both sides the CHANCE to answer -- either honestly, or with canned PR jargon, their choice. Certainly, when you're dealing with 3 or 4 minute video reports, you don't want to waste too much time with extended redundancy of what's already out there, i.e. the establishment's voice, so to say, in the mainstream media.

I'd argue that even the mainstream attempts to get both sides. Though often the just-as-valid, just-as-real stories, such as your views from people on the street, get far less attention than they deserve. Official points of view are overwhelmingly represented, si. But we'll probably have to agree to disagree if you're saying that saturation in main media means those folks aren't valid sources, voices to be heard. I, mean, if these are the decision makers -- the bodies that decided whether my brother can get zapped by a Taser, whether my kid's school will close -- I believe journalists have a responsibility to ask them why they are making those choices.

Still at the bottom of all this is time/space allotment. And being able to tell the whole story is impossible regardless. These pieces that you are putting together are sort of new ground, not exactly straight news pieces (possibly more akin to a news column) So, I get where you're coming from -- to an extent.

Maybe one possibility is to end your videos with some little tidbit on where interested people can learn more about the subject, either a computer link or a telephone number, or a trusted newspaper -- something like that.

Thanks for letting me ramble once again here in your house.

there are so many things in a day that beg for our attention. that require it. that you have chosen to spend the time on my little video that you have is a great honor! as is the reflecting you do. thank you for your thoughts and feelings, mimi.

I can't believe they tazered a Marine 'because they wanted to see what it was like'. That just shows where our country has gotten to.

you should hear the stuff i didnt include. ahmed gave an excellent firsthand witness account of kids being tased by big cops who have no need to use one in the situation and choosing to. choosing to use a weapon of electrification that has killed quite a few people by now. i only wish these pieces could be longer sometimes. i really enjoy the long form for some purposes.

but yeah. sad state of a nation. but then again, we do seem to be a pretty violent nation in too many ways...